Lindsey's Cheer Competition

Two days a week Lindsey wakes up at 5:30 am to go to cheer practice and one night a week they have a 3 hour practice.  This doesn't include the time they practice during school, during their cheer class.  If you don't believe it takes dedication to be a cheerleader I would have to disagree.  This week, it all paid off when they won the cheer competition they competed in.  It was a lot of fun to watch them.  More than half of their squad can do a back tuck and they can all do back handsprings so it looks really neat when they do it together.  I know they were excited to win and it was exciting to watch them.

Thanksgiving

We had a nice Thanksgiving this year.  We spent it in Salt Lake at Taylor and Shauna's house.  It was fun to get together with everyone.  The kids always enjoy seeing their cousins and the weekend usually turns into a sleepover fest with cousins sleeping at each others' homes.  This year was no exception.  The girls got together and had a great time.

We had our own family Thanksgiving the Sunday before the big feast.  We all shared what we were thankful for and how we had been blessed throughout the year.  It was fun and will probably become a tradition as we usually end up with other people on the actual holiday.  It won't be long before our kids will have their own Thanksgivings to go to.  It sure goes by fast.

Matthew Gets the Reading Award

Matthew's kindergarten class had their first program.  It was excellent-- full of singing and dancing.  Is there anything better than watching 5-6 year old children sing at the top of their lungs while doing a fun dance.  You can't help but smile.  We had many smiling opportunities with this program, but our favorite was when Matthew was presented with his reading medal.  He was the first student to finish the reading program.  When his teacher asked him if this meant he was done reading and didn't have to read anymore, he replied, "yes."

I asked him that night if he would like to wear his medal to school in the morning.  He informed me he didn't have school.  I reminded him it was only Thursday night and tomorrow was Friday.  He responded by telling me, "he graduated tonight and didn't have to go to school anymore."  I guess when you have a program and get a medal that means you're done.  I reminded him how they had just had their 50th day of school celebration and then explained there are 180 days in a school year.  He quickly got over his disappointment because he loves kindergarten.

Happy Haunting

We had a great Halloween this year.  We didn't get to have our annual neighborhood Halloween party because Luke's game was on the night we would have been able to have the party.  After a discussion with the kids, we decided to forgo the party this year.  In lieu of our party, we did get to help out at the junior high spook alley.  Luke being an officer means that his parents get to help with student body officer events.  It actually was fun seeing all the kids.  Luke and Lindsey participated in the spook alley dressed up as various characters.  

We did have a fun Halloween dinner together with pumpkin stew, witches fingers and bats brew.  That will probably become our family time for Halloween because the kids all have their own things that they want to do now.  The younger kids went trick-or-treating.  It was perfect weather.  Ashlyn had her first Halloween experience.  She mostly rode in the wagon and ate a sucker, she seemed to have a fun time.  We went trick or treating with some friends so the kids had fun hanging out with them.  Heather went with some of her friends and we didn't see her the whole night.  I guess she is growing up.  Of course, Luke and Lindsey had their own parties to go to.