Keep Moving Ahead!

Indoor Track

2012-01-31T16:05:00.001-07:00

Jac and Thomas have had a great time running indoors lately...
Their first meet (yes, Thomas is running with the high school boys!) was at BYU
they ran the MILE
Jac got a PR with 5:29.7
Thomas got a PR of 5:29.1
Yes, Thomas was pretty excited to beat his big sis by .6 of a second :)

Here are photos of the Kearns meet

Jac ran the mile in 5:20!! another PR!

The 2 mile was the last event and Jac was STRONG! She came in 3rd with an 11:39!

Yep, another PR :)

Thomas had a goal of getting under a 5:20 mile. (hmm... did he want to beat his sister?)
He "barely" PR'd with a 5:11!
He shocked EVERYONE by beating his best time by 19 seconds!

Thomas ran the 800 in 2:20....both his times are records for the junior high boys at Lehi!

It's been fun having both kids run in the same meets. Thomas LOVES the challenge of running with the "big" boys...no one knows he isn't one of them since he LOOKS just like them! He has amazing determination and doesn't let anything get in his way of reaching his goals.
Jac has been an amazing example and mentor for him!

Some people ask, "Is Jac happy that her little bro ran faster than her?"
She is one of his BIGGEST CHEERLEADERS! Anyway, boys are SUPPOSED to be faster so it's OK. So in reality, in "girl standards" she's still faster :) hee hee

Saying goodbye...

2012-01-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's official...

meet Elder and Sister Whiting!

After 2 months of packing up things and throwing away at least 20 garbage cans worth of STUFF; they were ready to go!

The essentials of packing for a 2 year mission:

LUNA BARS 180 to be exact! (who needs clothes?)

Zip Fiz &vitamin drinks

Compression socks for the plane ride

a FEW ties :)

We were lucky to spend the last few hours with them and travel to the MTC for them to catch their shuttle to the airport

Reality is setting in...

Hugs for everyone!

Grandma's last wave goodbye!

It was SO HARD to say goodbye. We stayed around as long as we possibly could! We even followed the shuttle out the MTC gates :) yep, we are stalkers!

We thought COSTCO would be the perfect place to go in honor of Grandma and Grandpa (thanks for the idea Beth and Justin!) Costco is going to miss them during these next 2 years!

Hopefully they will be able to stay in business...hee hee!

Some favorites to remember!

I have to keep reminding myself that this IS a GOOD thing!

We LOVE you Elder and Sister Whiting!

She's 10!

2012-01-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

Is it really here? Emily has been counting down the days since...Christmas!

She loved her presents, especially her oil pastels (Thanks Nicki for teaching her how to use them!)

Emily couldn't wait for her party at the FOAM PIT!

Emily, Kaori Mckinnon, Faith Merrill, Cambry and Mia Johnson

We loved hanging out watching the girls play!

It was a TOTAL BLAST!

The girls came back for some Oreo ice-cream cake decorated with a "Tangled" theme of course!

Next up, GAMES! Emily had the house decorated with streamers and knew exactly what games she wanted to play. The first game had to be "Sock Wrestling" like Jac did at her party :)

The fun couldn't stop there! Chicken Alfredo was Emily's dinner of choice...the ONE meal she will actually ask for seconds!

Emily felt so special to have Grandma and Grandpa with her on her birthday just 2 days before they go to the MTC!

It was a wonderful day for a WONDERFUL girl!
Here are 10 things about Emily that you may or may not know:

She LOVES to be with her friends, cousins, and Grandparents!
She is very DETERMINED and NEVER GIVES UP!
She is ALWAYS creating SOMETHING!
She always checks the garbage cans to see if there is something she NEEDS for her next project
She is excited to RUN track and cross country!
She has the genealogy bug! She LOVES to research and learn about her ancestors
She LOVES to have the music on full blast!
She is always up for a party...Every. Single. Night! :)
She makes everyone feel loved and special!
She is BEAUTIFUL inside and out!

Happy Birthday Em...WE LOVE YOU!

First Date!

2012-01-12T19:14:00.001-07:00

Jac received a very interesting phone call from a guy in her "Family Relations" class. He wanted to take her out on a date. Even though he seemed a little on the "ODD" side, she said YES!
He wanted to take her to a BYU track meet...hmm he must know her well :)

Matt showed up only about 5 minutes late...not too shabby! I was a little worried to let my little girl go on her first date but he seemed like the perfect guy to go with!

Thomas kept counting the hours as they went by..."Mom, she has been gone for 4 hours...MOM, she has been gone 5 hours...MOM SHE HAS BEEN GONE FOR 6 HOURS! Are you going to let her stay out that long on ALL her dates? WHAT ARE THEY DOING?!" What a sweet brother!

I told him it was OK with this guy!

After watching the BYU track meet, getting a Jamba Juice (with coupons of course!), and a movie at the dollar theater Matt treated Jac to TAI FOOD! She was in HEAVEN!

It will be hard to beat this amazing date :) Jac said he was a PERFECT gentleman!
Good thing I don't have to share this guy all the time!

It's Official...

2012-01-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

Jac is 16!!!

Jac and her friend Ian have the same birthday so we decided to throw a joint surprise birthday party!

As all surprise birthdays seem to go...we had a few detours; Jacs run took longer than expected, the church was being used already, another church was being used and ANOTHER church was being used! No need to fear, we finally found one and Ian and Jac were clueless! They thought they were just hanging out with friends trying to find a place to play basketball :)

As the group was getting kicked out of this church (after just 10 minutes!) they found the kitchen open and ready for LUNCH.

SURPRISE!

After eating lunch they played some fun games like:

SOCK WRESTLING!

good thing it's cool to have skinned, raw knees right?

The next day was Jacs official Birthday...time to get her LICENSE!

She was just a little excited :) Grandma came early to get Emily off to school so we could be at the DMV first thing!

Jac got her favorite dinner...Sweet Potato Curry and homemade mango yogurt for desert!

Thomas gave Jac a book (on loan from the library hee hee) titled,

"What girls need to know about boys"

just in time for dating!

It actually has some very good stuff in it! Way to go Thomas :)

We can't let Jac's B-day go without telling you 16 things you may, or may not know about her:

LOVES to run
She reads her scriptures EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!
Air fresheners are her best friend :)
Tapes her homework on the wall in the shower...good study time!
Loves to listen, sing along with, and dance to EFY music
Loves to buy exercise clothes more than any other kind
Enjoys teasing her brother and sister
A great friend to everyone
Has a strong testimony
Wears her CTR ring every day
Actually looks forward to speed workouts!
Loves to cook
The most healthy eater...she was born that way!
When she makes a promise, she keeps it!
She shares her Dad's love of nature
One of the most POSITIVE people around!

WE LOVE YOU
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Grandma and Grandpa's Farewell

2012-01-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa spoke in church and did AMAZING! So many loved ones came to hear them.

The youth speaker was Grandpa's Home Teaching companion and never usually comes to church...but today he did and he said some very heartfelt, sincere and kind things about Grandpa!

It was a very inspiring meeting!

Elaine, Brent, Lanae, Linda, Blair, Grandma and Grandpa

Some of the Heaps crew came and Rose couldn't stay away either :) We LOVED having them! My parents felt so loved!

Dad and 3 of his siblings, Lanae, Brent and Blair

It took a few tries but Gracie finally kept her eyes open for one picture!

We can't get enough pictures of our Grandma and Grandpa!

Do you think they will be missed? hmm...

Happy New Year

2012-01-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

When you spend time with the Parish's and Buhrley's there is never a dull moment! Here are a few highlights from our New Years party! (Take a look at Emily's hands...she drew and painted for 6 hours straight!)
homeade tortillas, homeade yogurt and a little bit of sugar with...

A family favorite.. The Candy Bar game!

2012, here we come!

The Foam Pit

2012-01-04T08:19:00.001-07:00

If your kids ever need to get some energy out this is the place to go!

Crazy kids, crazy jumps and soft landings!

THOMAS

JAC

EMILY

FUN MEMORIES, FUN TIMES!

Christmas morning

2012-01-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas!

The kids slept in the family room together...with their mattresses this year (they are getting spoiled!)

"Jingle Bells...Jingle Bells..."

Emily made Jac and Thomas these great cutouts of themselves!

Grandma and Grandpa came looking like missionaries! We were lucky to have them go to church with us and spend the day with!

Jac dressed her cow with her clothes...look at those pink spandex!

Emily loves anything Rupunzel these days :)

You thought she was fast but with this outfit WATCH OUT!

Emily's great artwork!

Thomas was mesmerized by his kindle!

One of our very favorite gifts were these darling pillowcases that Grandma Sylvia made us all for Christmas. Thanks Grandma!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-27T22:49:00.001-07:00

This year we were going to spend the day at the Parish's but they were SICK! We were so bummed not to have them with us. We were lucky to have Grandma and Grandpa Whiting, but it wasn't the same without the Parish's!

We took Grandma and Grandpa to play Laser Tag. Too bad the picture didn't turn out. Grandma didn't like shooting other people, it made her feel bad. She even had a little girl ask if she would give her a hug! That's something you don't usually see while playing Laser Tag!

The Christmas story.... Heaps style #2

(this is what happens without Grandma Heaps' costumes and the Parish's creativity!)

Can you guess who's who?

He isn't asleep, he's the narrator of course!

It may not have been fancy but we had a lot of fun!! Especially singing around the piano while Grandma played Silent night and other beautiful hymns...It's amazing how music can bring the spirit into the room instantly!

Our annual "Cookies for Santa" picture
shh... don't tell anyone that we forgot to do it till Christmas morning!

The Nativity...Heaps style

2011-12-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Heaps had our family over for a delicious Christmas dinner.
We were excited to continue our tradition of acting out the Nativity with Grandma's amazing homemade costumes. I must admit the costumes were a bit better than the acting... :)

Jac - Wise woman (and singer?)

Emily - Wise woman and lamb

Thomas - Angel and donkey

Grandma - Narrator
Grandpa - Shepherd
Matt - Joseph
Jill - Mary

Even through the laughter the spirit was strong as we read the Christmas story and sang the beautiful hymns. It was a night to remember.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Miss MVP

2011-12-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

Jac received the MVP award at the Cross Country team banquet...
It was fun listening to to the coaches talk about her :)
CONGRATS JAC!
Most of the kids ended up at our house after...we LOVED it. All the kids are so great!
We love Lehi XC!

Christmas Concert

2011-12-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

Emily was very excited to sing in her very first Christmas concert

She was especially excited for the donuts after :)

She got all her craziness from Grandpa!

Good Job Emily!

USATF CHAMPS!

2011-12-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

South Carolina didn't know what they were in for when the "UTAH GIRLS" came to town!

As you can see, the girls were having a very low key day prepping for the big day...

They all ran an AMAZING race!

Summer 1st; Candace 3rd; Jac 4th; Kenzie 11th; Emily 26th; and Angela 36th!

Every girl got a PERSONAL BEST!

Not only did they do well on their own but they won 1st place as a team!

The girls did a little celebrating on the beach before the awards ceremony

Jacqueline received her medal from an Olympic Champion

As the girls went up to get their trophy their were boys standing by Matt saying:
"WOW! ALL the UTAH girls are good looking!"
His friend then said, "Ya, I need to move there!"

USATF CHAMPS!

The girls had so much fun doing the craziest things...the memories will last forever!

CONGRATULATIONS GIRLS!

Jac came home to this poster made by EMILY... Jac is the one with orange hair

This is Jac signing autographs

This is Jac and Summer holding up the trophy together!

Jac running through the finish line with her medal and trophy.
VERY CUTE :)

Singing at the Joseph Smith Building

2011-12-11T21:27:00.001-07:00

Emily's Childrens choir sang at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

I took these shots of Emily and Cambry before...quite the little Divas!

It was the perfect evening to walk around Temple Square with our Hot chocolate warming our tummies :)

We were lucky to have Grandma Whiting come along with us!

Emily and Thomas re-inacted Matt asking me to marry him...SO TENDER!

Thomas could only take so much! :)

The best Mom in the world!

Yes, my daughter is a goof ball!

Footlocker 2011!

2011-12-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

Now to the reason we were in California...
Footlocker Nationals!

Thomas' race was first...

Thomas finished in 11th place out of the 7th and 8th grade division.

Out of the 15 boys to medal only 3 were in 7th grade!

Jacqueline's race was very last...she came with her high school cross country team...can you believe that she wanted to come with her team on a BUS instead of her dear ol' family! :)... GOOD CHOICE JAC!

She has memories that will last forever!

Jac finished in 27th place in the seeded race...(top girls in the nation!)

She was seeded at 86...came in 27th....not too shabby:)

It was so fun watching these two race; their hard work is paying off!

GREAT MEMORIES!

Magical...

2011-12-09T16:49:00.001-07:00

SO EXCITED to be at DISNEYLAND!

Finding Nemo Submarine ride was so darling!

Emily is still in shock that she is actually at Disneyland...

Meeting the princesses and fairies were a definite highlight of the day!

It all started with a mouse...

We have some CRAZY kids!

The lights and parade were amazing...especially when you get on the front row without even waiting for it!

It was a wonderful day...just one thing could have made it better...JACQUELINE!

We stayed at the Gredings house. Emily and their granddaughter became fast friends. They spent one evening making 115 feet of hair for Emily's Rupunzel doll!

The Beach!

Even though it was chilly, Emily was DETERMINED to wear her swimsuit!

We enjoyed collecting seashells, watching the dolphins and of course all of the seagulls!

Thanks for the sun California!

How does it feel...

2011-12-08T09:09:00.002-07:00

When you travel 12 long hours to California to watch big Sis and Bro run in ANOTHER race, knowing you don't get to go to Disneyland; feeling bummed but excited for the beach at least....
and then Mom and Dad tell you
"SURPRISE! WE ARE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!"

PURE JOY!

Ahoy there!

2011-12-07T15:47:00.001-07:00

Emily's music class did a Pirate musical...Emily did a great job!

"We stick together like glue Mom!"

Emily, Faith and Lilly

Thanksgiving highlights...

2011-11-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

November is the month we love to do a THANKFUL poster on our door...

I think my favorite is "Not getting in trouble" :)

The Buhrley's came for the week YA HOO!

Justin had the great idea of going hiking so we went up Rock Canyon. We even found a cave to explore!

What's Thanksgiving without a RACE?

TURKEY TROT here we come!

Emily, Justin and Gracie ran the kids 1 mile! They were AMAZING! It was hard work but they kept going till the end! We are so PROUD of them!

This picture is right after...they are still deciding if they had fun or not...if it wasn't for the stomach aches from eating breakfast right before they would have felt much better. Way to fight through the pain!

"Don't worry Grandma, it's not your fault" :)

After getting a Turkey Trot t-shirt and a cool water bottle life was SWEET!

Jac and Thomas did amazing as always :)

Off to Steve and Sherry's for dinner...

Good times!

Our attempt at a family picture...

We ended the day at the Parish's for more pie and games...

A PERFECT THANKSGIVING spent with the Heaps AND Whitings!

Thankful...

2011-11-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

Today I am THANKFUL for parents who are willing to give up their lives as they know it and go to...
the PHILIPPINES for the next 2 years!
If you know my parents, you know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true if they are willing to take this adventure!
Good thing we know it's true too; it will make saying goodbye a little bit easier :)

CONGRATULATIONS, We are SO EXCITED for you!

The "Willard" Party

2011-11-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

Every year Mrs. Rivera's husband comes home from from being overseas for a few weeks. The kids get so excited when he comes because that means it's Party time!

All the kids have been practicing the waltz, the swing and proper manners when at a dance....they were so excited for the big day!

Not only did the kids get to dance but they had very fancy Chocolate fountains with their choice of chocolate and white chocolate with a huge selection of treats to dip in the chocolate!

The boys were such gentlemen, leading the girls by the arm and pulling their chairs out for them. It was so fun to see them being so grown up!

Emily's favorite part was the DANCING! She could have danced all night :)

She truly felt like a princess!

USATF STATE FINALS!

2011-11-15T09:49:00.001-07:00

This was the United States of America Track and Field (USATF) State qualifier for Nationals

Thomas was ready for this!

He ran a very smart race coming in 2nd place behind a 9th grader... not too shabby!

Congratulations boys on qualifying for Nationals!

Jac ran a smart race too! This time with a different team...Sojourners. Girls from Orem High, Timpview and Lehi are now together as one! Bringing this kind of talent together will make heads turn at Nationals for sure!

She finished 2nd in her age and 3rd overall and felt GREAT!

THIS, is why running is SO FUN!

The girls are going to Myrtle Beach South Carolina...CONGRATS!

Jac and Thomas didn't lack support at this race! We had family from Arizona, Idaho and Spanish Fork!
Perfect timing! Thanks for being such great cheerleaders!

How do you get ready for a big race?

2011-11-15T09:36:00.000-07:00

CARB-LOAD of course!

Michael, Austin, Matt, Thomas, Emma and Katie

The Jr High team had a great time eating, dancing and watching "Nacho Libre" to prep for the big day!

Apparently, they are REALLY good dancers :)
FUN KIDS, FUN TIMES!

Pre-Footlocker

2011-11-15T09:05:00.002-07:00

Jac and Thomas got to run the pre-footlocker race together...

We woke up to a FREEZING, blizzard like, windy, snowy day...and there was going to be a RACE? You bet!

The girls were anxious to start so they could get warm!

Jac was ready to prove that she has what it takes...

SHE DID! We were so proud of her determination. She did amazing coming in 2nd place with a 20:02

Now it was the boys turn. Could Thomas keep up? Well, out of the 140 HIGH SCHOOL BOYS that ran, Thomas came in 80th with a 20:05...just 3 seconds behind big Sis...

When standing in line at the finish line he told the guy in back of him he was a 7th grader...The junior was in shock! It was fun to watch Thomas as he fit right in with all the big boys! He even beat Shane :)

Everyone did a fantastic job and qualified for Footlocker in California...
Let's hope for warmer weather :)

Halloween

2011-11-02T09:13:00.002-06:00

Emily dressed as a Holland girl...NOT HEIDI! (People kept asking if she was Heidi.)
"Mom, I don't even know who Heidi is!" She is a very deprived child :)

Thomas and Matt couldn't resist going out so they took Emily along so she wouldn't be "lonely" before going out with her friend Cambry. Aren't they so nice?!
Where is Jac? Doing homework...fun isn't it?
As for Matt and I, we enjoyed answering the door and handing out candy to all the cute little and not so little trick or treaters :) Especially my cute little primary kids!

Is that a flying ghost?
Emily loves to decorate our house for the holidays! She hung ghosts from our ceiling fans.
She put them in the master bedroom but Matt had nightmares that ghosts and goblins were chasing him so we had to take them down :)

Happy Haunting everyone!

Crazy Hair day...

2011-11-02T09:03:00.000-06:00

As you can see, we went "extra" crazy this year!

One of the funnest days of the year :)

Fieldtrip!

2011-10-28T15:57:00.000-06:00

The 4th grade went to This is the Place Heritage State Park on one of the chilliest days of the year. (of course!) We had a wonderful time learning about the early pioneers and seeing the Halloween decorations...well, some anyway :)

Lily is our next door neighbor! They love being in the same class together!

Emily was really nervous about pushing a handcart. She was happily surprised to see it wasn't so bad! Of course it only had one bag in it but hey, they enjoyed pretending!

They even had to go up and down ditches!

School time! Mrs. Rivera wishes she could make the kids put their noses to the wall when they are bad and do a curtsy and bow as they walk in the classroom each morning :)

Emily LOVED square dancing! She is a fast learner and loved getting new partners as they danced around!

This is Jared, one of Emily's best buds! He was a good sport and let us take a picture of him with Em's hat on. Doesn't he look adorable?!

I sure do LOVE this girl!

1st Place...

2011-10-28T09:59:00.007-06:00

Thomas took 1st place overall for the Kiwanis Park cross country running series! Winning the most races in his age group!

The whole team has had so much fun racing... this is at Cottonwood. YES, LEHI Jr. XC is AWESOME!

Way to go LEHI!

Fall Break

2011-10-27T20:02:00.000-06:00

We got lucky this year and Matt stayed home for Fall break! We enjoyed

sleeping in

going on runs

watching CARS 2 (very cute by the way)

Hiking in Rock Canyon

Ice-skating...

SO BEAUTIFUL!

Ice-skating in October? Why not when you've got a pass! :)

Emily loved using the "walker" It was nice for us too!

To cap off the weekend, The "Boys" went to the BYU game!
BYU against Idaho State...We won!
It was a nice break from the craziness of life :)

XC STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

2011-10-23T08:31:00.001-06:00

How do you get ready for a BIG race?

#1 Have cool signs on your house and lockers...and quotes with carb-loading bread

#2 SLEEP IN... DON'T go to school and eat breakfast with FRIENDS!
#3 Dance or "rock out" to EFY music after studying the scriptures with your friends :)

You have to go to the meet in STYLE so decorating the bus is a MUST!

These girls are READY!

Jac had a plan... don't start out too fast, which has worked really well in the past few races. This race the start pace was a little too slow...

Jac did her best to catch up to the front group but the gap was larger than she hoped...

Right before the last stretch this girl passed Jac... NOT for long though! Jac passed her and took her spot in 10th place which is 1st TEAM ALL-STATE!

Not to mention she took 40 seconds off last years time!

The top 10 (8 pictured) in the STATE!

Lehi girls brought home the 2nd place trophy!

This has been a SWEEET season!

Jac may not have come in at the place she wanted but she did amazing! She has already learned so many lessons and knows what to do differently next year. She is looking forward to nationals in a few weeks to work on her strategy :)

We are so proud of the amazing person you are! Coach Rowe was quoted in the newspaper talking about what a great leader Jac is, and that she has the personality that draws you to her...

so so TRUE!

Congrats Lehi! and Congrats Jacqueline!

Did you know...

2011-10-22T13:38:00.001-06:00

The Lehi Jr. High Cross Country team is AWESOME?!
This has been their first season and these kids have really made their mark!

It has been so fun to watch all of them improve their times and have so much fun together!

They have a BLAST being CRAZY!

I must say that our favorite part has been watching THOMAS...I can be a little biased right?!

Thomas has more drive, determination and SURE WILL in his little pinky finger than I could ever dream of having!

With each new challenge, he makes a plan and IMPLEMENTS it! He has been training so hard and it is paying off! He is stronger with each race.

Jac is in the right hand corner cheering her bro on... what a fun, strong bond these two have!

See what I mean by DETERMINATION?! He is never afraid to give it EVERYTHING he's got!

Thomas' cheering squad!

These boys have come to know each other as they have competed for first place.

When one of them has beat Thomas he has not let it discourage him, instead he has made a game plan, prepared himself and come in first the following race!

What's so great is that they have become friends! ONLY in cross country do you see this kind of friendship! Even though they all want to get 1st place, they have been good losers and gracious winners; making you love each one of them!

Katlyn Struthers, Matthew Jones and Thomas... forever friends!

This is a picture of their race at Cottonwood Complex...
Thomas went out strong as always and PASSED THE RABBIT!!! A rabbit is a older runner, usually a faster runner; who runs ahead to show the kids where to go. This rabbit was about 19 but was no match for Thomas! He passed him about 1/2 way through the race!
Thomas, YOU are AMAZING!

We love you :)

Region Championship

2011-10-21T21:12:00.001-06:00

It was a VERY COLD afternoon at Cottonwood Complex for the Region 4 championships for 5A schools...

The Lehi girls didn't mind; they were ready for the challenge!

They ran an incredibly SMART race...

Jac was so STRONG she fought till the VERY END! She took second place by milliseconds, finishing with an 18:40 (same as the 1st place girl!)
We are SO PROUD of her.
What is the difference between this 2nd place and the 2nd place she got Pre-Region? She KICKED it in at the end...she didn't just let the girl pass, she FOUGHT for 1st place, she gave EVERYTHING she had! When you do that, you are a WINNER no matter what place you come in :)

FUN TIMES!

Receiving her award...

In case you were wondering... the varsity girls are REGION CHAMPS!!!

Not only did Jac have an amazing race but ALL the girls did! I think Coach Rowe is a little pleased ;)
Nicole, Sam, Cait, Jac, Kenzie, Maddy, Emily and Halea
Congrats girls!
See you at STATE!

Conference weekend

2011-10-17T08:38:00.001-06:00

The weekend was so beautiful! We decided to drive up the canyon while listening to Conference.

We found the perfect "Conference Rock" to eat lunch on and listen as we enjoyed the beauty all around us!

Emily always knows how to entertain herself wherever she goes!

Well, some of us listened to conference :) hee hee

Our 7th grader Thomas

Our 4th grader Emily

Believe it or not, Emily didn't want to take pictures! We got REALLY LUCKY to get this one shot!

Our Sophmore, Jacqueline!

Jac doesn't appreciate these but we do!

We finally got a smile out of Em!

Fall soccer is over

2011-10-17T07:53:00.000-06:00

It was a great season for Thomas. He moved up to the Division 1 team and really improved his skills! It was fun to watch his determination to do better each game!

As you can see, the team had a great time together!

A great group of boys with great coaches too!

Congrats Arsenal!

Leo's chauffeur

2011-10-11T09:07:00.000-06:00

A scene our neighbors see often...

Emily out on her new bike with the trailer attached to it!

She LOVES to take lots of stuff places and a trailer was the PERFECT answer to her problems of not being able to carry it all! The little bag on the handle bars just wasn't enough.

Todays cargo...LEO! Yes, he enjoyed being pampered as Emily was his chauffeur taking him around the neighborhood on our Sunday stroll.

Emily is so happy to have a trailer hooked to her bike and to finally have a bike that FITS!

Life is Good :)

Lehi girls dominate!

2011-09-25T11:10:00.004-06:00

The Varsity girls got a great start!

You can see how STRONG these girls are! No one could have guessed most of them had head colds!

All runners must have cheerleaders... even cheer dogs!

Way to go Jac on coming in

3rd place overall with a PR of 18:30!

The girls were so excited to take home their 1st place trophy!
Maddie, Emily, Kenzie, Jac, Nicole, Chelsea

Lehi XC is the BEST!

The youngest...

2011-09-25T09:03:00.000-06:00

Emily has been enjoying life as usual with her amazing imagination and creativity. Be careful when you throw anything away... Emily has an amazing radar and gravitates right to it. She came home with a huge stash of treasures from her cousins house a few weeks ago. (Thanks Amber) :)

Me: "Why were you in the garbage?"

Emily: "These things shouldn't have been in the garbage mom!"

To be honest, being the youngest isn't always easy when you have to be taken away from your biggest love...playing with FRIENDS, to cheer on siblings in all their activities.

She is a good sport, especially when she has friends like Diesel that come to watch!
Even though she doesn't like to break away from her friends...(she's been known to call the whole neighborhood at 7:00am looking for someone to play with instead of going to a game or meet... sorry neighbors; she is a very determined little girl and doesn't give up easily!) We LOVE it when she is with us! How could you not love that smile?

13!!!

2011-09-25T08:09:00.040-06:00

Happy #13 Thomas!

It's hard to believe we have 2 ~~teenagers~~ I mean YOUTH in our family now! I must admit it's quite fun :)

We all celebrated by watching him play in his soccer game

It's been great having so much support from our Grandparents!
We love you guys!

Happy Birthday Thomas!
WE LOVE YOU!

My little boy!
I think he's grown up a bit, don't you?

Murray Invite

2011-09-20T09:41:00.000-06:00

58 schools, beautiful weather...just a little bit of rain (for the girls anyway) and an amazing varsity team!

Is that Jac at the front of the pack? Why YES it is :)

This is the final stretch as Jac comes up right behind Candace from Orem... They are great friends but that doesn't stop their drive for competition! Jac was SO close! It must be the new spandex the team is wearing!

Jac finished in 14th out of 900+ girls! The girls did AMAZING finishing

7th overall and 2nd in 5A!!!

It's a great year for Lehi XC!

Thomas is an "ANIMAL"

2011-09-20T09:11:00.001-06:00

Friday night Thomas ran in the pouring rain. He didn't care, he had a mission; a mission to keep his first place status against "Spandex Boy". This boy is actually a very cool kid but it makes for a good story hee hee :)

He and Matt had discussed a plan knowing that this kid would be coming on strong and this is exactly what happened. Thomas kept his cool and passed him on the final stretch blowing the poor kid away.

Grandma and Grandpa Whiting made it just in time to see the final minute of this exciting race and I got to hear a play by play over the phone. Thomas was so excited! He didn't even care that he was covered in mud and headed up to go camping with his Dad.

These pictures were taken when he got home from camping... mudd dried but still ALL over his body! A very happy boy!

Not only was he an ANIMAL at the race but Thomas came an ANIMAL during his soccer game too!

He has been hesitant because the kids are so much smaller than him; so he has been holding back.
Matt challenged him to be more aggressive on the field and go all out... he took this challenge to heart and you could tell! His determination to go out and give it his all, payed off BIG TIME! He did amazing. I think the funnest part was watching how excited Grandma Whiting got as she punched her arms in the air and screamed for Thomas the whole time. It was a great success and he didn't hurt any of the boys! Well, physically anyway :)
SUCCESS!

A mountain wedding

2011-09-14T16:11:00.000-06:00

Our niece Lindsay was married to Jeff Bellio in the Colorado Mountains... just their style :)

Grandpa Heaps married them as Isabella, their 6 month old joined the celebration

Only at a wedding do you get to sit on a velvet coach in the mountains :)

We were excited to be there for their big day even if it meant driving 10 hours in one day to do it.

It was definitely worth the drive! (Especially when you are entertained by Matt and his brothers!)

Angela and Monica

Angela and Roary

Shirley, Sherry, Angela, Jill

Chris, Ryder and Camille

We even got to enjoy a romantic picnic after the ceremony :)

Steve, Joe, Matt and Richard Heaps

Sylvia and Richard

Lindsay wanted the ladies to wear fun hats and the men to wear cowboy boots... It was fun to see all the fancy hats. (we went last minute so missed the memo)

Kawanis 2K

2011-09-13T17:19:00.001-06:00

Get ready for Thomas' 2nd race...

Thomas #1 goal...
BEAT "Spandex Boy"!

As you can see, Thomas got off to a great start and quickly worked his way to the front

to pass...SPANDEX BOY! Thomas came in behind him at the last race and he was determined not to let it happen again... poor guy, he didn't know what was coming! :)

1st place!

Thomas was very excited as I am sure you can imagine. He also knows that Spandex Boy will be out to get him next race! Isn't competition great?!

The cheerleaders :)

The Lehi team did AMAZING! They all placed really high in their age divisions. Watch out Highschool...they are going to be READY!

A new look...

2011-09-01T16:39:00.000-06:00

Thomas has been wanting a "new look" for quite some time... We finally gave in to his wishes :)

He couldn't wait for this day to get here!

His teeth have to be prepped and pearly white for a look like this!

Yep, Thomas has entered the world of BRACES!!

I think he looks a little too good with his "new look"!

Congrats, BRACE FACE :)

Annual Airport Drive Party...

2011-09-01T16:27:00.000-06:00

Is summer over? Not for Airport Drive friends!
We all enjoyed one last summer evening together playing on water slides,eating, laughing and visiting!

Jayden and Emily are great friends!

Thanks to our great neighbors for making the end of the summer something to look forward to!

Fall soccer 2011!

2011-08-29T10:48:00.000-06:00

Let the games begin...

Thomas is always so fun to watch. He isn't afraid of anything! He goes for the ball and doesn't let anything stop him!

It's going to be a great season!

Thomas' FIRST XC meet

2011-08-29T10:37:00.000-06:00

This year Lehi Jr. High has a Cross Country team!
Thomas came home SOO excited!
Their first meet was at AF. They ran the same course as the high schools but just did 1 mile instead of 2.

When I was cheering Thomas on, I could hear some boys saying, "Hey, look at that high schooler running with the little kids!" They kept saying how crazy it was. I finally looked at them and said, "He is a 7th grader!" The boys jaws dropped saying, "He's as big as me!" Yep he is!

Thomas is one very strong and very determined young man!....

He finished 2nd place overall!! WAHOO!

Way to go Thomas!

AF Grass Relays 2011!

2011-08-29T10:23:00.000-06:00

A perfect day for a relay...

Last year, I wasn't too fond of this meet...

but this year, I LOVED it!

Our Varsity relay team was:

Kenzie, Emily, Me, Min, and Sam

(In that order)

When the baton was passed to me, we were in about 12th place....

I felt good and strong,

(even though the picture looks painful)

and bumped up our position to 2nd!!!

I also improved my time from last year by 24 seconds!

This was an awesome race! Everything seemed to have worked out nicely....

These are the results! I was very happy with my time and placement in the runners...

Our team also improved from last year too! Way to go team!

Girls Varsity Individual Award Winners

1.Summer Harper Orem 12:00

2.Ashleigh Warner Mountain View 12:04

3.Jacqueline Winterton Skyline 12:24

4.Tori Parkinson Mountain Crest 12:24

5.Shea Martinez Davis 12:34

6.Harley Murray Uintah 12:36

7.Jackie Heaps Lehi 12:37

8.Carrie Jube Timpview 12:40

9.Ellie Child Davis 12:40

10.Hazel Harvey Wasatch 12:46

11.Mallory Jones Timpview 12:48

12.Candace Greenwood Orem 12:49

13.Ali Walker Park City 12:50

14.Danielle Menlove Jordan 12:50

15.Tavia Dutson Jordan 12:50

Here's how our team did:

15.Lehi70:55
K.Draper13:07
E.Allred13:30
J.Heaps12:37
M.Edwards15:55
S.Slater15:46

Lehi vs. Westlake

2011-08-26T11:52:00.001-06:00

Cross Country season is here!
The first dual meet was on the first day of school
Look at the determination on their faces!

Lehi was off to a great start...

Jac did a great job coming in first place!
She came in a minute faster than last year on this course at 19:38!

Emily's friend Lilly came and said,

"I have never come to a race to cheer someone on that actually wins!"

Way to go JAC...it's going to be a great season :)

The first day is here...

2011-08-26T06:50:00.000-06:00

My 4th grader!

Emily was SO excited when she saw her classroom was GROOVY themed! We had to find the perfect outfit for the first day of school :)

My...10th grader!

Yes, Jac is officially in High School!

Can you tell the kids like their shoes this year? All running shoes? Go figure?? :)

Emily enjoyed her day learning about
"Peace Love and Hard Work"

As you can tell, Em got sick of taking pictures :)

Happy first day everyone!!

Thomas is in...Jr. high!!!

2011-08-26T06:40:00.000-06:00

Yes, this is my sweet "little" 7th grader!!!

He loved getting all the picture attention since it was the first day only for him :)

He is so excited to be in Jr. High... am I?

Where did my dinosaur, Buzz Lightyear and Woody loving boy go?

I offered to walk Thomas and his friends to school.
(I know, I am such a nice mom aren't I?) For SOME crazy reason they declined my offer! I had to follow Thomas across the street to pick up his buddy Matt though :)

And they are off... It's going to be a great year!

Yes, this is the 2nd day... I was still a little picture happy :)

Good luck Jr. High!

August highlights...

2011-08-25T18:43:00.002-06:00

Manti Temple trip with best buds

Thomas, Jac, Kenzie Draper, Mason Draper and Clay Alger

What could be better than going with your sibling?!

Rock climbing at the Quarry...

Thomas dominated level 10c!! Wahoo!

Jac dominated as well even after a long morning run!

The AMAZING ballayers!

Emily got brave enough to push off the wall!

Lehi Cross Country summer camp... 3 days, 30 miles!

All on American Fork Canyon Trails!

We LOVED the ice baths at the end :)

Thomas playing in the ADIDAS CUP with his new Arsenal team

Emily and Jac enjoying cheering on their favorite brother!

Yep, it's been busy, crazy, fun, busy, crazy, and did I say fun?

The summer went by way too fast!

Thomas earns his Life!

2011-08-09T16:58:00.001-06:00

Thomas received his Life...
We are so proud of his determination, willingness, and dedication to do what it takes to earn all of his merit badges and advancements to earn his EAGLE!

When the boys advance they give a pin to the Mom's. I have to admit the pins should really go to DAD in our family!
They have been a great team working together to make sure Thomas has everything! (I am so grateful!)

Come and Take Your Place...

2011-08-03T09:00:00.001-06:00

Our ward Trek at Rocky Ridge

Day 1: 4 miles (a little warm up)

Day 2: 15 miles (true test of endurance!)

Matt and I were Ma and Pa over 10 AMAZING kids in our ward.

We walked for William and Jane James. They were part of the Willie Handcart company; suffering all the hardships of coming across the planes late in the season, with very little food and provisions AND an early winter. James was buried at Rock Creek Hollow. Jane and their children pushed forward making it to Zion.

Jacqueline was with Ma and Pa Jones. She walked for Sarah James.

Thomas was with Ma and Pa Spencer. He walked for Rueben James.

It was a beautiful time for trekking!
Everyone's spirits were high and excited to begin our journey...

The days were full of adventure. Crossing rivers, bogs and loving the wind which kept the bugs away!

There was a "womens pull" where the men had to stand by and watch as the women did all the work. This was a reality for many pioneer women. The men worked so hard. Many sacrificed the little food they had to give to their families making their bodies more fragile by the day. Everyone had to be strong and keep faithful that help would come.

Rocky Ridge

Much easier to trek over in the summer and with a decent nights rest and food in our bellies!

It was a great experience to walk where our ancestors walked. To get a small taste of what they had to endure. Our appreciation and admiration has grown a hundred fold!
Many kids learned that they are stronger and tougher then they ever imagined! They faced their fears and kept moving their feet one foot in front of the other; even when their bodies were screaming for them to stop. It is amazing what we can do when we don't give up. We were so proud of every one of them!

After finishing our 15 mile trek and having a yummy dinner, we "enjoyed" a great Wyoming lightning and thunder storm! In a matter of about 20 minutes we lost 4 of our tents and were drenched!

Just another example of the many hardships that our pioneer ancestors faced day after day...

The sky was truly amazing!

God has created a beautiful earth!

On the last morning we went to the Rock Creek Hollow cemetery. It is a very sacred and beautiful place. We told the kids it was the same feeling you get when you go to the Temple. We KNEW we were on sacred ground.

The kids received letters from their parents and were allowed some quiet time to ponder the things that had taken place during the last few days.

William James is the first name written on the headstone. How ironic that he was on grave digging duty the night before his own death. He was so exhausted that he couldn't go on. Rueben stayed by his side till a rescue wagon came for him late that night. William died before sunrise.
Our family walked the same trail that William's spent his last moments on this earth. The same path that his beloved family walked; knowing their father was not going to last much longer.
I can't imagine the pain and anguish they suffered.
There are two unknown graves in the cemetery. When I saw them the thought came to me "We must not let all the hard work and sacrifice these men, women, and children, gave for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, go in vain. It is time for us to Come and Take our Place as dedicated and willing members who are willing to do the same thing... maybe not trekking across the country but equally as trying and difficult."

We are grateful for the opportunity to REMEMBER the amazing people who made it possible for us to be here today and to have the gospel in our lives. We are truly a blessed people!

Jac earns her Young Woman Medallion

2011-08-02T15:03:00.000-06:00

Anyone that knows Jac, KNOWS how dedicated and hard working she is to ANYTHING she puts her mind to. Earning the Young Women's medallion has been a 3 year journey. Jac didn't want to pick easy goals to "get them over with" She wanted her medallion to MEAN something.
Each project has taught her a deeper understanding of the value she was working on.
She has done things like painting and decorating Emily's bedroom while she was in the hospital...(It's OK that she spilled BRIGHT PINK paint all over her floor at the very end!)
She has helped neighbors who have been in need of service.
She has taken the time to write down her personal thoughts and feelings that have come while studying the Book of Mormon.

Jacqueline has a strong testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She shows it in the way she chooses to live each day and how she treats everyone around her. This program has helped her to be the person she is today.

I know the Young Women's program is inspired to help all young women realize who they are and gain the strength they need to be leaders in our communities, church and in their own families. Jac is well on her way :)
Congratulations!
We love you!

Thomas 3 on 3 tournament

2011-08-02T14:42:00.000-06:00

Thomas was asked to join a new Arsenal team for the upcoming season.

This was their first time playing together and they did a great job!

One of my favorite action shots...

1st place in their division!!!

Way to go boys!

HEAPS REUNION 2011

2011-07-25T15:07:00.001-06:00

ZIONS
Some of the family went a day early to hike the narrows. It was FREEZING but BEAUTIFUL as always! After 6 hours in the water it took me 5 hours to unthaw!
Emily stayed back at camp with some of her cousins and her Aunt Deb. They went swimming all day at the resort. FUN TIMES!

Saturday we hiked
Angels Landing

This is not for people who are afraid of heights!

We were so impressed with our 9 year old nephew, Jake who made it to the very top! Maybe Emily will be up for it next time :)

Nights were filled with fun activities like a dinosaur birthday party for all the June and July birthdays!

On Sunday, after attending a nearby church, we took a hike to the Emerald Pools. It proved to be a little too hard for most but our kids kept going. Matt and I were in the back and were so proud of them for continuing on. We happily caught up with them and enjoyed seeing the upper falls together :)

"MINUTE TO WIN IT"

Joe and Shirley planned some awesome challenges. Everyone had a blast!

Monday morning we snuck away for an amazing trail run to Observation Point. We actually looked DOWN on Angels Landing! It was absolutely breathtaking!

playing with the self timer... hee hee :)

Nate, Brig, Shirley, Dave and Tyson, biked through Zions. AMAZING!

Before going home we just had to fit in one more hike...Dave told us about an unmarked hike where you can slide down waterfalls... we were in! it was a beautiful hike with big boulders and fun obstacles along the way.

The girls caught tadpoles, Matt slid down the waterfall and Thomas took me on quite the adventure to explore on top of the falls. We can't wait to go back and explore when we have more time!

Jac found a very friendly dragonfly who kept posing for pictures.

Happy 4th of July!
Thanks for a great reuinion Joe and Shirley!
hmmm.... what should we plan for next year....

The Moor's sealing

2011-07-24T17:15:00.000-06:00

We have some AMAZING neighbors. One of those are the Moor's. Brother and Sister Moor moved here with their mother Marilyn from California last summer. We have all been so blessed by them!

Kimberly wanted to learn more about the mormons if she was going to be living with so many of them around her. She took the discussions and knew right away that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was for her! She was baptized a few months after coming to Utah and has been counting down the days till she and her sweet husband Dave could be sealed in the Temple for time and all eternity.

Not only were they sealed together but Dave's mother Marilyn was sealed to her sweet husband who passed away. Dave was then sealed to his parents.

Here are some of the people who were honored to be apart of this very sacred and special day.

They have been such a blessing in our lives! Thank you for moving into our neighborhood!

We love you!

Scout Camp 2011

2011-07-24T16:47:00.000-06:00

Thomas and Matt spent the week at Scout camp while the girls were in Arizona...

There is nothing quite like camping with BOYS! Showers? Clean hands? Comb hair? Brush teeth? WHY?? (Mom's not here!)

Timpanookee campground in AF Canyon

The boys had a great time working on earning merit badges and giving service...

"Wilderness Survival"
Thomas and his buddy Camden found a place to camp for the night all by themselves.
The boys had a great time and made some great memories!

3 vs 3 tournament

2011-07-15T10:39:00.001-06:00

Thomas was excited to play with his team in a 3 vs 3 tournament. They did a great job working together!

SWEEEEET!

Thomas' new Arsenal division 1 team took 2nd place!

Run, Drive, Sleep?...REPEAT!

2011-07-07T10:01:00.000-06:00

RAGNAR 2011!

Van #2 crew... Scott and Christy Eastmond, Camille and Steve Eastmond, Jill and Matt

192 miles; 12 runners; 2 vans; starting in Logan and finishing in Park City

Just before starting our first legs...

Yes, we've got "SOLE POWER"! We ran, we drove, we even slept! (a little anyway) We had a blast getting to know the Eastmond's. Good thing since we not only got to know each other but we got to SMELL each other too! :)

We each ran 3 different legs of the race. 3 different temperatures; 3 different times; 3 different terrains; and 3 different unique challenges!

Our whole team together!

We finished 119th place out of 713 teams, in 29:35.35! Not too shabby for first timers :)

The best part about this race was running it together!

Feeling good to be DONE!

We finished with 170 kills... thats how many people we passed (we didn't count the ones who may have passed us!) FUN TIMES!

IDF FAMILY CONFERENCE

2011-06-29T18:20:00.000-06:00

Jac is so good at her posts that I had to steal this one :) I added just a few comments... THANKS JAC!!

Thanks to the scholarship we got to go down to the conference with, we FLEW to Arizona instead of driving!

Of course we had to spend a few days with our cousins! (and Paco and Roxy... how could I forget?)

The Morph Man paid us a visit while we where there....

(actually it was just Jake)

The next day, Monica took us to Val Vista Lakes with her friend. The daughter's name is Annalise... she was really nice!

On this morning, I went to XC practice with Jake's team! It was at 5:30 a.m! That's what you get for living in Arizona! (The Coach asked her if she was transferring schools!)

Uncle Wade took me on a scorpion hunt.... I killed this little guy with a hammer!

But alas, cousin time had to end, and we went to the hotel! It was quite fancy!

These are some of the families we met while we were there... they all have kids that have ADA SCIDS... just like Emily! It was so neat for Emily to meet other kids that have the same issues. All of us felt an instant bond with one another!

The ADA SCID families...."COUSINS" we call ourselves!

The first day at the conference was focused completely on ADA SCIDS. We heard from Top doctors from Italy and the UK and of course the US! It was amazing! We are so blessed to have them. One doctor even broke down in tears... you could see how much he cared for his patients!

There was a lazy river where we enjoyed spending our time at!

Emily and Mom played with the funnest people ever! (Monica, Hannah, and Sophia!)

I played with some new friends too!

We got a little bored with the Kiddie Corp babysitters they provided for us... so we tried on the ugliest clothes we could find in the gift shop!

This is us before one of the many meals they provided us!

(me, Jacinda, Macy, Amanda, and Carolyn)

Some of the babysitting activities were fun... like the team fort building ones! My team was the Gnarly Ninjas and we made the award winning fort! Woot! Woot!

More friends!

(me, Jacinda, Ashlee, and Amanda)

I am so glad I met these friends! They made the experience much more fun!

(me, Jacinda, Emily, Madison, Macy, and Amanda)

It was amazing to be one of the only LDS people at the conference! Missionary opportunities popped up everywhere... I've never experienced that before!

It gave me a stronger testimony of what missionary work really is. It is not being afraid to live what you know is true and to share that knowledge with the people around you!

It was also neat to meet these kids that have immune deficiencies. They are tough kids, and it is amazing how easily we can relate to each other because of the disease that has affected us and our families.

There are good people everywhere!

For the last night, we stayed at Wade and Monica's again!

Roxy would not leave Emily's side! She is one hilarious pup!

We also made 'Y' cookies for Mitch since he's at BYU! Yum!

This was a fun trip with just us girls!

(the boys were at Scout Camp)

Whiting Family Reunion!

2011-06-29T18:04:00.001-06:00

THANKS TO JACQUELINE FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL POST!!! Isn't she so wonderful????

First of all, I have to brag and say that I drove all the way to Cedar City, through the canyon, and up to the canyon! Oh ya!

We went fishing.... well watched others fish....

played together, ate together....

had the SWAG Olympics! ....

where there was archery, bean bag toss, ping pong, ladder ball, horseshoes, and phase 10!

Grandma's face tells it all.... (Mom, remember Jac put this picture in!)

We Whitings have got some super swag!

Where's Uncle Justin? (He must have thought he was funny to leave :(

We had a retirement party for Grandma (who retires at the end of June!) and Grandpa (who just retired last year!)

Had some Campfire fun! (Mac made cheesy onions and we listened to the boys play guitar and Thomas sing opera!)

We visited Mammoth Caves....

Whew! All of us made it out safely:)

All in all, I just have to say I am so glad I can be in this family! Life is a party when all of us are together!

We are FAMILY!

All fun cousins are we!

Abi and Dave's wedding

2011-06-28T16:40:00.001-06:00

Abi and Dave Boyer, married June 3rd in the Salt Lake Temple

Do you think some of the guys have height issues???

Abi looked STUNNING in her wedding gown! (It was only 8 lbs!) Emily was one of her flower girls... a dream come true for her :)

Having fun while waiting for the couple to come out!

One of the highlights of the night was DANCING! Especially for Emily!

Grandpa even taught Thomas some of his dancing moves!

At the reception they displayed Abi's grandmother's and mother's wedding gowns. Each of them were handmade!

Jacqueline put on her Grandma Jackie's gown. Jacqueline was named after this wonderful woman!

The dress barely fit around Jacs ribcage, and she's only 14! (Oops she's 15!) Grandma Jackie was a very petite woman :)

Grandma Jackie was known to hold her hands this way :)
What a special opportunity to try on this beautiful gown and remember our Grandmother.

DC trip

2011-06-13T19:18:00.000-06:00

Matt and I had the opportunity to go to Washington DC with the Immune Deficiency Foundation and talk with our Senators and State representatives from Utah about a Medicade bill for patients needing IVIG... this is what Emily was on for 7 years to keep her alive!

Mike Lee's Chief of Staff took us to meet Mike Lee on an underground train ride and pulling him out of a meeting. We also got a personal tour of the Capital getting to see some very unique places.We enjoyed meeting with Jim Matheson and Orrin Hatch's staff along with representatives for Arizona. It was so empowering to realize that we really can make a difference if we put in a little effort!These men and women work SO HARD. It is not a glamorous job being away from family all week and working 14 hour days... They're dedication and commitment is very admirable!

We stayed two extra days so we could see the sites and celebrate our 17th anniversary!
The Korean War Memorial was one of our favorites!

Arlington Cemetery was beautiful!
Our gratitude for those who have fought and continue to fight for our country has grown so much!
It was very touching to visit the tomb of the unknown soldier.
"Unknown but to God"

We walked everywhere! In fact one day we got 13 miles in :)
We found an amazing yogurt place that was worth walking back to 3 times! It happened to be across the street from the Ford Theater where Lincoln was assassinated and the house that he died in.

There is so much HISTORY!!!
It was so incredible to actually SEE the things we have just read about in our history books.

Can you pick what my favorite display was??

We were amazed at the variety of things to see from Lincoln's top hat, animals, a concert in front of the Capital for Memorial Day, a man playing the... buckets.... and then an extremely sobering place like the Holocaust museum with images that will never be erased from our minds.

We can't wait to take our kids there someday... they would love it!

Another year over...

2011-05-23T15:42:00.000-06:00

Getting ready for the game! Go ARSENAL!

It's always fun to watch Thomas and his team play. They get along and know how to work as a team!

Giving all their fans "high fives" after ending the season with just 2 losses!

CONGRATS BOYS!

Yep, it's pretty much the coolest team EVER!!!
See you next season :)

It's been a GREAT track season...

2011-05-23T11:51:00.000-06:00

Jac's 2 mile race at STATE

She took 3 seconds off her time ending the season with an

11:51 finishing in 15th place overall!

We are SO proud of you Jac!

Jac has the BEST friends! They woke up early on a Saturday morning, got an AMAZING mom to bring them to the meet, and PAID money to come cheer Jac on in her race! Who does that??? There is something special about these guys!

Shane Collier, Min Edwards, Jac, Beans Garlic, Ian Hansen, Thomas, Gibson, Derek and Dallin Griffin

Not only did her buds come to cheer her on but they put this poster up a few days before AND gave her this AWESOME sweatshirt to remember STATE! ...yep, she feels the love :)

It's been an amazing freshman season. Jac is SO excited to have the summer to relax, run, eat, sleep, run, swim a little, eat, sleep and run some more... FUN TIMES, FUN TIMES!

Spring Concert

2011-05-16T10:02:00.000-06:00

Emily's first year with the Lehi Children's choir couldn't have been a better theme... "ARF"

A play about DOGS! She LOVED every minute of it and did such a great job! It was so fun to see her singing and dancing :)

Thomas' group did a musical about classic Rock-n-Roll

He WOWED all of us with his singing, dancing and acting!

Thomas played his part in the song PERFECTLY! It was darling :)

Catherine really knows how to bring the best out of kids. THANKS for another great year in Choir!

Science Demo Team

2011-05-15T08:18:00.000-06:00

This year Thomas was part of the Science Demo Team. Every Thursday they would teach the 1st grade classes new and fun experiments.

They put on a little assembly to show some of the "magic" of science...

Last but not least, the coke and mentos experiment...

Mrs. Ahlstrom has been so wonderful to share her passion and excitement for science. What is so impressive is that the kids had to TEACH what they learned! They learned so much more then just reading about it in textbooks... Thanks Mrs. Ahlstrom :)

I am sure the 1st graders LOVE having them come!

Speech Fair

2011-05-15T07:59:00.000-06:00

Each year Emily performs in a speech fair for the Deaf and Hearing impaired kids ages 3-18

Emily LOVES going because she gets to see old friends and teachers from her preschool days.

This year Emily told the story

"The little mouse, the red ripe strawberry and the BIG HUNGRY BEAR"

She did an amazing job! It's so fun to see how far she has come and how well she speaks even with her hearing impairment! She has so much confidence!

Colby was one of her best buddies...

Becky and Lori were her preschool teachers
Great job Emily! We are so proud of you!!!

Put on the ARMOR!

2011-05-15T07:29:00.001-06:00

Thomas made his very own armor for his 6th grade medieval day. They got to fight with "swords" and everything!

Thomas had the most points in the class for all the things he did so he was appointed the KING! Channel 13 news came to film the kids. Big Buddah had fun fighting with Thomas. Thomas was a great sport!

Regions

2011-05-13T15:45:00.000-06:00

It's Region time!

The kids were so PUMPED and READY!!

1st event: 1 mile

The group got off to a slow start making it hard for Jac to get a qualifying time. After the first lap when she heard the time, she got discouraged and let herself stop trying. She told us her mental preparation went out the door... (and you could tell!) It was painful to watch the 2nd and 3rd lap as she let girls pass. FINALLY on the 4th and final lap she "woke up" and kicked it in passing 3 girls. Even though it was a tough race, she came in 7th place overall!
How can you be upset about that?
DAY 2
Kenzie and Jac slept in, skipped 1st period to eat a hearty breakfast of baked oatmeal (yes, it's good!) and eggs. It's much more fun to eat with friends :)

Getting mentally FOCUSED for the 2 mile...

One of the biggest lessons Jac has learned this year is that she needs to run her OWN race! She can't depend on any other runner to take the lead because they might be having an off day or another event they are saving for. Some girls can sprint at the end, Jac doesn't have a kick; her strength is consistency. Knowing this, she planned HER strategy and stopped worrying about what any of the other girls were doing.

Jac and Kenz got off to a GREAT start... no getting boxed in today :)

It was a tough race but Jac was DETERMINED. She stayed mentally IN the race and it payed off!

Jac finished in 3rd place with 11:53.

STATE here she comes!

Some of the awesome track buddies
Abby, Min, Kenz, Emily, Jac, Coach Hays, Beans
Congrats Jac... We are so
PROUD OF YOU!

Mothers day...

2011-05-10T08:42:00.000-06:00

Some women don't like Mother's day because they feel so inadequate. I had a friend give the BEST advice... EMBRACE it! Why not let yourself ENJOY 1 day of pampering and LOVE from your family who KNOW all of your weaknesses yet, LOVE YOU ANYWAY!

So, I DID! As you can see, my family spoiled me with an amazing breakfast, fun, thoughtful and sweet gifts; and the best part was being able to spend the WHOLE day TOGETHER!

Thomas made a book of poems. Here is one of them... he know just the right things to say :)

WHAT IS A MOTHER?

A mother is a tender touch

A person who loves you very much

The very person you can count on

Even when you've left your light on

The person who willingly cleans the house

But will never, ever pick up a dead mouse

The person who loves the healthy foods

Although you can never predict her moods

My love for you I can't express

You, my mother, the very best!

Matt and I celebrated our 17th anniversary on Friday. Jac asked us if we had imagined our lives to be any different when we got married. It was so cool to be able to look at her and honestly say,
"This is EXACTLY how we imagined our life!"
Obviously, we had no idea what challenges we would be facing but they have taken us on the road we have always desired... Luckily it's where the Lord wants us too!
We have each other, we have 3 of the best kids in the whole world, we have a great house with amazing neighbors, friends and family surrounding us, Matt has a great job and we have have the gospel... it doesn't get much better than this!
I am so grateful Matt agreed to take me out 17 years ago, even though it took some convincing, it proved to be one of the best decisions of our lives :)

Get up and finish the race...

2011-05-09T08:40:00.000-06:00

BYU Invitational... a privilege to be there since you have to qualify...

beautiful day... feeling STRONG and READY!

After getting boxed in at the start and having to go into lane 6 to get out of the crowd, she push her way to the front. She stayed in front for the first 2 laps making it her fastest 800 yet!
As I was watching her turn the corner, my heart SANK as I watched her GO DOWN!! A girl tried to pass but cut in too soon; Jac caught her heal, lost her balance and went down bringing another girl down with her.

I was heart broken, this was her race! This was her day! How was she going to handle this?

As quickly as she fell, she was back on her feet giving it her all to fight her way back. She did good but by the 4th lap her energy was zapped. She came in at a 5:37 which is still VERY IMPRESSIVE!

You can see the pain in her face and her knee has the road rash to prove it.
The amazing part of this story is
#1 she KEPT RUNNING
#2 she didn't let it get her down!
As we were gearing up for the tears and meltdown we 'knew would be coming' she walked up and said, "That was my best 800 time in the mile yet! I was right on track and I KNOW I can do it next time!"
No tears, no anger, just pure determination to prove it at Regions this Wednesday.
Jac may not have won this race but she is well on her way to winning the race of life with an attitude like that!
I am so proud of this girl and the woman she is becoming.
THANK YOU JAC for being such a great EXAMPLE to us all!

Rad Kids...

2011-05-04T16:44:00.000-06:00

For the past few months Emily's class has been doing a program called RAD KIDS. The purpose of the program is to make them more aware of the dangers around them and give them ways to protect themselves.
With a personality like Emily's you get conversations like this...

(Emily calls me the minute she gets home) "Mom, there is a car out front with two people in it and they aren't leaving!"
Me- "Have they come up to the door?"
Emily- "No, but they aren't leaving AND its a LEHI truck!!"
me- "They are probably workers waiting for another truck to fix the drain in the road in front of our house."
Emily - "But mom!"
I kept her on the phone till I drove up. Sure enough another Lehi truck pulled up to fix the drain.

Emily- "Oh, I am so glad Mom! I just didn't know what to do... I couldn't decide if I should call 911 or you first!"
me - "ALWAYS call me first honey!"
Emily- "OK, unless they are coming after me then I have to call 911 right?!"

Emily got to show us her skills at the graduation...

Emily tells a stranger she won't go with them and runs!

She uses the "pepper move" on this poor guy!

Finally, she showed her bravery by fighting the BAD GUY, getting away and calling home! Dont mess with our Emily! :)

Very proud RAD KID graduates!
Cambry, Em, Lily, Maddie and Faith

CONGRATS!

Look at those moves...

2011-05-01T18:38:00.000-06:00

Spring soccer has proved to be quite intense! The boys have really stepped up their aggressive play and their hard work is paying off. So far, they are 5 wins to 1 loss!

Yep, he's learned his cool moves from his mother!

HAPPY EASTER!

2011-05-01T18:03:00.000-06:00

We always have to keep our traditions... Egg dying, and an egg hunt!

Even if it means dying eggs at 10:30 at night!

This year the Easter Bunny got smart and skipped the candy and put all coins in the eggs...

Money is always a favorite with these 3 :)

The Heaps family got together for FHE and had a great Easter hunt (thanks Joe and Shirl for the fun prizes!) and lot's of FUN!

Deb reminded us that we have added 6 new family members this past year... Luckily we haven't scared them away with our craziness :)

Plasma Center

2011-04-26T22:16:00.000-06:00

Did you know that April is Immune Deficiency month in Utah??
I actually got the Governor to sign a proclamation saying so. The goal was to have all states declare this. Last I heard there were about 25! Why? To raise awareness...

During Spring Break the kids and I had the opportunity to visit a plasma center in Orem Utah. They treated us like royalty with a table FILLED with food! I knew they had Emily hooked when she saw the chocolate milk waiting for her.

Our main purpose in visiting the center was to THANK them for what they are doing. We were able to tell Emily's story and explain to them that through one of the medications that is made from plasma, Emily was kept alive for the first 7 years of her life.

I seriously wanted to hug every single donor in the building! Sadly, privacy laws prohibited this (I am sure that's probably a good thing since I would have scared them a bit!) BUT, we did get the chance to thank a few of them.

It was amazing to see that the people really didn't realize what a GIFT they were giving by donating their plasma. It was so fun to see their faces when we told them our story.

We got to take a tour of the center and wear these cool lab coats. We even got to go into the freezer where they keep the plasma...it was just a little chilly at -40 degrees!!!
I was so impressed with all the steps of precaution that go into making sure the plasma is SAFE for donation. They are extremely thorough, checking, rechecking, rechecking, rechecking and then RECHECKING EVERY. SINGLE. THING!

It was such a wonderful experience for all of us. If any of you are donors or thinking of becoming one, I want to THANK YOU. You will never know how many lives you are saving!!

Utah County Invitational 2011

2011-04-26T19:37:00.000-06:00

After a rocky 1 mile race on Friday; Jac was ready to FIGHT for the 2 mile...SHE WAS READY!

I love the look of DETERMINATION on her face as she comes in for a P.R. (personal record)

Life is sweet with great friends like these!

6th place!!! WAHOO!!