Mystery Animal

Can anyone guess what this dear animal happens to be?

A baby buffalo has joined the farm of Jakerman Woodland. 

I'm so glad my children can live out their animal fantasies with the help of our dear friends and neighbors.  I guess the mama buffalo wanted nothing to do with this baby and so the Woodlands' adopted it.  Lisa is currently having quite the battle with said buffalo - who will win?  She wants to keep it alive, it keeps trying to end its life short.  

Strike One, Strike Two . . .

To start out this tourney, while Keanna was warming up, ball being thrown to her took a bad bounce and nailed her in the eye.  In the 3o seconds it took her to come running my way it had swollen and was sticking out from her face half of an inch.  We promptly applied ice.  After 15 seconds she threw the ice off, she needed us to take a picture for the Steeler injury video and wanted it to look its worst.

Then, later in the tourney we end up with this scene . . .

Nothing like getting hit by a pitch . . . Grandma Lou was there to give her lots of love and within a few minutes and a dose of pain reliever later she was back playing with the team.

We ended the tournament in second place with a loss to the Lil' Attitude.  I'll keep reminding myself we could have taken 8th place . . . but I do so like to win.

Seven Peaks

Once upon a time we went to 7-Peaks.  Or once a year we go to 7-Peaks.  The price is right with the two oldest getting reading passes (or still pricy but it could be worse).  This year they expired a lot earlier in the season but we still made it. 

Upon our arrival Aysen got his first dip in the water.  It was extremely short since he was missing the pool gear required by state law.  He splashed and cooled off enough to help with his forthcoming nap.  

Mary Dawn is one of the greatest examples of a good mother.  She is always taking Braden places -- they have season passes to the zoo, aquarium and maybe even Thanksgiving Point.  She brought Braden and they joined us for our afternoon in the sun.  She is 4 months pregnant (no one would be able to tell by the picture).

Yes, Mary Dawn and I are in matching swim suits.  O.K., same suit but NOT the same size.  This is what happens when you shop the same clearance sales and neglect to coordinate.

Kyler spent as much time as possible jumping in the waves at the wave pool.  He was quite good at it after a few tries.  Sometimes I wonder if it would be a little better for me and his safety if he was a little less confident in so many areas of his life.

My oldest two were joined by some Steelers (as Kyler affectionately calls them).  They would check in on occasion but then would race off to the next destination. 

Grandma Lou was nice enough to accompany us on our journey.  Without her we would have stayed home.  Aysen complicates things or maybe my desire to keep him sunburnless (not really a word) and happy are the real problems.  Thanks Grandma Lou for spending most of your day under the pine tree with Aysen asleep on your lap.  

Unchartered Territory . . .

So, swim team.  The first meet was held in Fillmore.  I had NO idea what to expect.  All day?  Indoor?  Outdoor?  Concessions?  Loud Speakers?  Chairs?  Shade?  I am a professional ball park attendee and can produce for our needs in an instant but I had no idea what to expect.

Maybe googles are a fashion statement not equipment?

I was quite surprised when numbers were being drawn on with a black sharpie.  Seemed kind of like a tattoo but was efficient in getting the job done.  I wouldn't allow any extra -- the girls wanted stingrays or the like drawn onto their backs but this old-fashioned mother gave that idea a quick veto.

Nan still needs to learn about friction.  One day she will realize she can conserve a great deal of energy if she would swim with her head down.

I was completely unprepared and didn't even bring a camera.  The girls did well (not stellar but well) for their first meet but we never really found out the race results.  I guess they come in the mail at a future date.  These pictures were taken at the practice meet held in Nephi.  I wish they all could be like this.  Quick, direct and to the point.  There one minute and off doing yard work the next.

I love the physical conditioning of swimming.  Endurance, endurance, endurance.  I think it is so important for kids to know how to swim and this seems to be another part of childhood disappearing into the great beyond. 

Learning to Swim

This is my little boy who happens to be completely submerged in the depths (all 3.5 feet) of the city swimming pool.  He is no longer afraid of giving himself a good dunking.


We lucked out at the pool this year.  I went to sign the girls up for swim team and decided to enroll Kyler in the first session of swim lessons.  This is against my moral code.  The weather usually has a few extremely cold days in the first few weeks of June but . . . Lake Powell is in the not so distant future and any measure to keep him safe is worth battling blue lips and chicken skin.


Benefit:  The rest of the world has started to realize it is cold in June and the class sizes were unbelievably small (just him and one other boy).

He didn't pass the class but he did remarkably well.  He wanted to swim and gave it his all -- he just needs to eat 1,436 more donuts and he may develop a little fat reserve to help him with buoyancy.

Taylei and Keanna chose to join the swim team instead of lessons.  They meet three times a week for an hour for the summer duration.


Swimming is such an awesome exercise, with great instructors and if my children were ever reincarnated the may chose to return as fish.

Repeating History . . .

Last year at the tournament in
Ephraim we did quite well.

We forced the "if"
game in the championship

and left the ball field at 12:30 a.m. 
defeated but barely.
2nd place and it was UGLY.

This year we were off
to a pretty good start.

Taylei was throwing hard . . .

Even doing funny things
with her fingers . . . 
either to psyche the batter out
OR
it is the newest gang sign . . .
if Granny was still around
we could ask.

Keanna got the chance to be up to bat
and show off her "stuff."

The team was excited . . .
the girls were doing great.
(Do you think Sue loves her dad
and wants to do well for him?)

The girls had a great time together
during their down times.

Fire Power!!!

The orphans used an empty field
for their own highly competitive
game of kickball.

Extra fans were present to cheer us on.

Sometimes we were a little TOO rowdy
but isn't that part of the fun?

The "Stats Guy" was showing
his true colors.

Aysen is a trooper . . . 
the first game we attended
this season he CRIED 
if we cheered.
Now I think even the loudest
of cheering or criticizing
is just white noise to him.


When all was said and done,
we forced the if game against the Bullets
and with not much more than luck
they beat us . . . second place again.
Just like last year.


We were at the ball field for 15 straight hours.


We love this game!