Basketball Season

Basketball season is underway and we are now on week 3. The boys have had some good games and have improved a ton since last year. They are on seperate teams but we are lucky enough with the schedule that we don't have any games at the same time. I think it's good for them to be seperated every once in a while but now that they are forced to be seperated in basketball it doesn't really work. Wesley goes to Derek's practices, Derek goes to Wesley's practices and they both sit on each others bench during the games. In today's games they both scored 16 points. In the last 3 minutes of Wesley's game his coach told them that they could start shooting 3's. They were beating the team pretty bad so I think that the coach thought this would keep our team from scoring. Then one of the coaches in the last minute said he would give one of them $5 if they made a 3 so of course Wesley was going to try for it and he made it. After the game Derek couldn't let Wesley out do him so he asked Wesley's coach how much he would give him if he made a 3. The coach told him $1 and that was better than nothing so away Derek went and made it. It is a lot of fun to watch them cheer for each other and challenge each other to do better.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

After the Sports Grill closed on New Year's Eve we went out to the Shand/Steven's farm to go sleigh riding. The boys seemed to have more fun being pulled behind the 4 wheeler than trying out their new snow boards. We headed back to my mom and dad's when it started to get dark and were trying to think of things to do to keep us up until midnight. I can't believe how hard it is now days to stay up so late. Angie and Fred got a kareoke machine for Christmas so we decided to test it out. Wesley and Derek had fun with it but I don't think that any of us were meant to sing out loud!!! We had plenty to eat and ended up just watching TV until midnight. Fred, Wesley, Derek, Sisi & I were the only ones that made it into the new year but I think by 12:10 we were all asleep.


New Year's Day was pretty relaxing. Fred took the boys and went out with Dave and Cari Stevens to do some more sleigh riding and rabbit hunting. They had a great time and now they want guns. I told them that they would have to stick with their little 22's that are at their dad's house for a while, I am not ready for that stage yet.

Fred's Sports Grill

We went back down to Manti to spend New Year's with my family. Fred had the Sports Grill opened for part of the day on New Year's Eve so Wesley was excited to get up and go to work with Fred. I don't think that Fred comes out on top when Wesley is helping him because he always seems to come home with money. I think that he probably owes Fred for letting him work because he eats and drinks on the job. Wesley seems to enjoy working with Fred and both of the boys love going to Fred's whenever we are down there. For those of you who haven't seen the Sports Grill I have posted an old picture of the Bright Spot and a new picture of the Sports Grill, It looks GREAT!!!

CHRISTMAS

This year for Christmas Wesley and Derek were with their dad until 1:00. It is a little weird to go to bed on Christmas Eve at 9:00 and be able to sleep in. I was at my mom and dad's so we got up and went to Angie and Fred's to open presents. My Christmas all came early this year, in November I was very surprised to get a "Little Giant" ladder. It was just in time to get my Christmas lights up on my house. My other Christmas gift came the Sunday before Christmas as my mom left the owner's manual on her dresser for my new digital camara. I had an idea that is what I was getting but when I saw that nobody could keep a straight face so I got to open it in hopes I would have it figured out by Christmas morning. Thanks mom and dad, it's awesome. As I picked the boys up from their dad's they were excited to show me their new I-Pods that Santa had brought to them. It amazes me how much a little piece of equipment can do. They got new snow boards at my house and new bags to hold their basketballs and basketball shoes in. The boys wanted to go to Manti so away we went. They new that Grandpa had received an I-Pod for Christmas too so they were excited to show theirs off. Their dad had downloaded a few songs to get them going so when we went to Angie and Fred's they ended up with over 120 songs before we left. They were also able to get the new movie Under Dog downloaded too. They were pretty excited about that. They have watched that movie over and over again. I think it's great because our rides in the car have been very nice and peaceful!!!

4th Grade Field Trip

I went with Derek and his class on a field trip to the Bean Museum at BYU and to the University Mall where they sang Christmas songs. I was put in charge of 5 BOYS and for the most part they were all pretty good about sticking together. The Bean Museum was pretty cool and there were a lot of cool things to see. I was fine with everything except the live snake that they brought out, that was pretty creapy. We then headed to the mall, had lunch and they sang a bunch of different Christmas songs that they had learned. This was my first field trip since I was in school. The boys always tell me about them or ask me to go the day before they are going. Derek gave me plenty of warning this time so I was able to arrange it with work, we had a great time!!!

The Christmas Lamb

Wesley entered an art contest at school and had to draw something that reminded him of Christmas. This was going to be judged by the teachers at his school and the ones that were picked were then taken to the Springville Art Museum. At the Art Museum they were judged again and the ones that were picked were put up in the Museum for about 3 weeks. We received a phone call that Wesley's picture had been picked to be put up in the museum. When we went to the museum to pick up his certificate and $10.00. The lady that was at the front desk couldn't say enough about his picture. She thought for sure his parents had helped him with it. She was pretty amazed when I told her that neither his dad or I even knew about it. Grandpa Wardle use to work at the Museum so Grandma and Grandpa came to the museum and were so excited for him. The Springville Art Museum is where both Grandpa and Grandma Wardle attended elementary school. Good Job Wesley!!!

THANKSGIVING

This year was the year for my parents to have ALL of us home for Thanksgiving. It was great weather so we took a few ATV rides over the weekend. We had a party while watching the BYU vs. Utah game. When it was over we all had to run outside to celebrate because all of our screaming had scared June and she was already in tears. Thanks mom and dad for having all of us home for 4 days and feeding us so well. There is nothing like mom's cooking.

Halloween

This year for Halloween Wesley was the JASON VORHEES and Derek was a TEMPLAR FOOTBALL PLAYER (a.k.a. Jordan Lambert). Derek loved watching Jordan all year in football and couldn't even wait for him to get out of the locker room on his last game to ask him if he could borrow his jersey for Halloween. Manti has come up with a great way to TRICK-OR-TREAT so we went down there on Halloween night. They block off 3 blocks on Main Street and everyone backs up their vehicles to the curb and away the kids go. It is a very quick and safe way for the kids to make a haul. My mom decided at the last minute to dress up for work and boy did she look awful!!! I gave her my wig, teeth and glasses from last years Halloween costume and told her to dress up. GOOD JOB MOM, you were a great sport and pretty ugly too.

FOOTBALL SEASON

We love football!!! We were able to attend alot of Manti's football games this year, it was a lot of fun. Fred has been coaching for Manti the past 5 years so we use that as a good excuse to go to the games. It has nothing to do with me not having a life ;). Fred lets the boys come down on the side lines to help out with the "Water Boy" roll. As you can see from the pictures they were either sitting on the side lines or playing with the injured players. They loved going out on the field after the game or at half time to play some football themselves.

Linzi Lohan & The Paparazzi

My closest run in ever with a celebrity was with Linzi Lohan and The Paparazzi. I was at Maverik in Orem and as I walked out the doors there was about 8 guys with camaras and they were all taking pictures. It scared me at first because I had no idea who they were or what they were doing. As I got in my car it came to me that the girl who I thought looked like Linzi Lohan in Maverik really was her. Well, none of the pictures that they took of me made it onto a web site but one of my car bumper did. If you look very closely to the bottom right of the picture you will see my grey bumper. Linzi is laughing because I am right next to her with my window down saying, "Wait, I am suppose to get a picture of you" but I couldn't get my phone to take it. I guess I should have just used my REAL camara that was on the floor in my car that I forgot was in there.

BLAZE BASEBALL

The boys were able to play on an accelerated baseball team in the fall. They were being contacted by 2 different teams but the boys decided that they were going to try out for the Blaze. There were a few kids on that team that they knew so they felt more comfortable. There were only 4 openings on the team and Wesley and Derek were able to fill 2 of them. Wesley was playing up 1 year and Derek was playing up 2 years. It was a good experience for them and a whole new situation from city league. It taught them that they have to work hard in order to play where they want. We are looking forward to going to St. George in March for our first tournament of the year.

Spanish Fork Giants

Wesley and Derek were able to be on the same little league team this year. It was so much fun watching them play together on the baseball field. They both played 3rd, pitcher and catcher. It was so much fun watching them pitch to each other. It brought back a lot of memories of my brother Erik catching for Steve in high school when they took state.

The Giants took 2nd place in state this year and Wesley was also on the Giants last year when they took 2nd place. At least they have a little taste of a state championship game even though they lost and it is little league. Hopefully some day they will be able to experience the excitement of a state championship before they are finished playing sports.

The Pine Wood Derby

This was Wesley's 3rd year and Derek's 1st year in the Pine Wood Derby. Thanks to their Grandpa Wright they had some awesome cars. Wesley took 2nd place this time around but finished 1st place the 1st and 2nd times he entered. Derek didn't place his first time, his car seemed to have been a little low on weight. They did tape some pennies on there after a few rounds and that seemed to help out a little bit. They had a fun time doing it and look forward to the next one.