Grey Wolves

While Whitney was playing soccer, Gavin was playing baseball. Their games were usually at the same time in different locations. Chris and I took turns going to their games. Saturday mornings were busy to say the least!

Gavin's team was the Grey Wolves. His coach, Marc Somerset was awesome! This was Gavin's first season where a player was actually pitching instead of the pitching machine. Gavin has always been slow to warm up to new things.

Gavin takes after his Mom and struggles with anxiety. His pitching coach said he had never seen a kid over think something so much. Is it possible to want something too much? I found myself wondering about that a lot throughout the season. He wanted so badly to do well. More often than not when he would get up to bat he would get extremely nervous and anxious. It was really painful & hard for me to watch him struggle with this problem. I know it is something that he needs to learn to cope with though. His coach gave him the Churchill award for never giving up. I am so proud of him for continuing to try his best!

Purple Pain

Back row:Jessica, Madison, Whitney, Shannan, Addi, Staci

Front row: Abby, Sarah, Claiborne, Tori, Anna, Morgan

Whitney recently finished her first season of AYSO soccer. In the past she has always played on co-ed teams so this was her first all girls team. The team name was between Grape Soda and Purple Pain. Whitney wanted it to be Grape Soda but more of her team mates voted for a more kick butt team name. She had an awesome season and was a high scorer for her team. She does best at the forward position. Coach Deb's main priority was not winning. This was something Chris had a hard time swallowing. Coach Deb did not care for Chris's use of bribery to encourage the scoring of goals or his instructions yelled from the sidelines. So I guess they were evenly disgruntled. ;) They ended the season with one tie and the rest losses. Wit's BFF Tori really wanted to play soccer but with her Dad deployed to Afghanistan her Mom's work schedule did not permit her to always be available for games. We asked that they be put on the same team so that we could help her out. It worked out great because she would usually take them to practices and we would do games.

Whitney, Tori & Shannan

Whitney was super excited to play on a team with her best school friend (Tori) and her best church friend (Shannan)!

Some actions shots.



Lucky #13!!!

Feel the PAIN! PURPLE PAIN!

Some crafty Mom made this cute team sign.

Warming the bench with Shannan.

18 Months Old

Landon is 18 months old!!! The best part of reaching this milestone is that he can now go to nursery at church!!! This Sunday will be his first official day of nursery. Chris and I have been anxiously counting down the days for some time now. Every Sunday as I chase him through the halls at least several people ask me this question, "Isn't he old enough for nursery yet??!" The ward will probably throw a party of celebration for us. ;)

Landon's Favorite Things:

1. frozen blueberries

2. trains

3. flashlights

4. Handy Manny

5. hairbrushes

6. toothbrushes

7. Whitney's room

8. swings

9. baby dolls

10. dirt

He loves Ashlyn's doll stroller. He loves pushing it around and he loves sitting in it just as much. He is 29 pounds now and has already broken two doll strollers by sitting in them. Ashlyn often fondly reminisces on his newborn days when he was small and snuggly.


Wearing Daddy's beret.

He still loves making beautiful music with Whitney.

He is up to 9 teeth now. I can feel several that are getting close but haven't cut through yet.

He is loving Ashlyn's dolls lately.

Ashlyn has been really good about sharing her babies with him too!

This is his mad face.

Last Saturday I put this sweater on him and he HATED it! He kept trying to get it off and whining. Gavin also hated sweaters around this age and refused to wear them. But he loves dirt! If there is dirt to be found he will find it and make a mess of himself.

Whenever Chris or the kids leave the house he races for this window and watches them until they are out of sight saying bye-bye the whole time.

Track Meet

Yesterday a track meet was held at a local high school for elementary school kids (grades 4th-6th) in our area. Whitney wanted to compete. The first race they ran was the 100 meters.

Whitney came in second for all the sixth grade girls and her BFF Victoria came in third. Next was the 200 meter race. That time Victoria came in second and Whitney was third. Then they moved on to field events. The long jump, shot put and discus. Chris was not impressed with the organization and running of this meet. He made some good suggestions on how to run things more efficiently but his advice was not followed. Apparently, they are not familiar with Chris Weaver?!? He really wanted her to run the 400 meter, 800 meter and relay races but we could not hang around for hours on a school night. The kids still had homework to do and I had a church meeting to attend.

Mickey & Minnie Mouse

These first two shots were pure luck. Me snapping away in the hope of getting something. Surprisingly I could tell Gavin was a little put out that he did not have his own photo shoot. I took a few but really who wants multiple shots of the grim reaper? I told him maybe this would teach him to pick a cuter costume next year.

This pose pretty much sums up my experience trying to photograph Mickey Mouse.

Some part of him was always blurred cause he is a whirlwind of action. This shot is him crawling along a low wall.

I Believe in Faeries!

"And as the seasons come and go, here is something you might like to know ... there are fairies everywhere under bushes, in the air, playing games just like you play, singing through their busy day. So listen, touch, and look around -- in the air and on the ground. And if you watch all nature's things, you might just see a fairy's wing." - Author Unknown

Spread your wings and let the fairy in you fly!

I had so much fun doing Whitney's faerie hair and make-up. Even more fun was taking photos of her. I could have taken photos of her for hours. She is just so fun and natural!

Take a sprinkling of fairy dust,

An angel's single feather,

Also a dash of love and care,

Then mix them both together.

Add a sentiment or two,

A thoughtful wish or line,

A touch of stardust,

a sunshine ray...

It's a recipe,

for a Girl truly fine.

The Grim Reaper, a Faerie, Minnie & Mickey Mouse

A group shot before we headed out for our quad-ward Trunk or Treat. Whitney's BFF Victoria came along too.


Every year Whitney begs Chris and I to dress up for Halloween so this year in honor of her final year of trick or treating we surprised her by dressing up. My cowgirl costume is not that impressive but points for doing something, right?



I was so excited when I saw these yellow sneakers at Ross for Landon. They made great Mickey Mouse shoes! The best part of the Mickey costume was how this little tail wiggled while he toddled around. Notice that he has two suckers in his mouth and a sucker in each hand. Sugar literally turns Landon into the Tasmanian Devil. He starts shaking his head back in forth in a way I have never seen before. Shortly after this picture was taken I chased him around the parking lot as he ran around like Taz. Could not believe the area he covered.



Ashlyn doing the cupcake walk. She loves cupcakes!

Left to right: Abby, Victoria, Whitney and Addie. These girls are all on the same soccer team. Go Purple Pain!!!

Chris dressed as Mr. Clean, something of an oxymoron for all who know him well. Though he did once snap my mop in two mopping the floor! Landon would not wear the gloves. He would just shake his hands until they came off.

This frightening apparition is my Handsome Mansome. (Make-up by Chris.) I wasn't too pleased with his costume choice this year. He really wanted a scary costume and Dad backed him up so I was outnumbered. If I had my way, he would be in a teddy bear costume. ;)

Ashlyn in her chariot. ;) Ashlyn does not believe in exercise. I had fun running from her with the stroller. That was the fastest I had ever seen her run! The irony of it seemed to escape her though.

The Grim Reaper running from a Faerie???