Elder B

I created a blog for Mason and his mission adventures.  You can find it at Elder B
It is current...this blog,  however is not.  Maybe that will be my summer goal.  Maybe... (click on the pink Elder B and it will take you to the blog)

The house that built me

This is the house that I say "I grew up in". After this house we lived in 2 others but this is "the one". I have great memories in this house. The garage was where we parked the big blue maxi van that we had. It is also where I remember Eric always running away to.
The front room has the same red carpet that my parents put in. This was the formal living room that we could go in when we were in our Sunday clothes. I also remember doing puzzles with my Grandpa Van in that den area (with the hard wood floor).
This is the MASSIVE staircase that we used to slide down in sleeping bags. Why is it not as big as I remember it back then...I think it shrunk. The swinging doors went to the kitchen. We loved running through those. This is the basement where we had the laundry room. I know it is hard to see but you can kind of make out the cubbies that my Dad installed to sort our laundry into. Each cubby had a different color. Maybe mine was purple...maybe it was someone else and I secretly longed for the purple one. Anyone remember?
This tree had a big tire swing in it. We would have worn out that playset had we had it. Dana, Amy and I had rooms up in the attic. They had huge closests. This was also the infamous "window Nathan crawled out of".
I loved this house and loved growing up with all of my brothers and sisters here. After we moved to Idaho we were teenagers and friends became more of our focus.

It was great to just be together!

Life was simpler back then...at least for us kids.

State Tennis

One of Mason's goals for his senior year was to make it to State in tennis. He played mixed doubles & boy's doubles. It seems like every time he played a game he would play with a new partner the next time. In April he was practicing with the team when he felt something pop in his hip, after that he couldn't walk. After an MRI we found out he had a tear in his hip flexor. The Dr. said he was out for the season. We went for a 2nd opinion (my dad) and he said that as long as he could stand the pain he could play. He took it easy for a week and then was right back at it. He was thrilled that his goal could still be in his view. By the time districts came along he was back to his playing self. The only problem was the 2 players he was used to playing with Eli Somers & Kelsea Lay were paired together because he had been out due to injury. Mason then was given a partner named Tressa who is a freshman. She was about 5'3 and she plays very well. They made it to state and were thrilled. The 3rd game of State was what we were hoping would not happen. Capital vs Capital and not just playing against his teammates but he had played doubles with both of them as partners during this last season.

Mason & Tressa won the game and made it to the 2nd day of state and then lost. It was a great way to finish out his Senior year. The only down side was that state Tennis fell on his very last day of high school. Yep, he missed his last day. Way to go, Mason!

Class of 2011

Mason joined the graduating class of 2011!

My parents came up to join us in the celebration! This is the first of their 43 grandchildren to graduate from high school. That is alot of graduations to sit through.

We made sure that the gameboys were charged before we headed off.

He is ready to take on the world, but are we ready to let go?

We took a leap...

We had a "last dinner" at our Christine house. We had hibachi. That is where we put the griddle on the table and veggies & raw meat (hot dog's included) and we all cook it ourselves. We like it because it is the one time that the kids sit around and talk instead of just eating and leaving. It is also the one time no one complains about what is for dinner. Just in case you need some ideas...here is what we have: sweet onions (this is a must!), pineapple, chicken, steak, ham, Br. Poulson's secret blend of spices and of course hot dogs. Served on rice.We have lived in this house for 11 years. It is the only house Kassidy & Kelsie have ever known. We have really enjoyed it but the time has come to move. We needed more space and the right oppurtunity came along...and we took a giant leap. We went from this...

to this.

Welcome to our new kitchen. We can all stand in it and not be squished.

My parents came up on Conference weekend and helped me decorate. My mom has such a good eye. I love it.

This is the family room that opens into the kitchen. This is the "teenage mecca."

My mom picked out the fabric for the quilt and Ally & I helped her sew it together. Isn't it perfect for the media room?

We are excited to make new memories here. You are all welcome to come watch a movie, play someone in pool or just visit. Don't be strangers, visitors are always welcome.

March is for Jordan

Jordan started out March looking like this:Then he had a birthday! He turned Sweet 16 and had never been kissed. Why is that important? Because it earned him $200. For his birthday cake he wanted his favorite dessert...cherry cobbler in the dutch oven. It was really good. For next year, will someone remind me to not use the small candles in a hot dutch oven? Jordan ended the month like this. It was a great month for him.

Happy Birthday dear Jordan. We love you!

(yes, these pictures were taken on different days but this sweatshirt is all we ever see. I know he has other clothes...I see them in the laundry.)

February 2011

These pictures should have their own post but I'm behind (shocker...I know) so here you have it for posterity. Doug went snowmobiling with a friend from work. He loved every minute of it and made it home safely, which I liked.

Colten and Dad went on an overnight campout with the scouts. They went up to McCall for the great Klonkide race. The scouts built a sled and raced it in the snow. They had a lot of fun together. This last little boy of ours finally became a teenager. He was finally able to get his own facebook account. Now he has 71 friends and we have 3 teenage boys in the house. Would you like to donate to our grocery fund?

Our first little boy turned 18. How did that happen? He graduates from high school next month and CAN'T wait. He also got some mail that he had been waiting for.

Now you all have the oppurtunity to help pay his out of state tuition. It was a good month at our house. Up next...we take a big leap!