Winter Sports Showcase

Whitney decided not to play on the Salem Bantam team again this year- it was too stressful. She ended up playing one last season of basketball, on the ALA Junior High team!  They were terrible, haha. But she had a lot of fun and was chill about it. I was thrilled because Ellie Walquist was on the team, so I took the opportunity to sit by and get to know her parents! They have incredible kids all my kids' ages, and I have been wanting to be friends with the mom, Ruth, for years! So that basketball season was a blessing for me just for that reason, it started a friendship that has grown since.

Also Whitney played great and was a good teammate, so win/win!

Maris enjoyed playing "basketball" too!

This was Owen's soccer team's service project, Valentine's Day decor for a rest home. The masks are so weird to see 9 months later!! They were was cute and had fun doing it.

More of Maris!  She had fun!

Emma tried gymnastics (since she was already doing 100 cartwheels a day at home!) and loved it! She learned a round off and handstand before we took a break for the summer.  Now in the fall she is working on her handstand to back bridge, and back bridge to a handspring.

Indoor season was super fun for Whit!  She loves getting to score a few goals on the shorter field and occasionally play different positions.

Whitney helped with a few Hershey track timings in March! Since it was during her Student Government class that I needed help. This is Owen's class, he's on the far left. I'm so glad she stayed at ALA as long as she did, so things like this could happen!

4 of the kids did ice skating, it was fun! Emma learned a lot.

Maris and Owen both got faster.

Katelyn really worked on turns, and looked cool doing it!

A little more indoor soccer!  Whitney going down to score:

Whitney and Eric put together a 5v5 team for a tournament in Orem in March.  It was SO fun and they won!! This is a rare picture- Whitney and Eric sitting on the bench together!

UVU tournament champs!! Abby, Whitney, Rylee, Megan, Ruby and Avary

And last but not least, I convinced the city to have a boys volleyball league!  They had a pretty good turnout for their first year!  I had fun but Owen didn't love it, I don't think he will play again. But I'm glad he tried it, and he could totally overhand serve as a 4th grader- none of our girls have been able to do that! 

I guess I should have included skiing in winter sports-- they went 10+ times!  I got to go once and it was fun, but still scary for me.  But Eric has gotten his wish, all 4 older kids LOVE it and want to go ALL THE TIMES. I am proud of them for being brave and active!

 

Our Town

 In the end of February, Katelyn got to be in Our Town. She got a lead role- Mrs. Webb-and was really excited! It ended up being a really great show. Katelyn had to learn a lot of pantomime, and it was her first time playing a mother and a wife. She did a great job developing her character and had a natural chemistry with her children. She also had to really stretch her acting abilities to show the deep emotion of her child dying, and act the PDA involved in playing a wife! She was thrilled (and we were thrilled for her) as a 10th grader, to be a lead character alongside older actors that she had watched as leads in the past. 

Here's the pictures backwards again. This is an iconic scene from the show, it is done with very minimal props and no set! 

Here's us with our star!

Katelyn with her "daughter"- young Emily played by Hailey and adult Hailey played by Olivia.

Katelyn with her husband Ben!  And friend Phoebe (Mrs. Soames).

Between Ben and Liam for the bows- she got to stand in the front!

chatting with her daughter

In the final scene, a flashback for dead Emily. 

She had to not respond with ghost Emily pleaded with her to see her!

Crying and singing a hymn with Ben at Emily's funeral, and rejoicing at her wedding the scene before!

The wedding and Kate crying before the wedding!

So funny- talking to her soon-to-be son-in-law Brady-- and Ben freaking out when she leaves them alone haha

pantomiming serving her husband coffee.

chatting with friends 

with her children, and her neighbor.

a whole intricate pantomime of making breakfast while the narrators talked.

Great job Kate!