The Greatest Game Ever Played . . . it's not golf

The first game of the season, Chad is located at the top of the picture. His first game was the same day as Keston's first meet, luckily they were located in the same place and I just needed to run to the opposite side of the complex after Keston's race. I missed the opening kick off but made it for most of the game.


Chad is on the far side of the field.


Kicking the point after touchdown kick. Unfortunately it didn't quite make it.


Getting ready to receive the kick off or punt. They did excellent for their first game and won. Too bad the rest of the season hasn't gone that great. After the first game they have been plagued by injuries and haven't one again until yesterday.


It was a great game yesterday and Chad did AWESOME! He had some great runs and scored the winning and only touchdown.

His first great run - sorry I get too excited and start jumping around so ignore the last bit of the video. Chad ended up stepping out of bounds so they brought it back a smidge.




The big punt return.



The wining touchdown and his teammate Cody kicked the point after touchdown and made it. It was a great game a very defensive game. Our defense did great and they pushed the other team back 15 -20 yards more than once. Unfortunately, it was a very cold morning and the grass was really wet so there were a lot of turnovers and fumbles. It turned out to be a great morning, cold but the sun was shining.

I told Chad at the beginning of the season that if he scored a touchdown we could go to Norm's News, a fun old fashioned soda shoppe with old fashioned bulk candy. After the game the first thing that came out of his mouth was Norm's News. Guess where we went to lunch . . . it was delicious!

Homecoming 2011

Homecoming is always a fun week. Monday was magical Monday and the students could dress up as something magical. Tylissa came up with a cute leprechaun outfit but I didn't get a picture. She was a little sad that no one really noticed but she looked adorable. Keston didn't dress up at all except for color wars and orange and black day. I never got a picture of him because he doesn't come home after seminary and before seminary, I'm not always functional.



This was throw-back day or flash back day. Tylissa asked if I had anything in my closet from when I went to school and then she asked if we still had the cheerleading outfit. Does this bring back any memories Aunt Sherylee? How cute is she?



Here is Keston playing Baby by Justin Bieber in his first opportunity marching in the marching band.



He did admit that he didn't play much because he was too busy getting the marching down.



He looks so fabulous!!!



Tylissa on orange and black day just before the big game on Friday. We actually won the game - amazing. We had a good time. Tylissa sat with the rowdy students, Keston was with the band, Chad was running around with his friends, and Val and I enjoyed the game.



Saturday was the dance and Keston's xcountry meet in Missoula so Tylissa and I headed down to see if we could find a dress. After watching a great race we headed to the mall and were thoroughly disappointed. The only dresses we could find we a few (less than 1/2 rack of last season's prom dresses). After a rejuvenating lunch at Fudruckers we headed to Ross and she found a dress that would work in her price range.


Tylissa's friend came over to get ready for the dance and then they took off together. How cute are they and can you believe that someone else is close to the same size?



Tylissa and L looking cute as ever.

Xcountry - Freshman 2011

The beginning was a bit rough and Keston started late but that didn't slow him down. He has practice very day right after school until 5:30. Because he missed the first week of practice he couldn't compete in the first race, but they had time trials. Val took him and he came in dead last with a time of 25 minutes something. While to some this might be discouraging . . . but not us, because he can't get any worse so there is only one way to go and that is up and up he has gone!


Warming up at the starting line of the Kalispell meet.


Near the start of the race . . . before the hills. Look at all those people behind him. He won't be coming in last this time. He sets a goal each race and he wanted to beat 24 minutes on this one.


Here is coming in to the finish line. His form has improved greatly as well since this shot. He finished the race at 23 minutes and something - beating his goal.


Tylissa and Keston at the Mountain West Classic in the University of Montana in Missoula. This race is huge!


At the starting gates with his teammates.


And their off . . . can you see Keston, he is in there somewhere. Over 500 JV boys raced this one. His goal for this one was 22:30 and he blew that clean out of the water with a time of 20:41. He came in the top 10 of his teammates which is great since he didn't start that way.

His next meet was in Helena last Thursday and his goal was to just beat his last time. He did another amazing job considering it was freezing and it was raining. His time was 20:33.

So his last meet in this Thursday in Kalispell again. State is the following week but I don't think he will be going to that one as a Freshman. He has been so fantastic and I can't wait to see what he is going to do next.

First Day of School - New Beginnings

This started a new beginning for the boys in our home. Keston started high school and Chad started middle school. Keston has Tylissa to show him around the high school but Chad, for the first time, is on his own. It was a hard beginning. Chad was not registered for classes and he was a little anxious and worried, but we got it taken care of the day before school started and he was able to walk around and find his classes. That calmed him down and he was ready to go.


Maggie looks relieved that she finally gets the house to herself again.


I love this girl so much! She is who she is and she doesn't care what anyone else thinks. She actually started school the day after Keston and Chad and so far is having a wonderful Junior year. Her first class of the day is composition and every Monday is free reading . . . real tough. However her last classes of the day are Math and Spanish (ugh!) - she has given us the forewarning that she will be grumpy when she gets home.


Keston as the serious Freshman and then I told him to smile. He is doing great and joined the crosscountry team . . . more on that in later blogs. I am having a hard time with his high school attitude, it's just not cool to talk to your parents anymore. Keston also started seminary and I'm not sure if he likes the class or just his classmates . . .



And the baby . . . off on his own to ride the bus for the first time to middle school. He is having the time of his life and his favorite class is choir. Whenever I ask how his day was the only class he tells me about is choir, so I hope he goes to his other classes.

It has been a busy fall with xcountry and football but things are going to be winding down in the next couple of weeks. I have lots of pictures to share, homecoming, marching band, football, xcountry . . . stay tuned.

She's Still Got It!

Look who's still got it. After all she is still only 20. So in honor of yet another 20th birthday (really, how many can one have . . . I'm just saying) we all say - you go girl!


The glass like water called to her . . . or as Austin said "there was a disturbance in the force"


This is the second time she skied. The first day the water was so beautiful and it was glass. This day it was more like Montana water.


And she still lives - great job Granny! Love the do, by the way . . . but not as much as we love you!

Happy Birthday Granny!!

Tally Lake 2011 - Fun in the H20

This summer Rob and Becky's family and Granny and Grandpa spent some time at Tally Lake and lucky us, we got to join them for some of it. They had fun camping, playing in the water, and man to do they eat well. We joined them on Friday night and Saturday and then they came and spent Sunday with us. Keston had High School open house on Monday and I needed to finish a final paper for class (okay I needed to start it too) so we didn't go back out. Keston did get to spend some time as well and off course I had no batteries in the camera so I didn't get any pictures of him. Great I know.


Tylissa kneeboarding - she loves this and does great.


Chad on the kneeboard - he had fun this summer learning all the fun things you can do.


Tylissa cliff jumping. Chad did this too but Becky has all those pictures (hint hint to send them to me).


Chad on the wakeboard. He loves it!


I finally broke down and tried the fat boy ski. And I did pretty good too and I'm full of tricks. Just when you think I will go down - oh guess what - I'm still up so keep the boat going Rob. One must remember the philosophy of Joker about cold water . . .


Not bad - until the wipe out preceded by the scream.


We had a great tube ride, Becky, Alyssa, and I. Rob dragged us up and down that lake.


Chad's awesome skills - he'll soon be jumping the wake.

Melita Island 2011 Boy Scouts

This is how we say good morning in Montana. It is one of the many reasons why we love living here. It's a good thing Val will get up to take such beautiful pictures . . . I will provide the sunset pictures one day.

The Boy Scouts own an island on Flathead Lake and every summer scouts from all over come to experience life on Melita Island. With this view every morning, can you blame them.



Chad is on the far right getting ready to do the polar plunge. Every morning at 6 a.m. he got up to do this crazy stunt. Crazy things boys will do for a badge. Trust me Flathead Lake is not that warm, especially at 6 a.m.


Another beautiful morning on the lake.


Means another polar plunge. The boys had to participate 4 out of the 5 mornings so Chad slept in the last morning. The boy in the yellow towel is from our troop and he was 1 out of 3 that did it every morning. Say it with me . . . crazy!



The Troop's camp site. Keston didn't stay with the troop because he was also working. This week nearly killed him because he was up at 4:30 to start breakfast for 300 scouts would work the breakfast shift, do his classes/activities, work the lunch shift, more classes/activities, work the dinner shift and they hang out til 11:30 p.m. at the campfire.



The only picture of Keston - he wasn't with the group much because he was working. Keston lived on the island for about 7 weeks and he loved every minute of it. Because he was such a hard worker and got up every morning he gets to choose where to work next year and guess what . . . it will not be in the kitchen. He is working on his leather work. he made this great arm band.


The whole troop. Even though Chad is only 11 he got to go with his dad and he had a great time.


On one of the last days they have the raft race. Chad rode the raft and the older boys pulled him through the course. They won by a long shot. One troops raft completely fell apart but if you wait until the last minute and just tie the barrels together you get . . . a winning . . . raft . . . something is wrong with this picture.


Another year of scout camp is over. Everyone loves it. It was hard to get Keston to come home, Val would prefer to live out there, and Chad had a great time - he is already talking about wanting to work on the island. It is great to be in such a beautiful place. We are blessed!

Rewind - Winner of the Egg Drop - Elrod 2011

You are looking at the winning contraption for the Elrod Egg Drop of 2011. How does such a little box win? Let me fill you in. First, the rules . . . no packing materials and the egg that doesn't break in the lightest contraption wins. So the box was pretty little and then we took fish line and weaved in all over in the box every which way and all over to create a web inside and then we popped popcorn (it's not packing material, just a nice snack). Chad and I thought that it the egg was placed inside the weaving it would provide some give when the box was dropped. What can we say - every now and again we have a brilliant moment.

Wasa 2011 - the year of the blood suckers

Well it was Wasa time again. It started out great, Sunday was hot and it looked promising . . . that's were the heat ended. The rest of the week was pretty cool. The minute we stepped out of the vehicles the mosquitoes started attacking. There were so many of them we all looked like we have chicken pox. Like always, the food was fantastic, the company great, and the kids always have a great time.



This is Keston . . . can't you tell. He was able to get a couple days away from Melita to come with us and since Paul, his usual tent mate, couldn't make it Keston decided to sleep in his hammock. It only lasted a night, after that he would sneak into the motorhome.


Monday morning was grey, cloudy, and a bit rainy but we are die hards and when we have a lake and a boat, they must be used. Tylissa had already been knee-boarding by the time I got there so she went for a ski.



She found it was warmer to just stay in the water. Alyssa and Tylissa showing us their stuff. Yes, I was questioning where my daughter went because she never just plays in the water.

It got colder and it started raining more so we started packing up to head back to the campsite and wouldn't you know it just when things got packed up the sun came out so we hauled the food back to the beach and had a great afternoon.


This is Becky on the knee-board.


Kayden getting some air.



The week before Wasa, Chad got to go to Canada and he learned how to ski and I couldn't wait to see it. Look at him go.



Then after years and years of trying he finally made it up on the wake board. He can get up pretty easy but now he needs to learn how to control it.


Alyssa on the wake board


Do not adjust your computer screens. Yes, what you see is the actual picture, it has not been photoshopped. Grandpa is wearing shorts. He little white legs haven't seen the sun in a very long time and it wasn't so bad, we all still have our eyes - no one had to pluck them out after this site.


During the colder moments the kids made bead and pom pom animals. Hopefully Sherylee will post the critters on her site because I didn't take pictures. Granny also found the lawn darts. A game that has been banned because the darts can be harmful. Everyone who played had a good time and no one has extra holes.


The men having a serious game . . .


Keston giving it a toss, throw, pitch . . . I don't know the correct term one uses for lawn darts.


This is Keston's first year trying new things. He usually just tubes. He has tried to wakeboard but hasn't been very successful. So he tried the kneeboard and did awesome.


Getting ready to double kneeboard, I think with Alyssa.



Keston wanted to wake board again and we tried to get him to ski first but he is a stubborn kid. He proved us all wrong when he got up on the wakeboard. Go Keston.


Austin getting some help out of his wetsuit. Due the to lack of sun and the mosquitoes that tried to carry him off he would wear a wetsuit. What will we ever do if Uncle Monte doesn't come to the lake . . .


Preston showing us just how strong he really is . . . he pushed the boat out.


Look at those muscles.

I have been trying to decided what year of Wasa takes the cake, the year of the hail storms in 2009 or the year of the blood suckers. Hummm we'll have to think about that one.