FOOTBALL

We are in the swing of things now here at the Condie house. It has taken us a few weeks but I think we got it. Now if everything will quit changing we will be fine. The first JV game for Michael was against Dixie. He is also starting varsity kickoff but I just used the video camera on that one. It still is a juggling act trying to get all the shots. Michael had a touchdown! It was a really fun game. Christian plays on the USA club football team. He had his Midnight Madness tourney this weekend. They played 4 20-minute scrimmages with teams from around the league and one from Vegas. We weren't quite sure where they were from. Even asking the parents they wouldn't tell us. Weird. They were super good and super intense. Their coach was CRAZY!!!! They were called the Gators and there were a TON of families supporting them. Chrish lacks intensity but he is getting better this year. He really is dedicated. Now if we can just have him be passionately dedicated :)!

First day of School

My kids are not too happy when the camera is out. Just my littlest guy will allow me to preserve memories the way I want. Lily and I did this...... She loves to play. I am so glad my birthday came early this year. Otherwise I would have had to workout or something. YUCK!!!

Change.....?

Since Cory and I have been married we have always put our change in an old Mount Olympus water jug. In the past we have dipped into it not letting it get even a little full but that changed last year. Cory has always kept his change in the car, on the dresser, in a jar, but never in his pocket. He did not have a problem keeping his change. Me on the other hand always LOVED to pay with exact change. (Probably the obsessive virgo in me.) That changed last year when Michael took Financial Lit. Mrs. Hall told the students to never pay with change and instead keep that change. It is the easiest way to save $$. I took her challenge and for the last year have also been emptying my change into our water jug. We came up with an idea after the jug started getting pretty heavy to have a contest. We all guess how much $$ is in the jug, pick a vacation, and then count to see who is the closest to the actual amount. Any guesses? We had a total of $437.14. Cory guessed the closest $480.00 and his vacation of choice is: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Here are the other guesses: Christian $300.60 - Rent a house and play on the beach in Southern Cali. Jessica $534.00 - Stay at the Ramada in San Diego, play 2-3 days in DisneyLand and the rest at the beach. Michael $620.00 - Go to San Simeon and go kayaking and camp in the campground. Mom $535.20 - Go to Cali, rent a house and canoes, and play at Knott's Berry Farm. It was a fun experience for us all. Who knows, we might have come up with a new Condie family tradition!

First Game

Hurricane VS Skyline We beat Skyline, again, 20-7. It was really fun watching the 2012 team. Michael starts kick-off. So fun for him to have the same number from last year. No knee brace for him this year! Go Tigers!

My early b-day present

Last Wednesday Cory brought me home an early b-day present. I was told that Jessica had my b-day planned for over a month already even though we still had a month until it. It stared with quite a crazy night. I had my last pack meeting as a leader and Christian had his first football practice with pads. Michael had practice so he couldn't help out with Christian so my mom was able to come over and take Christian to football. As I was leaving pack meeting Cory was on his way home. I had figured he was going to be home 3 hours later but he wanted to surprise me. I beat him home and Jessica met me outside and had to take me inside and lock me in my room. I was there for about 15 minutes until I was able to come out. My mom and Christian got home about then. I made dinner because starving athlete teenage boy Michael was going to be home in a bit. We ate dinner and then I had to sit down and get blindfolded. I was given a present on my lap. They had got me a foot bath. One with heat and massaging bubbles. Really nice! But it was filled with cat food. They brought up this little ball of fur. Lily. Cory was able to pick her up from a family in Vernal who were moving. I am not quite sure how old she is but she is pretty young. Cute as all heck though. We all love her, even Michael. It was so fun to hear the story about how the day came to be and how much everyone had planned. I feel so loved and I am so lucky to have such an amazing husband and wonderful kids!

Birthdays 13 and 17!

Jessica was born two days before Michael's birthday. They have always been really good sports about sharing family b-day dinners and such. This year Jessica had to share with a lot of different things that were going on. We had the fair parade so Cory and I had to be at the lineup at 7 to put the float back together after driving it to St. George. They did a great job though and we had minimal repairs. They won 1st place. We were able to meet the kids at JBs in Hurricane for breakfast by 8:45. Then we attended little Jada Harris's funeral. The Harriss were Jessica and Christian's Sunday school teachers. They are such amazing people. So strong. They have an amazing extended family also. After that Jessica had 2 friends come over, Ashley and Aubree. They made Tiger shirts, swam, and got ready for the fair. It was Jessica's wish to have Michael take them to the fair and thats what they did. We ended up taking Christian and his friend that night too and we met up with the girls about 11. Jess was really sick! But they had a lot of fun I think. Michael turned 17! Old enough to buy rated "M" games. Ha ha. That is what he said anyway. He woke up early and we made him breakfast. Jess had already made b-day signs and decorated his truck. Then we walked both his and Jessica's schedule since the first day of school is in 2 days. It really bites that their b-days are so close to school. Last year was fun because the 1st day of school was on his 16th birthday! We were able to drop off his car at the school and get his driver's license before school started. It worked out really well. After we walked through the schools we registered his truck and went to Hollister and Costco. Michael had football so I made a nice dinner and he made it home about 9:45 to eat it. The life of an almost grown-up! We are all excited about the year to come. Michael is a Junior and Jessica is the oldest in the Intermediate school as a 7th grader. We are excited for football (Skyline this Friday) with both Christian and Michael. Cory will be able to come home for both JV and Varsity games. It will be nice having him home.

Miss Hurricane 2012

This year the theme for the fair was "Let Freedom Ring". The girls and Tacy came up with a really cute spin on that theme. They thought of the "We Can Do It!" World War II poster with Rosie the Riveter. It turned out super cute! They won first place! Congrats girls!

Want one?

So my brother Erick is the most amazing tech-savvy person I know. He designed this amazing portable speaker/boombox. Check out his ebay auction and please "LIKE" it! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160861310374#ht_500wt_1168

School lunch ideas

I have been going through about 100 websites with school lunch ideas. My problem: VERY PICKY KIDS. No funky flavors or combinations which basically eliminates all the recipes I found. Lunch for Michael during football season is watching films of the upcoming opponent's past games. He has to take a lunch from home on those days. Jess and Chrish just get to copy those days to make Mom's life easier. I attempted to have the kids try a chicken/pasta salad that I LOVE but they hated it. Here are their favs: PB and J (of course), Chili, Progresso soups, Turkey wrap, Home-made lunchables. Boring huh! I have found a couple of recipes that maybe they will like but I definitely have to try them out beforehand. One is called Cheesy Chili 'N Rice Skillet and Sante Fe Chicken Salad Wrap which can also be substituted with steak (I found both on kraftrecipes.com). Basically the same as what I already make. I would love some other ideas!!!! Please share!

Princess

Yep she is.... in every sense. She is so fun and quite a handful too! Looking forward to this 7th grade year for sure. She grows and matures every year so much and its exciting to see what she can accomplish. We love our girl!

My youngest boy

I just love how Christian is so kind and gentle. Here he is holding one of the many baby lizards all over our yard. I appreciate how thoughtful he is. Once this last school year he was accused of bullying another little boy and he was devastated. After getting to the bottom of it he was telling the little boy something he had heard and thought that the rule on the bus was. He is definitely a stickler for rules and makes sure if anyone is out of line or not obeying those rules he will let them know for sure! I find him always having a friend no matter where we go. I can always count on him to be MY buddy so I don't have to go anywhere by myself. He went with me to a funeral yesterday so I didn't have to sit by myself. What a sweetie. I have found that now time goes by so fast! I mean Michael is a junior. Jess is in 7th grade and Christian only has 2 more years of elementary left. Why does time go by so fast? I wish I was back when my kids were little, playing in the mud and listening to their take on the world. I wish I would have appreciated those times more. I have this poem that I am going to share with you......

Now is the time to get things done. Wade in the water. Sit in the sun. Squish my toes in the mud by the door. Explore the world with a boy just four. Now is the time to study books. Flowers Snails, How a cloud looks. To ponder "up" Where God sleeps nights Why mosquitoes take such big bites Later there'll be time To sew and to clean. Paint the hall. That soft new green To make new drapes, refinish the floor, Later on... When he's not just four.

.......thats how I feel. If only I would have seen that when he was four. Now Christian is almost 10, going to be a Webelo, and playing tackle football. Time will fly even faster and before I know it I will be an empty nester and finally understand why my mom holds on so tight! I love you Mom and are so grateful for all you taught me about being a mom. I love my children so much and I know that I learned that from you. We all love being together and doing things together. As I was growing up every Saturday we would go on a hike. Didn't matter where, we just went. So many memories were made and we grew so close. I feel very fortunate to be so close to my family and for my children to have been also. I know that they all have a role in the people my children are becoming. I am sad for the lost time but excited for how wonderful the time coming up is going to be. Life is sweet!

4th of July

We were able to go to Vernal for the 4th of July. It was fun and the break from the heat was very welcomed. The town had a parade (HUGE) and fireworks that night. We went to most of the parade but left after about 50 oil big rigs. We drove over the mountain to Manilla. Nothing has changed but a little tourist trap with cabins. We took a tour through the Flaming Gorge Dam. We never did that when we lived there. We were the only ones in our tour group so it was fun. Anyone who loves to fish HAS to visit the dam. They take you on a tour and at the end they take you to where the river starts and there are the biggest trout you have ever seen. There is not one smaller than 3 feet! We had lunch and then back to Vernal for a great firework show. We had fun spending time together.

Jessica is the one with the Green Thumb

Jessica has quite a knack for gardening. She has planted her own garden for 3 years now. Tomatoes are a must have and this year has been the best! She also did the yellow squash and we LOVE it. Her strawberries are in a planter and they get eaten as soon as they are ready. Jess and Chrish LOVE strawberries.

There are benefits to Vernal......

Since most of the people Cory work with are working on the oil rigs, they have to come up with cash quickly sometime. We have been able to pick up a 4-wheeler and this early B-day present for Michael this way. We feel like we got a killer deal and Michael is super happy he is now part of the "Smith Mob". We are thinking about doing some fun TIGERS something on the back but are having a hard time with that. Anyone have any ideas. We would really like to do something like Cory had on his high school truck. He had a chrome strip on his tail gate with TIGERS on it. We would love any ideas!