Track Season- 9th grade

Price and Josh really started to enjoy running in 9th grade.  Jr. High track doesn't involve a whole lot of conditioning on its own, and they weren't the fastest kids on the team, but it was good for them, and it was fun to watch them at track meets!

We did have one casualty this track season- the boys were running at the all-district meet- they started out good, and I wasn't watching as they rounded the first corner.  When I looked up again, Josh was way in back- I realized he had fallen coming around the corner.  He did a good job of catching back up, but had major road rash on his hands and shoulder (he rolled!).  Josh has a long way to fall- when he goes down, he does it with style! :) I did take pictures of the damage, and if I find them I'll post them here later.

Cute Eliza!

This beautiful, non-redneck addition to our family room was the "trampoline" for a few weeks after we bought new mattresses for the girls.  They had a wonderful time on it until I couldn't take it anymore and we took it to the dump! :)

Running With the Grizzlies

The kids and I all decided to run at the Grovecrest 5k and Fun run- and despite the wet conditions, we had a great time!  Ethan, Emma, Annie and I did the one mile fun run.

Rebekah, Price and Josh did the 5K.  Rebekah used the race as her final project for her Young Womanhood Recognition Award, and did great!

The boys came in 1st (Josh) and 4th (Price) for their age groups.  Awesome!

Yard Work!

In April, we decided to revamp our front yard.  We pulled out two big evergreen shrubs (they were the kind that only stay green on the outside- the insides were full of billions of dead needles.  It was such a mess!), and what seemed like endless Oregon grape plants and roots.  It was a major pain!  Eventually we got it all out, though, and then found this cute Japanese maple to put there instead.

We planted ornamental grasses along the front also- they're little here, but they got so pretty this summer!  

Emma is 10 this year, so she "got" to learn how to mow!  She was excited about it... for the first 15 seconds or so.

The finished product:  

I didn't take a picture this summer, but it all came together beautifully.  I liked it so much more than the shrubs and Oregon grape!