Salt Lake Comic Con 2015

 Last month I spent a really fun day with Brittany and Matthew. We managed to get ourselves to the Salt Lake Comic Con. It was a whole lot of crazy fun! Here we are waiting to get in, along with hundreds of other people!

 Once we had decided to go Brittany decided to accelerate the production of her Halloween costume. She had decided to be Scarlet Witch from the Marvel comics. I still can't believe we pulled it off. She made the amazing headpiece and I managed to produce a corset, dress and cape. She really was amazing and gorgeous.

Close up of the headress, hair and make-up.

 The organizers of the Salt Lake Comic Con arranged an attempt to break a Guinness World record for the most people ever assembled dressed as characters who originated from a comic book. Brittany got to participate and said it was  a blast. This is her with a bunch of other participants.

 Matt and I wandered around while she was with her friends Emily and Noelle. Matt and Iron Man.

 A very cool car they were painting with the Joker throughout the day.

 They had a green screed that Matt and  I had a good time playing with.

 Brittany and her friend Noelle who borrowed her Winter Solider costume for the day.

 Our favorite panel of the day, Sebastian Stan who plays Bucky in the Captain America films.

And a picture of The Doctor conquering a Dalek I took for Josh. It was an amazing, exhausting day that I'm glad we got to have!

Flag Football Fall 2014

My boys have had a great time this year playing flag football again. I haven't taken a lot of pictures but have to post the ones I do have. I did get Josh posing,  I have to work on getting to do that same . There is something about watching football in the fall that is just so fun!

Matt's First Trip to the Temple

 

Yesterday I got to take three fine young men to the Bountiful temple to do baptisms for the dead. Matt has been twelve for three weeks now and has been anxious to have this experience ever since he got his recommend. So he invited his two best friends, Jack and Tannon and we found some time after school. It seemed like a particularly good idea with the temple dedication tomorrow. These three are such good friends and such good boys, I am proud of all three of them!

Tonsil Extraction

 Matthew has struggled with his tonsils for years now. He gets strep several times a winter and snores like a bear, just to name a couple of their issues, basically they make things miserable for him. So we finally decided it was time they parted ways, he and his tonsils. Monday was the day. Luckily, we have a trusted friend who is an ENT. I can't begin to say how this decreased my anxiety. I wasn't worried in the least Monday because I knew Mike would take really good care of him. Here he is all ready for surgery and immediately after. When Mike came out to tell us about the surgery he told us how when the anesthesiologist tipped his head back so they could get to the tonsils the rotten things were so big they obstructed his airway. He had to have someone hold his head in the right position so they could get to them. He also snored while they were operating and once they were out that decreased. Mike said the anesthesiologist said he was already much better. So I guess we had our sleep study right there! He also said they were diseased looking and imbedded in his throat. So it was the right thing to do, I only wish we had done it years ago.

 Here he is right after surgery. Trying to smile for me. Don't be fooled, he was really miserable and I doubted for about 30 minutes if we had done the right thing after all.

A couple days after surgery. Don't' be fooled by his cute face trying to smile. This has easily been the most miserable week Matt has ever experienced. The throat pain has been bad but the pain that radiates into the ears has been really rough too. As often as he has had strep you might think that he is used to being sick but it had gotten to the point that he could function pretty well with strep, not necessarily a good thing. But unfortunately it means he is not used to feeling so bad for so long. Tomorrow will be day six, hopefully we only have a couple of really bad days left. He had been such a good sport, I am really proud of him. Hopefully this will set us up for healthier winters!

Leaving 6th grade

Today was a big day. It was the last day of school! And not just any last day, the last day of sixth grade for Matthew. I love that our school makes a big deal of graduating elementary school. Matt had had such great teachers this year, not to mention having had a great elementary experience I think even he was a little sad to see it come to an end.

 

Theirs was the first group of kids to start at Ellison the first year it opened and go all the way through. Very cool, even if we weren't here for the beginning.

These teachers hugged every one of their students. I don't care if it was politically correct or not, it was awesome. Those kids know how great these two teachers think they are. Even the stinkers.

 

Grandma came for the big day, everything is better if Grandma is there.

 

One last picture with Mrs. Madsen and Mrs. Robison and it was over. Such a good year, so proud of this kid!

P.S. Brittany also had her last day of junior high but there was no ceremony and I wasn't allowed to take any pictures. Proud if her to though!

Wasatch Soccer

Yesterday was Matthew's last game of the season. Happily it was a win! This year he joined a new team and a new club, Wasatch Soccer Club. It has been a great year.

The team, a great bunch of boys who have improved a lot.

 

With the assistant coach, John Kennedy and the head coach Chad Smith. They have been great with the boys and have taught them a lot. 

A couple of shots at the beginning of the game yesterday and some of Matthew in action as keeper. We aren't sure what the next season of soccer will bring, which team Matt will play on but we are grateful for a good year this year!

The Dig It Play

May is such a busy time!
Last week was the 6th grade Dig It Play. It is a fun play our school does every year with the 6th graders. It is all about the ancient civilizations. Matt surprised me when he decided to try out for a larger speaking part. Well of course he got it and was fabulous! He and his friend Jack were Pharoh and his friend Imhotep. 

 

Of course my video of it isn't working but trust me, he was great! I was so glad our whole family was able to go, that doesn't always happen these days. Even Grandma and Grandpa came.  Unfortunately Dad and Grandma aren't in the picture because Grandma got sick and Dad didn't know we were taking a picture.  It was such a fun night! 

Turning 10

This my boy. He had a birthday on the first day of school, tragic in the world of  boys. So of course I had to try and compensate. Sunday was family birthday party. Note the soccer ball cake. Harder to make than one might think.

On the actual day I picked him up from school and took him straight to Boondocks with his brother. Bumper boats and the race track.

He is pretty darn good in that thing now. The goal was to get good enough to beat his dad when they went back that evening after a birthday dinner with Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Gloria. Then on Friday we had a marathon party for his friends that included Cherry Hill, pizza and the new Spiderman movie. Whew! I am tired just typing all that. But he is a great kid and he deserved to be celebrated. But now wonder I am enjoying the peace of this second week of school. Happy Birthday Matthew, welcome to the double digits!

Dinosaur Park 2012

 I spent the day yesterday with three terrific boys. Matthew's fourth grade class went to the Dinosaur Park. I have been to more field trips there than I can count but this one really was fun. I couldn't get over what great boys these three are. It helped that they are all best friends and know me. They weren't obnoxious or naughty, just a lot of fun. And they tolerated my crazy picture taking. Actually I think they sort of liked it, it gave them an excuse to act silly.

 Watch Out! That T-Rex will eat you!

 Ride 'em Cowboy!

I think they are racing this guy.

Watch out for the erupting volcano!
It was a lot of fun to hang out with these guys. I hope they are all friends for a really long time!