Oh....My Little Boy Isn't So Little Anymore! :(

I was going through pictures on our home server and moving some around to do Elyse's freshman scrapbook (which I do not enjoy but will do for her just because), and I came across these two pictures of Alex when he was little.  We are tailgating before an ISU football game and he is playing football, of course.  He is so blond in these pictures and just a cutey! (and look at that spiral on that football) :)  Can't believe how much he has grown.  So I just wanted to share them with everyone as they are adorable....at least this mom thinks so!


Alex when he was little at an ISU football game




Alex tailgating at ISU.



Elyse Jumps her Highest Yet....4'8"!

Elyse making 4 foot 8 inches

While Elyse's team has not had many track meets due to the cold weather, she did a fabulous job and made her highest jump yet of 4 foot 8 inches at a meet in Decorah!  She was so pumped!  She ended up winning the JV high jump and would have placed 3rd if she would have been jumping varsity.  Needless to say, the next meet she jumped varsity and it was so cold (30 some degrees and raining) that no one did well as they waited over 2 hours in the freezing cold and rain to jump and they were simply freezing! 

Oh well...next time!  Great job Elyse!  Keep jumping!!!

(There was a girl in the way so I did the best I could with the picture......)

Happy Easter!

Kim, Grandma Rita, and Sara

We had a super time at my parent's house celebrating Easter with my mom, my grandma, aunts/uncles, cousins, and nephews.  Although it was too cold to hang outside, there was a serious game of "500" going on that Elyse and Alex were a part of as well as a quick Easter Egg Hunt for Graham.  He found all sorts of eggs, with the help of Elyse and Alex.  I was surpised that I don't have any pictures of Connor, but he was having a great day as well.  He had his first experience slapping the bubbles and "helping" Gma Janet do some dishes.....loving every minute of it!!!! 


Elyse, Alex, helping Graham open eggs



Norah chilling on Easter Day

Kids' Easter Baskets full of goodies



Graham and Elyse looking for eggs

 So happy Easter everyone!  I hope the Easter bunny found each and every one of you!

Tournament 2 of Iowa Lightning......Nailbiters all Weekend...Alex and Grandma Time



Elyse posting up against "The Force"

 We made our second trip for an Iowa Lightning Tournament.  This time down to a suburb of Kansas City called Shawnee Mission.  We woke up to leave early Saturday morning to some snow and ice so we were glad to be heading south.   When we arrived in Shawnee Mission, the clerk at the hotel said that he was sorry we didn't arrive on a nicer day.  Little did he know we left snow and were glad to be where it was almost 60 degrees. 



Elyse on defense against The Force



Elyse scoring against the Eclipse



posting up against big girl from "Force"



Team after 2 point loss to the Force... Elyse is exhausted!

 While Elyse's Lightning team did not pull out any wins at this tournament, they played some rough matches and lost all the games within a few points. The second game was against a very good Kansas City team called the "Force".  They practice all year round, 3 times a week.  Elyse's coach told the girls afterwards that this team usually beats the Iowa Lightning by 30 at the beginning of the Lightning season.  Elyse's team was down by as much as 12 but pulled it within 2 points with 1 minute left.  Elyse even made the basket to put us within 2 points, but it wasn't enough and the Force stalled to pull out the win.  It was a very, very agressive match and I thought the girls were going to come out in pain, and tired considering we didn't start this game until 9:30 at night.  When the team was done chatting, Elyse said the girls on the team thought that was the best game ever and the most fun!  Well....they definitely played awesome and agressive, but I think if she plays like that in Iowa when the high school season starts....she will probably foul out in the first 5 minutes.  :)  She loved it.

We lost our last game on Sunday again by 2 points.  Lightning girls just couldn't pull it together, missed a lot of shots, and the refs were pulling for the local Kansas City team.  In the first half, we had over 11 fouls called on us and they had 2.  It was worse the second half so there was no way the refs were going to let us win.  Even in the last seconds, Elyse and the other big girl on the inside were shooting with the opponent on their backs and fouling, but no whistle was called.  Oh well....all in all, the team played great and it was another weekend of fun for our family. 

Being Alex had baseball practice this weekend as well, Grandma Janet and Papa came up to stay with him for the weekend.  I think they had a nice, quiet weekend.  Alex had just returned from a sleepover in which I don't think he had much sleep.  Alex told his G'ma Janet that Saturday was his day to rest because he "gets up early two days a week to lift weights, plays baseball two days a week, and lifts two days after school."  He said Saturday was his "day off"........  Really Alex?  :)  Could it have been you were just a little tired from your sleepover???  He told us he had a super time with Gma Janet and Papa!  Thanks to them for coming up and helping out!  I think we are going to need a lot of that this summer....

Until next tournament.....Mother's Day weekend.....back to Shawnee Mission down by Kansas City.....Alex also has his first baseball tournament so it looks like a mother - daughter trip to Kansas City.  Anyone want to ride along???? 

"Who am I?" Elyse and Friends Performance

I just came home from the kids' Religious Education classes.  Tonight, Elyse's class performed the "Stations of the Cross".  It was done in a created way by using a life size "shadow box" and each scene was done with a few students standing in the shadow box posing to fit the scene but all you saw were their shadows from a spotlight behind the curtain.  All other lights in the room were off and dark. Wayne's niece, Lydia, did a great job as one of the readers. 

The night ended with Elyse and some of her friends, including Wayne's other niece, Miranda, telling the story behind the song "Who Am I?" by a religious group called the Casting Crowns.  They used white gloves, as you will see, and a blue light.  All other lights in the room full of adults and kids were off.  They did a wonderful job and the song is beautiful!  I have watched it many times already with a tear going down my face.  Very creative girls and wonderful done!

So...enjoy the freshman girls story of "Who am I?" by the Casting Crowns.....may we always remember what is important in life....

Iowa Lightning - 1st Weekend = Big Success!

Elyse (white top 40) blocking out the 6'4" giant in semi-finals

Well, we all survived the first big roadtrip to Missouri for Elyse's first tournament with the Iowa Lightning.  We headed to Saline, Missouri after Elyse got home from track and arrived there at 12:30 AM.  Even Alex and Kirstin went along to cheer on their sister.



She shoots...she scores!  yeah Elyse!

 We can't say enough about how impressive the weekend was!  Elyse's basketball "family" is fabulous!  It is a wonderful organization that focuses on basketball as well as leadership and staying positive.  For only practicing together one time, Elyse's "red team" played great and ended up in the semi-finals.  Her coach wasn't there for the weekend as he was in a wedding, so they had Coach Carlson, the guy who founded the Iowa Lightning.  He was wonderful and full of energy!  Elyse totally clicked with him from the start. 



Posting up in game verse "The Rage"

 Throughout the weekend, Elyse had some "big girls" on her.  This was a great experience for her....she said it was great until she had to jumpball against a girl at least 6'4"!!!!  She said her first thoughts were, "Oh my gosh!".  She did well against her and even had her highest scoring game of the weekend in the semi-finals against a very strong team that eventually won the whole thing!  (The team of the "giant")



Team chat at time-out



Elyse (in black) rebound and put-back shot!



Elyse (in black #40) boxing out big girls of the "Rage"

 Between the first two games, all the girls and their families went to Applebees for a little "get to know you and bonding".  There were only 7 of the 12 girls there for the weekend but it was nice to meet those who could make it.   After listening to Coach Carlson talk, Kirstin and I decided we wanted to play for him.  :)  Awesome coach and very motivational.  After each game, when the team huddled up to "chat", he invited the parents to listen as well.  I can't stop talking about how impressive the coaches are (all 6 of them!)  The point that he says  that sticks in my mind is that they need to set their team duffel bags in a line with the Lightning logo facing out while playing or at all times.  He said this is because they are the "Lightning" and are proud of who they are.  They will play (as they shout) "Any one, any time, any where!!!"   And he said that while their lightning bolt may not feel real strong right now, it grows stronger and stronger as they continue as a team and play basketball to become great basketball players for the fall season. 

Wayne loved him simply because he knows Coach Finley, the ISU girls' basketball coach, and is a good friend of his.  That was all he had to say and Wayne knew he was hooked!  :)

Elyse played great basketball all weekend!  She turned it on more than I have ever seen as she had to against some big girls! After her second game, she sat down by me and was smiling.  I asked her if she was having fun and she said, "I really am Mom!".  That was all I needed to know this investment is a good one for Elyse. 

While Saline, Missouri, doesn't have a lot to offer tourist, it was a fabulous weekend for us watching basketball and bonding in the hotel.  While the drive home was long, it is just preparing us for the next one in two weeks in Kansas City (or around there).  Wayne and Alex got a round of golf in Saturday morning and the weather was 90+ when we left Sunday.  Great weekend of cheering on our Iowa Lightning girl, Elyse!
Proud of you Elyse!