This week

We finally had a semi-normal week. And by semi-normal I mean that we only had our mass of usually scheduled activities - mostly. No big events like Spud Day or the Fair or whatever.
The big stress of the beginning of the week was that Tacey had open gym for Basketball. This happens before tryouts. Unfortunately tryout won't be for several more weeks because

We are on HARVEST BREAK!

We have the next two weeks off, so when we get back the game is on, so to speak. Keep your fingers crossed and those positive thought coming!

Dallin had a game on Saturday. I thought it was an AWESOME game - mainly because Dallin got to play a lot and play some new positions. Oh, yes, they did win! Warm Ups. They had them behind the bleachers instead of on the field because the 7th graders were playing their game. A lot of the Shelley teams had games that day. We had at least one team from each grade level. the schedule went 6th, 7th, 5th then 8th.

There seemed to be a lot in injuries this game. They all also seemed to be short-term injuries - and all on the other team. Most of the time the kids laid there for awhile, then eventually ran off. Either way it is a tradition in football for both teams to 'take a knee' while they take care of the injured player. Kinda cool!

This is Dallin getting set to be part of the kickoff team. New position for him! I know he is a little-type guy, but I don't think he will be for long. Do you see how much thicker he is than the rest of his team?

Kick off Team!

This is Dallin playing 3 back. He is running up to number 14 there, then he will grab the ball and push through the line - or at least try to. This usually when he ends up on the bottom of the pile of kids.

This is him carrying the ball in for the extra point. Remember he is number 38. He ALMOST made it. He slipped. Don't know on what. Probably his shoe laces. . . (They don't usually try to kick for the extra point at this age. None of them can kick)

Blocking as an offensive player. Look for that number 38! His coach loves the game so much. He is so intense - in a good way.

The Final score: 54-6. It was a nice win.

After game coach pep-talk. He was a happy coach.

They should win their game on Wednesday, then we will see if they make playoffs. Right now it looks like they should. Keep hopin' other teams lose! I really want them to make playoffs; that would be cool.

As I said, we are on vacation this week: AND we have Tacey's birthday coming up (with Dallin's not too far after). There should be a ton fun in store!

Danielle

Spud Day 2009

I am not sure there are words to describe how VERY MUCH I LOVE SPUD DAY! Spud Day starts very early at our house as the parade lines up in front of our house. The parade technically begins at 10:00 am, but we had one lone float on the street the night before, but it doesn't take everyone else very long to follow suit. This is the view from our porch at 8:30 am. To the North

directly in front

This is from the driveway. The theme this year was 'Potatoes on Masquerade'. Honestly, where else in the world would people make big paper mache' sculptures of potatoes with Marti-Gras masks on? I LOVE Spud Day! I was honored to have them basically in my own front yard.

View to the South

Okay, so I have several driveways. However, that does NOT mean they are PUBLIC driveways! I went outside and the one white car was my Brother-in-laws car, so it was all good. However, this scooter, yeah, didn't know who it was and WHY they felt it was okay to park in MY driveway! Usually I have people park IN FRONT of my driveway (totally rude and illegal), but this was the first time someone parked IN the driveway (TRESPASSING!!!!). I took this picture so I could go to the police station later and complain. I didn't need to after all, as one of my friends in the parade said to me when she saw me 'Hey! Parked in your driveway! Hope that's okay!'. At least it was a friend! (No police necessary!)

My favorite masquerading potatoes in parade! Yeah, those are people sitting amongst the potatoes.

And here we have the FAMOUS Shelley Mascots. The King and Queen Russets! Its okay to laugh, I do. ALL. THE. TIME.

More potatoes.

This is my neightbor, Matt. He was watching from the roof of the shed. The only problem with this seat is that you can't pick up all the candy they throw!

Now THIS is one of my favorite pictures I took at Spud Day. That cute little Bee on the back is one of my students, Kelsey Cox. She is dressed like a Bee for the Cox's Honey float. Well, not really float, more series of men dressed like beekeepers walking and driving bright yellow four-wheelers. The beekeepers were giving out honey sticks, but Kelsey was throwing 'Bit 'O Honey's'. Isn't she the CUTEST!

Now to THE MOST IMPORTANT part of the parade. Tacey marched with her Dance Team at Elite Studios. She's holding a BIG bag of Cinnamon Bears that they were throwing to the crowd.

She's also wearing her cute team warm-ups and has her hair and makeup done for the performance on the free stage.

Yep. People do things like this on purpose on Spud Day. Gotta LOVE the Potato Sack Dresses.

This also one of my favorites. It is the float from the local grocery store. Bet you couldn't guess that, could ya?

At the end of the Spud Day festivities they have a Demolition Derby. This car must have been mine: It had my name on it!

Yep. They made a potato out of potato sacks. Yep. I don't know who made this 'float'. All I know is nowhere else do you see a fake potato this big.
Now, THIS is BY FAR my favorite moment of the Parade. This guy (I assume it is a guy, although I doubt his masculinity after this pictures) is the 'Anytime Fitness' guy. He is a living Logo! My neighbor almost landed in the hospital from laughing so hard. He thought, and rightly so, that the guy looked like a Nexium Pill. He SOOOOO TOTALLY DOES! And, yes. Laugh. Laugh HARD. Laugh HARD at this guy. If he has the guts to wear this suit, he deserves the laughter.

Koda ALWAYS gets to go to the parade, but this year we took him to the park as well. He was HAPPY! See? He is smiling!

Another AWESOME part of Spud Day is the potatoes. THEY ARE FREE! And you get free milk too! They come complete with butter, sour cream and cheese! Enough cholesterol for a week in one simple little meal! I was talking with the organizers and this year they had 10,000 potatoes on hand to give away. They ran out. . .

Oh, yes. Another AWESOME part of Spud Day. The Spud Tug. Yep. This is the pit BEFORE the infamous mashed potatoes.

Tacey and her team performed on the Free Stage. She is the third one.

In performance. She the one all the way on the left in the front row.

Little Video Clip.

Oh. YES!!!!!! They have to mix up the INSTANT Mashed Potatoes in a concrete mixer because it is the only thing big enough!

It takes most of the Fire Depatment and those GREAT BIG boxes filled with potato flakes to make this AMAZINGLY Funny event take place!

Spreading the potatoes evently in the pit. Hee Hee!

Lots and lots of Mashed potatoes!

One of the privledges (?) of being Miss Russett is that you get to determine when the potatoes are ready for the Spud Tug. She gets to do this by EATING A FORK FULL OF THEM!

They began this year with Celebrity teams. This is Channel 3 losing to Channel 8.

This is Channel 3 after the fact. They are just about to lose again to KUPI 97, one of the Radio Stations.

This is Channel 8 also losing to KUPI. Then KUPI lost to the Kiwanis Club. (The sponsors of Spud Day.)

Then comes the kid's heats. This is my neighbor Holly right in the front. Either her team was going to win the whole thing or she was going in.

They won several matches and made it to the finals, but in the end. . .

She went in!

This is an example of how NOT to Spud Tug. See the guy sitting? Yep, that DID NOT help his team AT ALL!

The best ones are when they pull so hard SEVERAL of the team members go in. 5 of the 8 people on this team went in. It was AWESOME! I did miss the picture of the kid who was hanging on the rope OVER the pit like a Kapuchin Monkey. He finally fell in, but it was completely CLASSIC!

The best part of the Adult competition is watching the LDS Missionaries compete in their white shirts, ties and suit pants. Every team has a name, this year we had Tater Tots, Curly Fries, Spud Muffins, and several other potato inspired names. The Missionaries were the Strippling Warriors.

In the end they weren't Strippling enough.

I've actually seen years where the Missionaries were a lot potato covered than this. This Elder got off easily.
Shane and Dallin had a 'cool' dessert at Spud Day. Sub Zero is an Ice Cream place where they put all the ingredients for Ice Cream in a bowl, then insert liquid nitrogen to make it into Ice Cream.
How 'cool' is that? It's a nice frosty dessert and a science project all in one! I stuck with the yummy traditional Strawberry Funnel Cake. Nope, no calories in THAT one!

Dallin opted for a Chocolate one. He has since decided that he should stay with Strawberry next time!

Mac. It was a hot day.

It was an AWESOME day.

I LOVE SPUD DAY!

Danielle

Before the weekend starts. . .

Just a quick post before the weekend, since I am CERTAIN I will be taking A LOT of pictures over the next 24 hours. This week was a busy one, I had to attend rehearsals for the Miss Russett (Yes, young girls actually compete for the honor of having a potato as part of their name) on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday night I had to teach choreography for another event, so I took SOME pictures, but I will fill you in on the rest. The Senior Dance Team!
Tacey's dance team performed at Miss Russett. They did REALLY well, and I think presented a really positive image for the studio. Whoever scheduled them as entertainment in the Miss Russett pageant was a GENIUS! (oh, WAIT! That was. . . ME! haha).
Unfortunately,the Miss Russett pageant was at the same time as Dallin's football game. (I HATE missing those, grrrrr). But this week he was chosen to be one of the captains.
That's the guy! Number 38!He got to help with what I assume was the coin toss. How many football players does it take to toss a coin? I guess, and 2 referees! He also played Nose Guard. At least I think that is what they told me it was called. Nose Guard (I don't know if that is one word or two!) sounds like a potentially painful position, but I guess ALL football positions are potentially painful! He's the kid with the football socks on. I think it's funny he has full black legs while the other kids look like they stole their Dad's church socks! He played opposite another kid that Shane said had 5 inches and 30 pounds on him, but he did well and did his job. (Whatever that job is as a noseguard!)
I am anxiously awaiting tomorrow, as it is SPUD DAY and it looks like the weather will cooperate! I LOVE the Spud Tug! Unfortunately, this year ALL my sisters have abandoned me. I won't mention names but you KNOW who you are (Laura & Jilana). I guess pictures will have to do this year!
Danielle