Did I just blow through another week?

Okay, Highlights:

McCade played his last game Tuesday night. He made the tackle that saved the game.

GO MAC!

Dallin played his first playoff game. They won 51-6. Not a surprise.

Actually, the score could have been a lot worse, but the coach had mercy and started kicking 3 pointers, instead of running in touchdowns. 

Those boys are on fire.

I love it.

Okay, this is Dallin's game from the week before, but look at the look on his face.

Number 43 doesn't have a chance.

About 3/4 of the way through the game this kid just sat on his rear and pouted.

He didn't like getting schooled by a smaller guy.

Size isn't everything.

We had one of his coaches tell us that Dallin isn't by any means the biggest lineman, he is definitely the smartest. 

He has developed an amazing knowledge of the game.

He will grow. He officially passed me last night.

Not that getting taller than me is difficult, but it is a milestone.

We get through this week and I will download and post all of his last games.

Hopefully we have several to go.

McCade got to be a captain for the last game.

Man, did he play hard.

Man did I

FREEZE.

Freak of Nature, it was COLD!!

Dallin's game was even colder.

You know it is cold when the football coach puts on a jacket.

But as it was near or below 32 degrees, he even put on his sweats.

Me?

I was wearing two sets of thermals,

jeans,

hiking boots,

two pairs of socks,

a sweater, 

a sweatshirt,

my coat,

gloves,

ear warmer, 

had the hoods on both my sweatshirt and coat on my head,

and was wrapped in 3 blankets.

Still froze.

The pictures are getting poorer and poorer in quality. They play later, it gets colder.

The low light and my shivering have not been picture-friendly. 

This week it will be even colder as Dallin enters playoffs.

In addition it is supposed to have scattered rain and snow showers.

Someone asked me if they would cancel the game.

I laughed.

This is 

FOOTBALL!

And I am a football mom, so I will be there freezing to death.

I love my football boys with all my heart.

Here is to hoping they win and I don't get frostbite!

-danielle

Dallin is 14, or when did I get old. . . .

Dallin had a Birthday a little over a week ago.

I didn't blog about it back then because we were running around like crazy people!

He got an experience and a half for his birthday!

But I guess I should talk about the stuff leading up to it.. . 

He had one required Merit Badge left for his Eagle Scout Award: Swimming.

I took him in on Thursday to a local Aquatic Center to accomplish that.

In fact, both Dallin & McCade went as they are both Scouts and both needed it!

Anyway. . . 

He came out with tears in his eyes. He had failed to complete one of the requirements.

I talked him through it: it wasn't a really big deal. 

Except that it did keep him from completing the Merit Badge.

I had also scheduled both of them to return the next day (Dallin's Birthday) to complete their Life Saving Merit Badge. This one was going to require the same things as swimming, plus more and they would be harder. He was extremely tense and nervous in the morning: tears fell.

Can I tell you how bad I felt? 

Mean Mom, making her kid go do a hard thing on his Birthday.

When I picked them up this time, he was ALL SMILES.

He not only completed the Life Saving Merit Badge, but in the process completed the missing requirement the day before.

They both learned a valuable lesson that day. The first instructor was not encouraging, and almost seemed to take delight in their failure.

The second instructor was supportive and encouraged them. If they did not complete something first time through, he broke it into smaller chunks so they could accomplish it in pieces before tackling the whole thing.

I pointed out that they should remember that as they become men and are asked to teach others.

Anyway, then all the 'boys' got in the car and went to the BYU/Utah State Football game.

Football on Dallin's Birthday! Heck Yea!

It was a hard- hitting, low scoring game. 

He had a good time.

This guy is truly a special kid. He is so compassionate. One of his friends told us once "Dallin cries a lot. Some people might think that means he is a big baby, I know it means he has a big heart". He feels everything very deeply. He also keeps it inside, which is why i supposed God felt he needed a Mom like me who gets in his face and makes him talk! (Poor Kid!)

He walks through obstacles like they are not even there. I suppose that is because he has had to walk through them his whole life: he knows no difference. He is strong, he is smart. Seriously brilliant; it amazes me. I love him with a love unique to him. 

20 Things About Dallin:

1. Favorite Thing: Football

2. Least Favorite Thing: English

3. Favorite Time of Day: Sunset

4. Favorite Thing to Do: Football

5. Something You Are Proud Of: Earning my Eagle Scout Award

6. Something You Wish You Had: More Books

7. Someone You Miss: Josh

8. Favorite Subject in School: Science (G/T - which is Gifted & Talented)

9. Favorite Color: Blue

10. Favorite Food: Whatever is in my mouth at the time

11. How Do You Feel: Good, GOOD!

12: Something You Are Not: A Soccer Player

13. Where Do You Think You Will Be In 6 Years: On or About to come back from my Mission

14. Something You Are Scared of: Clowns

15. Someplace you go over and over again: My Room

16.Wanted Superpower: Telekinesis

17. Something You Would Change About Yourself: Drawing a Blank

18. First Thing You Think in the Morning: Ah, Seriously? Do I Have To Get Up?

19. Worst Habit: Biting My Nails

20. Ninjas, Pirates or Aliens: Pirates!!! Arrgggg!!!!

-danielle

Tacey had a birthday. . . or two

Okay, still playing catch-up.

Last year for Tacey's 16th Birthday we took her on a trip.

We went to

NEW YORK CITY

and

WASHINGTON D.C.

It was a blast. It was 10 days of walking and eating

and watching Broadway Shows.

Loved it, loved it.

So did she.

This year was a serious let down after last year.

Told her we weren't going to try to top that until her wedding.

But here are pictures of our trip!!!!

Tacey outside the White House.

With my sister Andrea and my seriously cute Cousin, Tarah.

Tarah lives back there now and works for one of the offices there.

Can't remember which. . . . 

Aren't they cute?

The next day was Arlington National Cemetary

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

They soldiers that guard this are the elite of the elite.

Look up what is required of them.

Look at the paths worn into the marble walkway.

It was an amazing, moving sight.

Washington Monument, well all of D.C. actually.

Services for someone.

Lincoln Memorial

Yeah, this is what we saw of the great reflecting pool.

Tacey pushing over the Washington Monument

The Vietnam War Memorial

Look at how you can see Tacey's reflection in the wall as she reads the names.

This view you can see all of her. 

But more importantly, do you see all of the soldiers names?

There had been an earthquake in D.C. right before we got there. Those workers are checking the monument for damage. They had a picture of every single tile of their iPads and were taking new pictures to compare the two.

The Smithsonian

Tacey was a little freaked that she might have a Nightmare while we were on Elm Street.

The History of Transportation

C-3PO

The Hope Diamond.

Yep, she is shorter than an Elephant leg.

Her mouth might be as big as a hippo's though. . . 

Does she have a tongue like a giraffe?

Tiger Attack!

Then back to NYC.

First place she wanted to visit was actually in New Jersey - Carlo's Bakery from Cake Boss.

Had to have a canoli

The M&M store in Times Square

Top of the Empire State Building

Inside the Empire State Building

And Cheesecake from Juniors.

A must after a Broadway Show.

You can't take pictures in the Theatres, but we saw Phantom of the Opera, Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, Mary Poppins and Rock of Ages.

Another Day took us to the Statue of Liberty.

I cried there, several times.

Well, not in the Statue of Liberty, but at Ellis Island.

Top of the Rock

(Rockefeller Center)

Traditional Shane-on-the-Phone picture.

Empire State Building in the back.

Pushing it over.

Museum of Natural History

(Where they made the movie 'Night at the Museum'. Here the the Easter Island Guy, Tacey was saying 'Dum, Dum have some gum, gum?'

Mayan Calendar

LDS Temple in Manhattan

Central Park

F.A.O. Schwartz

Back Story:

Shane is an artist. Is was his major in college, before he went pre-med. When he went to the Smithsonian years ago, he saw this painting and it moved him to tears.

It is Rembrandt's self-portrait.

We looked at this Smithsonian this trip and the one he & I had taken before but it was no longer  there. He was very sad.

But this trip, we heard that it was in the 

Metropolitan Museum of Art.

We went, and there it was.

His favorite painting.

Andrea decided to take a custom-made muppet home.

She designed it and watched its creation.

Yep, it looks like her. This is the guy who created it.

The night before we caught the flight home we stayed in a hotel room that was NOT what we had paid for and ate the last of the cheesecake.

You must improvise sometimes where cheesecake is involved.

This year, 

not quite so exciting.

20 Things about Tacey:

1. Favorite thing? Lightening McQueen

2. Least Favorite thing? High School - College sounds SO much better

3. Favorite time of day? Midnight

4. Favorite thing to do? Text

5. Something you are proud of? I don't know

6. Something you wish you had? My new car (She is getting one for her birthday, but it isn't quite ready yet.)

7. Someone you miss? Elder Taylor Joshua Wilson

8. Favorite Subject in School? English. (I had expected her to say Cheer. . . )

9. Favorite Color? Pink. (well, duh.....)

10.  Favorite Food? Ice Cream (duh again. . )

11. How do you feel? Content & Anxious. (Not sure how that all goes together. . )

12. Something you are not? a boy

13. Someplace you go over and over again? my room & school

14. Where do you think you will be in 6 years? at school

15. Something you are scared of? The Dark & Clowns

16. Wanted super power? Mind Reading

17. Something about yourself you would change? My thighs

18. First thing you think in the morning? Where's my phone?

19. Worst habit? Biting my nails.

20. Ninjas, Pirates, or Aliens? Ninjas. . . DUH!

It is hard to believe she is 17 and will leave us in less than 2 years.

Happy Birthday Tacey!

We are blessed to have you in our lives!

-danielle