Fall Soccer

This time of year is one of my favorites. It is just so beautiful. Lately, as I drive down the street, I find myself really gazing at all the trees and the gorgeous leaves...just trying to soak it all in to sustain me through the winter. One of my favorite things about autumn is fall soccer for the girls. I look forward to it all year. I love how the soccer complex here is literally cut into a bunch of corn fields, so as we watch the games on Saturday mornings, we are surrounded by the corn and signs of harvest. For some reason, I just love it so much.
Here is Jordan getting her kicks on:


And some of Ashton:


So I'll admit it, I've always been competitive when it comes to sports and so is Tod. Our poor kids. Sometimes I think we take our "encouragement" a little too far because we seem to expect a lot out of them with regards to their playing ability. But they are such good sports about it, and both Ashton and Jordan have come so far...and are really progressing into great little soccer players. I am so proud of them! I'm glad that they are healthy, that they can run, fall down, get back up again, sweat, giggle with their friends, push themselves, celebrate when they score, and roll their eyes at the sidelines when mama gets too loud! These girls are also lucky to have a dad who puts in the time to coach their teams.



One of the other fun things about soccer season is the chance to hang out with friends...it is so fun just to visit and chat. Sometimes when we are waiting for another child's game to start, we wander over to another game to cheer on a church friend, school buddy or neighbor. There is just a great community feel. We love soccer season!



(I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago. Now, soccer season has ended. As you can see from the pictures, some of them were taken at the beginning of the season- warm, sunny weather and shorts- while some were taken at the last chilly game!)

And if you had any doubt that it's flat here and the sky is the biggest you'll ever see...here is proof!!! I still miss the mountains but have grown to LOVE the wide open spaces. Simply gorgeous.

Gram

It's been one year ago today that Gram left this life for her next adventure. Some moments are frozen in time...and the moment I found out she was gone is one of those moments. It was a perfect fall day (just as today is). We had been at soccer games all morning and then I headed to the church for a craft day. We had plans to visit a pumpkin patch later that afternoon. Yet when I returned home from the church, Tod met me in the front yard and gently told me that my brother had called to let me know that Gram had passed on...We had known for months that her health was declining. We had been preparing...in fact, just a few weeks prior I had already started to set aside clothing for a road trip to Utah...yet when the moment came, I still couldn't believe that this great lady was really gone.

It still doesn't seem possible...and even one year later, I still half way expect to pick up the phone and hear her voice on the other end...or go to the mailbox and find a card from her. Our trip to Utah to attend Gram's funeral was bittersweet. Of course, there were tears, lots of tears...but so much gratitude for the life she lived, so much gratitude for the investment of time she put into her grandchildren. When they handed out Grandmas in heaven, I surely got the cream of the crop, the best of the best. It is hard to even begin to put into words the impact and influence Grandma Betty has had on my life.

I remember as a child, just feeling like she really truly adored me, enjoyed me, and valued me. What a gift to give to a young girl! Thanks to Gram I know how to be resilient, strong and positive. I know that when things are tough, you just keep on going. From her I learned how to brown a roast, how to make homemade pizza, how to make pistachio and bavarian (Helper jello salads!). I learned that you can drive through snow storms to get where you need to be...especially if excited people are waiting for you at the other end. (We were always SO excited when we knew Grandma was driving up for the weekend.)

I remember when I was probably about 10 years old, I got into some kind of trouble with my mom and was sent to my bedroom. For some reason, I was really upset. I remember sitting on my bed and crying and then hearing someone creep down the stairs. Then Gram was in my room comforting me and making me giggle and everything was okay. Then she snuck back out of my room before my mom caught her! I have so many great memories of my Grammy.

When I got home from my mission, I remember seeing everyone at the airport when I got off the airplane. It was a great moment...to see my family for the first time in 18 months. But someone was missing...my great grandma Thelma had died just a few days before and so Grandma Betty couldn't make it to the airport. As amazing as it all was, it just felt a little incomplete...until a few days later, we traveled to Helper and I was able to be reunited with Gram.
Today, it still feels incomplete, because once more, I am without her.

I try to keep "evidences" of Gram around my house. I have saved a handful of cards so that I can see her scrawling cursive handwriting. We have glass tea cups, an Easter table cloth, some salt and pepper shakers. My Halloween decorations include some toll painted objects because they were from Gram. And of course, pictures are priceless.

But they are all just "things" and I'm holding onto something much more valuable- my memories of my Gram. These memories are just so precious, and they are what keep me going because I do miss her so much. Can't wait to see her again...I'm still waiting for my fluffy hug.

My Baby Sis

To My Baby Sister on her 30th birthday:

Happy Birthday Baby Kate! It's hard to believe you have hit the big 30! I still picture you being about 7 it seems!

I wish more than anything, I could be with you to celebrate your day. It may sound silly, but it is one of the hardest things in my life right now....to be so far away from you and not able to be in your life on a daily basis. Thank goodness for that telephone.

I have always loved you so much. I think of you as a little baby, a precious toddler, a fun kid, an adventurous teenager, an adoring aunt and now this outstanding mother, career woman, and wife. I think of you dribbling a basketball, kicking a soccer ball, working at the flower store, transforming a room with your decorating skills, turning any kind of clothing into a fashion statement.

Katy Bug and me in the green dryer:
Katy in the middle, Mel in the business jacket, Me in red plaid, and Chris in back:
Always, you have been there for me- as a listening ear, a cheer leader, a generous soul and just someone who I know is supportive and understanding of me. It has meant more than you will ever know.

I am so thankful for all the memories we share- so many fun things from our childhood together. Remember how you used to always come on dates with me because I was too scared of boys? Remember how you would always tag along with me and my friends and how I hung out with your pals, too? Remember days spent at Utah State, many trips to Iowa, and now ventures in Texas. Who knows what the future holds?

But one thing I am sure of...you will always be so important to me, and such a valuable part of my life...even if it has to be across the miles. Happy Birthday to a great gal.

Love you and miss you,
Jay- Your Big Sis

More Farm Pics

I've been playing around more with the settings on my camera, especially the color modes. Someday I want to take a photography class...for now the farm is my very favorite place for experimenting with picture taking.

Labor Day Weekend

The past few weeks have been so busy, as we have tried to settle into our back to school routine. It has taken me a while, but I am finally getting around to updating my blog. We enjoyed a quick getaway to the farm for Labor Day Weekend. It was nice to enjoy our last "summer fling" before fall really sets in. Of course, we had a super time- lots of football watchin' and just hanging around.

Here are some pictures of our trip:

A morning hike in pajamas

Four wheeler rides

Sunday morning after Saturday boot shopping with Grandpa

A beautiful girl and her dog

My cow girl

Classic Snarr look...shorts with cowboy boots

My blue eyed gal snacking in the front yard on Sunday afternoon

Jordan with Grandma

Mom and Roo

Horse riding lessons with Grandpa



Things I don't have pictures of that I wish I did:

-The pioneer dresses/bonnets that we started sewing for Halloween costumes. Cindy is so kind to me to entertain my crazy ideas I come up with- this one being that the girls could dress up as pioneers since we have been reading the Little House series. And usually our projects include something along the lines of this...I have a big idea but don't have the level of sewing skills needed, so Cindy ends up doing most of it! She is such a good Grandma!

-We got to go to a really fun church picnic. Grandma was in charge of it, and it was all cowboy themed so we fit right in. Grandpa even brought his horse along to give all the kiddies rides. What a big hit that was!

-One evening we had a bonfire....Grandpa Steve got gas on his pants and momentarily caught on fire. Fortunately, he wasn't injured...never a dull moment. The kids can't stop talking about Grandpa on fire! They have witnessed first hand stop, drop and roll. That man has more than nine lives, that is for sure.

-The upstairs bathroom was being remodeled which meant we all had to share the downstairs one...that was no problem, it's just that it doesn't have a lock, and I have witnessed one too many people being walked in on...after I whined about it for a while, Cindy made me a little sign with my picture on it that I could hang on the door when I was occupying the bathroom. It worked perfectly. I'm glad they cater to my "city ways".

We enjoyed our weekend so much. I am so blessed to LOVE my in-laws. It is such fun to spend time together with Steve and Cindy as well as Tod's sister Megan and her family. Thanks everyone for a great time!

He doesn't even like pictures!

Okay, it's no secret that Tod (not Cole!) doesn't really like pictures. He usually makes a face when I bring the camera out, impatiently tolerates family picture sessions, and sticks his nose in the air about all things "blog". So, imagine my surprise when I found these pictures recently taken of Cole...by him!!! They turned out amazing which kind of bugs me even more since I'm the one always trying to figure out the camera! The pictures were taken outside of a local theater where Ashton was performing in a play. Maybe our family has a new photographer....

Regan's First Day

A couple of days after the girls started school, it was Regan's turn to go! She was so ready and so excited. Due to her summer birthday (and after a lot of thought!), we opted to have her attend another year of preschool, this time at the school Jordan attended. She has been so excited to have the same teachers and be in the same classroom that her sister was in a few years back. Regan had carefully selected a back-to-school outfit and has been waiting for several weeks to wear it. She looked so cute.

No tears for this gal when I dropped her off...just a quick wave of the hand. When I picked her up, she told me that lots of the kids were crying, and she was very confused about it. I had to explain to her that not everyone has been to preschool for 3 years! Regan will be a preschool pro by the end of this school year!