UUGH I am 42!

(banner complements of Sarah - Thank you!  The kids can't wait until I can hang it up for them)

A couple of weeks ago, Eric was in Portland.  I got a call from him.  He tells me he is at Costco, and they have a great camera, and since he is always really bad about my birthday he thinks he should get it.  I have avoided the whole DSLR for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is that I don't really know how to use a fancy camera (even though Sarah has been telling me to get one for many many years).  But, we needed one and I thought I should embrace his generosity.  So, this is what he got me.

And yes, it has way more power than I will ever use, but even on automatic I can take great pictures.  This weekend we had our usual cross country, soccer, and volleyball fun and since it was my birthday my parents came to town to be a part of it (OK really, they always come down once each season (spring/fall) to watch the kids do their thing.  This was the best weekend for that, and it just happened to be my birthday)  Megan and Blake were in town interviewing for dental schools, so they came along for some Pearson Family fun.  Here are the fruits of our labors (and some cool pics with my fab new camera)

Kelsey ran in her first varsity meet!!!  Way to go Kels.  She did great.

Allie playing soccer (and being carried off the field by the coach).  She did twist her ankle, so she had a little reason to be sad, but come on.  I went over and in all my compassion told her there is no crying in soccer.

We missed Caroline's game since it took 20 minutes to get out of the parking lot after soccer.  She rotated out of the last game right as we got there.  She does look cute, don't you think?

And of course, Sophie played soccer.  She also ran CC on Friday, but Eric covered that meet (she placed 2nd in district - Go Sophie).  I am pretty sure this picture here is a foul, but since the ref did not call it, we are going to call it good (and since the other team was downright nasty, this was nothing).  In the spirit of truth I have to tell you Blake took all the Sophie soccer pics.  I did take the others.

Allie gave me this card for my birthday.  She makes me laugh, and it is good to know I am one heck of a mother.

It was a great day, and a great weekend.  Thank you for all the birthday wishes.  Now, I just really need to learn how to use my camera!  Good thing the kids give me lots of reasons to take pictures!

It Takes A Village

Things will slow down, right?  I keep thinking it will be any time now, but it has not happened yet.  Allowing the twins to each be individuals, and pick two different activities, is turning out to be a really hard on me.  And we all know it is about me!

Eric flew to Portland this weekend to run the Portland Marathon with Scott Gray.  This left me alone - no biggie.  Except it meant I had to be in four places at the same time Saturday morning to cover the kids activities.  Thank you to all who helped me - cause even though I am good, being in four places at once was not going to happen!  It was a successful weekend.  Kelsey took time off her last race.  Caroline's team lost, but she was able to get two or three serves over the net, Allie's team lost but she played almost the whole time and did not complain, and Sophie's team won.

Friday night we only had Sophie's cross country meet since Kelsey's was on Saturday morning.  Kelsey wanted to come to her meet, and two of Kelsey's CC friends came as well.  They made a poster for Sophie (and Alex her friend).

Since they all run CC they were great at cheering them on.  Both Sophie, and Alex did well.  In Sophie's region, there is a 7th grade girl who is from another school.  Her two mile time is about 11:30.  That is crazy fast.  She beats everyone by 1 1/2 minutes.  On Friday she was sick (and I got an evil stare from another parent on the team who overheard me saying that was great so maybe someone else could win - I did not wish her ill, just felt like it was a chance for someone else.  Is that wrong?).

Sophie has come in 4th and 3rd in her last two meets.  Behind really fast girl, and last week behind another girl who plays soccer for Challenge Soccer who is on the A team (Sophie is on the B team).  Anyway, this week it came down to the very end.  I wish I had taped it - or even got a picture of it but as we know I have not camera right now (which I think my wonderful husband might change for my birthday).  She came in 2nd by maybe 1/2 a step.  The girl was really good at boxing her out.  If Sophie had sped up 20 seconds faster, she might have beat her.  REGARDLESS, she did great and won 2nd.

Photos courtesey of Kelsey Pearson.  Alex, also had a great meet and placed.  She would not let her cheering section take a picture, but Kelsey sure tried.

One last photo of Sophie with her sign. 

So, thanks to all the great people in our village we were able to get everyone where they need to go, Eric was able to go and have fun, and now we get to stay home and watch TV church!  Yeah for us.  And the best part?  Next week is sister's weekend and Eric gets to do it all alone!

Happy Birthday Kelsey

My Kelsey Belsey is 15!  How did that happen?  My firstborn daughter.  I was so excited when I found out we were having a girl.  I loved my boy and all, but a girl was my dream.

Since I had the boy first, this little girl was ALWAYS dressed up. 

She had bows for every outfit. 

She was my little doll.

She sported those bows bigger than her head for years.

Even as she grew, the bows were there.  Of course, since she had no hair we had to do something so people knew she was a girl!

This is her first birthday.

Now look at her.

She won't let me dress her up anymore.  She thinks I have no fashion sense, and I am sure most days she thinks I have no sense at all.  She is my spicy, funny, crazy Kelsey girl.  I am so proud of the young woman she is becoming.  She will take on challenges.  She won't give up.  She knows who she is and she is proud of that, and I am proud of her.

I love you Kels!

Boys Will Be Boys

Received the following from Ryan.

I know it is kind of hard to see.  It has me crying he has left, Kelsey crying he has left, Eric eating twinkies and crying he has left, and his adoring Ryan fan club (a figment of his imagination) crying he has left.

OK. 

Then there was this picture, which he has entitled the "matrix" flip.

And this one of Elder Davis.  He is also going to Ogden.  His mother would be so proud.  Does this mean that Elder Davis has a similar picture of Elder Pearson in the same pose?

Then there is this one.  His district in front of the Provo Temple.

And this was the back of the family picture.  So, I guess he is being a normal 19 year old boy - but doing what he should be doin!

What We Are Doing

The twins had to memorize this (the preamble song).




It took me back to my childhood. Can I tell you how much I LOVE School House Rock? What was your favorite? I know you have one (unless you are too young to remember it!)

I'm Back

After the sadness of sending my boy away, I spent the next week travelling for work. I think I must be getting old because those long trips are killing me! Now I am back, and we are in full swing with the girls activities.

Both Kelsey AND Sophie have cross country meets today. Of course, they are not anywhere near each other. We will divide and conquor. GOOD LUCK to both of them. It is Sophie's first meet and she is VERY nervous. She will do great.

We have two soccer games tomorrow. Of course Sophie's is at the end of the earth - or south of Houston. So once again, it will be divide and conquor.

The highlight of the coming weekend will be BYU vs FL State. Poor Ryan is at the MTC where he will hear all the fun, but not be participating. Let's go Cougs. Lets keep our fingers crossed. Can they pull off three in a row?

Make sure and look for Michelle, my awesome student training sister Here she is on the sidelines - look far left. There she is - or part of her - from the OU game.

Ryan Is Gone

At the airport in Houston.

I am sad. We are all sad. Why is it that this is what you want for your son, but it is so dang hard? Here a few pics from his last days...

He had a list of dinners for his last days. These included ribs, papa johns, mexican chef salad and breakfast for dinner. He did not get breakfast for dinner until he got breakfast for breakfast his last day on the way to the airport.

This is the youth from the ward outside the Houston Temple. They had a temple trip and Ryan was able to go and do the baptisms.

One of our last days of dominoes and chocolate chip cookies. He came from behind and won (and believe me we did not let him. we are all a bit competitive!)

Outside the church as we went in for his setting apart - which was a great experience.

My boy is gone and I am sad. I am excited for him. I think he was a little nervous, but I would have been way worse. We are all adjusting to a Ryan free house. Not so fun.

Thanks for picking him up at the airport and taking him to the MTC Meg! To keep up with his mission, go to http://elderpearson.blogspot.com

Go Cougars!

We spent an awesome night in JerryWorld, new Texas Stadium, watching our number 20 ranked BYU Cougars beat the number 3 ranked University of Oklahoma Sooners. Our seats were way high - second row from the top, but we loved it.

Ryan really wanted to see the new stadium, and wanted to spend his last weekend watching football, chillin with family and going to Six Flags.

Our day in pictures:

We arrived very early hoping for some pre-game festivities sponsored by the alumni association. I guess someone would not let them do it - so we walked around and hung out until we could enter Jerry World.

Ryan and Kelsey chillin at the ESPN radio stuff. Not a ton to do, but it was something before we were allowed entrance.

This is from our seats. You can see the players are very small (this was the warmup) but the jumbo tron made it OK.

Everyone before the game.

Seeing the Kenningtons before the game.

This is during the game. Eric was playing with his phone on espn.com harassing OU fans who were also in the stadium on their phones. Have you seen the Verizon commercial where the kids are telling their parents to cool it with the technology - that is very true around here. And he said I was embarrassing because I yelled too much? Hello it is a football game.

Final score a thing of beauty.

After the game looking down. We waited for the drunk OU fans to clear out.

Grandpa and Ryan happy post game showing their BYU pride.

My baby sister Michelle is getting her degree in sports training at BYU. This fall she is assigned to the football team. She wanted to come to the game, and they only brought a few student trainers with them -and she was picked. We had as much fun watching her run around as the team. She was on ESPN. She is famous, what can I say. She had to hold in her celebration until after them game. We ran down to the lower level to say hi - and when she saw me we both yelled (she likes to cheer as well).

Great game, great night!