First Cross Country Meet of 2011

Kelsey had her first meet last Saturday.  Let me remind everyone the high this day was 109.  Degrees.  We are not Arizona - we don't do 109 easily.

Regardless, she went out and ran.  She finished.  She did great.  She is glad to have that one under her belt.

Some pictures from the meet.



A pre-run hug from dad.



She did great - now on to Week number 2.  And her driving test - which is on Thursday.  Keep your fingers crossed.

He's Home!

Elder Pearson made it home yesterday afternoon - and he is back to being just Ryan Linford Pearson.  He was released last night.  I had my whole family under one roof for the first time in 2 years.  It was great.

We were all at the airport waiting for him - and we had the Brooklyn Bodle, the Gatlins and Nancy Smith join us (Brooke is of course like one of us, and the others both of their sons are currently serving missions and were Ryan's good friends in the Ward).  I turned the photography duties over to Kelsey, and while she missed a few critical pictures, it is all good.

We spotted him.

This is what he could see - besides us waiting for him.



Nancy Smith made this poster for him.

 What we don't have pictures of is the twins taking off and running and jumping into his arms, then Kelsey, then mom, then Sophie and then dad.  All of us standing in a group hug.  ALL of us with tears in our eyes.



The Pearson Clan

We were so grateful my dad made the trip down to see him.  It was great to have him here, and he was able to be there when Ryan was released.



Elder Pearson and the Gatlins



Elder Pearson and Nancy Smith



Kelsey - glad to have her big brother home!



Sophie with Ryan under the sign she made for him!



Caroline and her big brother!



These two are very smiliar...



First stop after getting released?  Lupe Tortilla.



Certificate for two years of service.

 It is great to have him home - even if it is just for a few weeks!

We Are Band Parents

Tomball Memorial High School had their first football game last night.  This is a brand new school.  TMHS has opened with 9th and 10th grade students only. This means that they only have JV football - and a smaller band/drill team/cheerleaders.  The band will play at the JV games.  But that is OK - it is WHY we wanted to open a second high school.

Sophie is our first child who has been in band - both Ryan and Kelsey did choir.  She is now a freshman, and that means marching band.  We had a child play football - well we had a child on the football team.  As we were walking into the game, I turned to Eric and said we are now band parents...  We need to sit by the band!

Sophie had a blast.  I knew the band had fun but I never paid that much attention.  They dance in the stands.  They laugh.  They enjoy the game for reasons other than football.

Of course, I had to embarrass her and take LOTS of pictures.  Here are some of my faves.



On the field before the halftime show began.



Part of drum line - Sophie is the snare on the right.



Playing AND moving...



Exiting field... 



Snare line - there are 3 of them.



Playing in the stands.



Sophie in the stands - does anyone else think she looks like my sister Megan here?



She humored me for about 3 seconds.



Playing for the drill team.



Oh - and there was a football game going on.

  TMHS won.  The band did great - well, I know NOTHING about band, so I think they did great.  Sophie had fun.  This is what being in the marching band is all about!

First Day of School - 2011

August 22, 2011.  The first day of school.  Early morning seminary.  Two different high schools.  2 girls at the intermediate school.  And a quiet house for me...

Kelsey and Sophie had to leave at 5:35 for seminary.  I was out running - selfish I know.  So, the girls had to take their own "first day of school" picture.  Why the kitchen, I don't know.  But, we have documented Kelsey's first day of the 11th grade.



Kelsey First Day of School, 2011

Sophie on her first day of high school.


Sophie first day of school 2011

The twins have moved up to the intermediate school.  I can't believe there is not a single Pearson child at the elementary school, but there is not.



Caroline first day, 2011



Allie first day, 2011



Can you believe how old they look?

 It was nice to get back on a schedule.  It was also nice that the WHOLE house was in bed by 9 PM.  We were tired!  The first week is always a long one.  This week will bring the first football game that will include the marching band, the first cross country meet, and the twins Faith In God meeting.  Nothing like the craziness of Real Life!


I Am Rejuvenated

I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days with friends over the weekend.  It is the annual girls trip, and Becky, Heather, Jane and Sarah did not disappoint.  It was filled with laughs, eating, shopping, talking and just not doing anything. These trips are so therapeutic for me.  It was just what I needed as I am prepping for the next couple of weeks.  Some pictures from the trip.


Becky, Carrie, Sarah, Jane and Heather



Gotta love the food carts....



Really???? 


Thanks for the photos Jane -and thanks to all for another great relaxing trip!

14 days until Ryan comes home, but who is counting?

Summer Is Over

Where has the time gone?  Didn't school just end?  That is what it feels like.  I feel like we did not really do anything this summer - but then I think about what we did accomplish. (Maybe not so much accomplish, as particpate...)


Lakewood Ward Girl's Camp 2011



Kelsey, Jordyn and Sophie at Jordyn's graduation - June 2011

Time with cousins - including our new cute cousin Lucas.




Sophie, Shelby, Kelsey and Jenna June 2011.



Sophie and Lucas, June 2011.

And a July 4th Fun Run which Eric was taking really serious...  Too bad he did not have any competition.  It was fun for Eric, Catherine and Sophie to run.



Getting ready to run - July 2011.

 This will always be the summer Sophie grew taller than Kelsey, and Caroline ALMOST grew taller than Kelsey...

I am not sure why, but my lately my camera seems to have a lot of "photo shoot" pictures on it....  not taken by me, I might add...



I don't even know.....

Both Kelsey and Sophie went to EFY in Provo - Sophie went with Rachel, and Kelsey with Kim.  Both LOVED it. 


Fun Times over...We are back in the swing of activities - soccer practice, cross country practice, and this year we have added marching band.....  One week left until the real fun begins - early morning seminary, the big "intermediate school", football games, cross country meets, soccer games....  and the beat goes on.

And, in the world of Kelsey, 18 more days until she takes her driving test.  Let's keep our fingers crossed - she has to learn to parallel park the Yukon.....

Why does the last week always have to be filled with crazy shopping, preparing, and general energy draining activities which make me question my choice of motherhood?  Don't know, but it does.  And this year will be no exception.  So, let the "week before school" preparations begin!

My Baby Is 21

Hard to believe that my baby boy, my one and only son,turned 21 on August 5th - for the record I know it is now August 14, but what can I say.

I was young when Ryan was born - we were in Provo, Utah.  Eric was in school.  I worked at Dynix and we were so excited to have our first baby.  We had him in the baby factory which is Utah Valley Regional Hospital.



Ryan's First Picture, August 5, 1990



Here he is looking all creature like - newborns are a little crazy looking.  We brought him home, and began our life as parents. 

Can I just say, he was a beautiful little boy??? Cause he was.

Ryan age 2.

21 years later, and countless mistakes, happy times, crazy times, and wonderful memories later, this boy of mine turned 21.  This picture was taken on his birthday.  My wonderful friend, Pia Jones drove all the way to Perry, Ut and surprised him with a cake, balloons, ice cream, Dr. Pepper (you can take the boy out of Texas, but you can't take Texas out of the boy), and everything he needed for a great birthday party.  Thanks for covering my inability to get a present sent out for him...

Elder Pearson on his birthday August 5, 2011

He was able to attend a baptism on his birthday for someone he has been teaching.  I would say a great way to spend your birthday when you are a missionary.

I am so proud of the man he has become.  I am grateful our "experiment" child (because let's be real, first children are an experiment - I am one so I know this is true) was able to overcome my shortcomings as a mother and grow and develop to be a strong, intelligent, giving, kind, funny, and a little bit crazy person.

I am SO VERY happy that in 15 days he will return home, if only for a few days.  The sad thing for me is he really will never be "home" again.  He will go to school, get married and have a family of his own (maybe a cute little boy that will look just like him).  This is what is supposed to happen, and I guess I am supposed to be happy about it....  Still working on that. 

Once Again

I am sitting in a quiet, calm house all alone.  I did not think this would happen on June 23, but it has.  Summer has hit with a vengeance, and I have been given a slight reprieve.

The twins, notice I did NOT call them the babies, are up in Dallas with Grandma and Grandpa for some "alone time".  They have decided this is their right.  This time they will spend about three weeks up there without any other Pearsons, but they seem to be enjoying it.  At least this is what I thought when I saw these pictures.



Allie and new baby Lucas



Caroline and new baby Lucas

They have a new cousin, Lucas, who was born last Sunday and they were able to see him 15 minutes after he was born.  How is that for lucky?  He seems so cute and snugly.  They seem to think so.  They are lucky to have such great grandparents, and aunts and uncles and cousins oh my...

Sophie is in the bubble which is Provo Utah.  She is attending her first Especially For Youth, or EFY, and all reports, the very few there have been, indicate she is LOVING it.  Not so many cute boys in her family, but tons around.  She is rooming with Rachel, so I am guessing fun will be had by all.

Eric is in his home away from home, San Antonio.  And Kelsey....  This has been the week of Mom and Kelsey.


It has been really nice.  We have shopped, worked, talked and spent lots of time together - contention free time I might add.  It has really been a great week - except for the getting sick part.  But we won't mention that.

In another week we head up to Dallas for the 4th of July, and Kelsey heads out to EFY for her time in the Provo bubble.  I have not worked on her indoctrination as much as I should, so I am hoping she will get it while she is there. 

We have already survived Girl's Camp, Soccer Try-Outs, Band 2 day camp, broken dryer (which meant getting a new washer as well since, uh well, they have to match), Strength and Speed Camp, running workouts, work, and Jordyn's graduation in Dallas. 

A few weeks from now we will be back to fighting, door slamming, non-stop TV and cries of children who are "bored".  Life as it should be - or at least Real Life as it is at Chez Pearson.