High School Survival!

Caitlin having fun with the drill team! Can you find her? Nice to know that those early morning practices are beneficial!


I worry, at times, about my "over-achieving, perfectionist" daughter, Caitlin! She is fully stressed with the adjustment to high school. She has always been our 4.0 GPA student who has never received anything but an "A" on her school work. She is full of anxiety, high school has proven a bit more challenging than junior high and she actually had to retake a test that she did not score an "A" the first time around. This has driven her to tears. I think the early morning hours of drill team practice (she has to be at the school daily for 6 AM practice) and the frustration of learning so many new dances is adding to her anxiety. She needs to understand that it is okay to not always be the best at everything (hmmmm, I wonder where she gets it?). If she is giving her best and/or working as hard as she can, sometimes that is all we can do! It may be a life long lesson. However, it is that same motivation to be the best that drives her and motivates her to succeed. She is terrific and we love her soooooooooo much! She will be a great succees in high school and go on to do many great and wonderful things with her beautiful life. She is highly intelligent and could rule the world, WELL, I might add! Plus, she is our beauty and fun and giggly and social and full of life! We love our Caitie Bug!

Soccer Mom

Bowen and the "Tigers" soccer team. Bowen is ready to rip up the field and "put it in the kitchen!"



It is official, I am a "soccer mom" with three of my four children playing the sport. What is it about soccer? I have no idea, other than it keeps my children in excellent physical condition with all the running. Courtney has excelled, she has the most skill and finesse and she is quick. Caitlin was aggressive and fast and so tough. You did not want to get in her way, ever! Bowen, the little beginner, runs fast and is determined. He gets upset when he looses the ball and is not quite satisfied when someone else scores on a ball that he kicked to them. I guess he does not get the concept of a "team" sport and what exactly it means to get the "assist."

It has been beautiful soccer weather, temperatures ranging in the mid 70s to 80s. I can only think of one high school game this season that there has been wet weather and Bowen has only had one game with clouds and the threat of rain.

I enjoy this time of the year with the fall like weather and the temperatures beginning to cool down. I enjoy the cool nights and waking up in the morning to "cold" throughout the house because the windows are open! The leaves are turning to gold and orange colors and the mountains are picturesque with all the brown, red, and bright yellow that paints what was green. It is fun to get out sweaters and hoodies and boots and put away the swim suits, flip flops and sandals. It is all about layering, jackets and sweatshirts for the morning and then peeled off for the lighter shirts in the afternoons. Barbecues and burgers are replaced with fire pits and roasted marshmallows, S'mores are the best!

Fall Time Rocks!

Homecoming Invite 2008

The mess is the best! Courtney's invitation to the Homecoming dance was fun and messy!


Oh the stress....Courtney will have to get a new dress!


The Homecoming dance invitation included a lot of decorating to Courtney's bedroom. How fun, she has been asked to go to the dance by one of her best buddies. He is a great guy and they will have a great time. She is excited, but wouldn't want to express any kind of positive emotion to anyone.

Now, the stress for mom, the dress shopping. Not so bad if we can find one with a smaller price tag.

Caitlin was invited to the dance too....she was tearful when mom and dad reminded her about the age limit of 16 years old to begin dating! She understands but is afraid that she will not get invited next year. Oh, the drama of high school!

Lehi Soccer Undefeated!

Courtney's fan club...like the t-shirts!

The paper had this great action shot of the soccer game on Tuesday. This is Jessie Beck, Courtney's good friend who plays for Timpanogos High School...the enemy! She is awesome, even if she plays for the enemy!

Courtney at Tuesday's soccer game against Timpanogos High School. She is like....Mom, it's half time...I have to go with the team...leave me alone!

Lehi High School Girl's soccer team rocks the world! The girls are undefeated this season and have SEVEN shut out games. So far, they are playing well this season. They beat the region queens yesterday on home turf. It was a tough and grueling game but they managed a 1-0 win! This is so much fun for Courtney's senior year, to be a part of a great soccer season with girls she adores and skilled players who don't give up. Go Lehi Soccer! We love you!

Happy 7th Birthday Bowen!

Happy Birthday Bowen! It's hard to believe that the little guy is already 7! He is growing up so fast. We celebrated his birthday for two days. His birthday party with his friends was on Saturday at the bowling alley. It was "Bowen's Bowling Birthday!" We had 14 little boys aged 5 to 7 years old running all over the bowling alley. Wow! I think everyone was glad when we finally left and the party was over. The boys bowled and ATE lots of pizza, one little friend ate 10 pieces (can you say aching tummy). They also played a few arcade games and opened presents and ate birthday cake. I think they all had a great time. At least Bowen did! He smiled all day long. He loved all the presents and attention and was so generous, he told everyone thank you and let his friends play with the new toys he received afterwards. We then had birthday cake and gave him our presents on Sunday, the real birthday day. He arose at 6:00 AM in hopes of getting everyone out of bed so he could open his birthday presents. He did not have much luck as his sisters either threw shoes at him to get him out of their rooms or groaned at him to "get out." So, he hung out with mom until all the morning zombies finally awoke.

Look at what Bowen got for his birthday! Yes, he loves Indiana Jones and can now dress official any time he wants. Bowen especially likes the whip, I think that is an invitation for injury. I guess his sisters better get tough and whip resistant. Bowen also got "Indiana Jones Legos" and a new CD boombox and a couple CD's to play. He thinks he is so grown up. He had a great two days and we love him so much. He was so sweet and requested a chocolate "coke" cake for his birthday. I spent a little time making it for him and then he only wanted ice cream and no cake. Go figure! He is alot of fun and keeps us all on our toes. He spends most of his days asking questions, to which I usually have to research the answers on the internet (I have no idea how to install a satellite dish on the house or why Harry Potter has to wave his wand twice to make a spell work) but I usually can find the answer on goggle. If he does not like the answer he is given, he usually thinks up his own more logical answer after much deliberation. He brings laughter, silliness, sweetness, and action to our home. He is adored by his three older sisters and his mother. His dad enjoys his company but is also easily tired out.

Happy Birthday Bowen.....We Love You!

Happy Birthday Courtney!

Be careful on your 18th birthday....you never know who may show up to sing to you!

My baby is 18 years old today! I cannot believe it. It truly does seem like just yesterday that I was laying in the hospital with her in my arms as a newborn. Wow, what a fast 18 years. She has become a beautiful young woman with many remarkable qualities. She is FUN, silly, full of life, nurturing, children naturally are drawn to her and she is so attentive to them, a leader, quick witted, intelligent, bossy and in charge, deep thinker, strong, happy, compassionate, loyal, adorable! I could go on and on with adjectives.

In honor of her adulthood it was determined that her day should be celebrated with humiliation and bling. A "cookie cake" (the bling) was delivered to the high school along with balloons. Her friends decorated the car in the school parking lot and her locker too was adorned. Finally, her little sister, Caitlin, decided that was not enough attention and/or humiliation, so she arranged for her uncles and dad to show up at lunch and serenade her for her birthday (the humiliation). So, they did........Uncle Evan even enlisted the help of the entire student body whom were also eating lunch to sing along too! Her dad gave her flowers (more bling) and she was embarrassed and a very nice color of pink (yeah, humiliation). It was fun and everything she deserves!

We love you Courtney! Happy 18th Birthday! May your day be as bright and sweet as you! We could not ask for a better daughter and we are so proud of you!

Labor Day Weekend

Ahhhh, the Smile Appears!
Courtney, Friends & Family Enjoying Courtney's Almost Adulthood!
The Smiley Birthday Girl!


We love long weekends! Labor Day provided such a weekend. We enjoyed the extra time off of work and school and normal activities. Not that we did anything great or exciting, but just being able to have another day to do whatever we want is enough of a celebration. Courtney's birthday is this week. She will turn 18! Unbelieveable! It does not seem like too long ago that I was 18 and a senior in high school ready to take on the world. Now it is my daughter's turn.

Courtney would not commit to doing anything for her birthday, what her 18th birthday and she does not want to party?! Well, I could not have any of that so I planned a "mini celebration." I invited her two best friends and took our family and the Zunkowski family to the Desert Star Playhouse to watch "Scary Poppins," melo-drama at its best. Her friends told her that they were going to a movie with her sister Caitlin and Katlyn Zunkowski. They picked her up and then picked up Katlyn, well, we were already at the Zunkowski home with cake and balloons in hand. We gave her the big "surprise" announcement and she was not smiling so big! We celebrated anyway. We sang a beautiful rendition of "Happy Birthday" and made her blow out ALL those candles and open a few gifts. She got a little more smiley. Apparently, she is not too keen on surprises, especially when she thought she got to spend the night with her friends and her family ended up tagging along as well.

We finally left for our destination (which no one would tell her about) and arrived at the playhouse. She was still grumpy, at least she wanted us to think she was, but her eyes were showing a little sparkle. Nonetheless, the actors came out and announced her 18th birthday and made her stand so everyone could see! This was embarrassing but fun! Scary Poppins was silly and full of laughs. She ended up having a great time and giggled through most of the play. Overall, it was a great time and she admitted it was lots of fun, she just hates being surprised. I think she just hates not knowing the plan (or at least not being in charge of the plans). We love her so much and are so proud of the young woman she has become. She is beautiful, nurturing, fun, open, a leader, in charge, sweet to her siblings, responsible, witty, strong, full of character and good company. The list could go on and on.

We also spent some time shopping and took the two little ones to see the new "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" movie. The long weekend was great and we are so glad to be back in school and back to work!