Tyson's coach gave him the Hutch Award, which in Major League Baseball is given to 'an active player who best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire to win' (wikipedia). 
It was really fun watching him play this year. He as quite the stance when he swings.
He had seveal good hits, and played all of the infield positions, including his favorite, pitcher.
Keep on slugging Tyson. This is the first year our whole family joined in the race. It's a 2.6 mile fun run around a country club. It was the 30th year our school has done it.
Ready to go at the starting line-up.
Tyson came in first place in his 9-year old male category with a time of 20:15 (that's 7:52 minute miles).
Bradley came in 3rd for the 7 year old males with a time of 30:23.
Rick of course beat us all, so he was the photographer.
And I came in first in my category, the pushing a 60 pound stoller category, with a time of 31: 15. Oh wait, they didn't have that category. I couldn't believe I was the only one pushing a stoller. Thanks to Rebecca for helping me push it up that first hill, and for Tia for haning in there with me.
Paige sitting pretty.
Kate comparing prizes, the important part! Actually she did get out and jog a little bit, it was cute.Tyson is excited to a 'tweener'. I'm not sure how I feel about that. But for now, he's a wonderful boy, that is so helpful and peacemaking. I wouldn't trade him for anything.
For Tyson's 10th birthday we had decided to go the the Museam of Flight, since he was wanting to learn more about how airplane's fly after we flew to Texas. I made him the traditional cut up cake.
He got a footfall jersy for his favorite team, the Steelers. 
It was such a beautiful day outside, and all of his friends were outside playing, so at the last minute we decided to through an inpromtu party. 
Rebecca Gealta had organized some water games for scouts that night, so she brought them over at a moments notice.
The did a bucket brigade, water balloon tosses and then just an all out water fight. 
It turned out to be a really fun party. I loved it because there were no invitations, pre planning, thank you cards, or worrying about who to invite, just fun, fun, fun, until a storm blew in at about 8:30 and we all felt like we were in Kansas! The only downer of our trip was an affliction of head lice. I discovered it in Texas, after Tyson's head started itching like crazy. I called Rick to inform him, and he verified two cases at home. We spent the remainder of the week calling back and forth commiserating about lice eradication.
Rick gave Bradley a 3/8" buzz.
Tyson and I in the men's bathroom in Walgreens. After purchasing the treatment we proceeded to wash his head twice in the bathroom right before graduation. We dried his head with paper towels and bought him a new t-shirt. 
Later in the week we gave Tyson a buzz, but not as short as Bradley's.
Luckily, Kate's case wasn't as bad, but with all of the new hair do's she apparently decided to have one too. (The clothes didn't recover and my bathrug had to be flipped.) After 9 days, and 90 lice checks, and 900 loads of laundy, I think they're gone, thank goodness. Hope we don't have to do that again.I can't complain about the gorgeous weather in Seattle lately, but I loved the heat of Texas. Tyson, Paige and I spent a week in sunny San Antonio. We missed having the rest of the family, but we just couldn't afford to take everyone.
My brother's graduation turned into a family reunion on my dad's side of the family because he has a sister, Rosie, that lives there. Her two children also live there. My Aunt Kay joined us from Chicago, as well as my dad's brother Greg and his wife Ginny and their daughter Amy and family from Colorado. It was the first get together of it's kind. It was amazing to 'meet' these cousins because I have only met them once 20-25 years ago.
The beautiful Japanese Gardens. Paige was more interested in the waterfall than posing for the picture.
El Mercado/The Market. A great place to buy souvenirs and enjoy Mexican eats and treats.
A hike we took, which was plan B since we decided not to go to Shlitterbaun (largest water park in the country), due to a 60% chance of thunderstorms. Didn't see a single cloud all day =-(. It had been thunder storming everyday.
An awesome collection of cacti at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.
The Riverwalk from our boat tour. A lovely place, wish we could have spent more time there.
And the best part of all... the amusement parks. We did Six Flags first. They had a great collection of rollar coasters. My parents took Paige for the day, so Tyson and I along with Jeff and the Hatches did ride after ride.
The next day was Sea World. Even Paige got to go on a ride. We saw all the big shows and actually my favorite roller coasters were there. There were very few lines at either place so we got to go on rides over and over again without even getting off!
Jeff knew one of the dolphin trainers so we went and talked to her after the show. She took us behind the scenes and gave us a private tour, it was great.
Oh, and Jeff graduated! Congrats. We're proud of you.
It was a beautiful Saturday so we headed out on a family bike ride on the nearby Soos Creek Trail. We had a great time riding for miles in the cool crisp air after a warm, sunny day. We look forward to many more bike outing this year.
My brother, Jeff, and my parents came into town. We headed to the waterfront for an afternoon of fun. We all enjoyed the Maritime Museam. We also taste-tested several clam chowders in a cook-off. And the kids got to make wooden boats and float them. It was a gorgeous Seattle day.
Paige is still high-centered on her tummy at 7 1/2 months, but she can scoot backwards a little bit. She is finally sitting up pretty well, and she did actually roll over today. I'm pretty sure she'll eventually do all of these things and even walk, but for now we'll just enjoy how sweet and immobile she is.
I guess I've been listening to a little too much Super Why.
I've also been making baby food for Paige. It's really easy to do, especially with my new Vitamix. Paige has tried all sorts of fruits and vegetables because it's so easy to puree them whenever we're eating them. I've also been keeping more on hand now that I make smoothies so often. I made carrots, peas, and prunes in large quantities and froze them in ice cube trays. Then I just pop them out and store them in a freezer ziplock. It turns out to be about a quarter of the price of canned baby food and it's really easy to do.
Tyson's earned his Bear Rank in scouting. It's exciting to see him excel and enjoy scouting. We're proud of you Tyson.
Today Kate gave her first talk in primary, on baptism. We have opening exercises in the chapel so it was up at the podium with the microphone. At first when I told her about the talk she said "no, I think I'll just give a prayer or something." (which I can only imagine what she would come up with to say. I'm sure she wouldn't want help since she knows well how to pray). Then I told her that in our family we get a candy bar for giving talks. After that she was all for it. We practiced a few times. The first time, instead of repeating what I said, she just finished the sentance. But she got it after that and she did it all. It was very cute. And amazingly enough she was so proud of herself that hasn't even remembered about the candy bar...yet!
Instruction in the Home
"The final desire of the Prophet Joseph Smith was to build a community of spiritual Saints. This begins in the home. The most important instruction our children will ever receive will be that which parents give to them in their own home, if parents diligently teach their children the way our Father in Heaven would like them to follow. One instruction our leaders have given us is to hold regular family home evenings where we can meet together weekly, learn gospel principles, and build family unity. Here we can counsel together, read the scriptures, pray together, and play together. Our greatest goal is to become an eternal family. We build a community of Saints one family at a time."
L. Tom Perry
Friday night we took my parents and brother, Jeff, to the Artwalk and their school. Tyson was in a recorder performance. Their class played for 25 minutes. Towards the end I noticed that he was doing a duet with another boy in his class. Before they played his music teacher said that Tyson was one of the few kids that has been playing the recorder for two years (because he is in a 3/4 split class) and that last year he wasn't really into it, but she was surprised this year that he was really good and would make a good band player. They played 'Morning Song' and 'The Lion Sleeps'. 
It was fun to walk around and see all of the kids' art. The school looked great. My family was very impressed. There are a lot of dedicated volunteers and teachers helping to make it happen. It was a nice evening. I'm sure the kids' favorite part was tapping grandpa's wallet for endless rootbeer floats and cookies.
These beautiful stawberries cut into hearts are what I came down to for breakfast on Mother's Day, along with French Toast, bacon, and a smoothie. It was a wonderful treat. Thanks kids (and Rick), I sure felt loved. Kate gave me a cute card from her preschool and Bradley gave me some sweet messages with candy from school. Tyson had been sick and missed three days of school so he hadn't made anything. Instead he gave me the gift of service. He willingly set the whole dining room table for dinner. It looked beautiful, thanks!
For dinner we had my parents, Jeff, and the Hatch's over. It was nice to spend Mother's Day with my Mom. Thanks for being such a wonderful example Mom. And thank you to Rick's mom for raising a great son, Happy Mother's Day.
I ran into Value Village the other day and saw a whole rack of cute jeans that were about my size. I don't usually shop for clothes for myself there, but I have been wanting new jeans for a long time so I figured, why not. It looked like someone had pulled a bunch from the rack, tried them on, and left a stack behind. One pair was my favorite, but I decided I might as well try them all. The pair I liked the best were the only ones that fit. I bought them and then decided I should check online for fun to see how much they were worth since I wasn't familiar with the brand. This is what I found, a used pair on a resale website.
This afternoon Tyson was frantically looking for the neighbor's mail key (he's been taking in their mail for 2 weeks). It had been in the van this morning. I told Tyson to take it from Kate and put it away. When we got home from baseball the neighbors had arrived home from their cruise so we started looking in the van for the key. Kate said she had put it in her pocket and lost it at the ballfield. The last thing I wanted to do was take four kids in the pouring rain to look for the lost key. After about ten minutes of agony we found the key right where it was supposed to be. So, Tyson forgot, and Kate fabricated a story. Not her first....
Paige, my sweet baby, that I have endearingly nicknamed "Pudgy Paige", threw her first fit last night (at 6 1/2 months). She was playing with a paper towel. I wanted to walk away to do something and thought I'd better not leave it in her hands because she'd probably eat it and choke on it. She totally started balling..... Here we go!
Today Kate decided she wanted to drive so I told her she would have to be 16. As she got dressed and did her hair I kept telling her she was getting older (6, 8, 10 etc). It worked great she giggled and giggled while usually she has a hard time getting dressed in something I choose. And at Costco she was telling all the 'sample ladies' that she was 16.
Kate: "Do I have to sit in a carseat?"
Mom: "Of course."
Kate: "How will I get a car?"
Mom: "You'll have to get a job to earn money, and then buy a car."
Kate: "No, I have a better idea, Dad can ride in the van with you, and I'll drive the car."
I'm sure her entitlement attitude will not be changing in the next 13 years. I just want her to stay the cute little girl she is right now, in the little pigtails she put in herself tonight.
Earlier this week the boys told her she could be in Sydney's family if she married Logan. Her eyes lit up!
Kate: "Mom, I'm going to ask Logan to marry me, and then I'm going to kiss him!"
Kate: (a few hours later, lying on the couch looking forlorn) "Mom, I want to ask Logan to marry me, but I think he's going to say no."
She did sound three today though as she pointed out the gatorade at Costco and said "let's get some alligator mom."
I haven't used this title much in the past 10 years. My last day of work was the day before Tyson was born in 1999. In January, Rick and I decided that with the slowing real estate market, I should try to find a part time job. I only have 1 year of experience and dietetics job are not very plentiful, so I was a little doubtful. I painfully pulled together a resume and applied to a handful of places. When I got an email for an interview I was actually shocked. I ended up getting a Per Diem job, which is what I did at my last job. It is at Highline Medical Center, in Burien, which is thankfully, a much smaller hospital that University Hospital in Salt Lake City, where I worked before. I will be working one day a month and covering vacations for 3 dietititans. Last week I trained for 3 days. Rick had the kids. It was a bit stressful commuting, getting oriented, trying to bring back my clinical knowledge for the back corner of my brain, and thinking about how my family was doing at home without me. The second day was much better, and by the third I was feeling really good about it. Rick is getting the hang of it too. Thursday I got home and he had prepared orange chicken (premade from Costco), with rice, steamed broccoli, and a beautiful garden salad. WOW! We did it...so far.
The best was after my first day, when Bradley asked if there were any surgeries at the hospital that day. I said, yes, to which he fervently asked "did you do them??" Cute.
