Letting Go of IT

I'm learning to let go of something this month that I have cared about very much for the past five years. I have spent many sleepless hours thinking about IT and all the good times, the bad times, the joy, the memories, the girls. I have loved the spirit of IT, the tradition of IT, and the quality of IT! IT was very hard to walk away from in the first place, but I was sure that things would be okay....they are NOT! One thing I keep telling myself is that IT is not the most important thing, and in the grand scheme of things....IT does not matter soo much. But for now IT does. IT hurts to see the sadness, the pain, the lost dreams and hopes. No one will truly know how much IT meant to me, or how badly I wish things would have gone different with IT. Would of, should of, could of's are sometimes HARD to live with!

That would be an UNDERSTATEMENT!!!!!

To say I had a pretty great weekend would be an understatement.....It was about family and spending time together and the only thing lacking was the rest of the family. I got to go to Spokane Friday and pick up Jordan from the airport. Friday night at the football game they honored Jordan and Reid. They were both inducted into the Hall of Fame at Moses Lake High School. Reid was inducted as a volunteer and as the driving force behind all the volunteers that built the team room. I am constantly amazed at his willingness to help whomever, whenever and grateful EVERY DAY of my life for falling in love with him 28 years ago. He joked that he was a pretty good athlete as well and I completely agree....I like to think that our boys got some of their athletic ability from me but I know it's not true....(has anyone EVER seen me do anything remotely athletic?)
They also inducted Jordan, he was and IS a great athlete. I can't tell you how much joy over the years he has brought us as we watched him excel on the field and court. He was an ALL STATE football player and a college basketball player. He still loves playing everything and he's still the first picked for every team....but the best part of the weekend is that Jordan had no one else to entertain him and he and I got to spend LOTS of time together. It was a GREAT weekend.

Congratulations are in order.......

Obviously I am a little behind on my posts and I've got some catching up to do....but we had a couple of significant milestones in the last couple of months for Mackenzie.....she performed in her last dance recital, she graduated from seminary, she graduated from high school and she turned 18. June was a great month of celebration and we are all so proud of her and her many accomplishments. She is the youngest of all her friends so she patiently waits for her birthday each year, we had dinner at Inca and then we had some friends out for some games and cake and she got lots of things to help with her move out.




Her last dance recital was a few days later and her and 6 of her good friends are leaving a very large hole at the studio. They have been amazing performers, great teachers and outstanding examples and their shoes are nearly impossible to fill.... I have been involved with dance for 15 years and had our own studio for 10 years all because I wanted my daughters to have a quality program, and now I will have no daughters at the studio.... It's a very weird feeling.






Seminary graduation came next and of course I think that was one of her most important accomplishments. WE have two great seminary teachers at our high school and Mackenzie loved them both. Our students are lucky enough to have released time and we really do view it as a blessing in the lifes of our children. Mackenzie's testimony grew because of her time in class with Brother Welty and Sister Payne.



And last but not least was high school graduation....it was a VERY HOT day at Lion's field, but a very memorable one. It's an end to a chapter, but a beginning as well. WE are so proud of you Mackenzie. WE look forward with great anticipation to see the next things you will take on and accomplish. Mackenzie is working in the fall to save some money and plans to attend UVU starting winter semester.







And best of all, we were lucky enough to have Grandma Jewkes share in ALL the festivities!!!

Save the DATE

I have been a little busy as of late and haven't had a change to blog....I'm going to try and be better. I'm going to catch up. But for now I really need to just tell you the best of news.....Quinn is engaged. He has been dating this wonderful, adorable girl named Brittany Allison from Las Vegas. They met in Utah. Jordan dated her sister and him and Brittany were friends. Jordan invited her to a night of bowling with the boys and Quinn was invited as well. They didn't really talk much that night and were not formally introduced. After the evening, Brittany told Jordan that she would like to meet his brother-Quinn, she thought he was cute. And so the story began. They hung out for a week or two every night at Jordan's. Finally Quinn had the guts to ask for her phone number so he could ask her out on a date. I have never seen Quinn more happy. He is talkative and smiley and fun to be around....if you know Quinn, you will know that is not typical behavior for him. Brittany is just perfect. She's kind and sweet and smart and patient and puts up with all Quinn's sacrasm and jokes. We are so excited to have her in the Baker family. They have chosen December 18th as their wedding date in the Las Vegas Temple..... Save the Date!! More information coming...

Spring Break Continued.....

Besides our trip to Forks, WA for Spring Break we spent a couple of days in the Seattle area. I pricelined a hotel and got a beautiful Doubletree Inn right next to our favorite mall. We were lucky enough to get a beautiful view room on the PENTHOUSE level and for a little extra Valet parking. Because we were feeling so special we went ahead and ordered room service as well. It wasn't the best creme brulee' we have ever had, but it was the most expensive.



We had a wonderful lunch at Rainforest Cafe. Yes, most of the crowd was much younger....and the kids tease me, but I just love that place. It makes me feel like I'm at Disneyland and I'm going to walk out of it, turn to the left and get in line for the Matterhorn.

We spent quite a bit of time at the mall, but here we had to split up. Kenzie LOVE's Forever 21. Easton heads to the nearest Gamestop and you can find me in any store that sell's clothes Emree's size....(because she REALLY NEEDS some more clothes). Reid always likes to always say, "Look at all the money you saved....".

WE watched 'How to Train a Dragon' in Imax. It's cute, but not really worth $16. But we each had our own little bag of candy from the Sweet Factory, which makes almost any movie completely worth watching. I do have to say the picture and sound were incredible.





WE rode a ferry on our way to Forks which was exactly like the movie, 'Deja Vue', and we went to Mount Vernon to the Tulip Festival. I have heard about the Tulip Festival for 20 years, ever since I moved to Washington and this year I told the kids, "I'm going no matter what!"....They just didn't know they were going with me, but they were good sports. The problem was the weather. It was freezing. It was windy, and rainy and windy.....did I mention the wind? We weren't really prepared and all we could do was barely get out of the car, walk as fast as we could possibly walk to the fields, quickly snap a picture of the beautiful tulips and run right back to the warm car. I can only imagine on a very warm, sunny day with no wind how beautiful it might really be.







It's been a tradition of ours to do something for spring break. Reid is always busy planting and unable to get away so the kids and I have gone somewhere almost every year. When the kids were little it was much harder of course. This year I realized my time with Kenzie is very short. She's a senior and soon will be leaving our house to an apartment of her own and her next big adventure. I love every minute I get to spend with my kids. They are strong, valiant spirits and they make me so proud. I love to see them interact with each other and the friends they are to each other.

Spring Break next year, how 'bout it Easton?

Forks is a FARCE....

It's spring break this week. We didn't have any big plans so I thought it would be fun for Easton, Kenzie and I to drive to Forks, WA....the home of 'Twilight'. We thought we would head over to Seattle and do a little shopping and eating out, and then make the 3 hour drive to Forks. The drive takes you through the Olympic National Forest so it should be beautiful. Forks is in the middle of nowhere and as Kenzie described it best, 'Let Down Village'. The town has a population of about 3,100 and it's dark and gloomy. It's the rainiest city in the United States and has 119" inches of rain a year and yes, it was raining when we were there. But all of these facts did not even discourage us. It was when we started on the Twilight tour and we realized, "Wait a minute, that doesn't look like the Swan home in the movie?" that we began to get mad.



The Cullen house in Forks, WA



The Cullen house used in the movie, 'Twilight'



The real Forks High School



Kalama High School actually used for the filming of the movie 'Twilight'



The Swan's Home in Forks, WA


The actual Swan home in 'Twilight' in St. Helens





Ironically, not ONE single scene was filmed in Forks, Wa. After Stephenie Meyer chose the location, they realized that Oregon would be a much better location for a low budget movie because of tax concessions and lack of sales tax, and the fear that Forks could not accommodate the housing and culinary needs of the actors and production crew. Yeah, true....THERE is nothing there. So like everyone else, we went on the FAKE 'Twilight' tour and ate some really average pizza and headed back home. WE just wanted to save you the trip.

It's hard to say Goodbye.....

Friday finished my career as coach of the Moses Lake Molahiettes. It's very bittersweet! What an unbelievable journey it has been and what a season to end on. This year's season began the day we lost last season. I'm not really a poor sport and it isn't all about winning, but when you feel wronged and that something you deserved was taken away, all I could think about was how I could get it for my girls. It was also the last year for my seniors, a very special group of girls I have been coaching since most of them were 3 and 4. I knew this day was coming, but it doesn't make it any easier.

We took three numbers to state this year. Kick (which I promised I would never do again) but it just had to be done, Dance-the category that has been my goal since I took over as coach and Military (the category which the girls LOVE). We had been to three competitions already this year and Districts. Each time, each one of our numbers had taken first place. WE were undefeated. We talked alot about our strengths and weaknesses and what the judges wanted to see from us. I promised the girls if they would give EVERYTHING they had, they would not be disappointed. And I reminded them, there were no second chances.

Friday came and we headed to the Sundome on a charter bus. Floor time went well and the formations looked good. It was now about waiting. Four of our seniors sang the National Anthem. It was beautiful and a good beginning. Just before the competition started the DJ played, "Tonight's the Night", a song we had been using for the last several weeks to pump us up. I think it was a good omen.

Dance was first and we were 5th in the category of 17 numbers. We knew we had to really impress the judges to get that high score of the day. The girls performed well and I couldn't of asked for more. Danielle choreographed the number a couple of years ago for our elite dancers. I loved the number and so with a few changes we decided to do again for our first time in the dance category. It was completely different than any other number of the day.








Kick was second, but we had a long time to wait. I have loved this number all year long. It is a roller coaster ride. I started to panic and got the girls ready a little earlier than needed but it gave us time to sit and watch for awhile. We were the first kick number on the floor of 6. I thought kick was our best chance. No one has the flexibility of our girls and we had worked so hard on our stamina all year. It paid off and they hit kick beautifully. (Even the last poses....).






Military was our last number and happened to be the LAST number of the day. The anticipation..... It is a very difficult number and I knew we would have to hit all the stunts and tricks to score well. THEY DID!!!







The girls brought home Three State Championships. The first time in Moses Lake History. The first time in the history of the WIAA Dance/Drill State Championships. I was so excited for them and so relieved. I couldn't of asked for more. Thank you for the amazing ride this year. Thank you for the hard work from each member of the team. Thank you for the support of all the parents, and most importantly thanks for the understanding from my family.