Israel's football Jamboree

I was a little skeptical about putting Israel in football this year as he's never played before, but it has actually been really great for him. He hates the hour and a half of practice but loves the games. He had his first scrimmage, which I missed, last Thursday, but I was able to see him in the jamboree. He did great! He is the biggest guy on the team and so they have expected a lot out of him, but he's so soft hearted I was worried he wouldn't do so well. There are times when I am completely surprised though. He has actually held back two kids at a time on the defensive and offensive lines which I hear are the trenches,where a lot of the gruelling work is done in football. I love to watch him though and I think he's really liking it-if they'd just get rid of the practice hours!

Israel's Baptism

May 2nd 2009- Israel was so excited to be baptized. He'd been waiting for this day for a long time. He got scriptures from mom and dad too because he turned 8. He was sooo excited for those as well. I don't think I've ever seen a kid so excited to get scriptures. Our stake does baptisms on the first Saturday of the month. He had missed the April baptisms by one day. I think there were about 9 or 10 kids baptized that day. He was the last one baptized. He did great. Of course he and dad went through the motions a couple of times to "practice" bending the legs and holding the nose.

The last of my boys to be baptized. It was a great day. Israel I'm so happy you made the decision to be baptized. What a great example to your little sister you are. I love you!

Israel turns 8!!

Israel was so excited to turn 8 this year. Unfortunately it was on a Sunday so we couldn't do anything fun for his actual day. But we promised him a mom and dad date to the movie of his choice. We've been waiting for Wolverine. A few friends came over to celebrate his day with us and he was a happy guy.

After candles were blown out and presents opened it was time for cake and ice cream-our one and only constant for birthdays. Happy Birthday my Israel!!

One Good Soccer Injury

One morning while lounging around in my PJ's I got a phone call from the school nurse telling me that Israel had fallen and hurt his wrist. They tried to send him to class but he said that it still was hurting so they gave me a call. I thought to myself "the kid just got to school what on earth could he possibly have done in such a short time?". Well, he had been playing soccer and stopped the ball with his foot, went off balance, and landed backward on his wrist trying to catch his fall. I hurried and changed from my comfortable PJ's (which I so wanted to spend at least half the day in) and reluctantly took him to the doctor (you know it costs $20 a pop plus all the other fees-couldn't he just grin and bear it?). Sure enough x-rays said he had fractured his wrist. It was a small fracture but a fracture nonetheless.

He was excited to pick out his cast color. I wasn't too excited about having to wrap that thing to give him a bath. Now his hand washing skills were going to be even worse than they already were, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do. Out of all the kids, I'm not really surprised that he was the first one with a broken bone of some sort.

Funny thing is, when I took him back to school that day, he went straight out to recess a nd played soccer again. I guess boys will be boys and you gotta love 'em for that. You go Israel!

Israel's Basketball Season

This year we decided to put Israel and Tealani into basketball for the first time. When I signed them up (late of course) they hadn't found a coach for Israel's team yet, so crazy mom gets this brilliant idea that she would love to coach Israel-I mean she's been volunteering with her husband when he coached varsity for 4 years. It would be a piece of cake, right!? My other ulterior motive was that I'd bond with my son. Yeah, coaching 7 and 8 yr. old boys is not easier than coaching moody varsity girls. It's worse! They had no attention span (which I should have known, already having had 2 boys) and they could not grasp what I thought were simple concepts-like dribbling with one hand only and when you stop dribbling you can't dribble anymore. Well, I'm not sure if Israel and I bonded all that well (I think I was harder on him-I half expected him to have John's talent) but it sure was fun watching him play and improve. He was a little shier than I ever thought he would be and sooooo not aggressive (very unlike his mother).


But he did show improvement on his defensive skills,


his dribbling skills,


and overall, his teammate skills. He was the best passer ever! Way to go Israel!!! Although I will never coach that age again, I will always be his #1 fan and that's what counts!