September and October 2021

 September and October have been very full months!  Here is what we have been up to.  

In September we went to Las Vegas for Labor Day to see the BYU v Arizona State game.  The shopping and sites were fun, but we realized that one should not be near the hotels after dark! 

We were pretty impressed by Allegiant Stadium and the amount of BYU fans that filled it!  It was  a great game and Sterling got a few camera opps with Cosmo.

Another September highlight is that we celebrated Christian's 9th birthday.  Christian wanted to make all his party invitations.  I love it when he gets artistic!  He has some good friends.   I love his silliness when he is having fun.

Another noteworthy event is that Eve was finally able to get her braces off.  We had hoped for her to be finished in July, but wanted to make sure everything was just right, so it took a bit longer.  Here are some photos of Eve and Christian at their orthodontist appointments. They were Braces Buddies.

Eve is beautiful (she always has been.) :)

Now I'll tell about our daily activities.

Christian continues to enjoy soccer, gymnastics, and Activity Days for boys.  He is really enjoyed playing soccer with many of his friends from school this season!  This is when he played against his good friend Jack.

He also started basketball, with Jackson on his team.  Since the league was short on coaches Matt and Brian (Jack's dad) agreed to coach - at the suggestion from their wives :)  Also, the league was looking for referees and Sterling had extra time so we signed him up to ref.  He has been learning and earning at the same time.  It's pretty fun for me to watch all of them.  

Sheri's September schedule was packed!  She made the school soccer team and was also doing rec soccer along with her dance classes.  I couldn't be more proud of how hard she worked.  She was challenged and gained a lot of fun experience on her school team and was a leader to her rec team with her knowledge, skill, and determination.  She was able to persevere, even through her knee injury.  She had school soccer everyday after school (including games) and rec soccer, 2 days of practice and a game on Saturdays. 

Here is Sheri after she played Landon (who plays for her rival school).  He has been good friends with the kids since we have moved here.

This is Sheri's rec team.

 Her October slowed down slightly with the end of her school soccer season, just in time for Nutcracker rehearsals to start.  She will be 'Irish Creme" and is dancing to the Tarantella music.  She and Eve will be rats in the fight scene.  She also gets to be in the Waltz of the Flowers and other dances.  

Sheri serves as her class president at church which means extra meetings along with all the other youth activities.  Needless to say, she just needs some down time once in a while. :)  Thank goodness for Sundays!

Sterling is staying busy with game club after school (T), gymnastics (T evening), assistant coaching at his gym (W), and refereeing (Th evenings).  He loves to be social and enjoys all the game/movie nights with ward friends.  He also joined HOSA (future health providers club) and is gaining experience as their service coordinator.  He also has had the chance to be Pitman's mascot (a lion) at a few football games. (F nights)  I have really been enjoying his sense of humor and fun attitude lately!

Here he was the mascot at the "Pink Out" football game for (breast cancer awareness).

This was taken at a school event.  He won the hula hoop competition.

Eve is enjoying her senior year.  She has been busy with Save club, FFA (Future Farmers of America)- part of her horticulture class, marching band, and is the class president at church (extra meetings and planning activities.) 

This is one of the projects Eve worked on in her horticulture class.

 

Here are some photos from her band season.

This picture was taken before the Turlock band review.

Here she is on the bus on the way to review in another city.

Friday nights were full of fun energy at the football games.

The half time show.

Senior Night Football game

 In addition to this, Nutcracker rehearsals have been picking up.  She is Dew Drop (the featured dancer in the Waltz of the Flowers).  She will be in the snow scene, and is a rat in the fight scene and winter showcase.  Eve has also been teaching a little girls ballet class at Ms. Holly's studio.

  She has also been working on her college application and filling out financial aid forms.

  We were thrilled that her school DID have a Homecoming dance this year.  We are grateful that she is having a mostly normal experience (post COVID) for her senior year in high school. 

 We had a very busy Homecoming weekend.  It started with the Friday homecoming game. Then we had a very early youth session for baptisms at the temple Saturday morning (6 AM, 4AM meet at the church to drive to Oakland). Then we got breakfast before the band kids traveled directly to a band review in Pleasanton and I took Sheri directly to her soccer game.  Then Sheri had dance rehearsal and by the time Eve got home it was time to get ready for pictures, dinner with Matt, and the dance.  Thankfully, all went smoothly!

I love this photo bombing of Lauren and Brother Hamilton!

 Sheri played against Ava's team.

Getting ready for rehearsal.

Here are photos before the kids went to dinner.

Unfortunately some of Eve and Sterling's friends (Diego, Grant, Keegan, and Ava M.) got in a car crash after homecoming (not their fault).  Thankfully, no one was badly injured.  The worst injury was a broken collar bone.  However it was quite a shock to find our about the next morning.  It was a memorable weekend for sure!

As for me, I get to hold down the fort at home- meal prepping, scheduling appointments, cleaning, planning, bill paying, laundry etc.  I drive the kids all around town in the evenings.  I am also staying very busy with my calling - Sundays are usually filled with meetings, firesides, and family church.  Weekdays are filled with planning for Wednesday activities, weekend activities, and youth drama. :) 

Here are pictures of the youth putting together homeless kits, a youth activity that Eve and I planned.

This is a picture of the Pumpkin Party that Sheri's Class was in charge of.  I made the butternut squash soup for the dinner.

We also had a YW campout at the Stamper's Ranch.  We are so blessed to have wonderful YW leaders and a supportive bishopric!

Along with supporting the kids and fulfilling my calling I continue to enjoy reading, exercising, getting together with friends, etc.  Here I am with my walking/ Young Women's friends at lunch. (Krissy, Johanna, and Michelle)

I also played and spoke at Roberta's funeral. I was sad to see her pass, but I am grateful that she is no longer enduring life's challenges.

Matt has been busier with nut harvest and has been involved with installing new equipment at work.  He is also overseeing the work garden and brings me fresh eggs and produce regularly.  He has been enjoying watching the BYU football games and of course working in the yard.  He is a great support to me and helps whenever I need him, especially when I can't be in two places at once!

As for family activities...

We had a ward BBQ at the Stampers Ranch.

This is my good friend, Louisa Weatherbee at the BBQ.  We help each other with carpools and love to talk when we get the kids together for play dates.

We all enjoyed the season for Halloween and loved having "Little Black Kitty around the pumpkin".

The kids learned some Halloween songs on the piano and we enjoyed some fall treats.

The older kids dressed up for school the Friday before.  Eve was Hello Kitty.  Sterling was a Teletubby.

We attended the ward Trunk or Treat and helped with the booths.  Eve's church class did a "yucky touch" guessing station and Sheri's class did a cupcake walk.  Sterling's class did a fishing booth.  

The kids went trick or treating with friends. (Eve stayed home to work on her application.)  Matt passed out candy while Louisa and I took the younger boys around.  The kids kept their costumes simple this year which was fine by me. :)  Sterling was a Teletubby, Sheri was a cat, Christian was a Pokémon hunter.

The great Candy exchange. :)

So as you can see, we have been busy busy in September and October!  We are grateful that we have so many opportunities to learn, grow, play, dance, serve, and enjoy the richness of life!  We are grateful for friends, a strong ward, a beautiful place to raise our family, and our health.  Most of all, we are grateful for each other and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ which helps us to stay centered, prioritize, and strengthen our relationships.  We are happy for all the fun memories we can create together!