VICTORIOUS!!!!

DO YOU SEE THE SCOREBOARD?

CAN YOU HEAR THE HALLELUJAH CHOIR SINGING?

After two seasons of working so hard the Osan Cougars finally won a game!

(Jacob wants me to add that the score was 35-19 until the last 2 seconds of the game.

oh and for stupid reasons he says. )

Jacob was at his wits end. He just couldn't handle it anymore.

He kept lamenting, "I don't even know what it is like to win. I don't even know how it feels."

So you can imagine the first thing I said to him when he walked in the door after the game.

"HOW DOES IT FEEL TO WIN?"

Really, their season is only four games, and only two other teams are in the

"small schools" bracket. It was so hard to see them play teams that had twice the

players, and all seniors some with 75 lbs on them. I was so proud of them.

They really did well despite their losses.

What is so cool is an international school in Singapore is flying them out next weekend

to play them, and than are taking them on tours. How cool is that?

This was their last home game (of only two) and the first one with the cheerleaders there.

It was their homecoming game and it was a packed crowd. So many families from church came to cheer both Jacob and Rachel on. It turned out to be a REALLY good game. super exciting.

Especially since the last time we played Daegu we lost 29-0. It was the worst game ever.

I have never seen them play so bad ever!! Very discouraging.

Boy did we get even!!

Jacob scored two amazing touchdowns, and had like 21 tackles. Playing safety

he stopped the other team from making many touchdowns.

I was so incredibly proud!

(above is his second touchdown, he's number 10)

that's called dedication. He really had so many amazing tackles.

Earlier in the day I came for the pep rally. So high school. So fun!

The seniors had a toga day and the crowd had to cheer for whose costume they liked best.

They got it down to three kids and then had each of them do a walk off.

Come on, he's a Reneer. We do walk offs for fun when we get together. ha ha.

He had the whole school chanting his name. Ja-cob, Ja-cob.

Talk about an ego booster.

I will never forget it. I doubt he will either.

back to the game. A few more great plays.

Rachel and her groupies. A whole group of little girls stood next to her and

did everything that she did. So cute.

This little girl lives on our same apt. floor, and is totally in love with Jacob.

She is five, and tells everyone that he is her boyfriend and that she is going to marry him.

She is super dramatic and talks like a teenager.

Her mom told me that she was watching Jacob at the game and said,

"I am so in love with him right now."

She cracks me up so bad. We suggested to her that Ammon could be her boyfriend.

She gave us a look and said, "um, no." In her best teenage voice.

He is pretty handsome. smile.

Leah is totally cracking us up lately. She is trying so hard to be a cool teenager.

She is really trying to take advantage of her connections with her older siblings.

She tries to hang out with them and their friends. Look at this look above. She is so funny.

Cutie Rachel. The cheerleaders are so much better this year.

They have two young airmen (girls) that have taken on coaching them,

and what a difference.

sisters.

half time and all the seniors and parents went out on the field.

When Ammon graduates we will both be seniors. get it. ha ha.

But seriously could you just die at the cuteness of ammon in this picture.

He did that all on his own. I love my boys!!!

Rachie and I have bonded a lot this year. love her.

Rebecca's friend Caroline is a family favorite. She is hysterrical.

BEST NIGHT EVER! Right jake?

Let's just say best weekend ever.

Jacob was very happy about taking Alex to the dance.

Rachel and her peeps.

oh so fabulous.

i love this picture.

ok, so i snuck into the homecoming dance. ha ha. What can I say, I am nosey.

I wanted to see what it looked like.

Jacob never even knew I was there, but rachel did

drag me out on the dance floor for a minute, but I just couldn't do it.

I was probably in sweats or something.

It's not smoky, just a fog machine. ha.

So after witnessing the whole school chanting his name,

I wasn't surprised that Jacob was the Homecoming King (his date was the queen).

His sisters adore him as well.

He's just a likeable guy!

Rachel and Jacob have been like twins their whole life.

This is their last year together at home, and they really talk ALOT.

How awesome that they have stayed close all growing up.

Jacob used to say when he was 3 and she was 2 that he would "betect" her

(protect her) and he really has. He probably is the reason that she is alive today!

If you knew Rachel when she was little you know what I'm talking about.

He was always way more concerned for her safety than she was when she was little.

Jacob would cry and be upset when I would threaten Rachel to take her

to jail when she stole gum from the store.

Rachel of course was unphased by my scare tactics.

These pictures make me real happy.

love this look.

Yah, I'm blessed. I know it.

sundance. I heart you.

This summer we spent a lot of time in Utah. I love Utah. I love the mountains,

the shopping, the delicious restaurants, and most of all family.

I grew up in So. Cal, but now my Dad, Grandma, and two siblings live along the Wasatch front s

so we go there every summer to see them.

Now that the kids are getting older (jacob graduates this year), I am thinking a lot

about this moving often and living all over the world thing.

As much as I love travel and moving new places. I don't love them more than

being a part of my kids lives. I can't bear the thought of me living overseas and them

all being in college in the states, dating, getting married and having babies etc.

Dave can get out of the military in 6 years, and then what?

Where do we live?

We asked the kids where they want Grandma and Grandpa's house to be

(referring to us. smile. oooh i can't wait. Ammon should be 8 by then. ha ha)

Their reply was, "duhhhhhh UTAH! Where else?"

It seems to have become the new family gathering place. And I really want my

kids to attend BYU Provo, or Idaho.

Problem is Dave has said he will never live in Utah. But after this summer I

think I have him convinced to move there. It was the first time that I wanted

to move there to be honest. You know what won me over?

SUNDANCE!

My sister Kelly, Rebecca and I went on a drive to sundance. I had just come back from

Tahoe (which I consider home) and was so sad that I couldn't live there every day

of my life. It is my favorite place on earth I think. It is so beautiful, smells so good,

and I have so many wonderful memories that all come together and wrap

me up like a warm blanket when I am there. Just breathing there is joyous!

(I wouldn't say that about Korea. ha ha).

But my family is in Utah, and Tahoe isn't really the best "raise a family" type of town.

So when we drove up to Sundance, I was filled with joy!

It was so beautiful. We had a yummy lunch, and walked around and just

drank in the sights and smells. I was so happy. I was ready to move to Utah that day.

Later, with just ammon I drove from Sundance all the way to American fork Canyon.

I cried i was so moved by it's beauty.

My sister said I don't want to live in Sundance because it is too hard in the winter.

I don't know. I think about it a lot.

Just last Sunday morning as we made breakfast together I said to Dave, "I wish we were in a cozy cabin in Sundance right now" with my arms draped around his neck

and all the charm i could muster.

And that he needs to save his monies to buy me a cabin in sundance.

You know. One with a gourmet kitchen, view, by the stream, and a fireplace next to my jetted tub. smile.

A girl can dream.

Love all these cute pics that my sister kelly took with her Iphone.

I just love my becca mary. We are best friends.

i've been a very good girl.

So, you see this?!!!

I don't think this has ever happened!

Every last bit of laundry done!

FREEDOM!!

Stacked and ready for the kids to put away.

I also have been making delicious meals every single night.

You heard me, a planned meal every single night. (three weeks running)

Unheard of!

This is one of my absolute favorites. Thai coconut chicken (it has lime in it of course).

I served it over brown rice. Although my joy in eating it was diminished

because my kids don't like it like I do. Made me mad. How could they not.

It is so incredibly divine. The recipe is in the surprise ward cookbook.

Kendra Stone's sister's recipe that she invented. love it!

Now this is the kicker. I am finally scrapbooking!!!! Yeah.

I think I have already filled two albums. I am working on 2004 pictures.

I am only a little behind. ha. I'll share some pages later.

Also, last night I taught a yoga class at the gym. I can't believe how happy

it made me feel. I did it spur of the moment. The teacher didn't show up because

he was sick, so I just volunteered because I really wanted to do yoga.

It was great because I didn't feel any pressure to be amazing.

I didn't even have music or anything.

I even made a delicious hot breakfast this morning, only to realize that all of the kids

can't eat because they are getting their blood drawn this morning. oops.

So they are coming home after to eat. They are being tested to see if they have

genetic high cholesterol like dave. We found out that jacob does, so we are getting

everyone tested. My heart sank when I first heard, but like everything in life...

it's all in God's hands. Fortunately, we are so blessed to be able to be proactive in

treating it, and knowing about it. Modern medicine is a gift.

Yeah, it's the weekend. Today is Lizzie's birthday party, jacob left for japan for football,

rebecca and leah have soccer games, life is good. Life is busy and happy.

And laundry free! (for one day)

happy friday!

First Haircut.

Ammon would have nothing to do with this, until the hairdresser gave him a milky way.

The kid lovesssss chocolate.

All the tears dried up pretty quick with chocolate in mouth.

all done. I had her leave some curls. smile.

"The chocolate's gone and I'm outta here!"

He still had to put up with some last loves.

I'm a little bummed the pictures aren't that great, but they tell the story.

I handed my camera off to a guy that didn't speak english and then

Ammon was so done the minute the chocolate was gone.

Girls are so different! Especially when a mirror is involved. ha.

cozy weather please.

In one day our weather went from hot and humid to cool, with the hint, a tease really

of fall in the air. I have been waiting patiently for a cool, crisp fall day so

I can watch "You've got mail." Doesn't that just sound perfect?

Kathleen Kelly and her cozy bookstore "The shop around the corner"

ooohhhh can't wait. hurry hurry fall.