Homecoming

Maybe I should have titled this entry "Trevon" instead of Homecoming, as it is all about him this week. Trevon has really been enjoying his Cross Country season. His team is doing really well.  He has had his name in the paper...

... and his team is hoping to go to state this year. The boys are working hard and meet twice a day to train. This past week they had a meet close to home and Mike and I were both able to watch him race.

Here, Trevon is near the beginning of the 5K (3 mile race) he was running:

This picture was taken as he was nearing the finish line.

More than one team was wearing green colored uniforms and Trevon had thought his team had not done very well (based on all the "greens" that had come in together in the race.  He was going on about how his team would have to "step it up" if they want to go to state. Then, he was pleasantly surprised to discover Hurricane took first place. He had also broken his personal record with a time of 17 minutes 32 seconds (17:32).  He came in eighth place overall.

This weekend was Hurricane High School's Homecoming. The school put on a parade during the middle of the day. The elementary school children were able to watch the parade before school was out for the day. Mike and I walked Corban down the street, not far from home to watch the fun. I was able to get a picture of the kids (Cameron and Elise) with their classes, and see Trevon in the parade with the cross country team. This time, the band played without him.

Trevon asked Angelea Madsen to the Homecoming Dance. He gave her some candy bars attached to a bouquet of balloons. Inside one of the candybars was a "golden ticket" (as in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie), saying she was selected to go to Homecoming with Trevon. She answered him the next day by giving him a HUGE math equation that he had to solve using a calculator. His answer was then typed into Google Images where the number took him to an image of an album cover for the band "YES."

Saturday they had their date. Below is a picture of him and his friends with their dates. The boys sent their dates on a Safari. They had Brother Comstock (their seminary teacher) be the Safari guide, leading the girls through the "wilderness" to hunt for wild animals (the boys). The girls had paint guns and enjoyed using them on their dates. Trevon was a zebra, and dressed in black and white stripes. After being hit, the guide would pronounce the animal dead and lead the girls to the next victim. When the hunt was over, they had a picnic lunch and then took their dates home to get ready for the dance. 

I got a kick out of watching the boys prepare. Trevon made a detailed schedule to follow of what needed doing before and for the date. They (the boys) met at our house to make the picnic lunch on Saturday morning. Trevon asked me to help prepare some of the dinner, but that was all I did. The boys did everything.

The group above had dinner in their suits and dresses, with boutonnieres and corsages, at the home of one of the boys (Martin Glassman). They had a meal that included chow mein noodles, egg rolls and sweet and sour delight.

They had a great time at the dance, where they had their pictures taken. I will post a picture of them all dressed up when I get one - - apparently all the boys left their cameras at home that night! After dancing, they went back to Martin's for brownies and ice cream before taking their dates home. Trevon had a great time and was happy with how the date turned out.

Peach Days 2011

Peach Days takes place every year on the Friday and Saturday before Labor Day. This year, Elise wanted to bake something to enter in the baked goods contest. Mike watched her as she made "Gingerbread Pals" all by herself.

She ended up winning a red ribbon and was very pleased with herself.

Mike entered the salsa and spaghetti sauce we had made and they both won blue ribbons.

We (Trevon) also entered some butternut squash and a pumpkin - just for fun! 

Saturday morning I ran in the 12K race. I came within 1minute 18seconds of my projected time

and won $7.  WOOT WOOT!!! I really enjoyed the run and had fun doing it. 

 I especially liked getting a Peach Days T-shirt.

Soon after the race was a parade. Trevon marched with the band and Sadie rode on the Youth City Council float. Cari came down to spend the "peachy" weekend with us.

After the parade, we toured the food booths, vendors and games.  I broke down and bought the kids some cotton candy.  It was just a part of the fun for them.

Trevon and Sadie both serve on the Youth City Council. As one of their "duties" they worked

at the Peach Days event, taking turns manning the fun slide for a couple of hours.

Cameron got some fun exercise at the playground before we headed home to do Saturday chores.

That night, we watched the fireworks of the closing ceremony.  It was a long, fun weekend and a perfect way to say goodbye to summer.



TWELVE!

Our sweet Kristi turned twelve years old. She had wanted her own room for quite some time, so for her birthday we moved Elise out! Sadie moved to Cari's old room, and Elise moved to Sadie's old room, and we made Kristi's bed up with new bedding and pillows for this wonderful SURPRISE!

After school, she entered her room to find a card her dad had made her on her "new" bed in her very own room!  She was very happy and spent the next few days cleaning and reorganizing her bedroom.

We made Taco Soup for dinner.

Then she opened her cards and presents.

Her birthday cake was a strawberry cheesecake. A special cake for a special young lady! We served it with Strawberry Revel Ice Cream.

We love Kristi very much and enjoyed celebrating her special day with her.

Mmmmm...

 At the end of August, Trevon invited some friends over for a "Fish Fry." He wanted to share some of the fish he had caught in Alaska with them.

 

They ate it up (along with salad, Jello and mashed potatoes)!

At the same time, Sadie made a delicious Italian Cheese Bread for the rest of us. It was irresistibly YUMMY!!!

We harvested more of our garden (and made homemade spaghetti sauce

 while watching the movie "Emma")...

...and Corban and his friend enjoyed munching on watermellon:

"Happy" Days

Saturday began the string of birthdays that will take place in our family for the next few months. Trevon felt like turning seventeen was really no big deal. He said that nothing of great significance happens when you turn seventeen. At 16 you can drive, and at 18 you're an adult...17 is just 17!!! Well, isn't going out to dinner with mom and dad pretty significant? I think so! Friday night we took him to the Olive Garden for dinner. He wanted to fill up on carbs as he had a cross country meet in the morning. His race went well and he improved his time by 10 seconds which made him very happy. It was a nice way to start "his" day.

 

Cameron had his first soccer game on Saturday. He is part of a team that is working towards being a great high school team one day. He really hustles on the field and will be an asset to his team. It was great to watch, though very hot out on Saturday (99 degrees)!

 

After lunch, we celebrated Trevon's birthday with an apple caramel cake and caramel carabou ice cream. Then, he opened up some presents. Among his gifts were a journal, bookmark, eagle statuette, pocket knives, and American history books. Trevon loves American history and has some strong opinions about politics. He opened cards from his grandparents and enjoyed receiving money from them too.

Monday was Elise's birthday. She had made a list for me a month ago (or more), titled "Elise's Birthday Breakfast." It read : "cornbread muffin, strawberries (in a bowl), waffle, 2 pieces of toast, orange juice, scrambled eggs." WOW!  Well, Monday morning she was awake before 7a.m. wondering where her breakfast was. She REALLY wanted to have her birthday breakfast in bed, so I had her go back to bed while I made her most of what was on the "list." She had the biggest smile on her face when I finally brought her breakfast to her!

Later that morning as she was running downstairs to get dressed, I heard her say, "I feel like a princess!"  We curled her hair and sent her to school with some frosted animal cracker cookies to share with her class.

That evening, we made taco salad for dinner and then headed over to the splash pad for some FUN!

When we returned home, Elise and Corban helped me decorate the cake (a white cake) with whipped cream and strawberries. We served it with strawberry ice cream.

Then, she opened her presents. She was happy with all she received (coloring and sticker book; crayons; bubble bath and shampoo; hair accessories; a pick up stix game; a LEGO creation; candy and crackers too), and also enjoyed opening cards from her grandparents.