California dreamin'

M&M World was cool although Jaxon just was not impressed with Vegas at all. I had to remind him that is is what the world would be like if we let Satan be in charge and he agreed that we should NOT let that happen.

There was a lot to do at Universal Studios and the kids enjoyed being silly!

Universal studios was so much fun and the first theme park on our trip. It was hot but not too hot! There were plenty of rides to get wet and so most of our trip we spent with frizzy hair and wet clothes.

Pretty much this was my view the entire trip...

watching and gathering my "little" chicks. The girls could not figure out why they couldn't just go...the boys where irritated that the girls thought that they had to walk so far ahead.

No "J" in Disneyland...so we compromised and this is Jaxon's letter.

Carlie and Alyssa are silly.

They like to be silly, do silly things and generally

just have a lot of fun together.

Although they look like pin-up girls..

beautiful and fun...

yes that is a popsicle wrapper sticking out of Carlie's

mouth...

never a dull moment with those two.

My children were wonderful to be with on this trip. Hopefully they have happy memories like I do:)

We got to watch the fireworks from the roof of our Worldmark

in Anahiem which was right across the street from Disneyland.

Jaxon wanted to watch from the hot tub

on the roof, but Mom was all watered out...and exhausted

Jaxon was like the energizer bunny.

After standing in line for an hour,

I chickened out for this ride because I didn't think that my lunch would stay down or in. But it was worth it to watch the kids

The seats had their own "face shield" if you decided to chuck your lunch. Jaxon was hillarious!

Really it was like we had two separate vacations,

the one the boys and I had

and the one the girls had!

But we had a blast!

I think the look says it all...

We had to check Jaxon in of the camp. We stood in line for two hours. I think it was obvious that men were in charge

because it was so unorganized:(

I was attempting to stress how important dental

hygiene was to Jax. Fish are friends

Not food:)

Alyssa, Carlie and Mike got us seats while Jax and I went to get food. We ended up sitting right behind David Beckham and the guy from Hell's Kitchen. It was kind of cool to sit so close to someone famous until everyone else figured out that he was famous. The girls went crazy! I asked Jaxon if that was what the girls were going to do when he was a rich and famous athlete and he said he hoped not and then smiled his adorable smile.

The Shamu show was amazing!

Camp was amazing and frustrating all wrapped up in one very tiring weekend.

At the Boise camp, every minute was filled with a "basketball" learning experience.

Oh there were learning experiences but not so much basketball ones.

Mom learned that in the world outside of Rexburg,

Jaxon looks very much like everyone else.

Same uniform, same hair, oh

same skin color.

I panicked when I couldn't find him easily like I usually do.

Jaxon learned what "mixed" meant.

Almost everyone at camp was "mixed".

One black parent and then some other cultural background...

asian, hispanic, white, indian.

In Rexburg,

everyone knows that Jaxon is adopted. His teammate,

Jordan,

from Chicago

could not figure out how Jaxon could have a white mama and a white daddy

and come out as a brown baby (his words not mine) Jaxon assured him that it works when you are adopted.

During camp time Alyssa, Carly and I went to the beach!

Carlie and Alyssa tried their hand at boogie boarding.

The water wasn't super warm but the beach wasn't crowded and the sun felt so nice.

The girls were having a great time and the waves were getting progressively larger as it neared high tide. I warned the girls a couple of times that they needed to be more careful because of the waves and riptides. Then Alyssa disappeared in a wave and didn't come back up for a while. When she did, she looked like she had been...well the wave had not been kind to her

Her swim suit was skeewampus and she had water coming out of her nose for hours after.

Adidas Jr. Phenom Camp

375 basketball players from all over the nation

5th through 8th grade Invitation only

Held at Alliant International University in San Diego California. The real reason we took our vacation at all

was courtesy of Jaxon. This was definitely a learning experience for our Jaxon.

Hard core intense - the director of the camp (whatever his name was)

really liked to hear himself talk

and he hated the pro ball players that are in the league now...although he didn't mind endorsing Adidas products by changing his basketball gear four times a day.

Not an exaggeration, I swear.

Alyssa, Carlie, Mike and I

went to the San Diego zoo on Friday.

It was the first day of Jaxon's camp and although

we felt bad that he couldn't go, we took video of our

adventures for him. After five days of theme parks and 1500 miles of driving with four children without a GPS

and worrying about reservations and Tom getting to

San Diego to join us (he flew down on Thursday) I felt a little like this flamigo who kept hanging its head down in this psychotic motion. Yes, I could relate!

The elephants were so cool...actually all of the animals

were. It was so neat to see them so close up. I took the girls to find the San Diego temple and this was one drive that we did not get lost.

I was attempting to find the naval base where I had gotten lost earlier that morning but we found this instead. We drove over this bridge by accident and ended up on the most beautiful island. It was like fairytale quaint and the girls and I had a blast exploring the beach and watching the boats bobbing along. At one point, Tom called and wanted to know what the heck I was doing that was taking so long and I quickly said, "Hey, I'm lost! Call you back later:)"

The beach was amazing and we took our time enjoying every moment.

The girls wrote their names on the beach and strolled along at a much slower

pace than we had been moving for the last six days. It was beautiful.

When we got back into the car,

Alyssa said, "Thanks mom,

for not getting freaked out about

our getting lost and letting us

just be lost." Sometimes the worst thing is not being lost, sometimes it is not taking the time to just be there.

Warming up before the game

Team Tennessee - Amazing basketball players from all over the country Chicago, New Jersey, Northern and Southern

California, Las Vegas

even Rexburg, Idaho!

I think Jaxon learned a lot more than basketball skills at camp.

He learned that growing up in Rexburg is not so bad.

He didn't like that the boys swore.

He didn't like that the boys were "hot dogs". He has always been taught to be a team player and so the concept of showing off during a game had never occurred to him. In fact, he had to write a paper about what he learned and he wrote about the lack of team ball playing and how if the boys he played with had to play back in his hometown, most would have to sit on the bench.

He was not impressed.

After the camp, we immediately crawled back in the car and headed Northeast.

Everyone wanted to get home a quickly as possible.

It was a wonderful vacation but there is No Place Like Home!!!

Life Lessons

So it has been awhile. I would like to say that I have been off vacationing on some remote tropical island but alas reality would say otherwise. Actually I am convinced that my life is more busy than ever. Which I suppose is not a horrible thing, just exhausting. Our family has been blessed over and over again. I am always grateful for our blessings and the lessons that come from them.

After months of looking and wondering if there would ever be employment, Tom has landed himself the best job. He had applied out at the site (INL) over a year ago and after fourteen hundred applicants and only ten spots, he was chosen to work for CH2W DD crew. Fancy way of saying that he does just about anything they ask him to do. After twenty five years of working fast to get to the next job to make money, the government has really given Tom a paid vacation. Yes he actually gets paid to work and does not have to worry about getting paid. It is really fun! Anyone who has owned their own business will understand the worry that comes along with working and then wondering about getting paid. This is good!

However it has somewhat left Mike afloat. So we make new goals and move forward I tell him. Easy for me to say. Mikael's best friend came home from his mission and this was a really good thing. Josh and Mike have always been a really good thing. I never worry when Mike is with Josh. I hope that as Josh moves forward, he doesn't forget Mike. It happens...and well I hope it doesn't.

Alyssa has struggled this summer. She thought that she had life figured out. Or maybe I thought that we did. I have come to realize that although I am clear about what needs to happen, she is not. This is not volume 2 Kim, this is volume 1 Alyssa and I don't get to make the decisions, I only get to lead and hope that she follows. After some very intense tournaments, during a very short period of time, with high scoring and nasty competition, Alyssa is wondering if she is making the right decisions for her future. I sound calm now...but really after much prayer and fasting, I have come to the conclusion that I raised Alyssa to be her own person. She will make the right decision for her whatever it might be.

Jaxon... just goes with the flow of life. As long as there is a ball in his hand and somewhere to play, he is happy. Oh and lots of company. This is a boy who does not do well without social interaction, much like his sister. Always going and doing. He is really getting excited about our trip to San Diego. I have to admit I am too. I have planned it out to the last detail with the hopes it will be a good time.

Overall it has been a busy summer with good life lessons. Not life shattering just good solid lessons on how to be a better person. Loving more, smiling more, working hard, playing harder and enjoying the journey!

Adventures of Prom

Alyssa got asked to Commencement

this year by a young man from Denmark.

Joe told Alyssa that he wanted to go to his only American

dance with the most beautiful American girl.
Her dad thought that was a really bad pick up...but then he is the dad.

The pic above is the group of kids

that went four wheeling in the mountains.

Her dad thought this was a really bad idea but a better

one than going to Lagoon for the day.

Especially considering that State golf was in Coeur d'Alene only

two days later.

We all thought that she looked beautiful.

She couldn't think of how to pose so I just kept snapping pics:)

In my mind, Cinderella could not have been more beautiful!

I Wish

There are many things that over my lifetime, I have wished for.
Who hasn't?

But as I get older

although I am fighting that process tooth and nail...

I find that the things that I wish for

involve a process of turning around

and changing

what I did in the past.

Nice wishes but impossible.

I wish I took more pictures.

My children would disagree that I took plenty
but I love to look at the photos I did take

and smile at the memories of those times and places

and little faces smiling back at me.

I wish I had told my friends and family

I loved them more.
I was telling a story about my Grandma Rose (my dad's mother)

the other day and realized that as much as I loved her

I don't think I told her as often as I should have.

This wish includes those who I might not have gotten along with at the time

but learned to appreciate later.

For instance,

years ago when I was a brand new nurse,

I worked with a very old nurse,

Lola Swinyard.

At the time of our employment together,

she constantly "rode" me to do this or that better.

Lola was the kind of old nurse that got to be the head nurse

because people trusted her to get things done.

She believed that nurses

should wear white...white hose, white shoes, white dresses and white caps.

Because they deserved the respect of those they cared for.
I did not appreciate her insightfulness at the time.

I wish I had told her thank you

because I am a better nurse today because of her.

I wish I had been more humble

and given the Lord more credit for all the really amazing things

that have occurred

in my life.

Not all of them have been wonderful or easy.

In fact, most of my life experiences have been difficult

but very rewarding in the end.

In being humble,

I wish I had spoken to Him more.

Mostly in gratitude

but supplicating earnestly for help and direction.

I wish I could forgive more frequently and easily.

Just letting go of the hurt for long enough that I could see better.

I find it very difficult to let go of the wrong

either to me or that I have wronged. To just forgive others and myself.

I know I should do it but struggle with the process.

Here is my biggest wish

I wish I could go back

and hold my children closer and tighter

and whisper in their tiny ears how sweet and dear they are to me.

It was so easy to get caught up in the details of life.

Work, church, household duties, activities...

But now that they are "too big" and "too busy"

I wish that I had held longer when they did crawl on my lap

if only to commit the sweet baby smell to memory

and run my fingers through their soft little people hair

and listen to their uncomplicated and undemanding wants.

I wish I had held their hands
and kissed their cheeks
because now to kiss and hold and even to speak is way too uncool.

And through my wishing,
I learn to hope.

Hope that I can change just enough that I don't feel the need
to go back

and change what I wish

I had done.

All Star

I am trying my limited technology hand at adding pictures to my blog...

let's see how it goes!

This last weekend, Jaxon attended a basketball camp

Adidas

Jr. Phenom.

The camp was for 5-8th graders.

I thought it would be fun...

I think Jaxon would argue that the fun statement

was kind of an understatement.

It was very physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting.

As a mom, it was difficult to see them work

my "little" boy so hard.

The camp started at 8:00am in the morning

and ended at 5:00pm.

Straight basketball games, drills or technique.

Jaxon met lots of people...

coaches, parents and players

that he would have never met had he not attended.

Campers came from 5 neighboring states

as far away as North Dakota.

Most of the boys had amazing talent,

my boy included.

One sixth grade boy commented to his dad after playing against Jaxon

that it was like a different planet.

Nothing he had ever seen before.

One of the coaches,

Coach T

commented to Tom that Jaxon did a move on him

that he had himself had tried but never actually accomplished.

Side note: Coach T played for Borah High School

the year that our Madison Team beat them.

The picture above is what resulted from two days of camp.

All Star Team

Seven from each grade.

These boys were then given an invitation

to attend a national camp in San Deigo.

Invitation only.

Jaxon was one of those boys.
The All Star team was chosen based on not just good ball handling

BASKETBALL SKILLS

but on what kind of person the boy was overall.

Was he a good sport?

Did he have a good attitude?

Did he put forth his all and follow directions?

Was he a good good player by himself and as a team?
All those things we already knew about our Jaxon!

The next several pictures are from the All Star game!

Number 53 is one of Jaxon's team mates from the Hathaway Madison team.

Three of the All Stars were from Madison!

I think that says a lot for not only our basketball program

but our boys.

Jaxon said it was hard and fun to play against Curtis.

He knew his moves but then Curtis knew Jaxon's too.

Jaxon has skills!


The coaching staff was amazing and so were the other players.

It helps to have a "wing" span of six feet

always rebounding.

The experience was amazing.

We got to see all the super wonderful things ahead for our son!

So San Deigo

hopefully here we come!