Todd, Braden & Ironman

So, Braden is TOTALLY into Iron Man and was trying to make a costume out of cardboard boxes! Todd noticed and then worked up this cool costume with a cell phone to relay 'hero' messages and secret codes.

The swim goggles were an awesome addition.

Iron Man really does exist!

FINALLY! We have a granddaughter!

Finally, we have a granddaughter!!!! Cassie, delivered our 1st granddaughter, Thursday, November 13, 2008. They named her Rylee. She weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and she is beautiful. I was able to go down for a couple days to help and enjoy some sweet moments with Rylee. I think my greatest accomplishment was Tanner. It has been a long time coming, bu I do believe he will remember me and be excited when I get a chance to visit. What a hoot! We got to play and he even said he wanted to go to 'Granny's house'!

We feel so blessed. We have an amazing family and we just keep growing. Seven beautiful, healthy grandchildren and one more on the way in January. Can't wait for Zach!

Rylee was a little jaundiced so she had to be under the lights for a day and then just in sunlight. This is her soaking up the sun!
Tanner quite loves his sister. He isn't really sure what she is all about, but he was very tender with her.

More sun!

Just a beautiful baby!

Tanner loves his dinosaurs! He knows all of their names and is very protective of them. He sets them up on the floor and if anybody touches them or puts anything too close to them, he gets pretty upset. But he is a bundle of energy! Think Jimmy when you think Tanner and then you've pretty much understand!

My really cute grandchildren!

A couple weeks ago, I went to Pam's house and her three boys with Aubrey and her two boys. It was really fun to be there and I was able to post some cute pictures from that visit. So, a week ago, I went to Jim's with Aub's and her two boys and was reminded all over again how cute these six grandsons are!!Sorry, Cassie but the smile on your face and the expression on Tan's face just made me put these on! It's okay, because you are being a cute mom and you are the only mom that could sit on a tiny, tiny stool.
These picture are in the wrong order, but here's what happened. Ty and Tan gt into this chair and were just being cute together. I look over and see that Tan has totally fallen asleep so I get my camera out and snap the picture that is below this. I turn around for a second and then look to see Ty totally faking being asleep! It always amazes me how young they start play and pretend! So that goes to the top picture. It wouldn't be a Suzy blog without Suzy errors.

I decided that I would start a grandchildren band. I almost got these instruments for Ty's birthday, but as a grandma, I recognize that would be a cruel thing to do to their parents! So instead I would have these instruments at my house. And no limits, because I could keep adding instruments as I got more grandchildren. Anyway, lots of noise, but oh so cute! Just a few wrinkles to iron out!

Steven took 1st place in the Shakespeare Fesival Dance Competition

I'm not sure how much any of you know that Steven has started dancing. Not actually, dancing for dancing sake, but in a couple of plays for the high school. Usually they want him to come in and do amazing flips and tricks, but last year he did a totally awesome dance in the dream sequence of West Side Story. The drama teacher was so impressed she choreographed an entirely new one for the Shakespeare Festival for Romeo and Juliet. Orem High has never competed in the dance competition before. It was amazing! Blew both dad and I away! The kid has some incredible talent. I might try to put it in as a video, but first I wanted to just let everyone know. But the coolest thing ever is that he won!!!! He took 1st place with his partner, Sara!!!!

This is Sara carrying Steven for a change of pace!

This is from West Side Story, but it was a cool picture.

Halloween

Not Halloween but too cute to not share with everyone! This is Jordo with a stuffed bear that David & Ashley gave to him. He loves this bear! He actually held it the whole time he napped in the car going home as well. I have the cutest grandchildren!

Jordo is just trying to be like his 'big brother, Ty', whatever Ty does, Jordo wants to do.

Pam's cute boys. I'm not sure everyone is loving this, especially Cody. And now he gets all the attention! Of course, they are Super Heroes! What else! If you don't know, Braden is Iron Man and Josh is The Hulk and Cody is the Super pumpkin!

Best shot I could ever get. Just happened to take a picture. Then I worked for a while to pose them again with Jordo and it never happened.

Okay so clear down here is Ty as the cutest cowboy in the world! Now you know what Jordo was trying to imitate.

Aubs and I went to Montpelier to help Pam with her craziness and sickness and try to help her regain sanity. It was great because when we went, the boys all seemed to be much better and we could play! We were also there for a ward primary party, so I wanted to share some pictures of these cute boys. I wish I had one of my other grandson, Tanner! I hear he made a darling dinosaur?! I'm excited to go down to St. George this week and maybe I'll get a picture of him even though Halloween has passed.

Matt's new team took state!

So Matt changed teams this fall to play for LaRoca in Ogden. Tough times, but great for him. Anyway, during the season, there was absolutely no real competition for their team, they are really awesome! They fully expected to take state, but you never know. Of course, last year regionals were in Hawaii and this year....middle of the desert in California. They won! The sad part is that Matt has been struggling with a groin pull most the season and when he went in to play the final game, he just couldn't. The first time for him to have to come out injured. But now he is resting and doing physical therapy to get ready to go to the Surf Cup in San Diego over Thanksgiving.

Matt's Playing Football!!?

I'm not sure how this happened but Matt is playing football! David, I guess you should have just gone to practice with your friends! Anyway, the Varsity team has been drooling over Matt and really wanted him to kick, but because he would miss so many practices (because of soccer), they didn't think it was fair to the guys who were at every practice. So they wanted him to play a couple games with the freshmen team. Add to this that his soccer coach would be livid if he knew Matt was on the team, and the regional soccer coaches stressed to Matt that he couldn't get hurt if he wanted a chance to make that team! Anyway, he went, he dominated the kicks! PAT, Kickoffs and punts! One of the coaches talked with a BYU football coach and they want some tape. Interesting since, Matt is no different than any our my other children and doesn't want to go to BYU! Oh, and just a sideline, Matt's soccer team is ranked #7 in the nation!!! I thought I better post these first pictures of any of my kids in a football uniform and on the field, I never thought I would have football pictures.

Welcome Cody! Our 6th Grandson has arrived!!

Our 6th grandchild/grandson arrived August 27, 2008 at 11:53 a.m! He was 6lbs 14 oz. (this is Pam's biggest baby). His name is Cody John Howard. This makes three boys for Pam's family. Pam was living with us because she was dilated to a 4 for several weeks and her labors are pretty short. The doctors here didn't think it was a good idea for her to be traveling 4 hours home with only small hospitals in small towns, and she was told to absolutely not deliver in the Evanston hospital (makes you wonder?)! Cody was born at 38 weeks (not considered preemie but not considered full term.

I, Grandma, was blessed to be in the room because I took Pam in at 3:00 a.m. and we called Jay to hurry and get to Provo! When Jay got there, they broke her water and we thought this little guy would be quick, but he wasn't in a hurry. They both agreed to let me stay! It is always a miracle to deliver a baby, but it was so amazing to be able to watch! She only had to push twice and his little head popped right out. As I watched this amazing miracle, it only reaffirms to me, that there is a God! This perfect little being with everything functioning just the way it was supposed to. I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to be a witness to this miracle.

Steven's National Tumbling 2008

Finally, I got the pictures from Steven's Nationals! Now I know I'm the mom, but his form is phenomenal, especially when we watch the other competitors. So, if he doesn't 'fall', he probably would have taken the Gold Medal!
It is probably completely obvious, that I am not the one taking the pictures! It is amazing what 'real' photographers can do.


Steven did not want me to post this picture, because he doesn't have 'PERFECT' form, but I love the way it shows each and every little muscle pulled so tight. I think it is cool!




Congrats to Steven even though he didn't do well, because he definitely has the skill and the form! Next year!

Matt's Winning Goal!!

Matt's new soccer team, the La Roca Premier 94 boys, won the Santa Clara Sporting tournament in Santa Clara, California on August 10th!!! So the coolest part is that Matt played awesome! Some amazing soccer was played. In the semi-finals and final, Matt was playing against kids who were on the National team. So it was fun to see him match up. Matt was the leading goal scorer for the team!

The team played all ranked California North teams and started pool play by beating the first team 2-1. Their second game was against Santa Clara Sporting, ranked #8 nationally, and La Roca fell short 0-2 in this game. Then LaRoca won the 3rd and final pool play game 3-1, with Matt scoring the first two goals and then Matt went out after taking a a huge hit from the ball to one side of his head and a cleat to the other side.

In the Quarter-final match, La Roca won in PK's and Matt put in a beautiful, hard drive that the keeper couldn't hang onto. La Roca won the semi-final match 3-0 (Matt had two goals) and went on to face Santa Clara Sporting, the host team, once again. The championship game went to overtime where Matt scored the game winning goal and we won the game 2-1!

Currently because of the tournament and rankings of the other teams, the Utah LaRoca team is ranked 13th in the nation! A first for any Utah team to win an out of state premier tournament! This will be a fun year for Matt. The in state season could be boring, but they are planning several more out of state tournaments. One which may be in Florida and all the youth leagues from the English Premier teams come out to play! Kudos to Matt!

Great job boys, very few Utah teams have success in these nationaly ranked tournaments, let alone win one, fantastic result!

Apparently, I am as crazy as I think! Ignore that last post, obviously, I already sent out pictures from the ODP Oregon Friendlies.

Matt's ODP/Oregon/Utah

It took me long enough, but finally, here are the pictures of Matt's trip to Oregon. He reminds me a lot of Jimmy in the way he plays.

The cool thing here is: check out the WALL! They are in fear of Matt's leg! The guy who took the pictures couldn't believe how scared they looked!

Even funnier here, especially if you can see the faces!

He is sure fun to watch!

Our Family Reunion 2008

After a rough start, we finally managed to get to Deer Creek and get things going. Mom rented a boat for the day, but they called and told us it was in the shop!! Of course, try to get a boat the day before! We did find some wave runners, but before we could even take a turn, one of them broke down. The grandsons (5!) had great fun just playing on the beach and being dirty! We had everyone here! David and Ashley came from Virginia, Jimmy and Cassie from St. George, Pam and Jay from Idaho, Aubrey and Kevin from Orem, Ricky and Mike from Lehi, and of course, Mom, Dad, Todd & Nicki, Steven and Matt! I am going to try to label the pictures, in case anyone looking isn't sure who is who and who belongs to who.

Tanner (2) Jim & Cassie's

Kevin, Jim, Kenzie (Cassie's niece and all time great baby watcher! Thanks from everyone who has kids!) and Cassie

David with Josh (2), who belongs to Pam & Jay

Tanner

I tried really hard to get pictures of everyone. I hope I didn't miss anyone, but I'm pretty sure I got all the grandchildren (the most important, anyway!)

Ashley, Jay w/Braden, John, Ricky and Mike

Matt! OUT OF CONTROL!!!!

Tanner

From the back: Ashley and Jordo on the ball, Tanner, Pam, Braden (5), and Ty (Jordo (1) and Ty (2 1/2) belong to Kevin and Aubrey!

This was one of the best times, the boys just played and everyone else relaxed and watched.

Tyler

These are the times when you have real joy with your family. Watching our children start families and getting the cutest grandchildren ever! And we have three more on the way!

Josh is in the flowers, Tanner is picking the flowers, Ty is watching and Braden is admiring his flowers!

Jordo and Josh!


Ashley holding Jordo and Josh up front.
Aubrey, Kevin and Ty

Jay working with Braden to feel comfortable in the water. Way to go Braden!!!

Ricky

Tyler and Tanner

Nicki (Todd's girlfriend), Todd & Josh

After a day at the lake and an evening of visiting, everyone hung around and came to church with us! I always want to show off my children and grandchildren! Then Sunday evening, everyone was heading back to their homes, except David and Ashley hung out with us for a few more days. It was fun to have some time with them and catch up. It was pretty crazy most of the time, so this gave us a chance to just enjoy.