A Recap - January to April!

Ok, so Jake tells me I am the worst blogger ever. I do a great job keeping up my Krafty Blog, but when it comes to the family one I kind of suck! ;) So while he's out enjoying 18 holes of golf with the guys, I thought I would surprise him that I finally got our blog-o updated! So this is seriously PICTURE HEAVY, but so fun going back through everything! Enjoy!

So, recap of the last few months!

January

Brady turned 7 on the 21st!

Brady got a new bike

Skateboard, helmet and pads (along with some clothes and toys)

Brady's actual birthday fell on a Thursday, which happened to be Senior Night for the wrestlers! So, the other coaches arranged for the Cheerleaders to sing to Brady! It was so cute, but he told me he was so embarrassed after! ;) (PS - the one side where its not full is the visiting team, the other side of the stands was packed of course!)

Here are a few pics of Jake coaching that night. Man, he is such a hottie! Love my cute husband!

Then there was the Little League wrestling club the high school hosted. They only did one tournament, but it was sure fun!



February

State Wrestling! Just one pic of the arena Jake took. He was gone for three days and we missed him a ton! They had I think 6 or 7 kids qualify for State, and their Freshman 103 pounder was the only one to place. He took 6th. They had a blast though and are really excited for next season.





Jake had a fancy work party that was a Black Tie Event, so we got all dressed up and had a blast!





Monster Trucks! After State Wrestling was over we took the kids to Monster Jam. It was kind of their reward for being such awesome kids through everything!

I forgot to take a pic (bad me!), but Gwynie did her Science Fair Project on lava lamps, and how they work, and the experiment, etc. She did incredible on it! Her teacher even asked if he could keep her board as an example to show future classes what it should look like! ;) I helped a little, but it really was all her! Just helps to have a crafty momma right? I do have pics though that we put on her board, this is one showing the bubbling. (Oil, water, food coloring and alka seltzer)

March

Disney on Ice! Grandma Deb and Poppa Wayne bought all the grandkids tickets (except for Sydney, she's too little still) to go to Disney on Ice! Gwynie and Hannah did't plan on wearing their twiner shirts, but it was too cute!

Deb and Wayne got Brady a bow for his birthday, so once it finally warmed up he got to practice in the front yard!

April

Snow! BOOO SNOW!!! April 1st - not kidding!!

Easter! The kids love dying eggs, their baskets and egg hunts. Just booooo snow!!

And our doofy dog Bridger. He has gotten HUGE since December! His paws are bigger than Brecken's already! Breck turned 3 this year too, crazy! So our little pup will be bigger than his big brother soon! This is one of his typical positions on the couch, weirdo.

And, I chopped off lots of hair again! ;) Super short, but I'm getting used to it! Gwyn also chopped her hair, I'll have to get a pic of her cut to post soon!

I also started a new job! I wasn't looking to leave, but an opportunity came up at Jake's work, and one thing led to another. Within a matter of a few days I had a brand new job! I gave my two weeks notice, and started my new job last Thursday.

Freestyle Wrestling Club

So the other thing that's been going on is the Freestyle Club. Jake is the chairperson for the club and has been running everything!! Since mid February we've had 3 day a week practices (Tues-Thurs) and then Friday night and Saturday morning/afternoon tournaments. Next week is our last tournament, and its State for both Freestyle and Folkstyle. Jake has been coaching not only Brady, but their other kids that signed up. So nice that a few of the highschool kids came and did it, too. They will definitely have an advantage next year! I have a folder where I'm putting all those pictures (and videos). Not counting this weeks tournament, I have 1079 photos!!! I have picked out 25 so far to post to the blog. I have a feeling I will be scrapbooking those for ages. ;)

Speaking of scrapbooking...I have fun news in that area, too!

Kandi's Addiction, erm Hobby

I was so excited to have a some fun opportunities come my way! Not sure if I'd mentioned it or not on the blog before, but I was choosen to be on a Design Team for Skipping Stones Design. I get free stamps (can't beat that), and create cards with them weekly. I LOVE their stamps, so funny and sassy! I've been doing that since December.

Last month I also found out I'd gotten a spot on the Staff Reporter team for Craft Critique! I've had one article published so far, and have a few in the queue. I have assignments based on what I currently have, or plan on buying, to write my articles on. I've also been fortunate enough to be selected to review products, and have them sent to me by the vendors! Woot! :)

I've had a few more cards picked up for publication as well, and have loved seeing my cards in an actual book! It was kind of surreal, walking into my scrapbook store and seeing my two cards and MY NAME in a book! Then, next month I was in Hobby Lobby and saw that months mag with a card of mine. Wow, talk about cool!

And the end...

Ok, well I think that's about it! My plan (HA!) is to get a post ready after next week of all the Freestyle Wrestling stuff going on and a recap of that. After that, well I think we are MORE THAN READY for a break! We felt like we've been going a million miles an hour...wrestling 5 days a week, working, kids homework/school stuff, then just trying to have fun every now and then. ;) Spring Baseball/Softball starts mid May though for the kids (Jake's team starts next week), so I'm sure we will be ready after three weeks of boring-ness and nothing to do. ;)

The Coach - AKA my hottie husband

I'd mentioned before that Jake applied for and was offered an Assitant Coaching position this summer on the blog-o, and now I finally have some pics to share! Thanks to my in-laws who took a ton of pictures at one of the Home Duels in December, and a few I took at a duel on the 2nd of January, I can show off my hottie husband in action! ;)

Jake goes into work early every morning so that he can leave early for wrestling practices. He drives out to Stansbury every day, does practices for 2 hours and has tournaments on the weekends and duels on Thursdays. Then there's Little League practices on Tuesdays and Wednesdays that I bring Brady to, and Jake runs those as well. Despite that hectic schedule, Jake has still managed to take care of things I need or ask from him, and balances it all. Sometimes I pick up a little more of his slack (hehe you know its true babe!) but I honestly don't mind because I know Jake is doing what he has dreamed about for years. This all started late October, and will wrap up next month at State which is also during his birthday! ;) Then after the high school program is over, the freestyle wrestling club starts! Yep, I know we're in it for the long haul! ;)

My in-laws took so many great pictures that I had a hard time narrowing it down! So I just picked out my favorites or the ones that stood out to me.

Jake starts out in the coaches chair...

And ends up on the floor where he can really watch, and coach, and yell!

Showing a Senior Wrestler how its really done. ;)

This wrestler is also named Jake. Apparently at a recent tournament Jake gave my Jake "knuckles" for having a hot wife. ;)

In the center of all the Varsity wrestlers giving them a pep talk before the final match.

These are a couple I took at the duel on the 2nd. This was actually at the high school Jake went to and wrestled for. I was able to get a picture of the "wrestling wall board" that Jake is on three different times. Its for State placers. :) Yeah, my baby rocked it in high school!

Obviously I'm still learning my new camera as I'd had it on the "Sports" setting so that it wouldn't show the display and I could snap away, so this is a little blury. But, this is Jake yelling something about elbows. Now, I know a fair amount of wrestling terms and moves, but I can't quite tell you what this is all about. I can tell you all about single and double legs, and cross faces and cradles, and how they calculate points, but I can't tell you the finer points of wrestling. Sorry, that's what I have my husband for to explain that to me. ;) Oh and my in-laws. They of course had two boys who wrestled so they know ALL about it. I love listening to them yell and cheer at matches. They crack me up!

And I just like this one. Jake is so focused during the matches. He loves this sport and is having an amazing time coaching. Just think, in a few years he might be a head coach. Wow, I can soooooo wait for that day! :)

Coach Jake

After the Summer Games Jake realized how much he missed Wrestling, but more so, how much he missed the Coaching aspect. As he watched the high school age kids he would think, that guy is too high, that kid is too low, he needs to this-that, etc.

So around the end of June he started looking on the School District websites to see about getting on at a high school as an Assistant Coach. I remember when we met that Jake told me one of his dreams for the future was to one day be a Wrestling Coach. Of course, not for a full time job, but because he loved it so much, and it was his passion. Jake wrestled since he was 5 until 20, when he had to have his knee scoped in college. I thought yeah sure, maybe one day...and that time has come for him!

Jake applied for the Assistant Coaching position at a brand new high school, and interviewed in early July. Let me tell you, putting together a Sports resume was a first for us! Once it was all done and put together, man he looked super impressive on paper! :) They finally made a decision, and he found out in late July that he got it! The Head Coach and Principal both told Jake that he came highly recommended to them! We are so proud of him, and we're looking forward to Wrestling season this year!

The logo for Stansbury High....the Stallions!

Dear Blog

Dear Blog,

Yes, yes, I know. You are feeling neglected. However, Blog, you need to realize that so many things are going on and making REAL LIFE busy for our little family. Yes, I know you understand, and that you are all for us having a great time making memories and taking fun pictures so that I can then upload them here for you, Blog.

What is that you ask? What have we been so busy doing that I've been neglecting you so harshly? Well, let me tell you.....

First, there have been the day to day things.

Gardening:

(and earning $$ for allowance!)

Catching up with friends:

(George's going away party)

BBQ at the neighbor's house:

Work:

(no pictures, sorry Blog)

Kandi was promoted at work and now works in the Finance Dept. processing the Accounts Payables. Its a very busy and a bit stressful of a job, but she loves the work and the company she's called home for 2 years now.

And then there are always the funny random things that make us laugh each day and appreciate our funny kids.

This, dear Blog, is what happens when a train goes over a "cliff". Just ask Brady! ;) His track went from his bedroom, down the hall, and then down the stairs...to the demise of all the trains you see here.

Then there have been a few road trips we've taken.

First was to Colorado Springs for Lauren's graduation. Unfortunately we were having too much fun just hanging out so there weren't many pictures. Mainly just the scenery, and a visit to Garden of the Gods for a few prime pictures before it was a massive downpour on us! But, I do have some funny hotel pictures! The kids love hotels, and think hotels are the coolest things ever. Guess we know we'll never have a problem traveling with them!

And this quite possibly (according to the kids) was the COOLEST SHOWER EVER! It was just very cool looking so they kept talking about the shower so much that I took a picture of them with it.

Then it was off to Cedar City so Jake could wrestle in the Summer Games. This was during his warm up, when he didn't know I was snapping pics!

Also, there's been a fair amount of hard work going on at the Phillips house. Jake has lost 34 pounds so far this year, and Kandi has lost 15. Both are committed to healthier eating, better focus on staying fit, and staying active and busy with the kids. However, neither is quite done yet and will continue down this road!

Gwynie has worked very hard on her grades all year long and ALMOST has straight A's. Math is the only grade at a B! We couldn't be more proud of her and her hard work, and dilligence to homework and classwork.

Brady's also been working VERY hard on lecturing to all of us about all the different animals that inhabit this planet. Brady has become quite the Animal Planet buff and can recall endless (and I mean ENDLESS!) facts about all sorts of animals.

The other hard work has been on Kandi's part and can hardly be classified as work, but more of working the creative juices! Kandi will have her very first published card appear in the CARDS Magazine in November! Its very exciting and such a sweet sense of accomplishment for a hobby she's passionate about. But, you can't see the card until December, a month after the book has been out....so there Blog!

So Blog, are you happy now? Of course there are other things that will need to be posted later, like Brady's Kindergarten Program (no pics but video - too dark in the gym!), funny stories and things the kids have said recently, and Gwynie's birthday this weekend! But Blog, I will definately try not to leave a month gap again! Hopefully by that next time I post, you can expect more frequent updates like you've enjoyed in the past.

The Phillips Family