Saunders Stories

Yes, hard to believe! It was just yesterday she was a little china doll baby! She is definitely ready to take on the world! Too bad, she has to tough it out at home for one more year!

I wish I was this cute when I was in high school!

On their odd years, we have a family birthday, which means they get to choose where to go for dinner. Summer chose ON RICE. YUM. She always orders I AM SWEET AND SOUR, and of course, peanut sauce. I love family dinners. A favorite quote from tonight from Aidan: “Uh, well, I have a good memory from things that were long ago, but not a good memory for things that just happened!”

Then we headed home for birthday cake and presents!

Summer is in the birthday chair. For seven years now, this has been the birthday chair. But my preschool kids will tell you that Ms. Mimi says every chair is a birthday chair! LOL! Every year, the kids get to choose their cakes. Summer chose a nice large Costco White cake with Vanilla Mousse. Good for me, because I won’t eat as much! I can’t believe all those candles!

The third book in the Hunger Games series came out yesterday. We all cannot wait for Summer to read it first (for her birthday of course!) so we can get our hands on it! We also have Catching Fire, but I borrowed Hunger Games, so I bought her that too because this little bookworm loves to reread and reread books.

Aaron being his inappropriate self, but cracking the family up in the process, also notice his nice smile–braces are off! His ortho did good work!

Okay, so what is out of place here? Every kid AND puppy is looking at the camera with a nice smile and you’ve got DAD not following directions! Notice, the Watermelon Arizona (Summer’s favorite drink) and money to go towards a new phone. Of course, her big present was paying for half her ticket to CALI.

Happy Birthday SumSumSquash! We love you and are excited for you to take on your new adventures this year!

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Well, we thought the summer tournament season was over for Michelle and her team, but last minute, literally as we were walking out the door to take Jeremy to the airport, her trainer who coaches the older team in her club asked if she and some friends would like to play for his team in the Snohomish Bigfoot. Well…since we were down that way (30 minutes away) at my mom’s, we couldn’t resist! And it was worth it! Although I could do without driving up and down I-5 for a long time!

The team consisted of 5 U13, 5 U14, and 6 U15 girls. They played in the Premier U15 Division, which is the most competitive and the younger girls definitely impressed the coaches. They won all their games going into the Finals!

Michelle had a great tournament. I think she was nervous playing against older girls and for different coaches, and I hear when you are nervous, you play better with all that energy, and she did. She owned the middle with fantastic plays, setting up things left and right, and stood out in the semi’s when Grandpa and Grandma came to watch as she kept the ball up so the strikers could score. She even scored the only goal in their first game with a hard shot from the middle.

Lest you think I am partial, her three coaches for the weekend thought she stood out as well, as they named her Player of the Tournament! It’s so great when a midfielder gets recognized. The strikers always get the glory, even the goalie stands out, and the defenders stand out when they shut people down, but it’s these little hardworking midfielders who distribute the ball so well and defend, and play offense, they are all over the place! Michelle ran herself ragged this tournament! (She was REALLY embarrassed about this surprise award)

Here she is with the girls from her actual team, they had so much fun and learned a great deal from playing with the older girls as well as hearing from different coaches! I saw each of them improve during the course of the tournament!

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Aidan has been on vacation mode since the day school let out. To motivate him to read, read, read, I posed that he read 500 pages to earn a Sounders FC Jersey. He chose to read Harry Potter and How to Be a Pirate. He read them so fast, that I was suspect, so I quizzed him and he knew all the answers. Hmm…another good reader on our hands, I think he reads faster than me.

He needs a haircut, has bedhead, but he is the cutest fan out there! Here he is supporting Michelle at her soccer game

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AT LAST! I have lived in Bellingham for seven years and have never gone to this famous fair. It seems every summer around fair time we are gone or busy. This year, I made it a goal to go, and once again, we were really busy, as in three members of the family were out of the state and Michelle had a soccer tournament. So I farmed Michelle out and took my little man Aidan with me. We did whatever he wanted, which meant no vendors, booths, or shows, but ride after ride til he was sick! Next year, I am going with someone who wants to do other things! Any takers?

Yep, we are in Lynden

Where’s Aidan?

Can you see him now?

He’s up there somewhere!

How was the ride?

This has been such a beautiful summer, blue skies and warm

I even ran into one of my favorite friends!

Yes we did share that and we did indeed finish it without a problem–this was Aidan’s favorite memory of the fair

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Summer has been working (babysitting the neighbors’ kids) all summer long and saving up for a plane ticket to California to visit one of her good friends, Mackenzie. She actually was able to earn enough and then some, so we gave her back half the money as a birthday present. This was her first time on a plane by herself, I could tell she was a little nervous, but she made it, and I haven’t heard but two words from her, so obviously they are having a great time!

I stole this pic off of FB (gotta love technology!) The first night they went to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and rode roller coasters. I am so jealous she’s in CA!

On the other hand, Aaron is also down in CA with my brother Anthony, who needed a back up patient to do his final boards on. Unfortunately, Aaron was just the back up and didn’t get his mouth worked on, but he got a free trip to CA and lots of spending money from Grandma. How does that work? Get cavities, and get a free trip! LUCKY! I hope they are both having the time of their lives!

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With Summer and Aaron in California and dad in Florida, the two little ones and I went to visit the Seattle Waterfront before we had to rush off to Michelle’s soccer game. We hit the aquarium and then lunch on the waterfront. We paid way too much for everything, but it was fun!

Gotta love these photo ops!

Aidan and the trumpet fish

This skater kind of freaked me out with his face looking almost human!

Aidan is fascinated with hobos–here is one such sighting

Random statues along the waterfront!

Michelle wanted a picture with the bear too.

Chowder, fries, and ice cream–the lunch of champions–well maybe, since Michelle scored a goal in her game later that day! I love spending time with these friends of mine! I can’t believe how big they are getting!

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Michelle’s teammate invited her team and family out to their gorgeous house on Lake Samish to celebrate after our recent tournament. We usually have tournaments during heat waves, and so it was pretty stinkin’ hot, which was perfect for some water fun.

Aidan insisted that he was not going to be dragged to another party…

He insisted that he was not going to have a good time…

Parties like this are essential to team building. The girls on our team get along really well when they are all together and they have a great time. This transfers on to the soccer field. While other teams fight amongst each other, her teammates are very supportive of each other and positive and encouraging on the field. Probably why we win more than we lose. I also enjoy all the parents on this team. There are some really really nice folks here, and Jeremy and I have a great time and some great memories of going out with these parents.

I was actually surprised that DAD decided to join in on the waterfun!

Dumping Michelle off the trampoline–I love how the other girls got a kick out of this!

FARMER’S TAN!

Miss Summer dipping her feet in

Even I got in the water. I could get used to living on the lake…PS–Aaron is in California with Uncle Anthony for a week. We sure miss him!

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Young women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, remember who you are! You are elect. You are daughters of God. You cannot be a generation of young women who are content to fit in. You must have the courage to stand out, to “arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations.”¹⁰ The world would have you believe that you are not significant—that you are out of fashion and out of touch. The world calls to you with unrelenting, noisy voices to “live it up,” “try everything,” “experiment and be happy.” Conversely, the Holy Ghost whispers and the Lord invites you to “walk in the paths of virtue,” “lay aside the things of this world,” “and cleave unto [your] covenants.”–Elaine S. Dalton

All the talks at the 2010 Young Women’s conference were amazing. We have inspired leaders and the LORD knows what we are going through today. This is just a small example of what Michelle goes through daily. Here she is with her soccer team at her team party. Do you notice anything interesting? I know the other girls (who all love and admire Michelle) are just thinking Michelle has no fashion sense and is such a tomboy and doesn’t care to look cute, and sometimes it is hard to stick out like a sore thumb, but I am proud of both my girls for following the prophet and choosing the Lord instead of the world. For modesty isn’t really about how much skin you show, it’s about who’s side you are choosing. Are you choosing the Lord or the world? Simple as that. Even when it’s hard to be not popular, and appear out of style and out of touch. I love you my sweet girl.

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(Beautiful free kicks and good form)

Rangers vs. Eastside 3-0

Rangers vs. Spokane Shadow 1-2

Rangers vs. Harbor FC 1-0

For the third year in a row, Ranger Girls came out of regulation play in FIRST PLACE going into the semi-finals. This year they dominated the team they played in the semi’s taking at least 20 shots in TWO overtime periods while the other team took 0 shots, playing defense the whole game, hoping to make it to penalty kicks. Well, they got their wish, for the second tournament in a row, Ranger girls dominated in the Semi’s but could not finish and lost in PK’s. So frustrating that they were clearly the better team, possessing the ball 95% of the time yet not finishing in penalty kicks.

(Even though she’s the shortest, Michelle is a header machine! Today, she headered the ball in the air sideways passing the ball with her head straight to her teammate on the left–amazing she can think that fast on her feet!)

Michelle had a good tournament, had two assists off free kicks. Had a ton of free kicks that were just beautiful, but our girls just could not finish on them, one even hit the post and went out. She also made her penalty kick.She played most of the tournament without being subbed out, and in this heat, it was exhausting, but coach still can’t find someone to take her place, it’s a hard position to learn.

(It must be frustrating playing against girls a head or two taller than you)

Outmuscling the opponent

The line up for PK’s

The stress of taking the PK–all eyes on you

Michelle made her PK

(Michelle taking one of many gorgeous corner kicks. The Lynden HS boys’ coach said they are perfect kicks, too bad he doesn’t coach SQHS girls, we would already have an advantage, LOL!)

I look forward to the fall season, they are a stronger team, should be a good season!

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