Winning Season

Dylan just finished an amazing season of flag football!

As a parent you come into every season not expecting much, cause you can't.  We noticed early on that Dylan's team was mostly all...well, short compared to the other teams.  They lost their scrimmage game and also their first season game.  However, after that they found their groove, they learned to work together and pulled out victories for the rest of the season and also in their tournament game for the first place position!!!  They worked hard to get to the top!  I was so proud of them!  

Dylan was also the official, but very unofficial QB for the team.  After the first few games he struggled with this and complained to me that he wished the coach would put him in as a receiver when they played offense.  He realized how much pressure and sometimes disappointing it can be to be the QB.  But as the season continued he came to enjoy it and realized how much he was progressing.  He did an outstanding job!  I even overheard a parent from the opposing team talking to his wife who had missed the game say  "their QB was this short kid who could throw amazing!"  I'm just proud that he continued to grow even though it wasn't always easy!

This is Dylan's good buddy Johnathan.  This pair  made so many touchdowns!  They both have football blood.

Dylan's First Track Meet

Dylan had crazy hair day his last week of school (a few weeks ago.)  He now wishes he could wear his hair this way everyday.  Surprisingly, it stayed all day long thanks to Jaz who recommended some amazing hair product!

The week after he got out he was in a running camp for a week and on the weekend there was a track meet.  Dylan is now a huge fan of competitive running.  Let's be honest, he is a fan of anything competitive.

Dylan ran a 100 and an 800.  Please excuse the crazy woman screaming in the first video.

He won his 100m heat by a lot, even though he was looking more at his competition than the finish line.

 He also ran the 800 with all boys ages 6-12.  Since he was the only boy in his age group running the 800, he automatically got 1st place.  I mentioned this to him before the race, he was of course pleased.  I didn't know if this would change how well he decided to run.

He placed 4th over all!!!  I just loved this picture because it is of the line of placers for the 800, the boy in purple on the right being first.  Just to give you an idea of how well he did.

He was really sad that he missed his hurdles (he said they were his favorite) because between races he had to go play his last flag football game- which they won in major overtime!

Whew.  And after all that, he said he still wasn't tired!

Our First Blue and Gold

The begging of the end has arrived! Dylan has begun his scouting career. He received his Bob Cat award at our Blue and Gold banquet a few weeks ago. Luckily he shared this big first as well as his baptism with his good buddy Ben...He has already mentined more than once how much he loves scouts and how he wishes every night was scouts. He also loves his den leader, Jane, who also gave the most wonderful talk at their baptism. He asks often to go say hi to her since we are kinda neighbors. And of course the best part of every Blue and Gold...the plethora of desert!One of my callings is part of the cub committee. I put together the center pieces. I will have to admit, they turned out rather cute but they took longer to make than I imagined!
Scouting here we come!

Dylan's Baptism

Dylan Connor Thompson, my first born child, was baptized Saturday, March 3rd. I was proud yet so humbled by this wonderful experience. I am amazed that the outstanding young man Dylan has become.

Dylan was baptized by his Dad, and both his Grandfathers were there to be whiteness and to stand in the circle when he received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

We really are proud parents, can't you tell?Even Cami, Connor's sister came down from Cleveland to attend the baptism. All these wonderful people made this day even more special...

We of course had to enjoy the time we had with family in town. We ditched school and wen to the children's museum to make pizza...
And be pirates...
We went to Pullen Park to climb like monkeys...
And pretend to be part of the Swiss family Robinsons. Okay so we really road the carousel till we got sick (well, just Connor)...
And we sailed like captains...
And road like... well, just passengers...
My parents brought with them a lamp my grandfather brought home from Japan, I'm in love...
Of course we had to take advantage of Papa Steve's handy-man skills. Since Corbin is attached to Papa Steve's hip he became quite a good little helper. He put in two new electrical outlets, fixed our stair railing (once and for all), fixed a few drafty windows, re-caulked a shower... And Hung a swing from the deck...
And of course we played hard...
We love and miss you all already! Come back soon!

8 IS Great

I can't believe how fast 8 years has gone. I also can't remember what it was like without Dylan in my life. Sure, we endured some "difficult" years with Dylan when he was an infant/toddler, but now he is a pretty GREAT kid. I am so proud to watch him reap the rewards of his hard work. I am also amazed to watch him help his siblings struggle, he notices and then finds a unique and fun way to help them. I am so happy that I have such a great example for my other kids to follow!

Dylan requested a Skylander themed party. Sadly, they are too new for me to copy any party ideas off the internet. I also got really lazy with the cake as you can see, but I am not sorry.

Each guest created and original Skylander. They drew their pictures and wrote a bio for each one. This was pretty cool to see how creative these guys can be...

We then played "guess the Skylander." I didn't realized how much these kids knew about the characters!We did what all Skylanders do... we search for "things." We had a two team "Treasure and Eternal Sources Quest" (aka scavenger hunt.) This was one serious game!

Presents were a hit of course! Thanks everyone! Thankfully, only one present was Skylanders...Since the boys were literally bouncing off each other, as if I had pumped them all full of sugar or something, we had to head outside. Of course, Dylan put together a game of football...Happy Birthday My not so little man!

Tis the Season for Flag Football

I hate to brag, but I'm gunna. So if you don't want to hear it don't read this post.
Football is always 10 times better with one of your best friends (Ben).

For those of you who KNOW Dylan you know he is quite an athlete. We could see it in him even at age 1. Had he not been our first child we would have realized how extraordinary he really was. I also assumed he might grow out of being ahead of others his age, but he hasn't. This kid can do ANYTHING. Right now he is really enjoying flag football. I ALMOST feel bad, but he has scored 95% of his teams points this season. There was only one game he didn't score. Most of his points are running down the entire field. He also does a great job in defense- he can catch just about anyone. His teammates beg that he not be put on the sideline.
I have to say it- I am pretty darn proud to be his mamma on the sideline! I also would like to think that I taught him all he knows or that his athleticism is from my side of the family. But I can't really. He's all natural!He's really enjoying watching football with Connor, he begs us to stay up late to watch and also turns down the neighbor boys when a good game is on. Connor is in heaven! They even have their own touchdown "cheer." It goes a little like this... Utes score, Connor turns to Dylan and puts his hands on Dylan's chest and gives him a bunch of little shakes while they booth hoot.
When we realized how athletic Dylan was I also assumed he would be more average on the intellectual side. However, he proved me wrong there too.
This kid is unbelievably smart. He was excelling at school last year so we put him in a private school this year for second grade. He is doing all third grade work and it still comes easily to him. He has straight A's in all his classes (yes, he changes classes for each subject.)

Can you tell I'm proud of his hard work? I love you buddy!

2nd Grade

Our summer was quite a big shorter than most. We put Dylan in a new school where we hope he will be more challenged. I am just not getting around to showing you what a cute 2nd grader her his... just two weeks late.He was VERY excited, and still is about his new school...

Big SEVEN

Friday this handsome fella turned 7

Instead of worrying about how old he is I am more worried about how old he makes me and how I only have a year left to prepare him for baptism!

We "kicked off" his 7th year right with a football themed party.

Dylan was very adament that this party be a Utah vs. BYU party. So everything was blue and red.

When our guests arrived they autographed a football of choice.

They then headed upstairs for Coach Connor's Football training Camp.

There was a lot of hiking, punting, throwing, jump n' jacking, and push upping.

Then they raced through a obstacle course...

Running down the line

Crawling through a tunnel with ball in hand...

Around the cones, high jump over your "opponent" and into the end zone.

Finish it off with Football game foods with a football cake and ice cream!

I am so proud of Dylan. He is brimming with enthusiasm for life. If I bragged about all of Dylan's talents we might be here too long.

State Fair

This post is long past due. Connor and I have been making a priority to go on dates with our children. It was my turn to go out with Dylan. The State Fair was up and running. So we decided to go.

I would have to admit that the only reason I wanted to go was because EVERYONE in the city of Raleigh goes EVERY year and they count down the days till it comes again. On the other hand, it has NO appeal for me whatsoever. However, I have a deep ingrained desire to never be left out of anything fun, so I talked myself into taking Dylan for just an hour or two.

Dylan on the kiddy roller coaster...

The giant trampoline...

This kid loves Cotton Candy...

I DO NOT!!!

Memorable Moments:

1. I tried to lighten my load by only brining my credit card, which they DO NOT TAKE!!! Only out of prayer were we able to find some friends to borrow money from.

2. Feeling my heart speed race at just the sight of how many people there were- the line to park, the line to buy a ticket, the line to get on a ride, so many people you can barely walk straight. I do not like crowds, nope not at all. I am not a patient person. All of you who know my recent accidents know that they all stem from this weakness!

3. The smells- sweet and greasy foods everywhere!

But I was honored to be on a date with this cute man, who made the unbearable, bearable!

This doesn't mean you will be seeing me there next year though!

Two Front Teeth

Last week we had our first visit from the one and only...This guy lost two teeth in one week...As a parent, why is it so exciting when our children have loose teeth? Are we more excited than they are since we know the tooth fairy personally? And is it an instinct to try to "help" them get those danglers out?

Connor has vivid memories of his Dad playing the "masterful tooth puller." So he of course was determined that he inherited this from his father. Let's just say it didn't go over too well when he tried it out.

From Dylan's perspective I am sure it is quite frustrating to have a tooth literally hanging out of your mouth, yet your pain tolerance is like ZERO!

Connor and I each took turns nudging the first tooth out between screams and crying. Dylan had asked us to pull it but then became quite angry when he felt the pain and saw the blood. Later in the evening I got lucky with my fast twitch finger and freed that little tooth! So two days later when the first tooth's next door neighbor was also very loose I decided to try my lucky finger twitch again. I realized that tooth must not have been so loose! Let's just say Dylan was not too in love with his mother right at that moment. Low and behold a little wrestling allowed that little tooth to join his neighbor in the tooth fairy's pouch, where they are superbly happy!

And here is to many more!