Ammon's 8th Grade Wrestling Season -- State Champ!!

Ammon had a great year wrestling for Champions wrestling club this year. We had to play the school vs. club game again this year, but it went much better for us. Ammon attended 12 different tournaments this year with a final record of 28-2 with 20 of his wins coming by pin. He took 1st place at the Caleb Williams Tournament, Delta Duals, Wasatch Open, and the Juab Open. Ammon likes the quick pin, so one time when he was "toying" with his opponent
to get more mat time, his coaches were all yelling at him to just pin the kid. It was funny and Ammon ended up with a double technical fall because of score keeping errors!

Ammon has a unique way of intimidating the other wrestlers. He makes friends with them! That is really unusual in the wrestling world where teams and individuals tend to keep to themselves. Ammon goes right up to them and asks who is his weight. He talks to the guys, finds out what
his competition is, and totally relaxes them.
It catches them completely off guard when he attacks!

Ammon has learned a lot this year, and has done really well. He also had to learn some tough lessons, and thanks to a wonderful coach, Craig LaMont, has been able to get past a couple of hurdles determined to work harder and get even better. Even though he will only be in 9th grade and still in jr high next year, Ammon will be wrestling with the high school team. He is more than a little overwhelmed and intimidated by that
thought. Because of his size (he wrestled at 170 lbs. this year) he will most likely be wrestling older, more experienced kids next year and wasn't looking forward to taking a beating every week. Especially after winning so much this year. Coach LaMont has helped him see his potential better, and Ammon has committed to working hard in the off season ( well, except for during football) so that he will be even more competitive next year.


Ammon ended this season with a repeat as state champion. It was a loooong couple of days of wrestling in Roy, but he was able to walk away with a gold medal. The junior high team also took first and the middle school team took second. These are a bunch of great kids, and I'm glad Ammon has the opportunity to be around them and learn from them. He's made some good friends, and had some excellent role models. I'm very pleased with the young man Ammon is growing into. He's becoming
something pretty special. I love you Ammon!!

Jordyn's Birthday (The Princess Turns 5)

Jordyn had her birthday on January 28 and turned 5 years old. It's hard to believe that my little bonus baby is five!! We all remember the day she entered the world like it was yesterday. Jordyn is a little spitfire and isn't shy about sharing her opinions. She perfectly embodies the childrens poem about the little girl with the curl, but we all love her and she has everyone wrapped around her little finger. She brings something to our family that could never be replaced, something we never knew we needed until she came along.


Because of work schedules and such, Jordyn got to celebrate for two days! I think the best part of making her cake was when Dennis asked me if I made it or bought it, and then Jenn asked how I got Macey's to make a Littlest Pet Shop Cake. Thanks Mom for teaching me to decorate cakes! The whole family was here, including the cousins. It wouldn't be a birthday without them!

















The next day, we went to Chuck E. Cheese for lunch, Build-A-Bear, and Toys R Us. Jordyn loves making a stuffed animal for her birthday. Little did I realize the annual tradition I was creating the first time I took her there for her birthday!! She chose to get more Littlest Pet Shop toys with her birthday money from Grandpa. That is her current favorite thing.


While we were at Chuck E Cheese, Jordyn got to see Chuck E, and played games until she was tired and asked to leave. Can you believe it?

The biggest problem we face now is waiting until fall so she can start kindergarten. She doesn't quite understand why she can't go to school now that she's 5, but I think I'll miss her next year.

Happy Birthday, We Love you Jordyn!!!

Jennifer & Adam's Big Day!!

When Jennifer was 15 she attended our stake youth conference, which was a pioneer trek. In her "family" she met the man of her dreams. He was tall and had amazing blue eyes. She was smitten immediately, him, not so much. Fast forward a few years, Adam had returned from his mission to Spain and Jenn had just graduated from high school. She was living in Provo, attending BYU, and went to another friends mission homecoming. Well, Adam didn't even recognize Jenn, and she didn't want to embarass him, so they didn't speak. Next thing we knew, they were together pretty much all the time.

After they'd been dating for over a year, it was pretty much a forgone conclusion that they would be getting married, it was just a question of when. They kept talking about May, after school was out for the summer, so that was what we all had in our heads. Then, in October, Jenn asked me what we would think about them getting married in January. Are you kidding me?? Three months to plan a wedding with the holidays right in the middle of that? Ok, I'm wonder woman, we can do this.

Jenn and Adam were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on January 15. As we were driving to Salt Lake that morning, the sky was really hazy and overcast with lots of fog. It was so cold that the trees were covered in frost. We went inside and I helped Jenn get ready, then we went outside for pictures before the ceremony. It was still freezing but the sky had cleared some, and the sun was starting to peek out.


They took pictures until it was time to go back inside and get ready. The temple workers took us all up to the sealing room to wait for the bride and groom. While we were sitting there, I kept hoping that I would somehow know that my mom was there. The sealer was quite elderly, and because of some things he said, like calling Adam Brother Angie, it was pretty hard to feel anything spiritual. However, as they knelt at the alter to exchange their vows, I had such a strong feeling that my mom was sitting right next to me. I felt that if I had turned my head I would see her. I am so grateful that I was allowed to know she was there with us on that special day.

After the sealing ceremony, we went outside to join the others and wait for the presentation of Mr. & Mrs. Ainge and more pictures. Jennifer's bridesmaides were Jayme, Ashley Kay and McKell Miner. Adam's groomsmen were Weston Ainge, Clay Bingham and Jared Oldham. By the time they were finished with pictures, we barely had time to rush home for the reception.

Their reception was held at our church building. I had wonderful friends who helped with the food, and we had hired decorators. That was money well spent!! The hall was beautiful, and everything went perfectly, it was such a wonderful day. You could just see the joy on Jenn and Adam's faces, they were so, so happy, and we are happy for them.

I often thought how hard it would be to see my daughter get married and not be my little girl anymore. I wondered how we could ever accept someone into our family and love him like a son. How could we grow to love him the way our daughter did, and trust him to take care of her? Well, I guess this one was meant to be, because it was much easier than I ever thought it would be. Adam has truly become part of our family, and it was completely natural for them to get married. I still have flashes of not wanting to let go, but it's getting easier each day. When I see how happy they are and how good they are together, I know it's a good thing. I really have learned to love Adam as part of our family, and I'm glad to have him in it.

Ammon's Birthday

Ammon's 14th birthday was December 27, and as usual, it kind of gets mixed in with all of the holiday celebrating. It's kind of a bummer for Ammon and I feel bad about that, but with it being right after Christmas, no one really wants birthday cake.

Ammon is a great kid and we love him. He is sweet and kind to his little sister, Jordyn, and a big tease to everyone else. Especially his little brother, Matthew. He is kind of like an overgrown puppy dog. Sometimes it's hard to remember he's still only 14.

Happy Birthday Ammon, I love you!!