Matthew Basketball

Matthew played basketball again this year. His coaches were Dennis and Adam. He had lots of fun playing with his friends, and learned a lot.
















Matthew played great defense.

















Adam was a great coach, and very patient.

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!!

Christmas 2009

Last year I posted about dreading Christmas and hating it. This year I have made a real effort to be positive and relaxed and enjoy the holiday. I am happy to report success!! We had a great holiday with everyone home, and I managed to keep sane and smiling.

On Christmas eve, the kids all sleep in the same room together. They started doing this when there were only the 3 oldest. The girls were already in the same room, and Michael wanted to be with them. It has become one of their favorite traditions. I'm not quite sure how it will work next year after Jennifer is married. Adam isn't quite sold on the idea yet. Here they are sliding a mattress to the basement for the big sleepover.



When Jayme was no older than 1 or 2, we got a pop-up book of "The Night Before Christmas" That first year, Dennis read it to Jayme every night for several weeks before Christmas. She actually had it memorized and "read" along with him. The book has survived and so has the tradition of Dennis reading the book on Christmas eve. This was after we had our nice dinner with Dad and Scott and having Dad read from the Bible.


Several years ago, the kids were all posing in their new pj's and taking pictures. This pose quickly became their favorite, and they re-enact it every year. Again, not too sure how it will go next year...


When the kids were little, they always got matching Christmasy pajamas. As they've gotten older, their jammie requests have changed to sweats, shorts, t-shirts, etc. I guess that's ok, but the pictures aren't nearly as cute.


Christmas day was spent basically just hanging out, playing with toys and eating. Oh yeah, and napping was pretty high on the list too. I'm so glad we made the switch from Christmas dinner to Christmas Eve dinner. It has made Christmas day so much more relaxing and enjoyable. This year was the last Christmas we will have all of our children living at home for the holiday. Jenn will be getting married in two weeks, and next year Michael will likely be on his mission. Our family is growing and changing, and I'm not sure I like it. I know change is inevitable, and I love to see the kids maturing and becoming adults, but I don't do change well. It's sure a mixed bag of emotions.

This is Sunday after Christmas. We didn't do Christmas dresses this year, so I caught the kids off guard, but I still think they look great!!

Michael's Senior Football Season

From the very first moment Michael knew how to play, football has been his absolute favorite sport. He absolutely loves to play football. Michael has never been the biggest kid on the field or the fastest kid on the field, but he has the most desire and determination. He is in the weight room every single morning, working hard to get stronger and bigger. Michael has never gotten any breaks for favors from anyone. He has worked his butt off for everything that he has ever gotten.

He decided a long time ago that he much preferred playing defense. He said it was much better to hit someone else than to get hit. Michael was a varsity starter at strong side linebacker this year. It didn't take the other teams long to figure out that they needed to stay away from #12, but that didn't stop Michael. He ended up leading the team in tackles, was 2nd in region and 18th in state (4A) with 75 tackles, 3 sacks, and one interception. They don't keep track of tackles for loss or hurries, but Michael was in the backfield nearly every time.

We had a couple of scary weeks though. Michael had been complaining of his shoulder hurting, and one week after the game, he was sobbing. He couldn't lift his arm. He was so afraid that he wouldn't be able to finish the season. We got him some good physical therapy, and he healed remarkably well. He didn't miss a single game.

I am so proud of Michael and the great leader and young man that he is. It was sad to see the season end for him. It was a shoulda, coulda, woulda year for his team. They should have beaten Sprinville and gotten 1st in region, then they could have been in the other half of the bracket for state play-offs, and they would have played in the state final at Rice Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah. Oh well. They still had a great season, took second in region, and were eliminated by the 4 time state championship team in the state quarterfinals. Not too shabby.






This picture shows Michael and Travis Still helping the kid up that they just sacked. Great job boys!
Here are his stats from the Deseret News.

Michael Stone

Spanish Fork

Height: 6-0

Weight: 190 lbs.

• Football

• Defense

2009 – Spanish Fork – Pos:RB/LB – #12	Tackles		Sacks	Interceptions
Nov. 6, 2009 – at Timpview	10
Oct. 30, 2009 – Pine View	8		1
Oct. 22, 2009 – at Maple Mountain	13		1
Oct. 14, 2009 – at Uintah	2
Oct. 9, 2009 – Springville	4
Oct. 2, 2009 – Payson	12
Sept. 25, 2009 – at Salem Hills	4		1
Sept. 11, 2009 – Box Elder	9
Sept. 4, 2009 – Orem	3
Aug. 28, 2009 – at Bountiful	5
Aug. 21, 2009 – Mountain View	5			1
	Tackles	TPG	Sacks	Interceptions
2009 Total (11 games)	75	6.8	3	1
	Tackles	TPG	Sacks	Interceptions
Career Total (11 games)	75	6.8	3	1

Record: 8-3

Date	Game	Time/result
Fri. Aug. 21, 2009	Spanish Fork 49, Mountain View 28 Final	W
Fri. Aug. 28, 2009	Bountiful 34, Spanish Fork 7 Final	L
Fri. Sept. 4, 2009	Spanish Fork 49, Orem 14 Final	W
Fri. Sept. 11, 2009	Spanish Fork 48, Box Elder 14 Final	W
Fri. Sept. 25, 2009	Spanish Fork 61, Salem Hills 34 Final	W
Fri. Oct. 2, 2009	Spanish Fork 47, Payson 31 Final	W
Fri. Oct. 9, 2009	Springville 33, Spanish Fork 27 Final	L
Wed. Oct. 14, 2009	Spanish Fork 42, Uintah 7 Final	W
Thu. Oct. 22, 2009	Spanish Fork 56, Maple Mountain 12 Final	W
Fri. Oct. 30, 2009	4A FIRST ROUND Spanish Fork 33, Pine View 25 Final	W
Fri. Nov. 6, 2009	4A QUARTERFINAL Timpview 57, Spanish Fork 22 Final	L