choices...

We've had a lot going on the past few weeks. Track ended for the girls. It was a short season. Caylin had fun trying out different events and Megan stuck with her 400, 800, and 4 x 4. She had strong competition in the 800 this year and got a 3rd place ribbon at districts. She won the 400 and was so excited for the 4 x 4 when she got the heart wrenching news that she couldn't run it. Apparently there was a change in the middle school ruling where the 400 was being considered a distance race. The standard ruling is that you can only participate in 4 total events and no more than 2 distance in a meet. One of the coaches had run a couple of his kids in more than the allowed and another coach brought that to the attention of the officiators. So for the last race - the 4 x 4 they were going to enforce the 400 as distance rule and that meant Megan had already run 2 distance races. I was ready to cry with her. The alternate for the team ran and they placed 2nd. Megan hopped up on the awards stand with them! She had a chance to go to state and run it but it's on the same day as the ward youth temple trip and she would like to go to that - so that's how middle school track ended for Meg. She's excited to compete with the HS next year. I'm so pleased with the maturity she showed in how she handled this disappointment. It must be due to the fact that she turned 14 in April! (I missed her birthday post - I'll have to catch up)

Caylin turned 12 on May 10th and we had a family dinner and party for her and to celebrate Mother's Day. Since neither one of us wanted to do much in the kitchen we bought Costco rolls and mini angel food cakes for our Strawberry Shortcakes!

Our kids get "friend parties" every 4 years - when they're 4,8,12, and 16 - then the special occasion like golden birthdays - which Megan had last year, and graduation - which Ryan didn't want. At first Caylin wanted to have a party at "The Vault" and do some rock climbing but then she must have done some liability considering because she changed her mind to making pizza, having candy bar cake (in a bundt) and watching Hotel for Dogs.

The pizzas were great and the girls had fun making them.

The bundt idea worked pretty well. We usually do this in a 9 x 13. We generally call this "The Score Bar Cake"(it's actually one of the Better than... varieties) but Caylin wanted some crushed up Symphony bar on it too!

A couple of other things going on around here...We had a great talk with Ryan last week on Mother's day. His release date is Sept. 8th.

Kyle moved out. He decided that he's 18 and doesn't want to be here anymore. So I hope it all works out for him. He's wanting to finish up his HS (he's finishing that up online) and then enlist in the Navy.

Grandpa Madden had a heart attack and is in the hospital in Roseburg. He had gone with James to visit some relatives and Thursday morning when they were getting ready to leave, Grandpa was having some problems breathing and the paramedics came and took him by ambulance to the hospital. So our prayers are with him.