Band Concert

Temple trip and Cardston fun run

Michelle and her kids came to Cardston this weekend. Sherylee is also here for a month or so. On Friday, we took the kids to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. It was Chad's first time. It was a nice experience to be together as family in the temple. We had 4 Melchezidek priesthood holders in the family to help perform the ordinances.

 On Saturday morning, quite a few of us participated in the Cardston 5K/5M family fun run. I love this event. It is great for kids and non-runners as all kids and most adults get a prize and the top three in each age group in both the 5K race and the 5M race get a medal. The after race food is also good. It is cheap to enter and everyone gets a shirt--for the adults, they are nice running shirts. This race is also excellent in the sense that the distances are accurate and the race is chip timed.
Preston and I as well as Granny and Grandpa Paul entered the 5K race. I normally run the 5M, but I have only just started training again and I didn't want to injure myself. I ran in 28:40 which is better than I thought I'd do, but about 3 minutes slower than I was running 5K at the end of triathlons last summer. So I guess I have some training to do if I am going to do triathlons again this year. Preston finished just barely ahead of Granny (thanks Granny!) at just under 40:00 and Grandpa came in 5 minutes later.
Keston, Chad, Nathan and Sherylee ran the 5 miles. Keston has been running cross country and finished strong in just over 43 minutes. Chad was right there with him, just a couple of steps behind--which is quite amazing since he is younger and hasn't been training. Sherylee came in next and then Nathan.
Several of us got medals and prizes and Grandpa Paul won the grand prize gift basket which had goodies he shared with the kids. Overall it was a great day!

Granny and Preston at the finish

Keston finishing with Chad coming in behind.

Grandpa  Paul at the finish--ran the whole race in his hat!

The runners

Spring Sports

Like many families, we have been hopping this spring juggling spring sports that all try to squeeze into that narrow window after the snow melts and before school is out. Preston played soccer and baseball (coach pitch). He started out with basically no skills, and though he is not the superstar yet, he has improved a lot. Alyssa played spring league basketball and has started Volleyball in preparation for next fall's team. She is also just starting swim club. Alyssa and Austin also participated in track and field. Alyssa made it to the divisional meet in discus and shot put, and placed 5th in shot put at the divisional meet. 

This is Preston on Kite Day. Austin lent him his Spiderman kite. I wish I had taken Austin out of school to give us help. Preston and I were not very good at flying it.

The above video is of Alyssa throwing the discus as the school track meet. She came 2nd and was able to go to divisionals in both discus and shot put. At divisionals she was one of the last to throw in discus. By then a couple of girls had thrown about 2 feet farther than she had at the school meet. Since the school meet, she had practiced throwing with a spin, and had thrown a few times even farther than the girls at divisionals. So she took a chance and threw with a spin at divisionals. Unfortunately all her throws ended up out of bounds. Maybe by next year, she will master the spinning technique and become a contender.

Preston at soccer

Preston hits the ball in baseball.

Preston running the bases

Austin in the 100 m race at the school track meet. Sorry it is so blurry. 

Bucking Brad

Monte, Sherylee and Brad came up to Canada for Kayden's graduation from High School. After a family dinner on Saturday, Brad played bucking bronco with the boys. What a great sport. The kids loved it.