Speaking Larsen

Landon's first basketball game of the 2016 season started out with a bang! Landon scored 14 points of  32. And they won! There is something pretty spectacular about watching your ten year old son play on the Bonneville Bees court. Something that draws the thoughts to the future with such bitter sweetness and uncertainty. You can't help but think: Maybe he'll play on this court when he's 16, too. Coming back to reality, you watch as they struggled and attempt to play as a team, and leave their days of bumblebee ball behind. This is just a few of the kids on Landon's team--I'll be sure to get a team shot soon! Also, on Friday night, he and I went shopping for a pair of basketball shoes. Should we have got them sooner, so he could break them in? Yes, but that just didn't happen. We finally found a pair he loved, at a price that didn't kill us, and they were blue. The best part is that he paid $25 dollars out of his own pocket for them. Anoth...

I don't know if I agree, but so many people thing we look a lot a like. One thing is for sure--she's definitely mine. Because she's got this serious writing streak going on. Jocelyn wrote a book--and they had a little publishing party in her 3rd grade class, which was fun to go to. But better yet, at the end of second grade, she was voted Most Likely To Be An Author. And she really, really wants to live up to that. Also, this may be one of the funniest texts that I'll ever get from an 8 year old. She went shopping, and of course, she wanted me to buy her this: (Which I did.)  And I got to spend a nice fall day with her, and all her friends visiting Mrs. Julian's mom's apple orchard. The cutest thing--I tell ya--to watch all the kids learn about apples like the've never seen them before. Also, since then, Jo is an APPLE EATER. I mean, this girl eats an whole apple, nearly every day. It's awesome, and kinda cute. THIS, HOWE...

Landon's in 5th grade, which meant that he was assigned a historical figure, and Landon got John Cabot, the man who discovered Canada. Grandpa Lynn and Grandma Cindy came, too.  He worked hard to memorize his speech, and we scrambled to find something that would look historical enough for a costume.

Catelyn was in Peter Pan this fall, and she was cast as one of Tiger Lilly's Indians. SHE LOVED IT, to say the very least. I can not express how much she loved it.  There have been tears shed that it's over. Seriously. She had to get a spray-on tan, which was a first, and wear a black wig, which with her fair skin was a dramatic change, but with the whole costume, she looked the part. The dance was really fabulous to watch, too. She made plenty of friends, learned new music, memorized dance moves, and helped with set changes. Now that it's over, she's auditioning for Rocky Mountain's musical, and we're awaiting the results. This girl loves the stage and drama, and we love her for it.

After taking the horses up into the mountains for the Pack Family Reunion in July, we decided we really needed to do it more often with the kids. The stars aligned, allowing Grandpa Lynn and Lamont to have time to take up, Kyle to have a free Saturday, and BAM! We were on the road. Some fun tidbits: Kyle fell off his horse, when we were climbing up a mountain side. This was because Lamont had never tightened the cinch on the saddle. Landon and Jocelyn were very teary eyed for the first while. Just nerves, I think. Jocelyn rode in front with me at one point, and after a few minutes, announced: My balls are hurting. We laughed our heads off, and then she and I had a quick discussion on the difference of girl and boy body parts. Brooklyn rode with me most of the time. Catelyn rode like a pro, and for having been so scared back in July, was quite the champ this time. It was COLD!  Pepper loves to be in the mountains, and she and Shadow are a blast to take. ...

We got Lynn and Cindy tickets to see Mary Poppins in West Yellowstone, at the Playmill Theater, for Christmas 2014. The show was scheduled for June 8th. It felt like it was a million years away at the time, and it did seem to take a long time to cash in on such a gift, but it was worth it! It's been months since it happened, and we still remember what gave them for Christmas. The kids still remember that Christmas gift. There's stuff to look at left and right, and up and down. Seriously, it's the most beautiful place. A show here is always delightful and entertaining. We drove up to West, and went into the park. It was a rewarding day on top of being with family, because we saw a black bear! The park was teaming with wildlife, bursting at the seams with foliage and life, and melting snow that gushed and flowed. There were lots of baby bison, too. Also, Grandma Cindy had to be a rebel and lean over the boardwalk to touch the water, to see if it really ...

I honestly have no idea if I blogged this--I can't find anything. Brooklyn was asked to memorize a Shel Silverstien poem: SICK for graduation. She did such a great job reciting it, though it took us a month to get it memorized. She loved having Mrs. Davenport, and since that woman taught all four kids Kindergarden stuff, she has a special place in all our hearts! I ended up buying Brooklyn matching shoes, and she's so silly all the time. On the last day of school, she recited her poem once more for her class, and snuck in to take a photo. Some day we'll look back and wonder how she grew up so fast, because somehow she is growing up faster than the other kids did. Congrats, Brooklyn on moving on to first grade! WE LOVE YOU!