Head in the Sand

I thought we would let Rianne try out beach volleyball this year my very good friend Nick helps Ryan Mariano with his sand program.  I thought it would be a good experience for her just to have some practices.  Once she had the sand get in her toes it made it to her heart. 

She was so excited to play in her first tournament I had my apprehensions would her partner be annoyed being paired with such a Rookie seriously 6 sand practices, Also she is small and I didn’t want her to get crushed.  Ryan in a way only Ryan can get away with said she either hide or rise.  To add to my anxiety I would not be able to take her.  Emily and Jake volunteered to take her while Brant and I were at a Doctor’s appointment. 

When we arrived we found out she was paired with a High School girl.  She was on the beginners net so it was her partner’s first tournament too but still way more volleyball experience than Ria.

  I braced myself to see her in tears but when we got to her court she was holding her own, red faced and sweaty that girl was working and she wasn’t too bad either.  What blew me away was her smile, she was loving everything about it.  Now she is talking saving money for sand, playing sand, in sand this and in sand that… This girl has her head in the sand!  Next adventure…She is off to her 1^st Girl’s Camp should be pretty “sweet” (Candyland theme)     

Can't get enough Volleyball

This is my first full year as the club director and my 2^nd involved with club volleyball at the YMCA.  I love to learn and hope I am making improvements with the program.  I think we have the best coaches and I really learn so much from them and they are great to work with.  As always the challenge is in the business end the paperwork, communication and of course money.  The fun part is the game, I love that I was able to see all the teams compete and the improvement of individual improvements.  I finished the 14's season as the coach so proud of how strong they finished.   

 

Especially with Rianne last year she was such a weak server.  In her final tournament (6 matches) she only missed one serve.  Her team had another 2^nd place finish!  Brant and I play a few city league games when we can.  Heath’s Junior league team won the championship.  He is actually pretty good.  Bennett doesn’t know how to catch because if you toss him a ball he hits it.  I guess none of us can get enough volleyball.      

In March, Coco’s head coach wanted to meet about spring & summer volleyball.  I was just sick I love to coach but I just need an environment that is more my style so I was prepared to tell her I would not be coaching with her next year.  At the meeting she said she wouldn’t be coaching.  I felt relief.  I knew when Amanda applied (the year we adopted Bennett) that they only had 3 apply.  I didn’t want these girls my girls to go to just anybody especially after last season.  The excitement started to build to have it be my program the talent we have (Thanks to Club) and the seniors would be my girls from my first season with Coconino High school.  I had some apprehensions I knew it would take a great deal of time but I felt ready to come out of the background.  Then the anticipation I put together my coaching portfolio I know every program I have coached in I leave them better than I found them and that is true of my time at Coconino too!  I love the team aspect of volleyball at the high school level.  After much deliberation and prayer I felt really good about it.  Needless to say I applied and interviewed.  I felt like my interview went really well.  When I left I really felt like I was the next coach for Coconino Volleyball.  Two days later I got a call from the Athletic director telling me how great I was with that being said (here it was the offer) “we decide to go with someone in building”  It was a blow the disappointment ripped me up.  He asked if I would consider coaching with the new coach I told him I was very disappointed give me a few days and then I would be willing to talk with her.     Not even 2 hours later I had a message from her on my phone.  Then I felt bitter and disrespected.  As more things came into light and as usually there are political agendas that I don’t fit into.  I realized that although I was better choice better prepared and better for the girls by all accounts I won.  However the trophy was already engraved with a different name on it.  I am also disappointed in the lack of integrity/honesty with a gut-less administration.  To add insult to injury they said they really didn’t want me to go anywhere and staying with the program would be advantageous for my future well if my 3 years in the program through 2 coaches didn’t give me an advantage, I don’t see how one more season will.  They went with someone who stepped away from the program for 10 years but is "in the building".  Which is easier/ better for the admin but may not be better for the volleyball program.  If you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten.

Don’t get me wrong I don’t think they picked a bad coach in fact I really like her.  I expect the girls to do well and I want them too.  I know their talent.  This could be our 3^rd fall being married without volleyball, oh the possibilities! 
I like to learn, this experience has shown me sometime your best isn’t good enough.   I am still learning but it has actually made me more confident in my coaching abilities.  I still don’t know why I felt good about it.  I do know everything happens for a reason.  I won’t be stepping away from the sport and looking forward to club volleyball J.  I will keep learning and loving this game. I still can’t get enough it. 

Easter Time

Is it just me or does this holiday just get better and mean more every year? 

Love when the tree out front is in bloom!   

Easter Time

Sweet is the smell of freshly washed earth

Beauteous is the color of flowers at birth

Cool is the breeze as it dances and plays

Giving us pleasure on warm summer days

All of these things are the gifts of creation

As is the privilege of living in the choicest of nations

They show the great love of our Father for us

As we travel life’s lane on the swift omnibus

Partaking of this love let us pass it to another

Love hoarded will hide, die or be smothered

Easter is a time for showing our love and our growth

For we are God’s creatures of beauty and worth  

-Florence B. Heath

 I love Easter in Kanab, seems it means more to the kids every year too!

Coloring Eggs,

Hunting Eggs

 

 

and Rolling Eggs

Don’t worry Aunt Kristi gave Bennett a haircut later that day J  

The stone was rolled away so we could discover the empty (egg) tomb.

Because it was empty that first Easter morn I am filled!)   

 

 

Following Fool

It is no secret that I love holidays they break up the monotony of the everyday grind and give me something to push to (even if I usually crash after) I enjoy them, Rianne gets into them almost as much as I do.  Wise or not she is following in my celebration craziness. 

April Fools is one of her favorites although I wasn’t feeling up to it Brant made her a tiny toilet.  This girl also loves movie quotes so here she is saying “curse you tiny toilet”-Vector from Despicable me.  She has such a potty mouth APRIL FOOLSJ    

     

 

How heavy would it be?

Brant was just called to be the 1^st counselor in the Bishopric.  Wait… what first of all aren’t we a little young? (ok we aren’t that young) next have you seen my kids at church and you want the regulator to sit on the stand?  After we accepted the call we were leaving the stake president’s office and as we thanked him I said it felt like thanking a cop after you get a ticket.  The next day was Heath’s first pinewood derby. 

Brant’s parents came for the first Sunday and as we visited while Brant was in meetings.  I expressed feeling overwhelmed and just didn’t think I could take one more thing, I am not handling what we have now and more is on the way, I was feeling stuck (I don’t handle it well).  Brant picks up the slack I realize I am very spoiled and I don’t share well.  My husband is so much like his dad!  My father-in-law referenced Mosiah 24:14 reassuring me (something I always need) that the Lord would ease the burdens put upon my shoulders.  When life gets tough I will remember how much heavier it would be without being yoked with Christ.   

I also have been having migraines again and just not feeling well in general but I will spare you those details.  Brant and his dad gave me a blessing I can’t describe the peace I felt in these words “Healed” “My family would be amazed.”  Brant and I both had tears in our eyes.  I will be holding to those words as I square my shoulders for this load and amaze my family—Faith in His words.

Green Smash

Always love a good St. Patrick’s Day, this year it was a real smash!  Chasing green footprints for goodies, Bennett loves apples. 

Heath got a much needed new pair of shoes. 

We sent Brant off to work with an Irish flag breakfast! 

Rianne was her bubbly self I think she likes helping the leprechaun she really gets into it with me.  Unfortunately didn’t have the luck of the Irish when she dropped the camera SMASH. 

The pictures from the ipad didn’t turn out as great and we don’t have any from the “Pot O’ Luck”  

We went to visit Brant at work dressed as leprechauns delivering “gold” Bennett would hold out his pot of gold only to pull it back when people went in for it.  tricky lil' leprechaun!

At the “Pot O Luck”. The kids got a little punch drunk (Jeremy Morriss has a video it is a real smash to watch).

We are so lucky to have such great friends!

Ain't love Grand



it would be grand if this picture looked like it did when I posted it.  Why does it keep flipping them? 

We celebrated our 14^th Anniversary 14 years only feels like a couple of weeks J    For 2 weeks I noticed and recorded the little things Brant does to show me he loves me.  I have always known he is the kindest man ever.  I was blown away by his selflessness and I felt so loved.  Ain’t Love GRAND? Which is where we celebrated