A Night Out With Grandma and Gary

Tonight we were invited to a night out with Grandma Cleo and her soon to be husband, Papa Gary. It was so fun to surprise the boy's when they got home from school with this exciting news.

We met at The Pizza Factory inside Fat Cat's at the Ogden Junction. We ate some pizza and salad's and then planned to bowl a game. Jake and Jackson are such good little bowlers, and initially it was going to be just those 2 bowling, but oh no. Grandma Cleo wanted Travis and I to Bowl as well, so it turned into the Toone Family bowling.

Travis and I are very competitive when we bowl, so it was quite a game for us. Jake and Jackson stayed right with us though, bowling their best games. It was really fun to watch the boy's as they rolled those heavy balls at the pins. They are so cute!!

After the game we walked up to show Cleo the I-FLY area (in door sky diving). She was amazed that they could do that. At one time one of the kids that were sky diving zipped up to the top of the tunnel and Cleo screamed and jumped to the glass. It was so funny!! Everyone that was in the area was laughing so hard. She was truly amazed with the process.

It was such a fun night! We are so lucky to have Gary becoming a part of our family. He is a great guy and treats Cleo with such love and kindness, that she deserves. We are grateful to them both for spending this night with us!!

Utah Jazz Sportsmanship Night

This was Jake's first year playing Basketball with the Jr. Jazz group. He has had such a great time doing it, and although they didn't win the Championship, they did GrEaT!!

At the last game of the year they were told that they had won the Sportsmanship award for the Ogden 6th grade group. It was so exciting to hear that. I think more important than winning a championship, is being a good sport.

The team was invited to take part in a Sportsmanship night with some of the Jazz players at the Energy Solutions Arena. When the night began the kids could sit anywhere there was a seat. We were so lucky that we were able to sit 3 rows from the floor. Yep, the actual floor that the Jazz play on. The first person that spoke to the kid's was Baseball Hall of Fame member Dale Murphy. He has won 5 Golden Glove Awards, and was a 2 time MVP, while playing outfield with the Atlanta Braves. He was so great to listen to. Jake's first love is Baseball, and it just so happens that Dale Murphy was a treat for him to see and hear. Jake bought a baseball at the D.I about a year ago, and it just happened to be signed by Dale Murphy. It was real neat to see the excitement Jake had while he listened to him.

After that they brought out 2 Jazz players. Mehmet Okur and Jeremy Evans. They were so much fun. They would invite the kids down onto the court to play different games and be part of fun activities. They taught them some passing drills and some shooting drills. They showed them how to shoot from half court, and Jeremy even dunked the ball a few times. It was really great to listen to them talk with the kids and explain the importance of being a good sport, staying in school and always doing your very best in life! I know my boy's really enjoyed it and had a great time.

After the event kid's were welcome to shoot a free throw on the court. Jackson would have waited in line all night. It was so fun to watch him heave that ball into the air. He was on cloud 9. It was really special to walk back to the truck and talk to the boy's about the night and even take a minuet to stop and take a picture next to the John Stockton and Karl Malone statues that are in front of the building. I told them that they were 2 great player's that I had enjoyed watching play the game of basketball. I also let them know that John Stockton was by far the player that demonstrated Sportsmanship every time he stepped onto the court. He was a great player and is remembered as such.

I hope that my boy's will remember just one thing in life, and that is that people will remember you for the way you treat them more than the awards you may receive. Kindness is everything, and being a good sport is just that in the sports world!!

Jr. Jazz 1st Round Champions...

How Awesome is it, that Jake and his Jr. Jazz Basketball Team got to play 2 championship games. Jake was so excited when they won the first game, (which was really close, and came down to a final shot to win the game.) but the second team was a little better than Jake and his team mates, and the lost that one.

After the game their coach, Tim Johnson, announced that their team had been awarded the Sportsmanship award for the Ogden area Jr. Jazz. We get to go to the Energy Solutions Arena (where the Jazz play) and meet some Jazz player's and be part if this fun night. Jake was so excited to have received that award. They really do have some good sport's on their team.

Way to go Jake on your first season of basketball. We all look forward to watching you improve through out this coming year, and cant wait to watch you play again next year!!

Sidney's Spring Show...

Tonight we were invited to Sidney's Bear River High Stepper's Spring Show. It was so much fun to watch her dance. She has become such a gorgeous girl. She has such a great personality and is such a great cousin to Jake and Jackson.

It was really fun to watch Troy (Travis's brother) dance one of the dances with Sid and and the other Drill Team Dad's. He was so into the dance and having such a great time. What a fun time we had with them that night.

All gave some, Some gave all

Today the boy's and I went up to Tremonton to visit Troy and Sharon. On our way home we drove through Tremonton town to see this statue.

While watching television the other day, the show "Saving Private Ryan" was on and since it was edited for television showing we decided that the boy's could watch it with us. After we had watched the show, Travis reminded us that this was based on a true story, and that it was based on this family from Tremonton, Utah.

So we decided that we would go and visit this statue and read the biographies that are on it. I found it so interesting, and fascinating to read about each of these boy's. What pain this Mother must have felt with each of the notifications she received of her boy's death's. I know as a Mother, that would be the hardest thing for me to hear. It was so amazing to know that these stories are so true.

The monument that is there is so beautiful, and such a tribute to those that have fought for our Freedom. Not only is it a monument for the loss that this family endured, but also for the loss suffered in each war. There are pillars with names on them of each fallen solider, for each war we have had, that lived in the Box Elder County area. It was a very humbling place. I am so grateful to these soldier's that gave all they had, to protect my Freedom, and to allow me and my family to live in this wonderful country that we do.

Thank You, just doesn't seem enough for all those that give so much for those of us they don't even know. I am honored to be an American!! God Bless the U.S.A.

My StAr StUdEnT....

Jackson's teacher does alot of fun things for the kid's through the year. One of which is the "Star Student Day." At the start of school each child brings a poster that they make at home that describes them. It can say their favorite color, food, sports team, etc.. Jackson made his and turned it in at the beginning of school and has been waiting for his turn this year to be the "Star Student."

TODAY IS HIS DAY. It was so fun to go to his class and watch him as he presented his 2 likes (Candy and the Pittsburgh Steelers Football Team) and 1 dislike (SNAKES), as well as showed everyone his poster and explained it as well. (Favorite Color : Blue, Favorite Team: Steelers, Favorite Food: Tacos, Favorite Sport's Player: Troy Polamolu, and Favorite People: His Family) Then Jackson got to read one of his favorite stories to his class. He choose to read a Sponge Bob Square Pants Book. I was so happy listening to him read to his class. He did such a great job.

It is so exciting to be such a part of his school life as well as his Mother. He is an awesome kid and will always be "Star Student" to me.