Mons on the Go

We have been on the Go like never before. We are at the prime stage in life where kids are getting old enough to discover their own talents and passions, yet still young enough to want to enjoy it all with their family.

If I had a wish, it would be to freeze this stage in our lives.

I have been *blessed* with highly energetic children. They love to be active and involved in pretty much anything. I wish I had endless amount of time and money to indulge them in all of their interests. I love to hear them express interest in learning new skills.

It can be exhausting mothering 3 spirited kids, but at the end of the day - when I literraly collapse each night - I am nothing but thankful.



Logan has developed a love for chess. He sets his alarm clock early every Friday morning so he can be at school an hour early for chess club. He recently signed up for a chess tournament and had the time of his life. I should note that his supportive dad hung out and watched all the matches (chess tournaments go all.day.long. yawn. )




After his regular basketball season ended, we saw an ad for a local shooting contest. Logan signed up without hesitation and early one Saturday morning the kids and I (dad was out of town) cheered him on while he swished the morning away. He left with a first place ribbon and a smile from ear to ear.

Although not enrolled in formal programs as of yet, don't feel sorry for him. He is probably the most active one we've got and I have a feeling we have many years of cheering this guy on once we get him going. He loves to swim and is thrilled to be enrolled in lessons this summer. Harrison is a great buddy to Logan and plays every sport with him in the backyard. Mariah and I played against the boys in the backyard one sunny Sunday afternoon, and were blown away when Harrison cranked that ball over the fence!!

As feminine as she appears and acts, don't let this girly girl fool you. She is quickly following in my footsteps. As a girl amongst 4 brothers myself, I was always begging to be a part of any sport they were playing. But you better believe my purse was waiting for me on the sidelines.

This year Mariah hung up her ballet shoes (I'm kinda sad about it!) and decided to give the boys a run for their money. We signed her up with a great Christian league that didn't have enough girls to have an all-girls league. So we threw her to the wolves, aka - boys.

I was concerned that playing with all boys would be too intimidating for this dainty girl of mine. Nuh-uh! I was super impressed with her skills! She was a strong defender, and one of the best dribblers on her team. She held her own, and got more aggressive with each game. She even scored a few buckets and had a few assists and stole balls. -- She is now playing softball with the Cubs.



If you look up "On-The-Go" in the dictionary, there would be a picture of this man. When he is not traveling for work or at the church, he is making the most of his time with his family. Although his schedule does not allow him to commit to being a coach anymore, he is always on the sidelines giving pointers and cheering them on. (picture taken at half time "knock-out" contest. He beat all the dads, but lost to the teenage boy)

These last few months have been a time of adjusting with his busier schedule. He is very missed by the kids. I am thankful that he is sensitive enough to give time to the kids even when I know he is exhausted. Just this morning he woke Logan up at 6:00 to shoot hoops at the church gym.

As for me, I continue to enjoy coaching/instructing people through the Farrells Extreme Bodyshaping program. I am also adjusting to Tyler's schedule and fighting the continual battle for balance in my life. Some days I win, some I lose. I'm so thankful for the scriptures, prayer, and modern day revelation that keeps me grounded and focused on what's most important.

Here is our girl, Betsy - who was the grand prize winner from our latest session. She walked away with a thousand dollars, bragging rights, and (best of all to me) a renewed love for herself and her amazing accomplishment. All of these women had incredible results and walk a lot taller!

Baseball season has kicked off, and our family was excited to cheer Logan on in his first tournament. The most exciting part to everyone (haha, look at Harrison!) is that it was a 2 1/2 hour drive. We decided to make a weekend out of it and booked a hotel with the rest of his team.



The first things the kids wanted to do was take advantage of cable tv. They sat motionless for almost an hour. A true feat for these spry little people.

Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. took the rare opportunity to enjoy the quiet and relax. Next we walked a ways to grab lunch, swam in the highly chlorinated pool, and went to the movies (that is a HUGE treat for us!!)

And here's the litte star, pumped up and ready to go. I love this picture!! He looks so... official! I still get a kick out of kids in their uniforms. This little man is still waiting for a growth spurt. Tyler and I marvel that with parents like us, that he is always by far the shortest guy on the team.

He was selected to pitch the very first game. **Pressure**!! I am a total stress case when Mons is the pitcher. But he did great, and they won the game.

The only disappointment of the weekend was the weather. It was forcasted to be in the 70's, so we came equipt with shorts and sandals. Thank heavens Cedar Rapids has a Target. Blankets and handouts from other team parents kept us warm enough.

These are the days to remember!