Working hard

Every since we bought our first house in 2001 I have wanted to have a bounteous garden. In 2002 we planted this huge garden that we got stuff out of but I realized that it was a lot harder then I imagined to have a garden. We tried smaller gardens a few other times but because of different circumstances I didn't have the time to put into it. Madison did do a little garden once for personal progress and it turned out ok. When we moved into this house I was determined that we were going to have a garden so we left an area for it in the yard. I had seen many people be successful with raised bed gardens that were in planter boxes so I decided this is what I wanted to do. Kevin told me that he would support me in whatever I wanted to do but it was my project to tackle so I was in charge of the planter boxes. I looked at ones that we could build but really didn't have the time to do it. I also looked at kits that I could buy and put together but they were pricey. A few months ago I came across this local man that is retired and builds cedar garden boxes for next to nothing. I got in contact with him and Kevin looked at his work online and we decided this was our solution. We picked them up yesterday and just needed to sand them. I was busy working a fundraiser for Madison's choir account so Kevin and Ashley worked on it today. Ashley is always so excited to help Kevin with any project that he has. They worked on staining them and putting weed block down around them all day. Allison was enlisted to help move them because they were too heavy for Ashley and Madison is still a crippled.

I am so excited to have a garden this year.

St. Patricks Day

The kids loved the St. Patrick's stuff that I did last year so we did it again. I was surprised that they liked the Corn Beef and Cabbage. I only tried it to say that we had and never expected them to actually like it. While I was out shopping I also thought it might be fun to have green plates and it makes clean up easier.

These girls love traditions so I guess we started new one.

Bye Bye Kendal

About a month ago Ashley came home from Kendal's and she looked sad. I ask if she was ok and she ask if we talk in private. She told me she just found out that Kendal's dad was transferred to Utah and she would be moving around Spring Break. It was a secret so I couldn't tell anyone. I could tell that Ashley was trying not to cry while she was telling me about it and finally just couldn't hold it back anymore. Kendal has helped Ashley with her transition into a new school and they have been just the best of friends since we moved into our house.
Ashley ask if we could throw Kendal a going away party and I thought it might help her so I told her we would. I found this cute invitation online I could make online about Being Blue that Kendal was leaving so the party turned into a blue themed party. I had a lot of fun getting it all ready. Ashley was so nervous that no one would come and didn't want to disappoint Kendal so the party had to be a hit. Well needless to say there was nothing for Ashley to worry about almost everyone that she invited came and they all had a great time. We had pizza and lots of other food so the girls ate first. Things did get silly and Kendal ended up with food on her face. This wasn't the first time I saw her do this. It was fun watching the girls just have a lot of fun and make more fun memories for Kendal to remember about Idaho.
After eating it was time for minute-to-win-it-games. When I planned these I was crossed my fingers that the girls all would be up for them and not get embarrassed or shy. Well I don't know why I worried, they all played and had a lot of fun being silly. Next, we did a craft and made bracelets from Popsicle sticks. They had fun decorating their bracelets. Before settling down with a movie we played some glow in the dark tag. It was a fun evening and I am so glad Ashley had the idea. Kendal has been such a blessing to her since we moved and her family has taken her in and treat her like family. I could not have ask for better backyard neighbors and we are all going to be sad to see them go.

Ashley Gifford(what Kendal's little sister calls Ashley) is going to miss her backyard family.

Busy Ashley

If we would let Ashley she would play every sport she could. She loves to try new things and wants to give everything a try but unfortunately we do have to draw a line so she only plays two sports. I really don't know how she would fit anymore in. Soccer is now basically year round so whatever she does needs to fit around that. Today we got a glimpse of what life would be like if Ashley had her way. First we started our morning at her last basketball game of the season. She has enjoyed basketball this season but was ready for it to be over. It has been a long time since she hasn't had at least one friend on her team so it was hard for her since all the other girls on her team go to the same school. She had a great season and it is always fun watching her play. I kinda wish that she would have picked basketball as her main sport since all games are inside but I like soccer too.
After her basketball game we had just enough time to get her a snack before she had to be at the soccer fields for her first game of the season. Thankfully this game was a home game or she would have been late if we would have had to travel to one of the other fields. This soccer season is going to be a growing season for her I can tell. She doesn't know many girls on the team and she is one of the oldest. I hope this forced move ends up alright.

Crutches

Madison is not enjoying crutches at all and she is ready to be done with them. She feels so constricted in what she can do. She had given up on avoiding store electric carts. Madison has always been a girl that likes to go and she just wants out. Today she really just wanted to get out that she voluntarily went to Costco for our weekly Saturday trip. They were out of electric carts so she had to settle for a wheelchair. She wasn't happy but at least she got out of the house and Ashley volunteered to push her around.

Chior

A week before Madisons knee surgery a new semester started and I don't know why but they messed with Madison's schedule. They took her out of culinary and put her in PE. First off she already has all of her PE credit that she needs to graduate. Secondly, how can she do PE on crutches? She went to the counselor and to see what could be done. Her schedule is kind of tricky because she takes two classes at another school so it limits what the counselor can move around for her. Before going in Kylee suggested that she try chior since it was the same period they had her in PE. She went to the choir teacher and talked to her. She just needed her try out and she did it right there on the spot (yes I was a little surprised when she told me all this). After getting the ok for choir she saw the counselor and got her schedule changed.
Tonight was the first choir concert. It brought back a lot of memories from when I did choir. I hope she does choir next year too.

This was not her favorite concert since she had to sit on a chair instead of standing on the risers with the rest of the choir.

Basketball Party

This basketball season was especially hard for Madison and we are very happy that it is over. I have never understood why other coaches would love to have her play for them and the head coach at Meridian has done nothing but play head games with her. I have never disliked someone as much as I have disliked him. About a week after the games were over for the season rumors started that he had quit. I cannot put words to how I felt in hope that they were not just rumors. Tonight at the party I talked with the JV coach who has been given the head coach job for next year and I was excited to know that it was true and hopefully if Madison can play her senior year there is a coach that will give her a fair chance.
It was nice to have an end of the year party for the girls. Many girls worked hard this season and deserved to be celebrated. It was nice to end on a positive note after the season was so dramatic for so many people. We are not the only ones that are happy with the change in coaches. It is sad when it is the coach that is causing the drama and is consistently fueling the fire to pit the girls the against each other. A team should work together not feel like they are in competition with each other. In spite of the drama the party ended the season on a good note and their is hope for the girls basketball program in the future.

I am crossing my fingers that I will get to see Madison play her senior year.