Sun Devil Summary

Our summer was filled with a lot of baseball. Easton asked why we didn't go on vacation, I told him because we do a lot of mini vacations with baseball. The Sun Devils did great this year. They took 2nd place at the firecracker tournament in Park City, Ut. That was very impressive, they played against the best teams around the area. They played outstanding baseball all the way up to the championship game. By the championship game (which was their 3rd game on a hot day)they seemed to be tuckered out. They are such a sharp team, it was exciting to see them all playing their best up until that game. We came home and played in a Pocatello tournament, they still must have been tuckered out because they didn't even look like the same team. We were playing up, but teams we should have beat, we struggled with for a while. Then we went and played in the Bear Lake Tournament. We were one of the younger teams there and ended up taking 3rd in the upper division of the tournament. Then we played in the Blackfoot tourney, also as one of the younger teams and ended up taking 3rd there. My favorite memory of the season was when the team came together to help out a fellow ballplayer. They had just went and pulled weeds for the county to earn a $1000.00. A few days before they did this we received an email about a boy named Mikey that played for an Idaho Falls team that we play often. Mikey was diagnosed with cancer and could use some donations. The Sun Devil coaches asked the team if they would like to donate the money they had just earned. The kids didn't even give it a second thought, they wanted the money to go to Mikey. I always worry that they don't realize how lucky and blessed they are to get to do all this baseball(and other stuff), but they showed us all what outstanding kids they are. They really didn't understand what leukemia was, but Mikey's dad was very patient and nice and answered all the boys questions after we gave him the check. Mikey was too sick to make it that day, but his mom brought him to the Bear Lake Tournament to meet the Sun Devil's on a more personal level. Mikey hung out with them in the dugout in one of their most exciting games ever. Mikey told them he didn't expect such an exciting game, I'm glad they got to share that experience together. Mikey's dad had said that they were a class act team. He is so right these kids are so talented, but they all have huge hearts! I'm so proud of all of them and feel so blessed to have them all in our lives. Keep up the good work Sun Devils! Blackfoot Tournament

Easton was pitching really well at the Blackfoot Tournament

Love this look he gives.

2nd place at the Firecracker Tournament.

A little fun boating at Jordanelle after the games. Ellidy loves riding in the boat

My nephew Tyson and Easton probably talking smack about who can ride the tube best. A lot of my family came and watched Easton play some ball and hung out with us, but I'm always so busy with Ellidy I don't get all the pics I want. Luckily Jaclyn took quite a few of these for me. Thanks Jaclyn!

Easton tubing.

Cute picture of Austin!

Cal, Mason, Hayden, Austin, Cal's cousin, and Greg

Cute picture of Greg!

Summer fun for the girls

Iailey and her neighborhood friends had fun playing in the water one afternoon. Thank heavens for those neighborhood friends that can come last minute when you figure out you have a little free time.

Easton went with his friend Nathan to Lava to float the river, so we got Ellidy's swimming pool out for the first time for the girls. Ellidy liked to climb the slide and splash her hands in it, but it was a little cold for her to sit in it. Iailey didn't let the coldness stop her, she dove in and had a blast.

Ellidy's 1st Birthday!

Ellidy loved the cupcake she got to eat for her birthday!

We were supposed to go swimming after her party, but it decided to rain like crazy. The kids didn't let the rain stop them, they had a water fight in the rain. Ellidy even thought it was fun to put her hand out in the rain. My Grandpa said that I brought the rain. I think he was right because it didn't rain at our house and it only rained during the time that we were there, go figure.

Family and our extended Sun Devil family that came and helped us celebrate. Thanks everyone for coming and making Ellidy's first birthday so special!

Grandma Brown and Ellidy share the same birthday. What a lucky girl to share a birthday with someone so special to all of us.

Grandma & Grandpa Whitehead, Mom, & Ellidy

Grandpa & Grandma Rhodehouse, Ellidy, & Matt

This is my cousin Nicholette's little girl Alexa with Ellidy. This was at her birthday party a couple of weeks ago. What a couple of cute girls! Happy 1st Birthday Alexa! By the way the weather was cold and rainy at her birthday to, maybe next year our June babies can have the warm summer weather we want for their birthday!

Boise

The second week in June I had to go to Boise for a dental convention. The kids had never been to Boise and Matt and I hadn't been since we were younger, so we decided to go a little early and check it out. The main thing we had planned was to see the capitol building. Unfortunately it was under construction, so this is what we seen of it.



We decided to go see if we could see BSU's blue field. Not only did we get to see it but we got to go play around on it. They also had a little museum about BSU's athletics, so we got to see the Tostito's Bowl trophy. It was way neat, still the most exciting game ever to watch!

Easton & Matt pretending to play a little football and they of course have their own personal little cheerleader.

Easton having a little dream of what he would like to do.

Then we went to the zoo.

Ellidy loved driving in this safari truck, she got really mad when we took her out.

Iailey had fun getting in all the fun little things to get your picture taken. She found every single thing there was to get her picture taken in. We finally had to tell her no more pictures. I have lots more, these are just a couple of favorites.

While I was at meetings Matt took the kids to Wahooz (used to be Bondocks or something). They said they had a ton of fun there.

Ellidy isn't walking, but she does this bear crawl all the time because she hates her knees on a lot of different surfaces.



The kids loved these go-karts. You can see the excitement on their faces.

This was a rose garden they had. It was beautiful!

I really am happy, just hate the way my braces look in pics.

Dance Recitals!

The first weekend in June was the end of the year dance recitals for Iailey! What a weekend! It's non-stop dance all week long. Thank heavens the end result is fabulous to make it worth it all. There are two nights of recitals for Iailey because she dances in the competitive dance group. The first night (Friday) she does her tap and ballet dance and the second night (Saturday) she does her competitive dances. It's a lot of work, but the shows are outstanding to watch. Iailey loves it. She loves her teachers and all her friends there. The DSDS crew is developing her into an amazing little dancer! Great job this year Iailey! This was her tap dance to Stop in the name of love.

This was her competitive dance to a Hannah Montana song. That's her front and center, she was so excited about this dance.

This was her ballet dance. They were little bears. She wasn't so excited about this dance, since she's in that tween stage, it was so embarrassing to be a bear! She did a cute job though!

Iailey, Lexie, & Abby. These are some neighborhood and dance friends of Iailey.

Congrats Grads!

Congratulations to my nieces & nephew that graduated from high school this year! Kiesha, Brenna, Payton, & Alexa. We were only able to make it to Kiesha's. Iailey wasn't feeling well so between taking care of her and Ellidy I forgot to take pics. We wish we could have made it to all of them, kind of, no offense, but graduations are really boring. So I wish I could have been there to personally congratulate them, but not sit through the ceremony. Anyway I can't believe they've graduated I remember when they were all born! Congrats guys, I'm excited for all of you! Best wishes from here on out!