Rebekah's softball

I wanted to make sure Rebekah got on a softball team this year, so I opted to coach this one as well. I knew I couldn't do it without help, however, so I didn't sign on until I got Grandpa Scott to be my assistant.

Our team of 13 included girls from Rebekah's team last year, girls from her class at school and a few girls we met who didn't have enough for a team of their own, so they joined ours. Some of our girls hadn't ever played before. I don't know if any of our pitchers had ever pitched in a game before. But ours is a long-term plan, so we decided that everyone was welcome to play and pitch in a game.

As mentioned previously, Rebekah wasn't able to play for long. She spent most of the season cheering on her teammates from the bench and shagging balls for me at practice. On June 5, she broke her finger and got a splint. On June 22, the doctor swapped out her splint for miles of gauze and a wrap. On July 6, the doctor told her she could resume with athletics as long as she tapes her pinky to her ring finger.

I was ecstatic to find out that she would be able to play in our tournament. She participated in practice the day she heard the good news from the doctor, then spent the days between then and our last games pitching 100 balls a day.

However, I had already announced my pitching rotation for the tournament. We had four girls lined up to pitch--one per inning. We had only played two innings a game prior to the tournament, and the way the bracket was laid out, I figured we'd only be playing two games. I knew that unless something different happened, Rebekah wouldn't have the chance to pitch.

On Monday we faced our first opponents. We were seeded 6th and they were seeded 7th. We had played them twice before and won one game but lost the other. The tournament game moved quite slowly with the typical two innings, and we barely won 14-13. (Most of the points scored by both teams were due to pitchers walking batters.)

Immediately after that game we played the #1-seeded team. Their coaches were great sports and encouraged their batters to swing if the ball was even close to the strike zone. A lot more balls were hit this game, which resulted in a lot more outs and a lot more action.

With 9 minutes of game time left, the umps announced that we could play another half an inning. Our opponents didn't need to--they were well ahead of us and had last bats. But we got the go-ahead, and Rebekah was able to pitch.

We didn't make it to the full 3 outs or 7 runs, but Rebekah didn't walk a single batter. She didn't strike any out, either, but all we care about at this point is accuracy and not speed. It was such a blessing for her to have that experience before the end of the season.

We lost that game, but I couldn't have been happier. Our team did exceptionally well, and I was proud of all of them.

Rebekah batting in our game against Orange Crush. It's probably a good thing she walked both times she was a bat, since she's not even gripping the bat completely with her taped fingers. 

Walking home with Andrea base coaching at 3rd.

Rebekah pitching against Wicked with her friend Haley in the background at short.

Headed back to the dugout. See our team name? Rebekah picked it and the jersey color.

Our team (minus the three who couldn't make it to this game) at the end of our season. Grandpa Scott was on a trip during our tournament, and we missed him.

Back to the temple

I mentioned earlier about our experiences with the Idaho Falls Temple open house. I have failed to mention our post-open house experiences.

Rebekah turned 12 years old 10 days shy of the cutoff for youth to perform in the cultural celebration (which we watched on TV), but her Grandma Scott (our stake Young Women president) was able to receive permission for her granddaughter to accompany her and other leaders and youth to prepare the temple for its rededication.

Rebekah planting flowers on the temple grounds.

Stacking folding chairs with baby socks rubber banded around the feet in the temple cafeteria.

The day of the rededication (June 4), Seth, Rebekah, Analee, Aunt Jessica and I went to our stake center to participate via satellite in the first of three dedicatory sessions. Grandma Scott had embroidered handkerchiefs for us to use, and Grandma Susan watched the younger girls for us since only those 8 and older could attend. The talks were enlightening, the choir was polished and the prayer was powerful.

Throughout the session I felt the Holy Ghost strongly, but as President Henry B. Eyring offered the dedicatory prayer, I experienced a new sensation. In the Book of Mormon, Alma talks about a swelling feeling (Alma 32:28) associated with the Holy Spirit. Many times before in my life I've felt the calm, warm, peaceful reassurance of the Holy Ghost, but this was the first time I've felt a swelling. That's the only way I can describe it.

Since the temple's reopening, it has been a pleasure to return to the temple. We had the sweet experience of taking Rebekah for the first time to do baptisms for the dead on June 23. We had to carefully double-bag her hand with the gauze and wrap on it (see previous blog post about breaking her finger), and Seth had to modify the way he held her so she could plug her nose with her left hand. Rebekah was baptized on behalf of deceased family members she had found on Family Search. Seth performed those baptisms while Grandma Scott and I watched. Then Grandpa Dennis and Grandpa Scott performed the confirmations for those family members. It was easy to feel the connection the temple forges between family members while three generations worked together.

Before the end of school: talent assembly

Somehow I missed blogging about the school's talent assembly at the end of the school year, so it's going to be unceremoniously dropped here.

Analee tried out for the talent show this year (playing a song from Harry Potter on the piano) but didn't get voted in by the 4th grade. (As it turns out, lots of 4th graders tried out by playing the piano.) Rebekah tried out for the talent show while we were in Alaska. Last I had heard, she was going to play a song on her baritone. Instead, she sang (a capella) "The Hanging Tree" from Hunger Games to the tune of "Scarborough Fair." With only seven 6th grade acts trying out and four getting in, her chances were good. And she was, in fact, voted to perform in front of the school.

Rebekah also got to participate in skits performed by the student council between each of the grade levels' performances, and she got to announce some of the performers.

Rebekah singing in front of the entire school. I don't know where she got the guts to do that. And I didn't know my kid had a set of pipes that good.

A montage of skits, announcing, performing and a bouncing/dancing preschooler.

Fourth festivities

The Fourth of July started out, as usual, with the parade. Seth and Grandpa Scott left even earlier this year to get us seats on the side of the road that doesn't face the sun in the morning.

Gosh, I've got cute, patriotic kids. (Miriam determined that she needed to wear that slip over her shirt so she'd have some white.)

Winnie standing on my lap and waving a flag. She waved it furiously all morning long.

Seth and his earplugs; Andrea and her camera.

Then we came home to eat good food and have good fun.

Grandpa built two water bottle rockets for us to launch in the back yard after our barbecue. And launch them we did. Here we have Rebekah and Seth ready to catch the bottles, Grandpa pumping air into the one bottle, Uncle T supervising and Bennet getting another bottle ready to launch.

Seth pulling the pin on the rocket while Grandpa stabilizes the launcher.

Seth and Uncle T helping Ana and Bennet launch rockets.

Analee using her weight to pump up the rocket.

Then we invited everyone back to the house later that evening for the Grover fireworks show.

Winnie demonstrating the double sparkler flamingo.

Winnie, Bennet, Analee and Rebekah among the smoke bombs.

Grandpa Dennis, Grandma Susan, Aunt McKall, Uncle T, Aunt Jessica and Grandma Scott watching the kids.

Seth lighting sparklers for the kids.

The grand finale of fireworks: The Night Devil.

New truck

We have loved our truck. It has hauled many things and people for many years. But with four kids that are growing bigger every day and a big ol' travel trailer, we needed something with more space and power.

Seth scoured ads and dealerships to find what we needed. He and his dad went to Pocatello to check out a truck that he thought fit the bill. Then he paid for it and brought it home.

Alberta the truck residing in the shop.

And with a new truck around, we didn't need the old one. So Seth got the girls to help him wash and clean it out so we could pass it on to Grandma and Grandpa Scott.

Scrubbing various parts of the old truck.

Winnie flopping soapy rags on the side of the truck. She made up a song for washing the truck and sang it to her heart's content while whipping those rags around.

Rebekah spraying dirt out of the inside of the back bumper. See how her hand it bagged? Doctor's orders.

Miriam and Analee scrubbing the front.

Now we can't wait for softball tournaments to end the season so we can take the new truck and our trailer out for some camping.

Miriam's T-ball

I took the opportunity to coach Miriam's T-ball team again this year (with the help of Grandpa Scott), and, as always, it was a hoot.

Our team, minus one player who was gone that day.

Miriam decided we needed a Harry Potter-related team name, so we were the Hogwarts Express. (Team cheers included our name and "Chugga chugga choo choo!") We practiced hard and managed to even get three outs in an inning a few times throughout the season. It will be the last time I coach my nephew since next year Miriam will be on an all-girls pitching machine team.

Miriam was a super player. She was quick to get the ball and throw it to a base, quick to hit the ball and run to her base and quick to remind me to draw lightning bolt scars on our teammates' foreheads.

You know you're doing it right when the tee bends like that, right?

Running to 1st.

Fielding.

Throwing.

Munchkins gathering for post-game treats.

Two of our games got rained out: the first one was rained out after we had played a couple of innings (but then the painful hail caused the recreation director to call it quits) and the second one was the only game rained out during some very scattered showers that day. Regardless, we had a fun time.

We had a wonderful team water party planned in our yard after the last game, but that had to be transformed into an indoor gym party during more afternoon thunderstorms.

Siblings were invited to come play kickball, backwards baseball, long base and spiders and flies with us. I had hoped to move our party to the church's gym, but the parking lot was closed, so we were graciously invited to play in the Birds' gym. 

Playing games.

Snowbird

Bekah and Ana worked hard to earn enough money for all-day passes at Snowbird while Seth and I made our end-of-workshop video. We all kept very busy and had a lot of fun.

Grandpa and Grandma Scott race Bekah and Ana on the Mountain Flyer.

Analee rock climbing.

Rebekah rock climbing. We weren't sure how much she'd be able to do with her hand in a splint, but she managed to do at least a little bit (or a lot) of everything.

Ana used some of her money to pan for gems and fossils. She got some pretty cool things in her bag of sand.

Rebekah (who else?) placing a fossil in the line of finds.

Seth and Andrea singing/playing "Lost in My Mind" during the talent show.

The zoo times 2

While Rebekah was away at girls' camp, the younger three girls persuaded me to take them to the zoo to see the animals and their babies.

Analee borrowed by phone to take pictures and video while at the zoo. She kept saying, "I wish Bekah were here to see this!"

The otters were a hoot that day. They loved showing off for the girls.

The peacock planted itself on the stage and allowed everyone to view it.

Then for Rebekah's mommy/daughter date last Saturday, she asked that I take her to the zoo to see what she missed. I had barely received my new telephoto lens in the mail, so I had to take it and try it out.

Bekah at the zoo.

The otters were, once again, lots of fun to watch.

Baby lion!

Baby sloth bear!

Rebekah is 12

This fun and funny girl turned 12 this year. (Gulp!) Since her birthday was during girls' camp (which the ward invited her to), we had our family celebration the Sunday before (June 11).

We invited the uncles, aunts, grandparents and cousins over for a pizza dinner, goody bag hunt and cake.

Miriam, Bennet, Analee, Rebekah and Mack searching for goody bags in the backyard forest.

Opening presents while surrounded by sisters and cousins. 

A framed picture of the Snowflake Arizona Temple. I told Rebekah to pick a temple picture for me to get printed and frame. This is the one she chose.

Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Susan gave her a new hand. (Inside was cash.) Rebekah received a temple picture and some church clothes from us; cash from Grandma Susan and Grandpa Dennis; a water bottle/lantern and mosquito repelling bracelet from Grandma and Grandpa Scott; a Hobby Lobby gift card from Uncle T and Aunt McKall; and the game Telestrations from Mack and Tav. 

Eating carrot cake with a broken finger.

The family party was a success, and Seth and I also got to go up to girls' camp for an hour on her birthday to bring yet another carrot cake and eat it with the Young Women and their leaders. (Poor Bekah couldn't catch a break from family even while at camp. Her mom and dad were up one evening, her grandpa was up all one day as a priesthood leader, her grandma was up for an hour visiting with the stake Young Women presidency, and her great aunt was there the whole time as a ward Young Women leader.)

Seth, Bekah and Andrea at Pasa La Coma on Rebekah's 12th birthday.

Rebekah is such a mature, responsible, fun, funny, smart, hardworking, talented young lady. She loves softball, the piano, her baritone, Hunger Games, Harry Potter, sketching cartoons and creating posters in photo manipulation software.