Seeking Shelter

I've been on the PTA board for the past three years and have been an officer for the past two. The best thing about being on the PTA is the amazing friends I have made. The moms I work with have truly become my greatest friends and support. Most of my life, my friends were guys. Having women friends has been so rewarding.

Esther, Michelle and me

This year, I haven't been as involved as in the past because I'm working at other schools, but the PTA this year has done remarkable things. Earlier in the year, we paid $16,000 to erect a huge playground cover so the kids would have shade at recess. We also wanted to build a picnic shelter. We bought it at Costco, hired a contractor, but decided to do most of the manpower ourselves.

Yesterday was the day. It was supposed to rain, but instead was just the right amount of cloudy to keep us in the shade.

We started out by laying out all the boards...

...and sorting all the hardware. 

The men did the heavy lifting. They built the posts first.

Then we stood the four corners to set the frame.

Greg and Esther Courtney

Frank (the contractor), Esther, David, Greg, Mark and Michelle Burgess

I had to leave for a couple of hours to take Baylie to a birthday party. When I came back, it was mostly done.

April and Matt Alsup

Our principal, Tina McCaskill, and her husband Greg

PTA President Michelle

Mr. McCaskill

The crew: David, Me, Esther, Greg, Michelle, Mark, Tina, Greg, April, Matt
(You can see the large playground cover in the background.)

Somebody put this little bee in the concrete. It's perfect!

We arrived to start the shelter at 9:00 a.m. and  finished at about 4:30 p.m. It was a full days' work!

Soar-in' Soccer Superstar

We've had hit and miss luck with soccer, but this season we really hit the jackpot. We've been on teams that won, teams that lost, teams that were kind, teams with coaches that yelled. We've been the star and we've ridden the bench. We've been all over the place. This season, Baylie played with a team that was so sweet. They only won one game, but they got better each week and they had a fantastic time. It was wonderful.

Baylie started o ut pretty much just playing defense.

In the middle of the season, we went to the USC fan appreciation clinic. It's an awesome free clinic that they offer for girls. Plus, they give free food and have a great raffle. It's a wonderful community event.

Baylie and her classmates are big fans because their principal's daughter is a professional player that also plays for the U.S. women's national team. She was an all-star player at USC and is always good to these girls.

Baylie ended up becoming the goalie for her team and she developed into a pretty good one.

The team's sponsor was the grandma of one of Baylie's sweetest friends, Alexa. (And the mom of one of my best friends.)

These four girls are all in the same grade at school. They are all such sweet girls.

McClaine, Savannah, Alexa, Baylie

The coach presented each girl with a certificate.

The Soar League (which is run by a church) had a separate medal ceremony and they also presented one player on each team with a "Soarsmanship" award. We were so surprised and proud when Baylie was given the award for her team. She is such an amazing girl.

Here is what her coach said in an e-mail about her.
As I read through the suggestions of what to consider the characteristics that stuck out to me were servant-heartedness and sacrifice. I had a wonderful group of girls this season and it was a blessing to coach them all. They were all very respectful and sweet. But as I read through all the considerations Baylie kept coming to mind. First off, she came in with less experience than a bunch of the other girls but she never let that discourage her. She would politely ask questions and just had an eagerness to learn. She NEVER complained. She always came to practice with a smile on her face and no matter what we did for drills, whether it was something she liked or not, she joyfully worked hard at it. Like it says in Colossians 3:23 - "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." She just has a servant heart. When no one else on the team wanted to play goalie because they were nervous or afraid she stepped up and took on the challenge. And she ended up being really good at it! She continued to willingly brave the position week after week and sacrifice playing on the field to serve her team in the way they needed her most without any question at all. And I love her for it. To me that isn't something to be taken lightly. It's something to be celebrated. That's the attitude and behavior of a true team-player. That's exactly what Baylie was. She was encouraging to her teammates and she was always respectful to me. Just an all around good kid. This award wasn't intended for the "best" player on the team or the one that scored the most goals. It was an award of the heart and Baylie has a special one for sure. Her true shock when he said her name just reiterated that I made the right decision. She wasn't expecting any special recognition for her efforts. She just worked hard and stayed positive because that's who she is. Be proud Momma! You're raising a beautiful girl... inside and out.

 She definitely earned her icee!

Ava (Alexa's sister) and Jalen were great fans this year.

Sometimes they were more involved than others.

It was a great season.

Strawberries and Congaree

One of our favorite activities is strawberry picking. We were kind of late getting out this year, but the strawberries were plentiful and yummy. 

I made jam and strawberry cobbler. And we ate a bunch just plain. I don't always like strawberries because sometimes they're sour, but these home picked ones are always sweet and warm.

We weren't too far from Congaree National Park so we decided to swing by on the way home. I love that place. 

Baylie kept wanting to turn around and she even beat Jalen and I in rock paper scissors, but I still made her keep walking because I wanted to get to the lake.

It's not actually a lake. It's the river, but it's wide right here and this time it was flooded way over it's banks.

Tree roots from a tipped over tree.

Remnants of a moonshine still.

This place fascinates me.

I think I wore her out.

The Half Century Mark

This year it just so happened that my birthday fell on the same day as when Baylie's honor choir was going to Carowinds, an amuzement park that straddles South and North Carolina.

Much as I hate roller coasters, I decided to go big on my birthday and ride one of the biggest and fastest roller coasters in the world: Fury. 

Wikipedia: Fury 325 is a steel roller coaster at the Carowinds amusement park located in Charlotte, North Carolina and Fort Mill, South Carolina. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, it reaches a maximum height of 325 feet (99 m) making it the 2nd tallest and fastest Giga Coaster in the world and the 6th tallest overall. During the ride, riders reach speeds up to 95 miles per hour (153 km/h), go through high-speed curves, and pass over and under the park's main entrance. Fury 325 was voted the best steel coaster in the 2016 Golden Ticket Awards, ending Millennium Force's six-year streak.

Once the train is loaded and secured, it dispatches from the station and immediately passes over the transfer track. Afterwards, the train climbs the 325-foot (99 m) chain lift hill. Once at the top, the train drops toward the ground at a 81-degree angle reaching a maximum speed of approximately 95 miles per hour (153 km/h). Following the drop, the train enters a 190-foot (58 m) high barrel turn. It then travels through a high speed s-curve, making its way to the park's main entrance. Passing over the entrance, the train makes a banked turn to the left leading into a 157-foot (48 m) high horseshoe. At the top of the horseshoe, the train hits a 91-degree angle before dropping toward the ground and under the guest pathway leading to the park entrance. It then enters a second banked turn to the left, reaching a height of 101 feet (31 m). Following a straight section of track, the train goes over a 111-foot (34 m) camelback hill and makes a near-180-degree turn. It then enters a second camelback hill, followed by a left turn into a third camelback hill that ends with the final brake run. The train makes a 180-degree turn as it returns to the station. According to Carowinds, the total ride time is three minutes and 25 seconds. (My note: It seems like waaaay longer than that.)

If you really know me, then you know what a big deal this was. (I have to hide my eyes at the movie theater when they show the roller coaster concessions blurb because it makes me nauseous.)

The coaster goes over the park entrance.

 It also goes underneath the park entrance.

Baylie was crazy brave and rode it twice in a row! Once with  my friend Yasmin and then again with me.

I told Jalen I wouldn't give him any food if he didn't ride something so he got on this one.

This is what he looked like after. I guess he's more like me than Baylie.

This was his favorite ride.

He enjoyed Camp Snoopy where the rides were more to his liking.

Jalen wanted a picture with this replica of Dale Earnhart's race car.

We waited to go on the Plants vs. Zombies ride, but Jalen got scared at the last minute. We did end up doing it later with Baylie and a friend.

Baylie was up for any ride. (Yasmin and Isabella in the back.)

Baylie and Isabella at Camp Snoopy.

I loved spending the day with my kids.

This was a little hot air balloon ride that went in a circle.

And I almost threw up.

Baylie and Isabella in the two states.

With Sally in Camp Snoopy.

Bumper cars, a Jalen favorite.

The choir did a great job with their performance and earned a Superior rating, the highest score possible. They have really worked hard this year.

When we got home, I was surprised to find that someone (later confirmed to be my sweet friend, Cami Ruppe, had decorated the house for my birthday).

I got what I wanted for my birthday - a vacuum! That may not be exciting to some, but we really needed one and it was at the top of my list.

It came with this homemade card.

Then on Saturday, David surprised me with a birthday party with some of my closest friends. I don't usually like surprises and I never like to be the center of attention, but this meant so much to me. It was perfect.

Video Link

Plus, he had my neices and nephews form the letters to "Happy birthday Kristin." It made me cry.

I'm not wild about turning 50, but I have to say it was a pretty great birthday.

My Life Highlights Summarized by Decades (but not necessarily in order)

First 10 Years (0 to 10 years old)

• Born in California
• First child, but born into a home with 8 brothers because my parents ran a boys' home
• Bit in the ear by a German shepherd
• Had plastic surgery on my face (not because of the dog bite) twice
• Learned to swim before I learned to walk
• Three of my four siblings born
• Baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Lived in a town settled by my ancestors
• Went to an elementary school named after one of my ancestors
• Most of my friends were related to me
• Shook the hand of the prophet Spencer W. Kimball
• Played volleyball, tennis and basketball in school
• Got a false tooth and wore braces
• Earned my first byline by writing sports for the county newspaper
• Edited the high school newspaper even though I was only in 8th grade

Second 10 Years (11 to 20 years old)

• Moved to northern Utah to a much bigger school
• Played high school volleyball 
• Got cut from the basketball team for my "bad attitude"
• Worked as a nanny in Newport, Rhode Island, and Scarsdale, New York
• Graduated in the top 10% of my class
• Earned a scholarship to college
• Named the English Sterling Scholar from my high school
• High school newspaper editor 
• Final sibling born
• Wrote for the college newspaper
• Covered high school sports for the local newspaper 
• Interned at the BYU Sports Information Office
• Lost my scholarship :)

Third 10 Years (21 to 30 years old)

• Graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in print journalism
• Served a mission to Argentina and became fluent in Spanish
• Walked with penguins
• Worked for Sears telephone sales
• Assistant Editor of Executive Excellence magazine published by the Covey Leadership Center
• Fell in love, got engaged, didn't get married (some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers...)
• Moved to Los Cabos, Mexico
• Published by Baja Insider Online Magazine
• Moved to Houston to work in International Training for Continental Airlines
• Traveled all over Latin America and Europe (and within U.S. and Canada)
• Made it possible for my parents to fly in BusinessFirst

Fourth 10 Years (31 to 40 years old)

• Moved to the Marketing Department
• Got married
• Bought a house
• Moved back to Utah (took a 75% pay cut!) so David could get his Masters
• Adopted Baylie (5 weeks before I turned 40)
• Traveled to Japan, Guam and Hong Kong (and continued travels in Latin America and Europe)
• Got published by the Ensign magazine
• Served as an ordinance worker in the Houston, Texas temple
• Went to Super Bowl Opening Ceremony
• Took Baylie to Italy, Austria and Germany

Fifth 10 Years (41 to 50 years old)

• Adopted Jalen
• Moved to South Carolina
• Dedicated to being a stay-at-home mom
• Had bariatric surgery
• Had knee surgery
• Sold a house
• Selected as Lexington-Richland School District 5 Volunteer of the Year for elementary
• Passed the Spanish Praxis exam
• Started a new career teaching school
• Rode Fury rollercoaster

For other cool life facts, go HERE.