Madsen Happenings

Another week has flown by for the Madsen family.  

Rachel kept herself busy with early-morning seminary, school and swim team practice everyday after school.  I let her drive to seminary Thursday morning.  It was the first time I've driven with her as I have left all the driving instruction/near-death experiences to Paul.  She actually did well.  The night before, she had boys drop over after football practice to "say hi" and bring her a milk shake. . . Two reminders in 8 hours that reminded me she is soon going to sixteen, driving and dating.  Scary and exciting!

Homecoming week made the week even crazier for Rachel.  She dressed up each day according to the day's theme.  On Thursday night, she and her friends went to the new high school's first pep rally which included awesome fireworks.

She also cheered for her team at the inaugural homecoming football game on Friday night, then hung at a friend's house afterward.  Corner Canyon was ahead 35-7 when the quarterback for the other team was knocked unconscious and the coaches ended up calling the game so they could life flight the injured player to the hospital. It was quite a dramatic end to the game.  According to the newspaper, he's going to be okay.

On Saturday, Rachel went to a party at a cabin in Heber for her friends who didn't go to the homecoming dance (16 is dating age for our church and they were all 15.) The cabin belongs to her friend, J.'s grandparents.  It is the largest privately-owned cabin in North America.  She and her friends had a great time swinging on a giant swing over the lake looking at the millions of stars, swimming in the pool, sweating in the sauna, soaking in the hot tub and exploring cabin and its 9000 square feet of decks and balconies.  

              Timber Moose Lodge 

Spencer spent the week going to school

and football practice.  At their game on Saturday, their team played the best they've ever played and Spencer was in on a bunch of tackles.  We've seen him improve dramatically over the course of his first season and we love watching him practice and play.  

Caitlin and Courtney had a great week with school, play and gymnastics.  

They are working on front and back handsprings this week.  This picture was snapped from far away through the glass.  It was a failed attempt but it's the only one I took because I realized pictures weren't going to turn out very well.  

On Saturday, the girls went to their friend's birthday party.  It was at a cooking school and they loved making croissants, hot chocolate and cupcakes.  They each brought home a mini cookie mix as a favor and made sugar cookies for the family on Sunday.  Yum!  They have been excited about baking treats lately, mixing up cookies, cupcakes and pancakes by themselves in the last couple of weeks.

Jake and Josh continue to play and make messes.  They are talking more and more which makes it easier to understand what they want.

Other interesting things about this week:

It snowed on Thursday.  None stuck on the ground here in the valley but it was pretty.  The girls thought it looked like a snow globe.

The sunset view that night was beautiful with the first snow if the season on the mountains.

Last night on our way to my parent's house for dinner, we drove over the mountain to avoid construction traffic.  The views were pretty.  It was difficult to get a picture from the car.  Here's my best effort:

We definitely live in a place of majestic beauty!

Summer Fun

This sandbox made the summer so much better for Jake and Josh.

Caitlin, Courtney and Spencer have enjoyed swim team this summer, earning many ribbons.

 

Rachel also practiced every morning at 7 am with the Devil Rays, a USA swim team, doing long course swimming.  It was a great workout but it wasn't like our summer swim team in PA so she didn't love it.  

 Most mornings after I dropped off Rachel at swim practice, I explored the hiking trails in Corner Canyon.  

 

Sometimes I brought the kids with me.

Fun times with the Fam

We had another typically busy week and weekend.  

Life with twin boys is never dull.  They had a great time destroying my anniversary flowers.  Needless to say, the counter stools have been removed from the kitchen once again.  The bigger kids miss sitting at the counter but my sanity is restored.

I took a hike in Corner Canyon.  The leaves are starting to turn.  I had planned a long loop hike but got caught in a huge thunderstorm so I had to turn around early.  After a near collision with a mountain biker, enduring thunder, lightning and soaking rain, I was relieved to get home where the sun was actually shining!

      You can see the storm cloud here.

The weekend was busy. Friday night, Spencer had football, a pep rally and then a late night at his friend, J.'s house.  They had a great time playing a barefoot dart gun battle around the yard.  J's  mom shared these photos with me:

          Spencer and his friends, J & E

Rachel's friend, C, came over and hung out here.  They had me take some pics of them with sunflowers they picked while on a walk:

                  Silly, beautiful girls!

Paul took Caitlin and Courtney to see the new Disney movie, Planes.  They had a great Daddy-Daughter Date!

Saturday we had a lazy morning until Spencer's football game.  Our whole family went to the game, with the kids all wearing BYU gear (same colors as Corner Canyon.)

This is a different game but I got it from a football mom yesterday and Spencer's (#91) right in the middle so I thought I'd post it.

I didn't bring my good camera and I was taking care of the toddlers so I didn't get any pics of the game but here's a few I snapped at the end.  Unfortunately, Spencer wouldn't pose at the so I snuck a picture of him with Courtney in the foreground.

Saturday evening, we went to a birthday dinner for my Dad and brother Brian with delicious Korean pulkogi, a family tradition.  Rachel didn't join us because she was invited to go to a Real MLS soccer game.

On Sunday, we had a typical stressful morning and then attended church.  I snapped this picture of the view of the mountain behind the church because I thought it was pretty:

Rachel went to her friend, Stephen's farewell.  She has gone to so many farewells lately for her swim teammates.

That afternoon, the kids had a good time in the yard:

I love the little wreaths the girls made for their hair!  So cute!