Easter 2011

Easter is always a fun holiday, especially for the kids. Easter baskets, dinner with Gege and Pop, and the annual Easter Egg hunt in the back yard. Fun is always had by all!!

Mandy joined us for the festivities. It is always good to have her with us! She is a darling girl and we love her. This was her first Easter Egg hunt in a long time. She said she had a blast!

We always hide some dollar bills along with the candy in the eggs. This year the Easter Bunny was feeling generous....a $20, a $5, and some $1's. The hunt was on.....Jordyn was the lucky $20 winner. Jensen found the $5. Mandy a few $1's and Easton was happier with the candy!

I think Jensen gave most of his candy he found to Easton....he was in search of the money.

Boomer was in charge of hiding, but Gege and I helped. Gege always wants us to count the eggs so we know how many she is going to find doing her yard chores. This year she found 9 eggs in the week after the hunt, even ones that had $1's in them. Boomer lost count when he was trying to count as he put out the eggs, thus she may find more! Gege was funny when whe was hiding the eggs.....she would hide a few then open a few and eat the candy. And you all wonder where I get my love for candy.

Easter is one of my favorite holidays. Not only because of the candy but because of the time that we are able to honor the Savior and his Resurrection for us all. I am so grateful for the Atonement and for the special meaning that it has for me. I am grateful for my Savior and for His unconditional love that He shows me...

Pop has made all the kids, and Boomer a sling. He made his first sling when he was a boy and has given it to Logan. Logan took it with him on his mission and said that he has thrown it at the beach on occasion. Anyways....He has made up a game for he and the kids to play. Its called sling golf. They use tennis balls and throw them to each of the backstops at the Elementary school by my parents house. They have a blast and are all getting pretty good at throwing their slings.

Easton is pretty determined at playing sling golf, and gets closer to beating Pop every time they play.

Jordy's sling is of course pink, and let's just say......she too gets better everytime she plays.

It was a fun activity for the day and the kids all look forward to throwing their slings at Powell. Thanks Pop!

Jensen is always so good about letting me take his picture...Not!! Here he is with his Easter basket!

He found his basket and the basketball that was with it, but he left his basket in its hiding place. Duh! I had to ask him to go get his basket so I could take his picture. At least I knew he liked his gift though.

Easton was so excited that as soon as he woke up, he was on the hunt for the basket.

The Easter bunny left him a much needed bat bag. His was a handme down and the zipper was busted. He immediately filled his new bag and I was going to throw the old one away and he said, "Don't throw it away, I want to save it." I asked him what for and he said "I just want to look at it." Great, so much for de-junking.

He found his basket pretty quickly, I guess the Easter bunny will have to get more creative on his hiding.

Jensen's Eagle Project

Jensen is striving to complete his Eagle. Thus the Eagle project. Two young men from our home ward are going throughout South and mostly Central America. They have organized a non-profit organization called Care-o-van! Throughout their travels they are visiting orphanages and teaching the children about oral hygeine and giving them oral hygeine packets. For Jensen's Eagle project, he obtained donations from dentists and orthodontists in our area and put together 200 oral hygeine kits for Care-o-van to take with them on their journey.

With the help of Boom's YSA ward, for FHE the kids got together to help put together Jensen's oral hygeine kits. We have a great group of YSA kids. They were excited and very willing to help.

Easton even had a chance to help out. His job was to seal the bags!

Each kit had a toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, and directions card in Spanish.

If you are interested in knowing more about Care-o-van or want to make a donation go to

www.care-o-van.org The site shows a blog of all their adventures. These young men are 22 and have had this dream since they were in 9th grade. Just proves that dreams do come true and that if you desire something enough, you can accomplish your dreams!

Good luck to Jensen and his Eagle and also to Care-O-Van!

PS....They are hoping to get to Costa Rica....we hope so! It is in their plans to visit Elder Whittaker!

Spring Training Tournament

Introducing the "Irish" 8-U team. The Irish played for the first time together in the "Spring Training Tournament" in Salem, Utah, April 14 and 15, 2011. They were the champions! They played two 9-U teams on Thursday night as a warm-up for the tournament. There were only 3 teams that signed up in the 8-U division, so they let the Irish have a few games to start.

The man handing out the medals said he wanted the catcher to be the first to get the medal because "the catcher works the hardest on the team."

Porter Sargeant, Easton Whittaker and Andrew Sobatka

The lineup to get their medals

Notice the fans in the back ground......Sobatka's and Jensen

I think we are in trouble....He loved playing catcher. However, 2/3 into the 2nd game E ran out of gas. Boom was trying to get him to hustle, and he said "Dad I'm tired."

He did a great job and the coach knew that he could put him there so that the other team wouldn't steal home.

It's hard to see, but his eyes are closed. This was the first game and by game 5, he wasn't flinching when the batter would swing.

He reminds me of another catcher that I know and love.....a certain Elder that was a catcher too!

He walked more than anything, got struck out twice (and fought back the tears when he did), but when he hit he would growl and say "yes" with a particular arm motion. Classic!

As you can see from the pants stains, sliding was a must. He stole every base the first time on the bag, along with the amazing slide at home.

Center field was a bit boring....he loves the action.

E also played 1st, short, and pitch. He has a rocket arm to first and kind of scares the players he is throwing to. He keeps his team excited by yelling how many outs, where to make the play etc.

We had a great weekend watching Easton play baseball. We love his intensity and love of the sport. You can tell he has watched alot of baseball, especially his brothers. They have both taught him so much. He knows the game, knows where to make the play, and how to backup the play. We've had to explain that he can't get upset when the play doesn't happen the way that its supposed to, that everyone is learning and that he only needs to worry about how he does his part. Its a team sport and it takes a team to win.

Jensen has decided that he is going to keep the book for all of Easton's games. He was his biggest fan and did a great job. It was a great weekend with the boys and we loved spending our Spring Break at the ballpark.

Jordy's First Tri-ever!

March 26, 2011.....The Icebreaker Triathalon. Jordyn and these ladies from work trained and participated in this Tri. An icebreaker it was....BRRRR! It was pretty cold for the spectators. She had a blast and said that she would totally do it again. We were so proud of her for sticking to her training and finishing the Tri, looking like it was a piece of cake.

The fine ladies from L & D at AF Hospital
Jordyn was #258
The transition on the bike
Running into the finish line
A definite thumbs up finish
Jordyn with her biggest fans!
After the race
Must have been great because she wore a "perma-grin" the rest of the day! Sure love you and are so proud of what you accomplished, Jord!

Celebration at Los Hermanos

Nana's favorite place to eat out was "Los Hermanos". Every year, since she left us, we go to Los Hermanos for her birthday celebration in her honor. It is nice to be able to think about her and I know that she would be so excited that we are together and that we are eating her favorite food. We also get the birthday song......and get to share the fried ice cream. We love you Nana and are so grateful for you and the legacy you gave us.

Easton's "New Adventure"

Easton was asked to play on the "Irish" a super league team composed of boys 9 and under from American Fork, Highland and Pleasant Grove. He had his first practice tonight and got his new uniform. He was so excited!

At his practice, he hustled and charged the ball and did a great job. The coach had each boy pitch a few to him and another coach. When it was Easton's turn, the coaches eyes lit up when he drilled it to the catcher. I don't think I want him to pitch....

Yesterday was his 2nd practice and it was outside. The first practice was in the AFHS gym. So....outside, the players were set a positions and players were taking turns hitting. Easton was on 3rd and one of the players hit a pop-up towards 3rd. Easton dives for it and does a somersault to catch it. All the coach could say was..."Wow!" Boomer was so proud.

We are sooooo excited for baseball this season and to watch the "Fighting Irish".

Elder Whittaker does Service!

Elder Whittaker is serving in Cartago, Costa Rica. Here is a P-Day of service! We are so proud of him and all that he is accomplishing on his mission. He is a great example to us all!
He is Senior companion and trainer to his comp on the left, Elder Gonzalez. He was also made District Leader and is feeling a bit overwhelmed. We know he will do a great job!

Elder Whittaker and Elder Gonzalez.