Spring Break

I'm not sure why I ever update the blog because it seems as though nobody ever reads it. Oh well, it helps us record our memories. It was recently spring break. Mahonri and I lucked out this year because my school and DSC scheduled spring break during the same week. Last year we had spring break different weeks and therefore we weren't able to do anything fun together. This year we took advantage of our break and planned a trip to SLC to a Utah Jazz game. We like going to Jazz games but this year has been disappointing to be a Jazz fan. We decided to get tickets to the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves because we figured they may be able to win that game. We purchased the tickets and we able to get 12th row tickets, center court. My parents were given some tickets to this same game so we met them in SLC for dinner prior to the game. The traffic didn't cooperate and we were a little later getting there than planned, so after eating we made it over to the arena. We were a few minutes late but it ended up being in our favor. When we reached our seats, there was a man sitting in them and he asked us if we'd like to change seats. He had seats on the 6th row just in front of us. He wanted to move back so he could be by his friends. Of course, we wouldn't pass up on the opportunity to sit even closer so we switched and went down to the sixth row. It was neat to sit so close. The players are huge. We were close enough that you could hear them talking, although not close enough to always make out what they were saying (which might be a good thing!). The Jazz had a good game, especially CJ Miles who scored 40 points. They won the game and made our trip even better! After the game, we decided to spend the night at Anniversary Inn. It was a fun little get away and we stayed in the mountain themed room. It fit us well. We had a good time. The rest of the week was spent in Gunnison. We went to the temple with Cutler as he took out his endowment and our nephew, Jace, was blessed. It was a great spring break!

Updates, updates, updates

So I finally updated the blog. There are 3 new posts today (4 if you count this one) so scroll on down.

Basketball

Basketball season at Beaver Dam High School has officially ended. It was an extremely good and rewarding season. This season made my passion and love for coaching blossom again. I have been very blessed to have such a wonderful team.

Before Christmas vacation, we were struggling and had a record of 2-6. I felt like we were good enough to have a 7-1 record at that point but we just weren't playing up to our potential. We had a really horrible game right before the break where we didn't play together and were completely out of sync. The last thing I told my team before taking 2 weeks of for Christmas was that they needed to decide if they wanted to be part of a team or be individual players. When we got back together in January, we sat down and had a great discussion. I told them that we were 2-6 but that we were good enough to be 7-1. They just needed to learn to trust me, my assistant and each other. They needed to believe in themselves the way the coaches believe in them. I then told them that we would lost the next game (we were playing a top 5 team in the state) but that after that game, we should go a huge winning streak and not lose again--we should win 7 games in a row. It was up to them to decide if they wanted to accomplish this goal or if they wanted to just go through the motions and not be team. I was blessed that this particular team took hold of my message and meshed together so well.

I have been around a lot of basketball and I have never seen a group of girls grasp the concept of team as much as these girls did. They become great friends on and off the court. It changed the season for us. We did lose our next game, by a lot. It didn't discourage us though. We went on this awesome winning streak and accomplished our goal of 7 straight wins. During this streak, a lot of history was accomplished for the girls basketball program at Beaver Dam High School.

We beat Fredonia for the first time, twice in fact!! We beat Grand Canyon (first in history as well) by 10 points. (This was the team we played right before Christmas break that sparked the turn around. We lost to them by 18 points during that game.) We qualified for the regional tournament for the first time, and we didn't just squeak in, we finished tied for second place in region. We had a spot guaranteed in the tournament with 3 weeks left in the season. It was a great experience to go to the regional tournament, and although the game didn't go well, it was great to be part of the history. Even with that loss, we finished with a winning record 9-8...the first winning season for the girls' basketball team. I am happy I had the opportunity to coach this group of kids and watch them as they accomplished so many things. As I told my team, they deserve the credit for everything that has happened this season. I cannot take credit. It was the girls that decided to take my message to heart and become a team. It was their heart and determination that made them so good this season. It was a blessing to be able to sit back and watch these things transpire...and with so many sophomores on the team, Beaver Dam basketball has a bright future.

Short School Story

On Wednesday at work, one of cutest things happened. I was at the elementary school teaching PE, as I do each day. The class that I was currently teaching was first graders. We were sitting in a circle, because we had just finished stretching, and I was waiting for the kids to stop talking and wiggling around. As I waited, I started tapping my fingers on the ground. I looked across the circle and saw a boy looking at me intently and also tapping his fingers on the ground. I then folded my hands. The boy copied me and folded his hands. I went back to tapping and he followed along again. I smiled at him and then noticed that a few other students next to him had joined in and were also copying me. I continued to do different things with my hands and eventually all of the students in the class were quietly coping my hand movements. I would tap the ground, then clasp my hands, then tap again, clap, and just do random things. They all continued to follow along. We eventually broke into laughter and then continued class and played a game. It was one of those heart warming moments you get as a teacher.

Family Happenings

We aren't very good at keeping the blog updated but life for us has been good lately. Life stays busy with work, church callings, and school. Mahonri currently has two callings, the stake men's sports specialist and also advancement chair to the Eagle in Scouts. I guess since he has two callings, it means that I get a little break. We were released from Primary in December. It has been nice to be able to go to Sunday School an Relief Society again.

We have both been playing church basketball. It is nice to get out and get a little exercise. On the women's side, our ward is the only ward to have a complete team participate each week. They are going to let us participate in the regional tournament. It should be fun. I enjoy going to watch Mahonri play and his team has being well. Because of his calling, there are times that he has to help referee or run the scoreboard.

School is back in full swing again for the semester. Mahonri is taking a full load and still working part-time at The Locker Room. He has some in-store credit from some sales he has completed and so he decided to buy use that credit to buy a new bow. It hasn't arrived yet but he is looking forward to getting it. He likes to spend time a few afternoons a week shooting his bow.

Well, I guess that is all to update what is going on. Life pretty much stays the same for us.

Happy Halloween

As always, I have been slacking when it comes to keeping the blog updated. We have both been busy with school and work. I cannot believe how quickly the school year has gone by so far. We are already finished with the first quarter and have only a month and a half left until the semester break. It has been a busy school year and it's only going to be busier as basketball season starts tomorrow.

I am going to have a young team, composed mostly of sophomores, but they are excited to play which in return makes me excited to coach. We are going to be a work in progress all season long but hopefully I can help them gain the basic fundamentals to build upon for future seasons.

Mahonri was recently called as the stake assistant men's athletic specialist. We are not exactly sure what this calling entails but I am sure he will learn as times goes on. He will become busier as well once stake basketball begins because we do know he'll be involved with that. I know he'll do a great job.

On Friday we went for a ride up the mountains to give Mahonri a change to sight in his rifle that he got a little bit ago. Here is a picture of him sighting in the gun:

The pattern on his target was so good that we hung the target up on the fridge!! I told him I'd write A+ on his paper and he said he'd autograph it for me. One day it may be worth something...hahaha.

I am not the biggest fan of Halloween but this year we decided to buy some pumpkins and carve them. I had a lot of fun thinking of something to carve and then spending time together as we carved them. I'll post pictures below. I bet you can't guess who carved which one...Happy Halloween Everyone!

Here they are in the light...

Now in the dark...

You may wonder what a deer has to do with Halloween...Mahonri claims it's the ghost buck!

That time of year, again.

I cannot believe how much time has passed since I last posted. I wish I had an excuse but I don't have one. Really, I just keep forgetting and putting off updating the blog.

We finished off the summer with a few family reunions. They kept us busy on the weekends as we were traveling north to attend all of these reunions. Family reunions are always nice because it gives you time to see family and catch up with everyone on what is happening. During the Frandsen Family Reunion we celebrated Grandma Frandsen's 90th birthday (although she is only "29" and has been for years and years). This is historic, as she is 90 and my grandpa is 91. Amazing.

Summer came to a close all too quickly and that meant the start of the school year. This is the first time in my history at Beaver Dam that we have not had to replace multiple teachers. In fact, there was only one teacher replaced at the middle school, and she was a tutor last year so it feels like she isn't even new. However, that does not mean there wasn't a lot of change. The change in the Littlefield School District was still huge. We got a new superintendent, new elementary principal, and new business manager who is also serving as the new middle school principal. So there was a lot of change at the top of the chain. With all the change at the major positions, what people would be teaching and where was up in the air. I was originally told that I would no longer be teaching at the elementary school and spend all day at the middle school. About a week before school was set to start, the elementary principal found out that I wouldn't be teaching at her school and she went and fought. Needless to say, a week before school I found out that I would indeed be teaching at both the elementary school and the middle school. They asked me to give up my prep period and teach all 7 periods. I agreed so I have no free time. I am extremely busy and exhausted at the end of the day but at least the students have classes to attend and I can make a difference.

School has also started for Mahonri. He is taking a full load and a schedule I am glad I never had to do. He is taking economics, accounting, English, and math. All of his classes require a lot of time and keep him busy. He is still working at the Locker Room when he is not going to school. He doesn't' have a lot of free time but the little time he does manage to find, he likes to spend hunting. The bow hunt for deer and elk is going on right now and he has a tag for both.

Well this is all for now. Hopefully, I will have some exciting stories to tell from all the happenings at school.