Kickoff Football Season

Matt is a football fanatic and has been for several years now. He will watch whatever football game is on...College, NFL, Arena League, Canadian....you get the picture. So this year he decided to actually play football. He has been working his butt off practicing and conditioning with his team for the last 5 weeks. He plays for the Bingham Midget (that's what they call the 12-year old league - midgets) Bronze Team.

Yesterday they had their first game - a practice game against Copper Hills. Above they are warming up before the game. Matt (#87) plays tight end and wide receiver on offense. On defense he plays corner back, linebacker, and defensive end. He also kicks off and returns kickoffs.

Here he is practicing catching kicks. On the first play of the game, Matt recieved the kickoff and ran it all the way to midfield where he got tackled hard right in front of Jen. She got a little emotional about that, but luckily Matt jumped right up.

Here Matt helps the center work on his long snaps. His team doesn't have a ton of really big guys, but they are athletic and fast so when we saw the Copper Hills team they were about to play yeterday, we were a bit worried because they had some really big kids on the team.

But once the game started it was a ton of fun. Matt's team was awesome on defense and didn't allow the other team to move the ball much. They did not allow them to score at all.

Here Matt is chasing down the Copper Hills QB. That kid was running for his life the whole day. Matt's team won the game 36-0. The offense was awesome moving the ball down the field pretty much at will. Matt caught two passes and ran them both in for touchdowns. I think he is having a really good time with this.

At the Bingham complex there are 6 fields and 6 games going on all the time. Needless to say it is crazy there with all the people. Parking is a nightmare. This little team form Kearns was warming up right next to Matt's team and I couldn't resist snapping a picture. I guess I really am a Cougar at heart.

The Squashmore and the Sevey

Big events this week at the Anderson household. Taylor started 10th grade at Bingham High School. Matt started 7th grade at Elk Ridge Middle School. This is the only year all 4 kids will be at different schools with Becca in 2nd grade at Elk Meadows Elementary and Nicky as a Redshirt preschooler at Sunshine Square. Lots of schedules to juggle.

Here is Tay on her first day. She catches the bus at 6:45 am. She is on the block schedule where she goes to 4 classes a day for an hour and a half and then the other four classes the next day.

Matt is out the door at 7:30 and has all 7 of his classes every day. So far I think his favorite subject is lunch. No more recess, but he does have a gym class every day.

Becca is in 3rd grade and has Mr. Lovell as her teacher. He is one of the students' favorite teachers in the school. He is a joke teller and Becca comes home with a new joke or two almost every day.

I didn't get a picture of Nicky's first day of school. But here is a bonus shot of him on his Birthday in his new Utah football jersey. He has Miss Kim again this year and has been doing really well. He is the oldest in the class and is setting a good example for the younger kids.

Nicky is 5!!

Five years has gone by really fast - our baby boy is growing up. Below are some pictures from the last quick 5 years. For more click here.

Nicky with his sisters and brother the day he was born

Nicky just a couple weeks old with Matt

Nicky and Becca playing in the family room

Having a laugh with Tay

Easter eggs with mom

Say Cheese!!

At the Utah football game

Wearing Matt's football stuff (Go Bingham!!)

Shepherd in the Christmas play

At the zoo

Big boy bike

On Traxx with dad

Happy Birthday, Nicholas! We love you

Daredevil Daughters

Last night we were picking up Matt from football practice at South Jordan Park and they were having something called the "National Night Out" there. They had a helicopter and police dog demonstrations, and well, some snakes and spiders were there for some reason, too.

Becca held a Burmese Python

Taylor held a Tarantula spider.

Pretty brave girls!! I didn't have my camera with me (which is fairly unusual), so I snapped these with my cell phone camera. Not too bad for a little cell phone...

Daniel and Jessi Get Hitched

Congratulations to Daniel and Jessi!! They were Married this last Saturday August 1st in the Jordan River Temple. The Fitts were in town from Oregon as well as a Jessi's family. Below are just a few of the 850+ photos I took of the event.