Adventuredome

Today we took out boys and Tristan's friend Spencer to the Adventuredome at Circus Circus. It was Tristan's late birthday outing. We got there right when they opened at 11am, and stayed for about 3 hours. For the first hour and a half, Cahl took the older 2 boys and went to the big rides, and I took the younger 2 to the littler rides. Tristan and Spencer went on every ride! They rode the Rim Runner roller coaster, the Canyon Blaster water roller coaster, the Disk-o, the Slingshot, the Inverter, the giant pirate ship, Laser Tag, and a magic motion ride. I think they went on all the rides 3 or 4 times. Jasen and Hunter went on the carousel and the Ferris wheel with me. Then they went on the little airplanes and Miner Mike's train together. Jasen also went on the Road Runner and Frog Hopper by himself. After all that, we all met back up and spent the next hour and a half together. The older boys took Jasen on the bumper cars and to play laser tag, and Cahl took all four boys on the big pirate ship- even Hunter. He LOVED all the rides! He had the biggest smile on his face every time, and would scream "Hi Mom!" every time he went by! After we all played some midway games, it was time to go. We went out for a late lunch at Sweet Tomatoes and then headed home. It was a great day, and we all had a blast!

Tristan and Spencer on Disk-o

Hunter on the carousel

Jasen on the carousel

Jasen on the ferris wheel

Hunter and Jasen on the airplanes

Hunter and Jasen on the little train

Jasen on the Frog Hopper

Jasen and Hunter on the airplanes again

Tristan and Spencer on the airplanes

Tristan and Spencer on the Canyon Blaster

Hunter and dad playing games

Spencer (in the white car) and Tristan and Jasen (in the red car) on the bumper cars

Tristan, Jasen and Spencer on the big pirate ship

Cahl and Hunter on the big pirate ship

Wrestling Tournament

Today's tournament was hosted by our team- Team Vegas. Cahl went down Friday night to help move and set up the mats, and I was there bright and early this morning to help set up the trophy table and run the concession stand. After my shift was done, I was free to watch the tournament, which was really neat. Our head coach really knows how to put on a good show, and he went all out! There was a big archway with a fog machine for the teams to run through during the parade of teams, a Junior ROTC color guard presented the flags, and we had a singer perform the National Anthem. There were nearly 400 kids there, from 25 different teams, and 3 teams even came from out of state. Tristan had 9 kids in his bracket, and he did not place this weekend. Jasen had 23 kids in his bracket, which is the most I have ever seen before in one bracket! He had 3 matches- he won 1 and lost 2, so he did not place this weekend either. I think they are both a little discouraged this season, but we put more emphasis on doing your best than on winning a medal. I definitely see Jasen making a lot of improvement. Tristan is still struggling a little. I know that he would do a lot better if he was able to lose 5 pounds and wrestle at a lower weight, but I have no intention of having him do that. I don't want weight to be an issue for any of my kids. They are not overweight, and they are perfectly healthy as they are. The last thing I want is for them to start having food and weight issues at this young of an age. I know that if that starts now, it is a battle they will have their entire life. So we let them eat what they want, and they weigh in at whatever they are. And it is so much better this way.

Tristan on top

Jasen on top

That's Jasen getting picked up!

Happy Birthday Tristan!

For Tristan's birthday today, I took cupcakes to his class at school. Then we took cookies to Scouts. And then, we had our little family party at home after dinner. I made him a Bakugan cake, and he loved the Bakugan I put on top! He was very excited with the ones I had picked out. Apparently I did good! After dinner he opened all his presents. He got a ton of neat things, including clothes, a Wii game and accessories, a nerf bow, a movie, two gift cards, and some "grown up" camping things. Cahl got him a little butane stove, a dish set, a fork, spoon, and knife combo and a flint firestarter.

Tristan

Our favorite Tristan turned 9 today. Wow, time really does fly when you're having fun!

Here are my 9 favorite things about Tristan:

1. He is everyone's friend. He makes friends easily and fits in everywhere we go. And he makes friends with kids of all ages, younger and older.

2. He is such a big helper. He always impresses me with his willingness to help out, even though he doesn't always like what has to be done. Every teacher he has ever had has always commented on how helpful he is.

3. He is a great Cub Scout. He has been nothing but excited about scouts since he started. He loves to go through his book and pick out all the projects that he can do. He is also the only Wolf I know that got his Bobcat in 2 weeks, his Wolf in 6 months, and finished his entire book in less than a year. He has also worked on several extra awards.

4. Tristan loves to be outdoors. He loves camping, sledding, fourwheeling, hunting, fishing, you name it. And I love that he enjoys it. I would rather he be outside than playing video games all the time.

5. Tristan is a great brother. That's not to say that he and his brothers don't fight a lot, but he is always there to help them if they need it. He helps Jasen with wrestling and football, he reads to Hunter. He really watches out for them.

6. He loves music. He is always singing in the car, and he asks me about different bands and singers a lot. I love that he loves it.

7. Tristan loves going to church. He has learned so much, and takes it very seriously. Sometimes I hear him and Jasen having discussions, and it makes me smile to myself. I realize that he is retaining so much, and I am so proud of him.

8. He is a good athlete. He has played just about every sport, and he enjoys them. And he always finishes what he starts, he has never quit a team during the season before.

9. Tristan is really funny. He is always cracking jokes and laughing. And his laugh is contagious. He laughs really loud and so we're always laughing at him laughing!

Wrestling Tournament

The boys had a wrestling tournament today. Jasen did really well, winning 2 matches and losing two matches. There were so many kids in his class he didn't place. Tristan lost both of his matches. He has been struggling a little this season. With the way the age brackets fall, he is one of the younger kids in his class. Most of the kids he wrestles are up to a year older than him. And he has moved up a weight class as well this season, so that also makes it a little harder for him.

Tristan on the left

Jasen on the left

Jasen's the winner!