School Daze!

So the first official day of school was today, and both kids seemed pretty excited. It's weird to see them head off in different directions after so many years of being in the same school. I think Cody will enjoy Jr High, he seems to like being a Snow Leopard already. 7 different classes and teachers all expecting different things should keep him very busy! Getting him to and from school this year will prove a challenge with no bus to his school, I woke up every 20 minutes today thinking I was going to sleep through picking him up! The price we pay to keep this boy happy!!

Before School!

After School!

Kelz started in her brand new school, Eastlake Elementary. Her school isn't quite done yet but the building and area is really nice and everything inside is new. She learned that her new mascot is a dragon and her school colors are red and black. They are putting together a time capsule for the school and I think that's pretty exciting that she gets to be part of it. Her class has 20 girls and 9 boys. (Poor Teacher!)

So cute!

After School! (Drama Queen!)

I love their cute new mascot!

So it Begins!!

Bingham vs Hunter.. Pre-Season Game..Bingham 19 - Hunter 0

Have I told you how awesome my kid is?? Cuz he is! We played our first game today and I can't say enough about how good Cody is!! It was so much fun to watch. I used to think that it was only fun if he was running the ball, but I now think it is just as good to watch him on defense. He's amazing! He had one really good block that made it so we could score a touchdown (that I missed seeing!) and I guess the referee from the other side of the field came to tell Cody how great it was! He also had a great hit that stopped us from being scored on, that happened right in front of me. It was so cool! Cody usually doesn't run very fast, but when he is chasing someone, or being chased, he sure can move!!

Jon is always so nervous before a game that he can't eat, and barely talks. So much fun to live with. I'm glad we won because he is no fun to go home with when we lose. But all in all, he's a great coach! The kids love him, and there are kids and parents that only want to play on his team, which says volumes!!

My cheerleaders did a great job and it was lots of fun to have so many of them!

My Flag!!

Loving football more and more!! Go Bingham!

And Now There's Two!!

Braxton Elmen #48 Brighton Bengals

Tonight I went to watch my nephew's football team scrimage against Bingham. I have to admit I was a little torn between wanting to cheer for Braxton and for Bingham at the same time.. This is Braxton's first year playing for Brighton. Where Cody is tall and skinny, Braxton is not!! That boy is huge!! He's 9 years old and weighs 35 pounds more than Cody! Good size for a lineman! It was a little weird to hear another coach yelling "Elmen" out on to the field and it not be

Jon yelling to Cody. Can't wait to see his name on the back of his jersey. Will be pretty cool to have two Elmen boys playing football this season, even if they are playing for different teams.

Good Luck Braxton!! Can't wait to watch you play!!

7th Grade!

Cody started 7th grade today at South Jordan Middle School. I can't even believe he is old enough but when I dropped him off this morning he didn't look so out of place. I have no idea how he is going to keep track of 7 different classes and a locker combination.

Jr. High is exactly how I remember it. The boys are short, and the girls look about 3 years olderthan them. And they don't mix! It's still girls on one side and boys on the other! School doesn't officially start until Monday, but today the school held a 7th grade orientation for 4 hours to get them acquainted before all the older kids come in!!

Good luck Cody!! Make the very most of all you do!

Cheer!

The other half of my life and heart right now is cheer. And actually I think it has become more than half. Kelz starting cheering two years ago to give her something to do while Cody was playing. I didn't know then that it was almost the same commitment as football and sometimes even more money! Bingham Little League Cheer is non-competitive and mostly for fun. We have girls that cheer with us from age 4-14. We have over 50 girls cheering this season.We have practice once a week and perform at half-time and cheer during the games. We perform at the playoff pep-rally and we are so much cuter than the boys!! Our first year we only had 2 girls on our squad, Kelz and Brieanna. We called them our "cheer-eaters" cuz mostly they were there for the snacks! Last year we had 7 cheerleaders which was so much more fun!! And lots more work for me! This year our squad has grown to 9!! I have no idea what I am going to do with 9 cheerleaders during the game!! They keep me busy!! Most of the girls have brothers on our team that play but we also have a few girls that are just there to have fun!!

I have served on the BLLC Board for 2 years now as the secretary. I keep track of registrations and design flyers and hand-outs and mostly do the paperwork. But recently my life has become a ton more hectic with the announcement yesterday that effective the 2009 season I will take over as BLLC president and treasurer. The 2 ladies that are co-chairing now are stepping down and leaving it to me!! Scary!!! I do a lot now but I can't imagine how much more work this will be! But I will be in charge!! (I'm trying not to let it go to my head!!) I love my girls though and wouldn't have it any other way!!

Bingham Little League Cheer.. We're Number One.. Second to None!!
www.binghamlittleleaguecheer.blogspot.com

Respect All, Fear None..

This Saturday, world famous Cody Elmen #13 will make his season debut in our pre-season game against Hunter. We have cause to celebrate since he made weight last week and we can now start feeding him again!! (I know you all were worried) For as much as I am not a fan of professional sports, there is nothing better than watching your son play the game he was born to play. Playing both offense and defense, Cody "Smash" Elmen is unstoppable!

(and yes I am biased!)
Our family immerses itself into football like none I have ever seen. Jon coaches, I'm the Team Mom/Cheer Mom and Kelz is a cheerleader for Bingham Little League. We live for this season and when it ends, we start planning for a the next. I think I almost have Jon convinced to let me quit my job so I can devote myself full time to Football and Cheer. No matter how much it stresses me out, I love it!! Wish us luck!! Check out our websites for cheer and football under links on the right side of this page..
Respect All, Fear None.. BINGHAM PRIDE!!

Vegas, Baby!

Well Henderson, really. Jon's parents moved there about a year ago and this was our first trip to visit. We had a great time even if it was 115 million degrees and the air conditioner died as soon as we got there! Kids didn't mind at all since we just ended up spending all the time in the pool! Can't wait to do it again! Thanks again, Elmens!

Las Vegas welcomes the Elmen Family!
And Shelby met us at the door!Everyone in!

What a stud!

Grandma getting some sun!

Okay, maybe not.. What a dork!

Even Shelbers loves the pool!

Kelz just chillin'

Can I swim to you??

He's hot!

Seeing what Jon builds!

And more..

A finished project!

Ward Picnic

We are on the Activities Committee for our ward and here are a few pics that we took. We were in charge of volleyball (which they didn't play) and the water balloons (all 250 of them). Good times!

Proof that I do feed him! So there!

These two are trouble!

Right before he pelted me with a water balloon!

Briggs! Reminds me so much of Cody as a baby.

Frog Toss!

Briggs loved it!

Maddie! So cute!

Water Fight!

My very mature husband!

The End!

Seniors! Class of 2009

The last of the Carter children will be seniors at Bingham this year. That is just crazy. They have been a true test to my mom and it has to say something about her that they have lived this long!! The terrible twosome was born when I was 13 and in the eighth grade. They are both closer in age to my kids than they are to me. Cody and Blake pair off, as do Kellie and Brooke making it nice for everyone to have a friend of their own!

I had the privilege of going with them for their senior pictures and I had so much fun! (Especially since I don't have to pay for the pics!)

We haven't had pictures of them taken together since they were little. Seeing them in their caps and gowns made it so real to us that they are almost grown up! Far from being ready to leave the nest though, I think these two will be living at home for a while!

Blake Joshua

Born first at 5 pounds 12 oz and 16 minutes earlier, (only cuz he pushed Brooke out of the way!) Blake has always been the bigger of the two. I was so excited to have a brother and he was so stinking cute! I called him my Studpuppy and packed him all over the place. He was boy in every sense of the word, destroying everything in his path, his only use for toys was to throw them down the stairs and see how much noise they made. Although he did have quite the sensitive side and was better at walking in heels than I was. (He liked the red ones!) He's always ready with a hug and kiss for me when I walk in the door, and never too busy to stop and talk to me..and talk..and talk! He lives for Nascar and has made the unfortunate decision to pick Dale Jr. as his driver. He's quite taller than me now, and can reach and lift things that I can't but he better not ever forget that he is my LITTLE brother!! Blake, I admire how open and out there you are, not scared to do anything and how you can work a crowd! I appreciate knowing that you would drop everything to help me and that you call me your favorite sister! Thank you for the example you are to Cody. I love you!

Brooke Arlene

Small but fierce, Brooke was 5 pounds 6 oz at birth. I believe she let Blake go first so she could make a grand entrance. And we still wait on her to this day! Brookie was tiny but never one to be overlooked. She was a monkey that climbed everything! Brooke's quiet but definitely the one you have to watch out for. Quick witted and sharp tongued she has a comeback for everything and my kids love to quote everything she says. She can make them each laugh no matter what and they both love to be around her. Inventor of "goofy foot" and "I kissed a squirrel", you can't think about Brooke without smiling, or without wanting to pull your hair out. She does it her own way, and isn't about to give on anything, and as the baby of the family she always gets her way. Brooke loves music, texting, and just being different. She does not like being cute, girly or anything pink! My fairy godmother talents are lost on her! Brooke, I love that you move to your own beat, that you are so creative and that you sometimes let me in to see all that is you. I appreciate the time you spend with Kellie, she enjoys every minute she gets to spend with you. She is happy so long as you are there. I love you!

To my Twinners,

I love everything about the two of you! I am so excited for your last year of high school. Try and make the best of it and take advantage of every opportunity available to you. Go to every dance, every game, every senior event Bingham has. This is your last year to be "kids" so enjoy every second!!

Love,

Sara