THE GORDON'S ADVENTURES

January 24, 2012: Provo 51, Timpanogos 40. The Daily Herald Newspaper Prep Basketball Headline reads "Bosco and Gordon push Bulldogs past T'Wolves"

2012-01-25T09:18:00.007-07:00

Cole made the headline on the Prep Basketball sports page in the Daily Herald this morning after having a 17 point game last night.

The Article reads:

"Sharp shooting and tough defense led Provo past Timpanogos 51-40 Tuesday night in region eight boys basketball.

Wesley Bosco and Cole Gordon were a potent combo scoring from the outside and inside on the floor. Bosco hit five 3-pointers en route to 10 points and Gordon scored 17 points with most of them coming inside the key.

The visiting Timberwolves (2-4, 4-9) got off to a rough start when leading scorer Cameron Bailey went to the bench just 90 seconds into the game with his second foul. Provo (5-1, 7-6) wasted no time and jumped out to a quick lead with Adam Finch hitting a floater in the lane and later knocking down a shot from behind the arc.

The Bulldog's tight defense locked down on Timpanogos not allowing a bucket until there was only three minutes left in the quarter.

Timpanogos started to heat up in the second quarter but so did Bosco. The Timberwolves went on to a 5-0 run as Jaxon Beck hit a 3-pointer and Tanner Halford made a layup on consecutive possessions to give the visitors some momentum.

However, Wesley Bosco's second 3-pointer of the quarter put a halt to the T-wolves run and started one for the Bulldogs. Dallin Bosco drove the ball coast-to-coast for a layup and Gordon added a layup of his own for a 7-0 Provo run.

The second half began in a similar fashion. Bosco hit another 3-pointer just 15 seconds into the quarter and Gordon added two layups on the next two possessions and Provo was riding a 7-0 run just minutes into the third quarter.

The Bulldogs would continue to build their lead behind the inside play of Gordon in the third frame of the game and took a game-high 14-point lead when Bosco hit his fifth 3-pointer of the night.

However, after a dismal third quarter Timpanogos regrouped for one last push at a come back. Bailey scored three straight buckets to lead a 6-0 run for the T-wolves cutting the lead to seven and forcing Provo to use a timeout. Later in the quarter, Timpanogos had three consecutive opportunities to cut into Provo's lead and make it just a two possession game but weren't able to convert.

Provo kept calm in the final minutes of the game hitting 8-of-10 free throws to seal the victory. With the victory, Provo moves into second place in Region 8 and prepares to hit the road for its next three games against some tough competition. The Bulldogs travel down the road to face rival Timpview Friday and face Orem and Mountain View next week on the road as well.

Meanwhile Timpanogos preps to take on top-ranked Orem next before facing Salem Hills and Springville next week."

PROVO (51)

Finch 6, Gordon 17, D.Bosco 9, W. Bosco 19.

January 20, 2012: Provo 60, Springville 56

2012-01-25T09:07:00.009-07:00

The Daily Herald High School Basketball update says:

"At Provo, the Bulldogs overcame a 43-40 third-quarter deficit, going on a 20-13 run in the final period to come away with a big Region 8 victory over Springville (8-4,2-3). Dallin Bosco led Provo (5-6, 4-1) with 21 points. Christopher Moore added 12. Dawson Pedersen led Springville with 20 points, while Nathan Israelsen had 12 points and 14 rebounds."

Provo (60): Finch 9, Moore 12, Gordon 5, D. Bosco 21, Flake 9, Isom 2, W. Bosco 2.

January 17, 2012: Provo 54, Maple Mountain 42

2012-01-25T09:07:00.008-07:00

The Daily Herald High School Basketball update says:

"At Provo, the Bulldogs (4-6, 3-1) went on a 12-4 run in the third quarter and went on to a 12-point Region 8 victory over Maple Mountain (2-9,0-4), despite 26 points, including three 3-pointers, from the Golden Eagles' Jace Edmunds.

Dallin Bosco led Provo with 17 points, and Christopher Moore added 10."

PROVO (54): Finch 6, D.Bosco 17, Moore 10, W. Bosco 6, Hunter 2, Gordon 9, Tanner 4.

January 13, 2012: Provo 65, Salem Hills 36

2012-01-14T20:50:00.003-07:00

The Daily Herald High School Basketball update says:

"At Salem, the visiting Bulldogs (3-6, 2-1) got off to a great start and led 28-13 at the half, then cruised on to a Region 8 victory over Salem Hills (2-8, 0-3).

Cole Gordon led Provo with 10 points, while Dallin and Wesley Bosco scored nine points a piece for the Bulldogs. Cody Pritchett and Trevor Gasser scored 11 points each to lead the Skyhawks."

PROVO (65): Gordon 10, D.Bosco 9, Flake 1, Tanner 4, Dean 1, Isom 2, W.Bosco 9

January 10, 2012: Provo 43, Mountain View 38

2012-01-13T12:46:00.001-07:00

Click on the link to see the highlights of the game. Cole was a magnet for fouls and ended up fouling out in the 4th quarter, which he was extremely bummed about. He could have gotten a "T" because he slapped the floor when he fouled out (it was good though :)) The ref's were really crappy for the second week in a row and several BYU Basketball players were in the stands to watch the game. That pretty much sums up the night. Looking forward to Friday's game. Go Provo!

January 9, 2012: Cole Gordon named "Student Athlete of the Month" at Provo High School

2012-01-10T09:17:00.011-07:00

Cole was named "Student Athlete of the Month" yesterday. They gave him a certificate (see below), jacket, and gift certificate. He thought it was pretty cool.

Provo's First Basketball Game of the Season January 6th, 2012: Orem 60, Provo 49

2012-01-10T09:10:00.003-07:00

Check out the video and watch for #32 :)

Pre-Season Basketball December 30, 2011: Lehi 61, Provo 43

2012-01-01T12:02:00.003-07:00

Cole had an extremely good game scoring 17 points. Check out his interview.

December 2, 2011 - Pre-season Basketball has begun! Provo 49, Westlake 36

2011-12-05T20:29:00.005-07:00

Provo boys basketball starts season with win at Westlake

Early in the high school basketball season, offenses generally don't click as well as they do later in the year. Adrenaline makes shots go wild, almost every easy basket becomes contested and ball movement isn't as crisp.
Since that's the case, teams often have to rely on their defenses to win ball games.
The Provo boys basketball team did just that in its season opener at Westlake Friday night, putting the clamps down on the Thunder offense on its way to a 49-36 win.
"I was very pleased with our defensive effort," said Bulldog head coach Craig Drury. "Since it was out first game, we made a lot of first-game errors but we played excellent defense."
That defense allowed the visitors to build an early lead as it held Westlake to just eight first-quarter points.
Offensively Provo used the inside-out combination of senior forward Jonny Flake (10 points) and the guards (long-range jumpers from three different players) to go up 22-9 at one point early in the second period.
Westlake roared back, however, with an 11-2 run led by junior forward Zavon Jackson, who totaled 13 of the 20 Thunder points in the first half.
"The effort by our kids was good," said Thunder head coach David Robinson. "We battled and we didn't give up."
Westlake cut the Provo advantage to four points twice, the last coming at 26-22 early in the third, but the Bulldogs answered with a 9-2 spurt of their own to push the advantage back into double digits.
"We made a mistake (early in the second half) on a pass that we let them pick it and turn into an easy layup," Drury said. "I think that might've been a slap in the face. We went out and knocked down a couple of 3-pointers and made some plays."
Provo also made some adjustments to slow down Jackson, limiting his scoring to just two points after the break - but Drury said he was impressed with how the junior continued to make plays in other ways.
"He's a great player," the Bulldog head coach said. "He was still making passes and setting up his teammates."
Robinson said his squad will be relying on Jackson to play a big role throughout the season.
"He has a great feel for the game," Robinson said. "Even with the challenges tonight, he was finding ways to help out, doing the things that don't show up in the scorebook."
Jackson's 15 points led all scorers, but Provo countered with 14 points and 12 rebounds from Flake.
"We stopped getting him the ball (after his quick early start)," Drury said. "We went away from him and when we did, that's when they caught us. I would've liked to see us throw it in there 10 times and he might've made eight baskets for us."
The Bulldogs also got 11 points from junior guard Dallin Bosco while Westlake got 12 from senior guard Gabriel Jaco as they were the only other players in double digits.
Provo (1-0) faces another tough test when it hosts Payson next Tuesday while the Thunder (1-1) will look to keep improving when they go to Tooele the same evening.
Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Daily Herald sports editor Jared Lloyd can be reached at 801-344-2555 or jlloyd@heraldextra.com. He can also be followed on Twitter at @JaredrLloyd.

Happy "10th" Birthday Spencer!

2011-11-06T20:25:00.001-07:00

Spencer was invited to a birthday party a couple of months ago where they took all the kids to a place called Lowes Xtreme Air Sports. He had so much fun and decided at that time that he wanted to have his birthday party there as well. We reserved the day, birthday room, sent the invites, and everyone arrived. It was so much fun! Thank you everyone for sharing in Spencer's special day!

Kamien, Mat, Tom, and Sheri

Stone

Jack and Spencer

Cole, Nathan, Jack, Ben

Nathan and Ben

Cole

Clover

Corbin, Savanna, and Brigham

Nathan

Jack

Stone

Savanna

Jordan and Cole

Cole

Brigham, Jack, Spencer

Sonny's little brother and Sonny

Spencer

Sonny and Jake

Brinley

Corbin, Bart, McKayla

Birthday Party Room where we had pizza, soda, cupcakes, and opened presents

Thanks Bart, Jeanette, Brinley, and McKayla - this shirt is perfect! :)

HaPpY hAlLoWeEn 2011

2011-10-31T07:34:00.004-06:00

Every year we have the tradition of making some type of yummy soup, creative treat, and carving pumpkins before Halloween. This year I made Chicken Corn Chowder with Pumpkin Bread Bowls, Spider Oreo Cookies, and Apple Cider. I also volunteered to help with Spencer's class Halloween party and was in charge of the Mummy Wrap game. It was pretty fun and do not fret, the toilet paper was recycled.

Our spooky pumpkins

Our spooky pumpkins....in the dark

Spencer in action making edible eye balls - yummy!

Class Picture

Spencer and Miss Webb

Silly Class Picture

Spencer's Grade 3/4 Football Team - Championships

2011-10-31T07:10:00.001-06:00

pictures to follow

"Halloween" Dance - Cole

2011-10-31T07:10:00.000-06:00

pictures to follow

Pinewood Derby 2011

2011-10-31T07:09:00.019-06:00

When you say the words "Pinewood Derby" the Gordon boys don't take the challenge lightly. Many days are spent sanding, shaping, sanding, painting, sanding, weighing, sanding and perfecting the car for the race. Did I mention sanding? ;) Below is the car that Spencer raced last year. It won in all 7 heats that he raced. We made a few Dad's mad that night and were a little apprehensive to return this year, but we did and did so proudly. Spencer's car won again this year in all 4 heats. This time around everyone was very cool with us and asked Parrish a lot of questions regarding the engineering of the car. We even beat the Idaho State Championship Pinewood Derby car that one of the scout leaders brought to race that night.

2010 Pinewood Derby Car

2011 Pinewood Derby Car

A day at the Utah Olympic Oval

2011-10-31T07:06:00.005-06:00

We had the opportunity to attend the short track speed skating races last weekend at the Utah Olympic Oval. Athletes from all over the world arrive in Utah to qualify, compete, and medal in their respective events. Flower Patch provides the flowers for the event winners and tables so in turn they provide complimentary VIP passes. It was incredible to watch these athletes skate so fast on this tiny oval. The crashes they had were pretty intense as well!

Fall Break - Torrey, Utah

2011-10-27T20:34:00.004-06:00

Spencer's day with Chase and Carrie

2011-10-16T22:53:00.002-06:00

Parrish and I wanted to go out on a date last night so I asked Chase and Carrie if they would mind watching Spencer. They gladly accepted. They are so cute to always call to see if Spencer wants to go fishing, to a some type of sporting event, to carnivals, etc. and Spencer loves spending time with them. I made arrangements to drop him off around 6:00pm. All of that took place earlier in the day, so that afternoon I was at the store and got a call from Chase around 2:15pm. He asked if they could pick Spencer up early around 3:15-ish because they wanted to take him with them to a shooting range in Spanish Fork. When they picked him up, they had added to their plans that they were going to go pick berries in a berry patch as well. I am telling you all of this because they are always so spontaneous and fun. Below is a picture of Spencer with Chase's gun. Chase said that he is a natural and Parrish was very happy about that. When we picked him up they had also carved pumpkins. Needless to say, Spencer had a blast!

Hit the Links - A day golfing with Parrish, Cole, and Chase

2011-10-16T21:51:00.004-06:00


Parrish got invited to be in a golf tournament. Thus "The Killers" spent a day golfing, laughing, and having a great time on their boys day out

Cole gets asked to Halloween (a dance at Provo High)

2011-10-16T21:13:00.007-06:00

We get a knock on the door around 8:30pm on a Sunday night. The above sign is on our door step and it is obvious who it is for, so we went to get Cole. He came to the front door, read the sign, and said " What the heck" and then followed the signs.

He found this pumpkin at the end of the scavenger hunt. It was full of candy and the first poster said that he needed to go through it to find out her name. We found three letters and after putting it all together discovered it was Aly that asked him. He is very excited and she is a cutie!

Spencer's Grade 3/4 Football Team

2011-09-12T14:42:00.010-06:00

Homecoming 2011

2011-09-12T14:42:00.009-06:00

Lake Powell 2011

2011-09-12T14:41:00.009-06:00

Parrish, Spencer, and Cole had the opportunity to go to Lake Powell this Summer with the Gordon Family. It rained the first day, but the rest of the days were absolutely gorgeous and fun-filled. Back flips off the back of the house boat, card games, Cole water-skiing, Spencer learning to wake board, beautiful sunsets, a really cool wild rabbit friend, and pictures of my boys.

Cole's surgery

2011-09-12T14:41:00.007-06:00

Easter 2011

2011-09-12T14:40:00.007-06:00

Cole Basketball 2010 -2011 Season

2011-09-12T14:40:00.002-06:00

I'm baaaaaaccccckkkk!!!!!

2011-09-12T14:12:00.008-06:00

It has been entirely WAY too long since I have been on my blog site. I have missed documenting a few things that have happened over the past several months. You will soon see Cole's basketball pictures, Easter pictures, Cole's surgery pictures, my surgery pictures, Lake Powell, and Homecoming 2011 pictures. Yep, the Cole James Gordon is official.

Sad, but true.....Provo loses to Timpview 52 - 74. There is always next year and don't worry, we will be back!

2011-01-27T11:06:00.004-07:00

Timpview's twin towers too much for Provo

Neil K. Warner - Daily Herald

Mountain View High School coach Jeff Gardner sat in the stands of the Timpview vs. Provo game on Tuesday night with a notepad and pencil, taking notes as if there were some secret he would discover, some way someone could beat Timpview.

In the fourth quarter he was asked if he'd come up with a way to stop Timpview's big men, Corbin Kaufusi and Colby Jorgensen.

"You get them in foul trouble."

Kaufusi and Jorgensen, Timpview's two senior centers, dunk, block shots, rebound, and dominate.

Tuesday night Provo found out just how difficult a matchup they can beat as Timpview's twin towers helped the T'Birds to a relatively easy 74-52 win.

The only thing that went wrong for Timpview on the night was its free throw shooting. The T'Birds made just 8-of-19 free throws, but who needs free throws when you shoot 66 percent from the field and 54 percent from 3-point line?

"We pounded the ball. We got the ball to our bigs and our big guys are finishing much more now than they were earlier in the year," said Timpview coach Perry Wildeboer. "We're just playing a little better in-out game. I don't know what we shot from the 3-point line, but it had to be close to 50 percent. You start putting that together with an inside-out game we're going to be pretty good that way."

Timpview used 22 points from Kaufusi and 14 points from Jorgensen to build a big lead early that the T'Birds would never relinquish.

Kaufusi opened up the second quarter with a dunk and then powered inside scored and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but after Provo's Andrew Finch hit a jumper, Ryan Sagers popped a 3-pointer and then made two free throws to give Timpview a 31-16 lead with five minutes left in the first half.

The T'Birds led 36-20 at the half and managed to maintain their lead in the third quarter. Josh Warner opened the scoring in the second half with a driving layup. Finch tried to shoot Provo back into the game. He made back-to-back 3-pointers, but Kaufusi scored inside on two consecutive possessions and when he got the ball inside again, he dished off to Jorgensen for a dunk that started a chant from the Timpview section, "We can't hear you."

Provo made one final run early in the fourth quarter when Cole Gordon, Christian Santiago and Finch all scored and got the lead down to 56-45 with 5:10 left in the game, but Kaufusi scored again and Sagers hit a jumper to put the game away.

Kaufusi added eight rebounds and five blocked shots to his stat line. Jorgensen finished with 10 rebounds to get a double-double.

"We like being called the twin towers. It's kind of our dream nickname. We've talked about it a lot in preseason and now it's finally coming," Kaufusi said. "This is sweet. I've been watching these games every since I was little when my brother was playing. I've never seen us come into Provo and put up such a big win. I'm excited. Our team did really well."

Timpview also got 13 points from Sagers including three, 3-pointers and Christian Covey had 12.

Finch led Provo with 19 points. Santiago had nine and Gordon finished with eight. Provo shot 48 percent on the night and hit four 3-pointers, but it wasn't enough to keep pace with Timpview.

The win helped the T'Birds hold onto first place in Region 7 at 5-0. Provo fell to 1-4.

1/18/2011: Provo loses against Orem 43 - 46

2011-01-20T14:17:00.008-07:00

We are four games in to a struggling season for Provo and I thought I better get my act together to at least post some things regarding the basketball season. Cole has been doing great this year and has started every Varsity game. There is a somewhat new site called Prep Rally that reports on all of the sports teams in Utah Valley so now you will see more posts after each game as the site gets updated. It is fun to see comments like "Provo missed a 3-point shot, but Cole Gordon was there to grab the rebound and score to keep the fans in their seats".

Following is the article on the Provo vs Orem game from the Prep Rally website.

Orem survives close call against Provo
Neil K. Warner - Daily Herald

For much of the season, the free throws have rimmed out and the turnovers mounted in the final seconds of the game.

When the game was on the line, something usually went wrong for Orem High school.

Six losses by six points or less.

But on Tuesday night, Orem reversed its fortune.

Playing in perhaps its most crucial game of the year, Orem came up clutch as the Tigers held off Provo 46-43, to improve to 1-2 in Region 7 play while Provo fell to 0-3.

"That's a new thing for us. It hasn't happened. We've lost a lot of close games by missing free throws and turning the ball over," said Orem coach Golden Holt. "We only had three turnovers in the second half and we made our free throws. That's kind of the difference between 2-9 and 9-2. We're glad to have them tonight."

Orem effectively won the game at the free throw line. The Tigers connected on 14-of-18 free throws on the night and none were bigger than the ones made by Cooper Holt. With 17 seconds left, Holt went to the line in a one-and-one situation. He made both free throws to put Orem up 46-41.

Provo missed a 3-point shot, but Cole Gordon was there to grab the rebound and score to keep the fans in their seats.

The Bulldogs quickly fouled Brandon Erickson with four seconds left. He missed the first free throw, giving Provo a chance to tie the game, but Andrew Finch missed a running 3-pointer at the buzzer.

"Provo and us are very similar. We're very young. We're trying to get the boys to believe a little bit," Golden Holt said. "Sometimes one win with the talent that both of us have is all you need because we don't think we're that separated in talent, just kind of experince and a little bit of poise, and hopefully we got a little bit of that tonight."

Provo led for much of the game, but could never pull away. The Bulldogs were up 22-18 at the half and held the lead for much of the third quarter until Erickson scored the final five points of the quarter to give Orem a 37-33 lead.

Finch scored seven points in the fourth quarter to keep Provo close, but the Tigers kept Provo at arms-length thanks to free throws.

Orem's strength proved to be its balance. Erickson led the Tigers with nine points. Christian Clark had eight points, Jordan Darger had seven and Terren Woodis gave Orem a boost with six points. Finch led Provo with 17 and Gordon had 11.

The Gym by Cole Gordon

2010-11-02T16:30:00.006-06:00

Cole was given a writing assignment by his AP English Teacher this last week. He stayed up late last night to get it done. I have had so much fun reading the different papers he has written over the last year because he has such a talent for expressing himself. Our printer happens to be out of ink right now so he sent it to me to print for him. As I was reading it, I knew I had to post it and yes, I do have permission from him. It is perfect as Basketball Season is right around the corner and so perfectly explains how he feels right now. Tryouts are on Monday and Pre-Season will start right before Thanksgiving.

The Gym

by Cole Gordon

The smell of a newly finished wood floor quickly brushes past my nose as I step into the place that I call home. The floor glistens and gives me a feeling of authority, but I walk with light steps listening to the cracking sound the floor makes as if I have just woken it. I look up in the rafters and there hangs sayings that lie deeper in my heart than any saying has before. I read all 17 of them although they say the same thing, the dates are different. In the middle sits a bull dog, ready to scare the un-wanted visitors away. The art work is found on the floor, lines that tell me where I need to be. These lines change the outlook of the way that I move and the decisions that I make. On the wall hangs a picture that is in movement. Some days I look at this picture and I love what I am seeing, and some days I want to rip it off the wall. At each end there is a target that can be seen from any angle in the gym. This is a target that is attacked with elegance and grace, but never broken. This target can be a benefit one day, and the next it can break you. Around me lies my furniture, but it only come out when I have the need. This furniture is not for me but for my guests that come to join. I walk into the painting, this is where I live. I walk past the bull dog and I am not afraid. As I get to the arc where I decide to rest my feet, I lick my hand and reach down to clean the bottom of my shoes. This leaves a taste of dirt in my mouth, but this is not the first time. I move around the painting as if I am changing it, I am making it better every day. At the end of the day I stand there as I feel the sweat drip down my face, thinking in my mind how hard it is to create my own painting. I stand there and remember the good times I have had, and the bad times I have had. The issues that I have worked through and the problems I have solved. I know that the wood under my feet holds the knowledge of many before my time. That doesn’t change what happens there now. I am the only artist that walks that floor.

HaPpY hAlLoWeEn - 2010

2010-11-01T11:05:00.010-06:00

Check it out! My good friend Brooke now has her own Photography Business!

2010-10-27T11:18:00.002-06:00

http://brookebphotography.blogspot.com/

Brooke is so extremely talented and has such an eye for things like this. Can't wait to get our pictures taken here in a few months!

The Nike Symbol.......sometimes it burn's

2010-09-22T09:37:00.012-06:00

As I think back on the memories of this Summer, this definitely is one of them. It is so funny, but ended up being so painful for Cole. Here is what happened.......

Cole and his friends had a brilliant idea at the first of the Summer while they were playing basketball outside on a beautiful sunny day. They decided that it would be cool to print out different symbols such as the Nike sign, smiley faces, etc. and tape them to their bodies while they were sitting in the sun. Notice the tape marks in the picture. That made me laugh just on it's own.

I remember picking Cole up that day, him telling me about their idea, me laughing so hard and telling him that suntan lotion might have been a good choice, then watching the process of the burn take place. As the night went on, he just kept getting more red and the pain started to set in. We ended up taking a trip to Walgreen's to get a "sooth-a-caine" sun burn relief spray and lotion. He then got in and out of the shower probably 5 or so times that night as well as making sure he was drinking a lot of water. When he woke up the next morning he could not move. It was painful to lift his arms. His red sunburn had now turned to dark purple. I felt so bad for him.

He still went to basketball practice that day, which was dedication. He said that it was nice to move around, but that it was still so painful. We had to do the whole soothe-a-caine and shower process for probably the next three or four days. His sunburn still purple. It finally started to subside about 2 weeks in to it which was good because he left soon after that for a basketball camp at Washington State. Needless to say, he made sure that he applied suntan lotion for the rest of the Summer.

Lake Powell July 2010 - Cole and Spencer

2010-09-03T09:54:00.006-06:00

Memorial Day Weekend Basketball Tournament in Chicago

2010-05-28T11:01:00.015-06:00

5/27/2010

Cole is on his way to Chicago today for a Basketball Tournament with his Pump and Run team. He is excited to cross the Mississippi for the first time ever. The first highlight of his trip started at the airport when he was patted down while going through security because his clothes were too baggy. Yeah, thought that was pretty funny. It is rough being a tall skinny guy. That is why we call him "stretch" thanks to Brady :)

5/28/2010

Cole is currently on his way to go to a Cubs baseball game today. This would be the second highlight of his trip as baseball is his second favorite sport behind basketball. Cole spent many years as a pitcher, catcher, and first baseman before basketball became his sport of choice to play. Although when it was time for High School baseball to start this year, he was kind of wishing that he was playing baseball as well. We will see what happens next year. I wouldn't mind that at all. I just think it is cool that he gets to go to Wrigley Field today.

Cole just sent me a text to tell me that they just saw the President fly in as they were driving to the game. I asked if the jets were accompanying Air Force One. He said "Yes, there were jets and helicopters. It was sweet."

Chicks Dig Scars

2010-04-09T14:49:00.012-06:00

Cole's wrist two weeks after surgery and right after the stitches were taken out.

Cole's wrist today.

You almost can't tell there is a scar there. This scar will add to the scar on the top of his foot where he had stitches when he was 4 years old as well as the scar on his left arm where he had a cyst taken out when he was 5 or 6 years old. He is well on his way to accumulating the scars, but that is kinda what boys do. Best of all, and he is very quick to point this out, chicks dig scars :)

Cole gets his cast off !!!! Woo hoo!! Yippee!! uh-huh...uh-huh (with a groovy dance)!! Can you hear the celebration?? I bet you can!

2010-03-10T16:08:00.011-07:00

March 8th, 2010

We had to take the before pictures. He had just a few signatures as you can tell ;) We still like to kid Michelle and Zannie about how they spell thumb, lol! I still like the answer that there wasn't enough room for the "b". Too funny.

Bye Bye to the shower bag you had to use on your arm every day. I know you will miss it ;)

Just think....you can start doing things with two hands now that you are a pro at just using one. You can tie your own tie, play video games again (they will actually help with recovery), and most important of all.....play basketball.

The after picture is on it's way. Will be posted shortly. His left arm is much smaller than his right. Donny is helping with Physical Therapy and we are well on our way to recovery. There is some scar tissue that we need to get through, but it's all good and part of the process. Congrats Cole!! You have been so incredibly patient through this process. So proud of you!!!

Provo loses against Mountain Crest in Region 7 semi-final game :(

2010-03-10T16:01:00.004-07:00

March 5th, 2010

I can't find any articles right now that talk about the game against Provo and Mountain Crest. Both teams definitely came out to play but in the end Mountain Crest wanted the title a little bit more. I do have to say that the fans for Mountain Crest brought it. We spent half of the time laughing at what they were doing as well as giving Provo's "super fan" high fives every time a basket was made. I am so proud of all of the Provo players. My heart felt for them as I heard that all of them cried in the locker room. They played an incredible season of basketball and should be proud of where they ended up. We will miss the 6 Seniors that will be graduating this year. Now on to Spring ball.

This just in.......Provo wins against Springville in their 2nd round of Region 7 playoff games. Third round is tomorrow.

2010-03-04T16:11:00.005-07:00

I wasn't able to go to the game today because I had to work. Texting back and forth with Cole right now to get the details. I hear it was a great game. They won by 8 points. They will play again tomorrow at 5:30. Not sure who their opponent will be yet. More details to follow.

Provo wins against Wood Cross in first round of Region 7 playoffs

2010-03-03T13:13:00.007-07:00

March 2nd, 2010

I think Cole was more excited about this day than any one. He still has his cast on, but was asked to dress for the game (pictures to follow). No one wants him to get back on the court more than he does. Provo goes on to play Springville tomorrow at 2:00pm at Weber State.

Provo advances past Woods Cross in 4A tournament

Kyle Flanagan - Daily Herald:

There's an old saying about taking what the other team gives you.

Provo boy's basketball coach Craig Drury doesn't buy it and he doesn't preach it.

"I've never believed that," Drury said. "I always say, 'take what you want.'"

And what Drury and his team wanted Tuesday night was a victory over visiting Woods Cross in 4A State Tournament action--the Bulldogs got what they wanted after running away with a 61-45 victory over the Wildcats.

Provo took an 11-6 lead into the second quarter after senior Keith Moore provided the opening spark for the Bulldogs--scoring five points in the first frame.

"He's (Moore) always a spark," Drury said. "He's a flame for us all the time."

Moore, who averaged 8.0 points in the regular season, finished the contest with 11 points and played an integral part of revving up the Provo scoring attack.

"Keith is good at doing that," teammate Kyle Collinsworth said of Moores ability to get the team going.

A Collingsworth old-fashioned three-point play opened up the Provo lead to 21-10 mid-way through the second quarter before a Kaleio Manuela jumper sent the Bulldogs to the break with a 26-15 lead.

Collinsworth finished the contest with a game-high 25 points and made his case for 4A player of the year with each bucket that dropped.

"He is the best player in the state in my opinion and I don't think I'm alone," Drury said. "He just gets to the hoop so easily and so well. He's hopefully going to play well Thursday as well."

Manuela hit a layup to start the third quarter before Collinsworth took over on offense--picking up 11 more points in the third frame.

The Wildcats cut the lead to 36-28 in the final minutes of the third frame after an Austin Bankowski layup was followed by a another Woods Cross score.

Bankowski finished with a team-high 23 points in the losing effort.

Collinsworth took over after the Wildcats rally and rattled off five consecutive points to give the Bulldogs a 13 point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

"I wanted to get some more separation and get a bigger lead down the stretch," Collinsworth said.

Provo turned its attention to knocking down free throws in the final quarter, connecting on 13-of-14 shots from the charity stripe in the final eight minutes of play.

Sharp-shooting Ryan Durrant connected on 8-of-8 shots from the free-throw line in the final quarter en route to an 11-point night.

"We've been preaching all year that free throws and layups are what's going to win ball games," Drury said. "Our three losses this year has been free throws and layups that have really cost us."

The Bulldogs will move on to face the Springville Red Devils, who defeated Pine View Tuesday night, in second round action Thursday at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

And if Tuesday is any indication, what Provo wants, Provo usually gets.

WOODS CROSS (45)

Bankowski 23, Gerrard 2, Evans 8, Anderson 11, Sperry 1. Totals 16 14-17 45.

PROVO (61)

Finch 5, Manuela 8, Moore 11, Collinsworth 25, Durrant 11. Totals 21 16-18 61.

Woods Cross 6 9 13 17 -- 45

Provo 11 15 15 20 -- 61

3-Pointers: Woods Cross, none. Provo 2 (Collinsworth, Finch).

Texas Roadhouse and Monkey Balloons

2010-03-01T14:28:00.006-07:00

Texas Roadhouse was the choice for dinner on Saturday. While we were there a balloon guy came to our table. I like to help them out because I know they do this for extra money and are most likely starving college students. We told him a balloon would be great. He went through the list of what he could make as Spencer was listening attentively. The balloon guy then proceeded to say "There is a balloon that I only make two of in a night and haven't done it yet. It is a monkey in a palm tree. It is pretty big so if you choose that one, just make sure you are not going home on a scooter". Well after Spencer listened to the list, he, of course, chose the monkey in a palm tree. The guy started making the monkeys head. It alone was as big as a sword, darth vader, etc. that we would normally go home with. Then came the monkeys body which was a little bit bigger then the monkeys head. He then handed the monkey balloon to Spencer so he could start making the palm tree. As he did that he said "Hold that for me and be really careful not to break it". I felt like he was holding a piece of china. The balloon guy went on to make the palm tree as it got bigger and bigger. He then asked Spencer for the monkey and put it on the tree. I know it is simple, but it was probably one of the coolest balloons I have seen done in a long time. It made Spencer's night. He was so excited and held it in the back seat (the ballon was the width of the back seat) of the car the entire ride home. P.S. I have to say the camera on my new phone is much better than my old one :D

Provo finishes Region 7 regular games at 10-1. Now on to the playoffs.........

2010-02-25T15:24:00.005-07:00

Next week will be a busy week as Provo goes in to Region 7 playoffs. Games will be Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Provo wins against Timpanogos 61 - 47

2010-02-25T15:23:00.001-07:00

Daily Herald Prep Roundup for 2/24/2010

• Provo 61, Timpanogos 47: At Provo, the Bulldogs blew open a close game midway through the third quarter to coast past Timpanogos. Kyle Collinsworth led Provo with 26 points and Ryan Durrant chipped in with 16 points and a couple of 3's. Ryan Nielsen scored 17 to lead the Timberwolves.

Timpanogos (47)

Berlin 2, R.Hamilton 6, Nielsen 17, Melville 8, T.Hamilton, Van Pelt 7. Totals 20 5-7 47.

Provo (61)

Finch 5, Moore 8, Manuela 6, Durrant 16, Collinsworth 26. Totals 22 10-14 61.

Timpanogos 10 11 16 10 -- 47

Provo 11 14 15 21 -- 61

3-point goals: Provo 5, (Durrant 2, Moore 2, Finch), Timpanogos 2 (Melville, Hamilton).

Ohhhh Provo.....no you just didn't win your game against Timpview for the second time this season!!!!!!!

2010-02-21T14:36:00.004-07:00

February 19, 2010

Provo Storms Back to Shock Timpview
Daily Herald: Becky Beaton

The ending couldn't have been more fitting.

In another classic "Clash of the Titans" between the Provo and Timpview boys basketball teams, the Bulldogs came up with a pair of critical turnovers in the final 20 seconds and converted on both of them to pull out a huge 51-49 victory in front of a rowdy full house Friday night.

After Provo's Keith Moore rebounded the only T'Bird missed free throw of the night, he drove down for a layup and closed the gap to four with 39 seconds remaining.

When Timpview got the ball in, the guard fell and lost it out of bounds. The Bulldogs got it back, and Kyle Collinsworth found Moore open on the perimeter and he promptly sank a trey.

The next in-bounds went eerily awry too, as the ball got bounced out of bounds off a player's knee.

One again, Collinsworth was able to draw the attention and then dish to a wide-open Moore for another 3-pointer with five seconds to go, effectively icing the game for Provo.

"Those plays worked great, didn't they?" said Provo coach Craig Drury with a smile. Then, on a more serious note, "The reality is that Kyle made those plays, though I give Keith a lot of credit for knocking down those shots.

"He's our No. 3 shooter, but he works his guts out all the time and he's as tough as he can be. At 6-foot-1, he plays the post for me against 6-foot-8 guys and holds his own," he said.

"Still, I can't say enough about Kyle. I've never seen a player with the poise that he has in pressure situations," the coach went on. "They had the game won. They were making their layups and free throws and we were missing some of ours."

It was pressure defense by the Bulldogs that forced the turnovers in the first place.

"Andrew Finch gets absolutely no credit, but he's critical to what we do," Drury explained. "Seth Rhineer comes off the bench and helps get the ball loose. Timpview has excellent guards, but those two made things happen twice."

Provo got off to a hot start with Ryan Durrant making a couple of steals and feeding them to Collinsworth for dunks that got the crowd going. The Thunderbirds worked themselves back into it and the contest went back-and-forth the rest of the way.

Collinsworth finished with 22 points and Moore had 17, 10 of them coming in the fourth quarter.

"This victory locks up first seed for us," Drury said. "We're region champions, and even if we lose next week, we won't do any worse than a tie.

"I also want to say that as a basketball fan, I'm really proud of Timpview," he said. "They did a wonderful job. I'm glad they're in our region and our district. It's a great rivalry."

Eli Robison had a sensational night for the Thunderbirds with 16 points and a terrific floor game. Christian Covey added 14 points, including a pair of treys.

To finish the regular season on Wednesday, the Bulldogs (10-1, 16-3) host Timpanogos (4-7, 6-14), while the Thunderbirds (8-3, 13-7) will welcome Orem (4-7, 7-13). The games are set to tip off at 7 p.m.

Beky Beaton can be reached at bbeaton@heraldextra.com.

Provo 51, Timpview 49

TIMPVIEW (49)

Warner 2, Covey 14, Jorgensen 6, Sagers 3, Raymond 6, Robison 16, Salmon 2. Totals 18 10-11 49.

PROVO (51)

Finch 4, K. Moore 17, Durrant 6, Collinsworth 22, Flake 2. Totals 19 6-13 51.

Timpview 11 13 7 18 49

Provo 17 3 17 14 51

3 point goals: Timpview 3 (Covey 2, Sagers); Provo 7 (Moore 3, Collinsworth 2, Durrant, Finch).

Holy Moly it snowed in Augusta, GA today!!

2010-02-12T17:05:00.003-07:00

My Sister, Kim, just sent this picture to me. Silly weather!!. I told her that it is a very good thing that she knows how to drive in it :)

Provo Freshman win the CVJH Freshman Tournament

2010-02-12T13:57:00.006-07:00

The three Freshman who sat for Varsity in the 2009/2010 Season
Adam Finch, Cole Gordon, Dallin Bosco

The ever so amazing Freshman team

Victory and the big trophy

Cole receiving his individual trophy

The traditional cutting of the net

More team celebration with the net cut down and their trophy

February 11th, 2010

Will add text later

This is what happens when you let Spencer on his own during a basketball game.......

2010-02-05T15:51:00.008-07:00

Spencer asked if he could go play with his friends during a basketball game, which is what he normally does. However, during this basketball game he came back looking like this :)

and it gets even better, lol!

There was one more picture where he even had the head band painted, but the picture didn't come out very good. We then joked by saying "the next time he comes back he might have a beer in his hand". It was pretty funny.........or maybe you had to be there :D Thought it was way cute.

Provo wins against Mountain View 49-40

2010-02-05T15:15:00.001-07:00

BOYS BASKETBALL

Region 7

• Provo 49, Mountain View 40: At Provo, Kyle Collinsworth poured in a game-high 22 points as the Bulldogs (13-3, 7-1) defeated the visiting Mountain View Bruins (7-10, 2-6) in Region 7. Ryan Durrant dropped in 12 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc for the Bulldogs, who sealed the victory in the final quarter of play after connecting on 8-of-11 free-throws down the stretch. Colton Gourley finished with 17 points for the Bruins in the losing effort.

MOUNTAIN VIEW (40)

Warner 7, Westwood 11, Gourley 17, Wyckoff 3, Scofield 2. Totals 11 7-7 40.

PROVO (49)

Moore 6, Rhineer 3, Manuela 6, Durrant 12, Collinsworth 22. Totals 16 11-17 49.

Mountain View 11 4 11 14 -- 40

Provo 12 5 19 13 -- 49

3-pointers: Mountain View 5 (Wyckoff, Gourley, Westwood 2, Warner) Provo 6 (Collinsworth, Durrant 4, Rhineer).

Provo Loses Against Lehi 51 - 53

2010-02-04T09:10:00.003-07:00

February 2nd, 2010

Lehi knocks off Provo

The Daily Herald:

The Lehi boys basketball team came roaring back from a nine-point deficit early in the second half and made enough plays down the stretch to pull out a 53-51 Region 7 victory over Provo on the road.

It was the first league loss for the top-ranked Bulldogs and dropped them into a tie for first place with fourth-ranked Timpview. The third-ranked Pioneers are now one game back with five remaining in the regular season.

“This was a big win for us,” said Lehi coach Craig Gladwell. “You don’t beat Provo in Provo very often.”

In fact, he added, his team has never accomplished that feat since he’s been coaching the Pioneers.

“It means so much to us, because if we lose this one, we’re really out of the title chase and looking at a tough seed into the tournament,” he said. “Now, at least we have a chance.”

The game featured a lot of nerves and rugged defense by both sides, but very few fouls were called. Both teams shot poorly from the line, with the Bulldogs getting just 1-of-7 and Lehi 3-of-8. However, two of those proved to be the game winners, as Zach Stanley went to the line for a 1-and-1 with 23 seconds left and the score tied at 51. He made them both for what proved to be the final tally of the night.

But the game wasn’t over yet.

Provo missed the next attempt and Pioneer Josh Scott got the rebound and was immediately fouled. He missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Kyle Collinsworth came down with the board. Collinsworth got a look at the other end and it didn’t go, but he was sent to the line for a 1-and-1. His first try wouldn’t drop and Scott collected the ball again, bringing on another foul with less than one second remaining.

His charity shot and the subsequent full-court heave by Collinsworth both fell short and the clock ran out.

Collinsworth had a typically outstanding shooting night from the floor, finishing with 31 points including four treys, but he was an uncharacteristic 1-of-5 at the line. No other Bulldog reached double figures.

Lehi’s offense was more balanced. Will Walker started the game stone cold and had several early misses from point-blank range, but he hit three shots in a row late in the second quarter to get his stroke going and finished with 18.

Josh Scott added 14 points and had a sensational night on the boards with 16 for a double-double to go with a couple of key blocks. Ryan Christofferson scored 10 and he and Stanley each netted a pair of treys for the visitors.

“Our kids just showed some real heart and determination tonight,” Gladwell said. “Collinsworth is just so good and we couldn’t stop him, but fortunately they had some misses and we got some rebounds and were able to get a few shots to fall.

“We looked dead at the half and they had all the momentum,” the coach added. “I’m really proud of how my guys battled back in the third and kept working until the very end.”

For their next contests, the Bulldogs (6-1, 12-3) host Mountain View (2-5, 7-9) on Thursday, while the Pioneers (5-2, 13-3) will welcome Timpview (6-1, 11-5) on Tuesday. The games are set to tip off at 7 p.m.

∫ Beky Beaton can be reached at bbeaton@heraldextra.com.

Thankful for friends who are inspired.......

2010-02-01T10:05:00.007-07:00

My good friend Jolene sent me a quote this morning. The timing was perfect.

Elder Orson F. Whitney wrote: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God, … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire”.

Provo Wins against Timpanogos 75 - 51

2010-02-01T08:31:00.001-07:00

January 29th, 2010

BOYS BASKETBALL

Region 7

• Provo 75, Timpanogos 51: At Orem, Kyle Collinsworth scored 37 points and Ryan Durrant added 14 to lead Provo (12-2, 6-0) past Timpanogos (3-12, 1-5) in Region 7.

The Bulldogs led 36-21 at the half and cruised from there.

Chris Melville led Timpanogos with 21 piontsa and Ryan Hamilton added 10.

PROVO (75)

Finch 5, Stantiago 2, Flake 4, Manuela 6, Hamilton 1, Moore 6, Collinsworth 37, Durrant 14. Totals 31 7-12 75.

TIMPANOGOS (51)

Melville 21, Berlin 1, Anderson 4, Hamilton 10, Nielson 4, Van Pelt 6, Gadd 5. Totals 21 7-8 51.

Provo 22 14 23 16 -- 75

Timpanogos 14 7 18 12 -- 51

3-point goals: Provo 6 (Finch, Collinsworth 2, Durrant 3), Timpanogos 2 (Melville, Gadd).

Provo wins against Timpview in one of the biggest rival games of the year. Final score 46-32.

2010-01-27T10:59:00.005-07:00

Photo's will be posted shortly. Yes, Cole did attend the game and everyone, including his fan base, was excited to see him. His pain meds wore off about the same time the game ended so it was perfect timing. Such a trooper and so proud of him. Overwhelmed by all of the people who have called or personally asked about Cole. So lucky to have so many incredible people around us. Will post more later......xoxo Kristie

Dogged Effort: Provo's defense clamps down on Timpview

Neil K. Warner - Daily Herald | Posted: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 12:15 am
Provo's Kyle Collinsworth's shooting was hurtful, Keith Moore's penetration to the basket painful and Ryan Durrant's timely outside shooting damaging, but as a Timpview fan, there was one thing that really made you sit on your hands.

Provo's defense.

In a game where dunks and 3-pointers make the highlights, it was Provo's swarming team defense that stepped into the spotlight on Tuesday night, and a defense never looked so good.

Provo took over sole possession of first place in Region 7 with a convincing 46-32 win over rival Timpview in front of a capacity crowd in the Thunderdome. Provo improved to 5-0 in region play, while Timpview fell to 4-1.

"The most important thing to me is we're now 5-0. It isn't Timpview, it isn't anybody else. We're now ahead of the league by ourselves," said Provo coach Craig Drury. "We've got Timpanogos on Friday and expect a tough ballgame at their place. It's nice to come in here on their ground and win, but to everyone around, it's a rivalry. To me, it's just a game."

The story of the game was the first quarter.

Timpview went two minutes without scoring a point. Three minutes. Four and counting. By the time Colby Jorgensen finally scored with 3:02 left in the first quarter, Timpview had five turnovers and Provo had a 6-2 lead.

The Bulldogs didn't let up. Durrant knocked down a jumper and Collinsworth took a lob pass inside from Kaleio Manuela for an easy two. Andrew Finch followed with a 3-pointer to give Provo a 13-2 lead at the end of the quarter.

"I thought our defensive effort was super," Drury said. "I'm really pleased with that. We made a couple of mistakes, but when the mistakes stick out, that's a good thing because you're not making very many."

Timpview started to settled in during the second quarter. Christian Covey and Josh Warner scored to cut the lead to 19-13 with 3:27 left in the half, but Provo then surged ahead. Moore scored Provo's next seven points to give the Bulldogs a 26-15 lead at the half.

A Collinsworth 3-point play helped Provo open up a 35-18 lead with 3:39 left in the third. Timpview got the lead down to 35-25 after an Eli Robison 3-pointer, but Collinsworth opened the fourth quarter by driving baseline for a layup, and after Moore went coast-to-coast for two, Durrant hit a 3-pointer to effectively finish off Timpview.

"We set the tone for the game in the first quarter. That got us off to a good start and let us play our game," Collinsworth said. "We've been working on getting more into our guys a little bit. We just played Provo defense and getting the principles down a little better as the season goes on."

Collinsworth led Provo with 19 points and 11 rebounds for Provo. Moore finished with 13 points and Durrant had nine. Finch was the only other Bulldog to score. He had five points.

As a team, Provo shot 57 percent from the field, while holding Timpview to just 27 percent shooting.

Covey led the T'Birds with 11 points.

"We didn't seem to be too comfortable on the floor. We just didn't have the poise that we should have. We've got to play through that. We'll have another opportunity," said Timpview coach Perry Wildeboer. "I'm thoroughly disappointed. We know we're much better than this. We just have to overcome it and make sure it doesn't happen again."

PROVO (46)

Collinsworth 19, Durrant 9, Moore 13, Finch 5. Totals 19 6-13 46.

TIMPVIEW (32)

Warner 6, Nash 5, Covey 11, Sagers 2, Jorgensen 2, Raymond 1, Robison 5. Totals 13 4-9 32.

Provo 13 13 9 11 -- 32

Timpview 2 13 10 7 -- 46

3-point goals: Provo 2 (Durrant, Finch), Timpview 2 (Nash, Robison).

Cole's hand surgery 1/26/2010

2010-01-27T10:57:00.002-07:00

Text to follow :D

Provo vs Westlake and the infamous Sophomore game that took Cole out for the rest of the season

2010-01-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

Freshman game against Oak Canyon. Provo won 57-48.

2010-01-21T15:00:00.016-07:00

My sister-in-law Ann and the team at Wandermelon wrote a great article about the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival. Check it out!

2010-01-21T14:26:00.005-07:00

http://wandermelon.com/the-x-dance-action-sports-film-festival-ignites-salt-lake-city

The official website for the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival is www.x-dance.com

Provo Wins against Orem 44-39

2010-01-20T13:23:00.002-07:00

January 19, 2010

I am finding out pretty fast that the newspapers don't always cover as much of the basketball games as I would like. Therefore, I will provide what I have and fill in the blanks later.

JV lost their game and it was definitely a rough one. It was like everyone was playing in slow motion. Cole got to play the first quarter, but was having a rough day like everyone else and sat for the rest of the game. The Freshman then received a lecture from Coach Drury in the locker room telling them that he is hoping that putting the Freshman on the Varsity team for the first time in almost 10 years wasn't a mistake. They weren't playing as well as they could, but made it up in the Sophomore game.

The Sophomore game was much better as Cole battled an "Elvis" look alike and ended up finally giving him an accidental elbow. The kid backed off. Dallin might as well have been playing football because he got hit so hard and run in to the wall on an intentional foul. We are happy he got to shoot some baskets off that one. Adam battled the ref who couldn't make a correct call all game long. Even when Adam asked the ref to explain why he got the call, the ref asked him to back off. So proud of Adam hanging in there and being patient when it was so frustrating. Sophomore ended up winning by 12.

Varsity was very intense as Orem definitely came to play. Kyle, Keith, Ryan, and Andrew all struggled with their 3 point shots during the first half, but did extremely well going to the basket. It never gets old watching Kyle go to the basket with 3 people standing there as he alley oops it in every time. The school basketball program said yesterday that "Kyle Collingsworth does everything but sell popcorn". The jury is still out on that one because he might even do that :) This is definitely a fun Varsity team to watch.

Last but not least, I am sad to say that we don't have pictures from this game as Judy is home sick with croup :( I hope you feel better soon!!

Below are the stats from The Daily Herald today:

• Provo 44, Orem 39: At Provo, the Bulldogs (3-0, 9-2) stayed unbeaten in region play with a crucial win over the Tigers (2-1, 5-7). Kyle Collinsworth had 17 points and one 3-pointer in the win for Provo, while Sean Petersen had 12 points and a 3-pointer for Orem.

OREM (39)

Karrati 5, Sagers 10, Tuttle 5, Hill 7, Petersen 12. Totals 12 6-8 39.

PROVO (44)

Finch 6, Moore 5, Manuela 7, Durrant 9, Collinsworth 17. 14 12-22 44.

Orem 12 5 7 15 -- 39

Provo 7 11 9 17 -- 44

3-point goals: Orem 4 (Sagers 2, Tuttle, Petersen), Provo (Finch 2, Durrant, Collinsworth).

This just in from The Daily Herald........

2010-01-19T15:17:00.003-07:00

Valley Top 5

Boys basketball 1/18/10

1. Provo (8-2)

Spent week on cruise control.

2. Timpview (8-3)

Protected home court against tough foes.

3. Lehi (8-3)

Coming out of difficult stretch.

4. Lone Peak (10-2)

Youth showed at Pleasant Grove.

5. Pleasant Grove (7-5)

Vikings finally getting healthy.

Provo Wins Against Mountain View 70 - 33

2010-01-14T08:33:00.004-07:00

January 13, 2010

Mountain View get's Provo's 'A' game

Neil K. Warner - Daily Herald

The Bruin Crazies sat there perfectly tame, like they were in a library. Arms folded, eyes glazed, speechless.

What could they say? Provo took the words right out of their mouth.

It's not every night when you see one team go on a 47-6 run over a 16-minute span.

What can you say when you're on the losing end of a blowout?

Provo turned in its most impressive performance of the year with a 70-33 beating of Mountain View on Tuesday night in Region 7 action.

"We didn't play a perfect half, we still made some mistakes, but we played pretty good in the first half. I was very, very pleased, and I was very pleased in the third quarter when they came out and finished," said Provo coach Craig Drury. "We might have caught Mountain View by surprise in an area or two. They're going to get some good wins, they've got some good players. We were really prepared and nervous for them on their floor. I think that's one of the reasons we came out so well, our kids realized they had a tough game to play."

Provo must have know things were going to go its way when Kyle Collinsworth banked in a 3-pointer from the corner, in the opening minutes of the game.

Mountain View trailed just 11-9 when the wheels came off. Collinsworth started the run when he drove the baseline through traffic and threw down a dunk.

Collinsworth drove inside and scored again and, after Kaleio Manuela steal, Ryan Durrant made two free throws to close out the scoring in the first quarter and give Provo a 17-9 lead.

Provo continued to pull away in the second quarter. Finch had the ball from about 22 feet out on the right wing and lobbed up a pass, but it went in for three points. Finch just held out his hands as if to say, "Oops."

No need to apologize, the Bulldogs didn't need any luck. After Taylor Warner answered for Mountain View to cut the lead to 20-11, Collinsworth attacked the basket and abused his man, spinning inside for an up-and-under move that turned into a three-point play.

Finch then hit an intentional 3-pointer that gave Provo a 26-11 lead that prompted a Mountain View timeout.

Manuela continued to cause trouble inside. He scored off an offensive rebound to help Provo's roll continue. Collinsworth then went coast-to-coast scored and was fouled. He added the free throw. After Durrant knocked down two free throws, Mountain View's Hunter Westwood scored with 4:15 left in the half to gave the Bruins their first points of the quarter.

Collinsworth responded with a 3-pointer, followed by a Durrant 3-pointer. The half ended with Provo running the clock down and Collinsworth holding the ball. Drury called out a play. Collinsworth found Keith Moore for an easy basket inside.

It was execution on both ends.

"Their support guys made shots. No. 5 (Finch) made two or three in the first half. They were good tonight," said Mountain View coach Jeff Gardner. "It was 11-9, we were right there, but the tide turned, and we weren't good enough to overcome it."

Provo led 43-13 at the half, and just to make sure there would be no miracle comeback, Finch and Durrant both buried 3-pointers to open the third quarter ,which prompted a response from Provo fans: They started chanting, "We'll cheer for you."

The Bruin Crazies, generally considered the noisiest fans not holding a tuba or trumpet, were quiet. Sometimes you dish it out and sometimes you just have to take it.

Collinsworth was spectacular. He scored 24 points. Durrant finished with 16 included a pair of 3-pointers and Finch scored 12 points, complements of the long ball. Manuela had a nice night. He scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Kalin Curran led Mountain View with nine points. Warner and Zach Oldham each had a 3-pointer for the Bruins.

The win helped Provo improve to 2-0 in region play, while Mountain View fell to 0-2.

PROVO (70)

Durrant 16, Collinsworth 24, Manuela 10, Finch 12, K. Moore 2, A. Finch 2, C. Moore 2, Hamilton 2. Totals: 25 12-15 70.

MOUNTAIN VIEW (33)

Warner 5, Westwood 4, Gourley 4, Schofield 4, Curren 9, Oldham 3, Shurtz 1, Smith 3. Totals; 12 7-16 33.

Provo 17 26 19 8 -- 70

Mountain View 9 4 5 15 -- 33

3-point goals: Provo 8 (Finch 4, Collinsworth 2, Durrant 2). Mountain View 2 (Oldham, Warner)

Will add pic's once I get them from Judy :)

Provo vs Timpview Freshman Game. Provo wins 60-49.

2010-01-14T08:15:00.014-07:00

Tip Off and Adam is ready as always :) He is just to the left of Cole. Dallin is #11 on the right.

One of Adam's infamous 3 point shots. Devin is on the left.

Not sure what face Cole is pulling, but he is determined to get possession of the ball. His wing man Adam is ready as always..... just in case.

January 12th, 2010

It is Monday, January 11^th and Cole's Facebook post says “Provo vs. Timpview freshman tomorrow at Provo, at 5! Be there!” It has been almost 8 months since Cole decided to move from Timpview High School to Provo High School for basketball. Several games played, friendships made, parties attended, funny Halloween scary barn stories, etc.. All of these have taken place with some of the boys on the Timpview team as well as his good friends from Provo. He has managed to keep all of his friends in tact even though he has moved schools, which is something that is so amazing about him. We are driving in the car as he receives several texts from friends regarding the game. They are starting to see his Facebook status. He loves where he is right now with basketball and this game is going to be interesting. As we discuss all of the possible girls attending, friends from Provo and Timpview, he turns to me and says “Mom, you better be there”. Me?! Who is he kidding? We are his #1 fans and wouldn't miss this game for the world. I am nervous for Cole as he is ramping up and getting very excited for the game. He is totally fine though as he has such good people that he plays with now, one of them being Adam Finch. We got to know the Finch's better over the summer as Adam and Cole got to play on the Utah Swoosh together. They became friends in almost an instant. Like it was meant to be. There is no question now that it was. You will hear more about them as I post this basketball season.

Tuesday arrives. The big day of the Timpview vs Provo freshman game. He is even more excited than the night before which is hard to believe. I remind him that the outcome of the game could definitely go either way but the team he is on now is more disciplined then ever before, which he knows very well. He has Adam #1, Dallin, Dallas, Devin and the list goes on. I love the time we get to talk as we travel the canyon to take him to school and me to work. As the day goes on, I start receiving texts from my sister and nephew. “Let me know how Cole's game goes” from Kim, “Does Cole have a game tonight? I can go for about an hour. I will see you there” from Chase. Leila, Brooke, and Alicia also talk to me about the game as we see each other throughout the work day. It reminds me of how thankful I am for all of those around us who love and care for us so much. It is now 5:00 and I can't wait to leave work. I think I am more nervous now then Cole (probably not ;)). I realize Cole would have been there for some time practicing and doing whatever they do to warm up. I get a little nervous as I enter the school because I know I will see all the parents that I sat with during so many games less than 8 months ago. I enter the doors of the school, walk through the breezeway to the left then get ready to open the door of the old gym where they are playing. I put my hand on the door and click the lever with my thumb taking a deep breath. The door is heavier than I remember it. I almost feel like I am in a tunnel as I enter the gym scanning to see where everyone is sitting. I see Judy and Barry on the left, but don't want to walk across the floor in front of all of the players as the game is well under way. I see many old faces from Timpview as we wave and acknowledge one another. I look around and see Cole's good friend and my adopted son (we like to call him that because he spends more time with us than anyone), Jordan, who is waving at me from across the gym to come sit by him. Sitting next to him are two girls that have been to my house numerous times, but we haven't seen them in a while since we moved. I go straight to them as they give me HUGE hugs and say “We miss you guys SO much”. I miss them as well as we visit and watch the rest of the game. I realize again how thankful I am that everything has worked out as well as it has. That even though change is hard, there are those huge blessings that are not easily seen at first. Provo is definitely the place that we need to be and I am so thankful for that.

Provo Wins Against Lehi 48-46

2010-01-10T16:36:00.008-07:00

Lehi's William Walker goes over the back for a rebound against Provo's Keith Moore.

JANUARY 8th, 2010

I was trying to figure out the best way to keep a history for Cole of what happens in each basketball game played this season. I decided that I am going to post an update on Cole then also include what the Newspapers wrote about the Varsity game. Let me know if you have any suggestions or better ideas :)

I wasn't able to make it to his Junior Varsity game against Lehi, but arrived for the last 15 minutes of the Sophomore game. It ended up being as intense as the Varsity game where they won by two as well. Cole did really well in both games and actually "started" Junior Varsity for the first time, which we heard might happen after he came back from his injury. I definitely have to say that hard work pays off. The coaches noticed.

High school basketball: Provo rallies for win on unexpected fade shot
By Jared Lloyd
Deseret News
Published: Friday, Jan. 8, 2010 10:48 p.m. MST
LEHI — With Friday night's Region 7 game tied and the final seconds ticking off the clock, Provo senior forward Kyle Collinsworth drove into the lane looking to make a play.
What he found was an unexpected obstacle.
"I actually stepped on somebody's foot," he explained. "That forced me to kind of fade back when I took the shot."
Even though the final jumper wasn't exactly what Collinsworth had planned, the result couldn't have been better. Even though he was fouled, the Provo senior banked the shot home to put his team in front and eventually give the Bulldogs the 48-46 win over the Pioneers.
"I'm lucky to have a winner, a kid who has played in a lot of games," said Provo head coach Craig Drury. "When we put the ball in his hands, I know good things are going to happen."
Collinsworth's clutch basket made it a two-point contest, but a miss at the foul line gave Lehi one last desperate hope. The final deep 3-pointer came up short, however, and the Bulldogs had the victory.
Throughout the first half, the Provo faithful must've believed that result was inevitable. Five first-quarter treys — three by Bulldog senior Ryan Durrant — and some solid second quarter defense gave the visitors a 36-25 halftime lead.
"We struggled defensively in the first half," said Pioneer head coach Craig Gladwell. "We had a lot of breakdowns. We had a guy playing centerfield in the middle to limit their penetration, but they kicked it out and knocked down the shots early."
Some adjustments at the break, however, allowed the home team to swing the momentum in their favor. Lehi played better defense and used the high-low combo of senior centers William Walker and Josh Scott to get to the rim.
"We won the first half handily, but we've got to work on our conditioning," Drury said. "They won the second half, but fortunately not by enough."
The Pioneers rallied to take a 43-42 lead midway through the fourth quarter on a layup by Walker, who led all scorers with 23 points.
A beautiful out-of-bounds play set up Collinsworth for a layup to put Provo back in front, followed by a pair of free throws by junior guard Andrew Finch.
But Walker made another strong move to the basket, made the layup, was fouled and knocked down the free throw to tie the score with under a minute and set the stage for another exciting finish.
"We had our chances," Gladwell said. "Missed foul shots and easy shots right at the basket could've made this a different game."
Senior guard Keith Moore scored 12 points for the Bulldogs and Durrant added 11, while Scott had 10 points and 14 rebounds for Lehi.
The victory gives Provo (7-2, 1-0) an early edge in league play, particularly because they were able to get the win on the road.
"We want to start separating ourselves early," Collinsworth said. "This was a big game for us and it's good to go one up."
The Bulldogs next play at Mountain View on Jan. 13, while the Pioneers (7-2) head to Timpview on Jan. 15.
Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Daily Herald:

In a game that was every bit as good as expected, Bulldog star Kyle Collinsworth hit a tough shot with four seconds left to earn No. 3 Provo a 48-46 road win over No. 2 Lehi Friday night in front of a packed house.

With the Bulldogs ahead by just one point, Andrew Finch hit both ends of a 1-and-1 with 1:21 remaining to give Provo a 46-43 advantage.
On the Pioneers' next possession, Will Walker got the ball down low and made a great spin move to get to the basket, drawing a foul as well. He made the free throw to tie the score with 55 seconds to play.
The Bulldogs ran the clock down to about 15 seconds before the ball went to Collinsworth to stay.
He worked the top of the key for a few seconds, then curled around the left side and entered along the baseline, elevating for an awkward-looking shot that still found the net.
He missed his subsequent charity toss, but Lehi's final try from long distance fell way short and Provo escaped with the big victory in the region opener for both teams.
"When I get the ball in that situation, I'm going to the hole until someone stops me," Collinsworth said. "When I came around the corner, I actually stepped on somebody's foot, so I had to fade back and create something.
"The main thing is to be able to hold onto the ball long enough before scoring to give the other team very little chance to respond," he added.
"How about that shot?" asked Bulldog coach Craig Drury. "I know I've got a winner who's played in a lot of ball games. When we put the ball in his hands, I know good things are going to happen."
The way the contest started, however, it didn't look like such heroics would be necessary.
Provo came out smoking, hitting five treys in the first five minutes of the opening quarter to take a 21-10 lead and leaving the Pioneers and the crowd breathless.
But Lehi has been in these situations before, and the team responded with a 7-0 run to close the period and reduce the margin to just four.
Then it was time for the Collinsworth show to begin. He showed the full range of the talents that made him one of the state's hottest recruits this year as he netted 12 of his team's 15 points in the second quarter to push the Bulldogs ahead 36-25 at the break.
The Pioneers made some changes for the second half, however. A great defensive effort allowed Provo just six points each in the final two periods, and they were held scoreless for a six-minute stretch.
In the meantime, Lehi got the inside-out game going, along with some great interior work by Walker and Josh Scott, to bring the Pioneers back and set up the dramatic finale.
Scott had eight points and five boards in the third quarter alone, and finished the game scoring 14 with 18 rebounds, while Walker added 19 points, eight boards and six assists.
Collinsworth had 20 points and five assists, all of them on the first-period treys. Ryan Durrant hit three of those and ended with 11 points, and Keith Moore contributed 12.
For their next contests, the Bulldogs (1-0, 7-2) travel to Mountain View (0-1, 5-5) on Wednesday, while the Pioneers (0-1, 8-2) will visit Timpview (1-0, 6-3) on Friday. The games are set to tip off at 7 p.m.
• Beky Beaton can be reached at bbeaton@heraldextra.com.

HAPPY 2010! and may it be the best New Year EVER for you wherever you are :)

2010-01-05T10:50:00.012-07:00

My Sister, Kim, sent me this list shortly after the first of the year. I loved it and will be adding a few things of my own. Please read and most of all.... Enjoy!!

HANDBOOK 2010

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.

2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar OR better yet, just follow Tosca Reno's "Eat-Clean Diet". You will feel amazing!!

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..

4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy

5. Make time to pray.

6. Play more games

7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .

8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day

9. Sleep for 7 hours.

10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. LOVE this one!

12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

13. Don't overdo. Keep your limits.

14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.

16. Dream more while you are awake

17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..

18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.

20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

23. Smile and laugh more.

24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:

25. Call your family often.

26. Each day give something good to others.

27. Forgive everyone for everything..

28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.

29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

30. What other people think of you is none of your business.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

32. Do the right thing!

33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

34. GOD heals everything.

35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..

36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

37. The best is yet to come..

38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.

39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

40. This one is from my own library of favorite quotes and may be a repeat of some things already said above. It's ok though, sometimes it helps to hear some things over again ;)

"Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on Earth."
— Mark Twain

I love you all! xoxo Kristie

Christmas Traditions: Now

2009-12-23T17:12:00.015-07:00

Christmas Traditions: Now...

I have carried many of these traditions with me as I got married and started my own little family. It is also fun to bring in traditions of what in-laws and friends do as well as starting a few new ones of my own.
Our Christmas Traditions now are somewhat similar to what I grew up with, with a few additions. We start to decorate for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. Spencer and Cole are out of school for the Thanksgiving break and they look forward to helping decorate. They are usually the first ones to ask if they can start getting the Christmas boxes out. We used to buy real Christmas tree's until they started dying about 2 weeks after the purchase so we splurged one year and bought a fake tree that looks pretty real. We have so many people say "that is a fake tree?, I thought it was real". I guess it helps too that I burn a candle close to the tree that smells like pine. I love the smell of pine at Christmas and was sad that I wouldn't have the smell of the real tree when we decided to purchase a fake tree. I then spent time trying to find a candle that smelled like true pine. Some of them have a soapy/funky pine smell and I don't care for that. It took some time and patience, but alas, I did find one by Yankee that is perfect and now I have my smell of pine.

Spencer and Cole receive a new ornament every year on Christmas Eve right before we start to eat our candlelight dinner. This is a tradition that my Mother-in-Law started with her children and I started the first year Cole was born. It is so much fun to search for that perfect ornament each year. They are very unique and there really isn't a theme. We also keep a record of what ornament they received and the year they received it so they can have a memory of that. We love to make their ornaments special to them so we decorate our tree now with all sorts of red and gold balls (the choice for the last few years) with gold ribbon draped through it, then let them add their ornaments to each side of the tree. Most of their ornaments are similar so they are careful to make sure that the tree is split in half so they don't get mixed up. My contribution to the tree is the angel that I hand made when I was in college that goes on top of the tree every year. She is white cloth and her wings and dress are made out of Battenburg Lace. She has ballerina toe-shoe type slippers made out of ribbon, hand sewn blue eyes, and a curled gold halo.

Those of you who know me well, know that I love books. I am a Librarian at heart. I started going to the after Christmas sales where I would buy at least one Christmas book a year, sometimes four, lol. Needless to say, my Christmas Library of books is quite big and I love it. The boys love it too. They look forward to taking the books out of the box that I store them in and putting them out to read. We try to read one Christmas book every day throughout the month of December. It usually ends up being more.

Our Christmas holidays are very similar to what my parents did. We watch Christmas movies, send Christmas cards, read Christmas books, make "Christmas Wish" lists and mail them to Santa, make homemade gingerbread houses, have annual Christmas Parties with Family and Friends and now Cole's friends, Sub for Santa, go see the Christmas lights at Temple Square, give neighbor gifts, and get ready for Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve morning is spent getting the final details ready for Christmas and Christmas Eve. This year it will be finalizing the candy for the stockings. I like the standard candy that is out there, but choose to make the candy in our stockings different from that. I like to find the unique candy that you don't see all of the time like fat candy canes, ribbon candy, unique chocolates, etc. This years addition will be Candied Roasted Almonds....yum!! We then go bowling around 2:00 which sounds so funny to some, but it is a total blast. It is so much fun to relax and enjoy the time together. Then we come back to work on the final preparations for dinner. The table is already set with Christmas linens, China, Silver, Wine glasses, and a separate glass for other drinks. Spencer and Cole's ornaments are waiting for them in their ornament packaging that I use each year and we are ready to eat. We enjoy the conversation with family as we share different stories and whatever comes to mind. Once dinner is over, Spencer and Cole open one present, which is new pajama's (not hand made by the way). They then put cookies and milk out for Santa and get ready to read "The Night Before Christmas". I found the most beautifully illustrated book of "The Night Before Christmas" about 5 or so years ago. This is the one that Cole actually reads to Spencer now before they go to bed as we sit and listen. We get them all tucked in bed and then it is time for Santa to set out the presents. Santa also leaves a "Thank you for the cookies and milk" note in squiggly hand writing.

To be continued........

Christmas Traditions: Then

2009-12-21T16:07:00.032-07:00

I have to totally admit that I wasn't really in the Christmas spirit this year until about two weeks ago when I decided to take some time reflect on what makes Christmas special to me.

Christmas Traditions Then...

I remember when I was little how my Mom and Dad always made Christmas so fun for us. Right after Thanksgiving my Dad would get the Christmas lights out and work on the outside of the house until it was all lit up including the Santa Claus and Reindeer by the chimney. Yep, that was us. We would then go to pick out a Christmas tree, which was usually on Family Night. We didn't have the standard green Christmas tree growing up. My Dad/Mom, not sure which one, was a fan of the "flocked" Christmas tree. We would go to the same Christmas tree lot every year, pick out our beautiful green tree, then wait for a day or two for them to "flock" the tree. It was kind of a bummer to leave the tree there, but we always knew that when we picked it up it would be nice and white. We looked forward to picking up the tree because it meant that we could take it home and decorate it. This was usually a big deal as we all would help with the lights and decorations. I don't remember a lot of the decorations that my Mom had for the tree. I just remember they were beautiful and what my Mom loved.

During the weeks leading up to Christmas we would watch Christmas movies, send Christmas cards, read Christmas books that my Mom had collected throughout the years (one of which she had re-printed for all seven of us last Christmas because it was one of our favorites), make Christmas "wish" lists and mail them to Santa, make homemade gingerbread houses, have the annual Wheadon and Fitzgerald Family Christmas Parties, go see the Christmas lights at Temple Square, make cookies and candies for the neighbors, sometimes my Mom's famous cinnamon roll candy canes if she was feeling ambitious, and lots of snow skiing and sledding, of course :).

One of my favorite memories is having Santa come to our house about a week and a half before Christmas. Every year, without fail. We never actually knew "when" he would be there, we just knew that he would arrive. (Good tactic by my parents to make sure we would be good and to know the elves were watching). I remember that he would knock on the door really loud, say "Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!!" and go to wherever the piano was in our house at the time. He would then start to play and sing Christmas songs. We would gather around the piano, big smiles on our faces, and sing with him. He carried a really big book that had everyone's name in it just like you see in movies. He knew what all of us wanted for Christmas and we were so amazed. He was real......to us.

Christmas Eve has and always will be one of my very favorite days of the year. There is a magic about this day that can not be explained....just felt. We spent a lot of time Christmas Eve morning getting the final presents wrapped, final neighbor gifts out if they hadn't been delivered already, and preparing for our candlelight dinner. Since Thanksgiving is a "Turkey" holiday, we would have Ham for Christmas along with my Mom's yummy sweet potatoes, homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, 2 or 3 vegetable dishes, and one of our drinks of choice.........Egg Nog with a little bit of Sprite mixed in, lol!!! Weird, but true. The best part was just being with my family....all of us together in the same house for one very special night of the year. After dinner we would then open up pajama's. My Mom made them every year for us until we got to be around 14 or 15. She then started to make us fleece pajama pants, but now they are purchased for those who are not married yet. It is fun to look back at the pictures of us by the Christmas tree each Christmas eve with our new pajama's :) So much fun!! We would then read "The Night Before Christmas", leave cookies and milk out for Santa, and get ready for bed. I remember being so excited that I could not fall asleep. I was always so excited and could not wait until morning to see what Santa was going to bring. Santa would always leave us a "Thank you for the cookies and milk" note in squiggly hand writing and would also leave some leftover crumbs on the plate ;) We thought that was so cool.

Christmas Day was usually spent at a ski resort of our choice, most likely Snowbird, skiing all day with the family.

Please see my next Post titled "Christmas Traditions: Now" to hear what we do now ;) LOVE you all!!

Oh yeah......I do have a blog! ;)

2009-12-17T08:19:00.005-07:00

Life has been so busy lately between work, basketball, homework, gym time, and everything else that we are trying to fit in to the very valuable 24 hours that we are given each day. If only I could buy some time and possibly clone myself but after I really think about it I say "Nah, that would probably be worse" ;) I have so much to talk about and can't wait to get it from my head to an actual post. I am taking some time off during the holidays and hope to get caught up then or that is my intention at least. My pictures of Spencer's Birthday party, Karate, Basketball, and Spencer's baptism are scattered between several friends camera's as mine is packed in a box somewhere in storage (will be looking for that during the holidays too). Oh, and the infamous basketball schedule. It will be posted soon as the regular season is about to start. We are in pre-season games right now with a foot injury that happened about 1 1/2 weeks ago. It was originally treated by taping his left foot, but then after playing 8 more games Cole's foot still hurt. Thus the appointment with Dr. Rich whom we are very thankful to have. Life is full of those very tender mercies/miracles that come out of no where. I am so thankful for those when they happen. I am reminded every day how important Faith is even if you don't understand why or what you are going through. I am so thankful for good friends and I am so blessed to have many. Friendships are so important to me and especially a true friend. This could be a post all by itself and it will :) I am fighting so hard to not say "Anyway".....as I end this post, lol! I have set a goal to not use that phrase any more. To be better at following through with what I am thinking. Knowing that what I have to say is important.....especially to me. Thanks Summer!! :) I am so looking forward to spending time with all of my family this Christmas including brothers and sisters, sister/brother-in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. We lost Grandma Stella on the 9th of December due to a terminal illness she chose not to treat. She was 92 and had lived an amazing life. We will miss her so much, but also know that we will see her again some day. See......so many things to post about and can't wait!! I hope your holiday season is filled with love, warmth, friendship, good times, memories, and lots of laughter :) xoxo Kristie

Spencer - Junior Jazz Basketball October 2009

2009-12-07T16:46:00.007-07:00

Spencer had the opportunity to play Junior Jazz Basketball in October and had a blast. He had games twice a week and the other teams were kids his same age that attend different Elementary Schools throughout the city. Spencer has such a fun personality and is very athletic. One of my favorite memories about watching him play is when he would dribble the ball down the court, then "jerk" (a new dance move he learned) as he would come back up the court. He made some pretty sweet baskets too!! He is always making us smile and I love that about him.

Happy Birthday Spencer!! Pirate Island - 2009

2009-11-02T12:12:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween - 2009

2009-11-02T12:11:00.002-07:00

Jordan, Brady, and Cole
Don't even ask......... :D

Spencer's picture to follow as soon as I get it off of Leila's camera.

9/26/09 12:01 AM - It's time to start playing some Ball!!

2009-09-24T17:08:00.006-06:00

There is a regulation in Utah that the High School Basketball coaches can't have any of the players bounce a basketball in the High School gym from August 1st through September 25th. This year September 25/26 happens to fall on a Friday/Saturday so Cole's coach stopped their conditioning class 45 minutes early on Tuesday to let them know how excited he was to start playing in the gym again. He went on to tell them how cool it is that the time frame where they can't and can play happens to fall on a weekend. He said " I don't know about you, but I am going to be in the gym at 12:01 on September 26th bouncing some basketballs if any of you want to be there". The boys were so excited and thought that this was probably the coolest thing ever. Needless to say, Cole will be there at 12:01, shoes on, and ready to play basketball with the rest of the boys. What a great coach who instills his love of basketball in the boys and helps them realize what a great game it is that they are playing. P.S. I might just have to show up with some 12:01 AM snacks ;)

Cole's Basketball Games - Watch for more in November

2009-09-08T15:38:00.012-06:00

We have had several people ask about Cole and his basketball games this year. I will be posting the times and place each week on this blog with an update on how the game went if you are interested in following him. We would also love to see you at his games. For those of you who don't know, Cole decided back in May to go to Provo High School instead of Timpview. It was a huge decision for him, but he is very happy. The coaches and players at Provo High are great and we are excited to have him play for them this year. He even has a new nickname which is "Stretch". We also have a good idea of what he will be playing, but will wait until after try-outs to hear the official word. He is definitely hoping for some game time with Kyle Collingsworth who will play for BYU next year. Watch for more in November....xoxo Kristie

Wheadon Family Reunion - Island Park, ID July 2009

2009-08-31T14:06:00.007-06:00

I am almost done organizing the pic's on this one. Will post them soon :)

Oh my gosh I can't even tell you how much I love my family and how much fun we have!! Parrish, Cole, and I were not able to attend the reunion this year because we were in Vegas at Cole's basketball tournament, but Spencer did and had a blast.

Thank you a ton to everyone, especially my sister Kim, my Mom, and Joe's girlfriend Clare for looking after him. Here are a few pictures and some video to show you a little about my family. The video's are of a nerf gun war they had one night. Nough said!! :)

Fall, Football, Canning Peaches, and Yummy Apple Desserts

2009-08-21T17:29:00.014-06:00

Ahhhhh - FALL!! and especially Fall in Utah. Look at the picture. How gorgeous is that?? This is seriously one of my favorite times of the year, besides Christmas. I know that when the mornings start to get a little chilly and when the leaves start to change up Provo Canyon, that Fall is definitely on it's way. I also look forward to the many activities/events such as Football, Canning Peaches, and Yummy Apple Desserts.

I love when the students start coming back to BYU for the Fall Semester. It means Football Season is here!! I have three brothers who are very athletic and played football in High School so we were always watching football at my house growing up. I loved it because it made it so I was not so dumb when watching football later in life, phew!! :D. I would ask them questions about every play and what meant what, etc. They were always so good to explain the game to their "sister".

Parrish and I now have fun watching games with our boys. We try to go to at least one BYU or Utah game a year. One of our favorite places to eat is Iggy's Sports Bar and Grill. We like to time it right so we can watch some of the most important games of the year in a super fun atmosphere if we are not already at a game party with family or friends. LOVE football!!

Two Words. Allred Orchard's. Allred Orchard's reminds me of Fall because I know that when they open up for business, that it is once again time to buy their amazing peaches, apples, and fresh apple juice. As I think back in life, I don't think there has ever been a Fall where my Mom has missed canning peaches. She has such a talent for the old fashioned stuff that people just don't take the time to do any more and I am thankful for that. Ask any one of my brothers, sisters, kids, husband, niece's, nephew's, and friends how much they love my Mom's canned peaches and homemade strawberry jam. They will tell you that you are crazy if you don't jump right in and grab a bowl for the peaches and a slice of fresh home made bread for the jam and simply ENJOY!! Yum!! Needless to say, I have fresh canned peaches from her sitting in my kitchen right now and she didn't get the nickname "Jam-ah" (instead of Grandma) for nothing.

I have always loved apples and so do my boys. Apples are one of those special gifts from God and you know what they say about an "apple a day". One of our favorite apple desserts to make is called Apple Crumble. It calls for sliced apples, of course, and a yummy oatmeal crumble that you make with oatmeal, flour, cinnamon, sugar, butter, etc. Then top it all off by adding Vanilla Bean ice cream to it when it is hot and fresh out of the oven. De-lish!! I do have to say that the caramel apples from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory are some of our favorites too!
So there is my official Fall post. Such a fun time of the year where many memories have been made.

SUPERNATURAL - "It's kind of a family thing" as the Winchester boys always say

2009-08-19T16:05:00.015-06:00

My good friend Leila loves watching television series and has introduced me to two of my favorites so far. Gilmore Girls was the first. I can't believe I didn't watch that show when it was in it's prime. I watched all 7 Seasons this past Spring and loved them. I would, however, get silly remarks from my boys off and on about the time I was spending watching the show. I was so in to it and wanted to see what was going to happen next. It was funny to see them sit down and watch it with me every once in a while and then get in to the story line. They will never admit that.

Gilmore Girls came and went so it was time to ask Leila for her opinion on the next one to watch. I told her this time around that I really wanted to include my boys and asked her to suggest one that might be for all of us.

The decision was..........

Meet Dean......

and Sam.....

Dean and Sam

and their car (which is really cool, by the way)

I can't even tell you how much fun we have had watching this all together. Leila said that it took her almost all of Season 1 to really get in to it. We loved it after seeing the first two episodes. Parrish and Cole don't get scared, but there were a few episodes where they would say "that was kind of scary". I loved that because then I didn't feel so silly about being scared. We also watched it some of the time without Spencer because there were a few nights where he would end up sleeping in our room after watching some of the episodes. Mind you, I am not a scary movie watcher either so Spencer and I ended up covering our eyes behind a blanket in certain "scary" parts. To tell you the truth, it was kind of nice to have him there so I didn't feel like such a wimp. Parrish would lean over when it was really intense sometimes and say "Are you going to be okay?" as he was smiling. I was like "Yeah, I'm fine". I got pretty used to it around Season 3 and am proud to say that I have built a pretty good tolerance to "scaredness" ;). We have now watched all 4 Seasons and are just waiting to get caught up on the shows for Season 5 that we have missed so far this year. We are so glad that Leila made the suggestion. We are hooked!!

Tosca Reno is my Hero - LOVE Eating Clean!!

2009-08-19T16:03:00.002-06:00

Solana Beach, CA - August 2009

2009-08-19T15:55:00.002-06:00

Olivia and Spencer
Lightsabers poolside! What more can you ask for?

A nice picture of "O"

Spencer

Spencer and Olivia

More Pictures and Text to follow :D

Went to Vegas for a Basketball Tournament and all we brought back was a Chiuahua??

2009-08-19T15:53:00.008-06:00

Imagine 697 teams from all over the world emerging on Las Vegas for 10 days. Thank heavens for a good GPS and air conditioning. We had an absolute blast as we traveled to several venues to watch Cole's basketball games. One of the highlights was seeing Coach Mike Brown who coaches the Cleveland Cavaliers. We thought it was kind of interesting that he was there watching these 14u boys play. We later found out that his son was actually playing in the same tournament as Cole and their games just happened to follow all of Cole's. Kristi Ballsteadt wanted to make sure it was him so she said "You look a lot like the Coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers or you are definitely his twin brother" We laughed.

We also had fun taking the Finch family on a tour of the Las Vegas strip/casino's. It was SO hot so we thought we would be really smart and walk through the Miracle Mile Shops thinking it would cover a mile of the strip for us and we would be in air conditioning during that mile. Ha ha ha, we had a few choice swear words as we walked out and were in pretty much the same place we started, lol, and a big duh!! We were very tired and should have figured that one out. It's all good. We ended up at the Cheesecake Factory which made it all worth it :)

Now for the Chiuahua story.......... We were walking up to the doors of one of the High Schools and all of a sudden we see this tiny dog walking by. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth (definite dehydration) and we could also see his backbone and ribs......and well.....the rest is History. To be continued.........

Lake Powell - July 2009

2009-08-19T15:53:00.002-06:00

Pictures and Text to follow :)

Hey Mom and Dad? I want to have a Birthday Party.......and by the way.....I have invited 50 friends.

2009-08-19T15:52:00.003-06:00

July 18th 2009: Pictures and Text to follow :)

It's a bird.....It's a plane.....Is that Cole Gordon as Superman?

2009-04-15T22:59:00.003-06:00

February 2009:

Cole has been talking about the Teachers vs Students basketball game for a while now. The only way to play in this game is if you are asked. The day finally came when he was actually "asked" to play and he was pretty excited. The night before the game, he was telling us about an idea that he and a friend at school had. It originally started out with the idea that as soon as Cole's name was announced, his friend would slap the Superman symbol on his jersey. We then remembered that his Grandma had given him some Superman shorts/boxers for Christmas. So the idea kept getting bigger and bigger. The final decision was that when Cole's name was read he would walk up, tear off his warm up pants, have his Superman shorts on underneath, then his friend would slap the Superman symbol on his jersey. Cole and his friend ended up doing that exact thing the next day at the game and the crowd went totally wild! He ended up only wearing the shorts for about the first 10 minutes then changed. Cole has such a creative mind. I love to watch his ideas become realities. xoxo

Seriously, so blessed!

2009-04-14T23:15:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite blogs that I read off and on is called Seriously, so blessed! I love that expression. It is exactly how I feel about my boys and the blessings they are to me in my life. You are going to hear a lot about them, obviously, so I will tell you a little about each of them.

Cole (13): Is my 6'5", holy cow can this kid get any taller, size 15 shoe, basketball playing, eats like a horse, just a little shy, sensitive, super fun personality, Straight "A" student, teachers love him, respectful, water-ski's like a pro, girls adore him, has a little bit of a temper, does his own laundry, plays X-box 360 and wii, loves music like his Mom, dances, needs girl advice.....I am sure I am missing something......child. Cole will be the one who will go off to college and not look back. Come home to visit when he can, etc. Cole loves to have his friends over and I really try to take an interest in his friends so they feel comfortable in my home. He gets embarrased when his friends are in the car and I start singing or telling stories about when he was little. It's all in fun. I love when he comes to me for advice and to tell me about his day or whatever is on his mind.

Spencer (7): Is my practical joker, happy go lucky, swear he will be an actor when he grows up, feelings of steel, tackle me while playing football and laugh my head off, loves to read, super social, snowball throwing (that story will come later, lol), wants to go faster while riding the tube behind the boat at Lake Powell, super smart, pretty good at name calling, cartoon watching, home body, obsessed with Michael Jackson and his dance moves, plays the wii like crazy, ....again, I am sure I am missing something.....child. Spencer will be the one who will still be living at home when he is 35, lol. He loves being at home. Loves the comfort of home. I love to just lay on the bed and talk to him. We can talk about stuff for hours.

People ask me if I miss not having girls. Honestly, I love my boys and wouldn't trade them for the world. Some day I will have daughter in laws. They will be my girls that I never had and the best part is that they will love my boys :)

Am I really doing this?

2009-04-11T09:16:00.003-06:00

After much consideration and pleading from a few family and friends, I have decided to start a blog. Yes, I still have several things to add, but I am hoping that this will at least be a start to keeping some kind of a Personal History/Journal. My boys are so much fun (I have two) and I find them growing up way too fast before my eyes. So this is also an effort to document their lives. You may see some really old stuff, but the new will always be here too. So here goes.........stay tuned and any blogging advice would be much appreciated!! xoxo