Nationals

I just returned from my trip to Palm Springs for my tennis team's participation in the 2.5 Adult National Tennis Championships. For those of you who aren't familiar with how tennis league works, it is divided into levels based on ability. It starts at 2.5 and goes up to 5.0 the first being a beginner and the last being really good (like former collegiate players and sometimes former pros). They do this so that competition is fair and the matches are fun. So I am playing at the lowest possible level in the tennis world. At any rate, as I stated before my team was undefeated through our local league play, through our state tournament, and through our sectional tournament and ended up being able to go to this national tournament.

We didn't know what to expect going into it. We had friends that went to this tourney last year and faced some fierce competition. Honestly we went thinking that it would at least be a great girl's trip and we could play a little tennis. Well it turned out that the competition was fierce but we really held our own. We won our first three matches against San Diego, Michigan, and Arizona and then went into our last match against Arkansas tied with them. The winner of that match would decide who got to go to the finals. (In team tennis you have to win 2 of 3 individual matches for the team win.) My partner Lindie and I won our match in two sets and Macy lost her singles match. The last match to be decided was being played by Kris and Celeste. They split sets and went to a tie break and ended up losing 10-7. We fell short of moving on by three little points. At first I was sad and then realized that we did far better than I ever thought we would and I am so proud of how well we did.

Arkansas went on the win the championship (which was maddening because they were mean and they cheated) but I am consoled by the fact that Lindie and I actually beat the national champs. Not bad. All in all it was a fantastic weekend in Palm Springs with girlfriends. We laughed alot, sweated alot, and played alot of tennis. It was a great time!

Here is our "rockin" team photo:

Macy, Amanda, Celeste, Kris, Kim, Susie, Lindie, Tamara

Grandpas are Great!

Last week marked the end of my grandfather's long and wonderful life. My grandpa Scott (my dad's dad) was such a handsome, spiritual, intelligent, funny, loving, and caring person. He was my only grandfather that lived nearby and so I felt very connected and close to him throughout my whole life. I loved our Sunday visits to my grandparents house in the Avenues where we were allowed to raid their cookie stash (which was always large) and where we all gathered to watch whatever was on KSL that night. I love you Grandpa and I know that you are happier now that you are reunited with Grandma.

Here is his obituary for a better description of his life.

SCOTT CLAWSON

Scott R. Clawson 1917 ~ 2010 Scott Romney Clawson, age 93, died September 2, 2010 in Salt Lake City, in the presence of his three children. Scott will be remembered for his devotion to his family and church; for never uttering a word in anger or saying one bad thing about another human being. His sweet sense of humor is his legacy to all who knew him. But above all his love of Agnes will live for the ages. Scott was born April 6, 1917 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Shirley Young Clawson and Gertrude May Romney Clawson. Scott attended local schools, and four years at the University of Utah. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the British Isles from 1937-1939. Scott married Agnes Madsen in the Salt Lake LDS Temple, April 11, 1941. Shortly thereafter he was called to active duty in the Army and his division was one of the first to be shipped to the South Pacific after Pearl Harbor where his outfit participated in the New Guinea campaign. After the war he returned to KSL Radio in the Sales Department and in 1949 was one of the original founders of KSL Television. He retired after almost 45 years. His career included Production Manager, Program Director and Vice President of Programming. Beside his professional career he taught and supervised early morning LDS seminary at South High and Bryant Jr. High Schools for 28 years and taught English in a community adult education program. Scott's LDS Church service included being a guide on Temple Square, a teacher in various organizations and a ward historian. He served in various priesthood quorum presidencies, as ward membership clerk, ward executive secretary, bishop's counselor, stake Sunday School president, and on the Ensign Stake high council. Scott is survived by his three children, Bradley M. (Linda) Clawson, Cathy Brady, and S. Dennis Clawson; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grand-children, including one set of triplets and two sets of twins; and brother Grant R. (Irma) Clawson. He was preceded in death by his wife Agnes, sister Frances (Lee) Jepperson and brothers Douglas R. (Alex) Clawson and Richard R. (Dorothy) Clawson. A special thanks to Intermountain Homecare Hospice for helping Scott to fulfill his wish to stay in his home. Friends may call at Larkin Mortuary, 260 E. South Temple on Thursday, September 9th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held Friday, September 10, 2010 at the LDS 20th ward (2nd Ave and G Street) at Noon, where friends may call from 11:00 a.m. Interment at the Salt Lake City Cemetery, 4th Ave. and N Streets. Online Condolences: larkin@larkinmortuary.com

Tennis Anyone?

For the last year or so I have been playing tennis. Anyone that knows me or is around me knows this because I have ended up playing it alot. Boy do I love it. It is an exercise that I actually like and I have fun playing with so many great ladies.

Well my little 2.5 ladies tennis team just won our sectional championship tournament this last weekend! I am so proud of us. Our team is undefeated in the Summer season and through both the district (utah) and sectional (intermountain states) tournaments. Next up is the National tournament in Palm Springs. I have heard that the competition is really tough but we will go and have fun playing tennis. That is what it is all about. Fun. Luckily we have been able to win along the way.

The team.

P.S. our uniforms were so great. They were from ShabbyApple.com They have a new fitness line out (not just tennis stuff). Take a look!

School's In

Here are some pictures from the first day of school. This year the triplets are in Mrs. Timothy's 5th grade class and Jake is in Mrs. Graham's 3rd grade class. Every year our neighbor Kirsten hosts a neighborhood breakfast where everyone gathers before walking over to the school. It is fun but the kids are usually so excited that they don't eat breakfast. Next year we will have to have a pre-breakfast.

Claire, Miss J., Miss O., Miss B., Kate, Mr. N., and Matthew. The neighborhood 5th graders.


Mr. L. and Jake. Best friends. (Wow L. is tall!)

Miss. O., Kate, Miss C., Claire, and Miss E.

?, Mr. C., Mr. P., Mr. E., Matthew, Mr. H., and Mr. P.

The flag ceremony

***Note, I know my method of naming people in pictures might be a little annoying but because I don't have permission from their parents to post their pictures or their names I feel an obligation to not give their full name. You might say, why list them at all? Since this is really a family journal I hope that when we look back at the pictures in 25 years it will help us to remember their names.

State Champs! #2

Matthew's all-star/superleague baseball team has had a great year! They also won the State All-Star Championship. Which means they get to go to California to play in a big regional tournament. These boys did such a great job. They were undefeated through the All-Star season and really played incredibly. I must say that having your son pitch in the final innings of a VERY CLOSE championship game is NOT one of my favorite things to have to go through. I would have taken pictures of the game but my camera is jinxed. Whenever I get it out to take pictures the team makes big mistakes. Here is the team picture and some of the post-win activities.

Also, I want to thank all of our awesome coaches, Rick, Mark, Matt, Dave, and Larry. We couldn't ask for any better. Their knowledge of baseball, coaching, and kids is fantastic. Baseball is my favorite parent sport. We have such great families on our team and I am so grateful for that.

California here we come!

One of Matthew's rare smiles.

Again one of the lamest trophies ever made. I guess that isn't what matters though right?

Coach Vance getting the soak.
Some of the kids got mohawks. I think the clippers eventually broke.

State Champs!

Well Jake's All Star team did it! They won a double header last night and are the Pinto Pony State Champions! It was such a great game and all of the boys hit and fielded well. We were a little nervous because the team we were playing had previously scored 51 runs in another game. Wow! Jake played exceptionally well. I wish you all could have seen his nearly perfect fielding at short stop, his awesome base running (he is really fast and can usually stretch a double into a triple), and fantastic lead off hitting. I think he has the best batting average on the team. We are so proud of him and his team! I must be proud because I NEVER brag this much but they WERE awesome! Matthew's championship game is tonight so hopefully we will have the same result.

Jake's team


Jake getting his trophy. (Quite possibly the whimpiest trophies ever but oh well.)

Amanda, Jake, and Matt

Take Me Out To The Ballgame!

It is the end of July and we are so lucky to still be playing baseball at our house. Both Jake and Matthew's all-star teams are playing for the State Championship. Jake plays tonight and Matthew tomorrow night. I am so proud of them! I really love watching them play and love the community of families on both teams. Thanks to all the coaches (my husband included) for taking many hours out of their busy lives to coach these boys!

Matthew



Jake



Go Olympus!