Spring Sports

 3 boys + 3 different sports + 2 different schools = 1 busy spring!

Micah participated in track for Salmon High School. He started out the season strong at the Icebreaker meet on March 17 in the 1600m, running it in 5:11. I was able to take off work early for it, which I was so glad, and it was such a beautiful day, which was an added bonus, too! He also ran in the 4x400 event at the end of the meet with teammates Eli, Danny, and Johnny.

On Friday, April 2, he competed at the Firth Meet. Thankfully, Josh was able to drive the team bus and could go watch him as I was unable to. Micah ran the 800m in 2:26, and he also ran in the 3200m (which he hates) in 11:35. 

The next meet was on April 9 in Challis. Josh and I were both unable to go to that meet. He ran the 1600m in 5:25 and the 400m in 1:03. It was after this meet that he told us he was in pain when he ran. Because there was no indoor track season in the winter months this year (due to the pandemic), he was unconditioned at the start of the track season. Once track season started, he put on so many miles a day running on asphalt, and he suffered the consequences with a stress fracture in his foot. We told him to take a few weeks off from running, to try and heal. He skipped the next track meet on April 15 in Salmon, and the following week was a bye week, so the whole team had the week off. He was planning on not participating at the Butte track meet on April 27, so Josh (who was originally going to drive that bus) switched and drove another bus instead. But Micah suddenly changed his mind and went with the team to Butte, but neither Josh nor I went since we had changed plans. He ran the 800m in 2:29. He was supposed to run in the 1600m as well, but decided not to because he was in so much pain after pushing himself in the 800m. He realized he needed more time off, so he didn't run at North Fremont on May 6 in order to conserve his energy for the last week of the regular season: the district meet on his home turf in Salmon on May 13. 

At the district race, he ran the 800m in 2:21, which was his fastest 800m time all season! He also ran in the 1600m race, and finished with a time of 5:21, which was his 2nd fastest time of the season in that race! We have a very competitive district with lots of runners, and unfortunately he didn't qualify for the state meet. I know it wasn't how he wanted the season to go; he used to LOVE running, but the pain he experienced while he ran this spring altered his view of running, which was so sad to see. I was SO proud of him for persevering through the pain, and giving it his all. I admire his ability to give his best, despite less-than-desirable circumstances. I cried watching him at the district meet--he was so determined, and gave it everything he had!

Salmon team won the district meet--and they also went on to win the state championship, too!

Jonah was on the varsity golf team for Salmon High School. Their first tournament was on April 5 at Jefferson Hills.  Josh drove the golf team, and was able to watch him, which I was so grateful for! Jonah did pretty well on his first golf competition ever: he scored 124.  

Salmon hosted the tournament the next week on April 12. Josh went out and watched him for most of the tournament that day, too. Jonah had a big improvement on the home course: he scored 114, beating his previous score by 10 points!

On April 19, the golf team competed at Mackay's course. I took the afternoon off to go watch him, but RIGHT before I arrived, he texted me to say they were only golfing 9 holes instead of 18 due to the bad weather, and that he had JUST finished his last hole! That was kind of a bummer...I got to see him and his teammates for about 10 minutes before they loaded the bus to head to Salmon, and I drove back to Mud Lake! He scored 56 on 9 holes, and teammate Wyatt tied for 1st at the tournament, which was a fun surprise, because up until then, teammate Preston had won every tournament. 

His next golf tournament was on April 28 at North Fremont, but neither Josh nor I were able to go to that because it was the same day as Kanyon's district track meet (I hate when schedules conflict and we can't watch our boys as a result!). He did even better once again: he scored 108, beating his previous best by another 6 points. On May 3, Jonah competed with his team at the Challis Golf Course, and Josh drove the team bus and was able to watch him again. He got 109 that day--really similar to his score at North Fremont--and was the 3rd best scorer on his team!

The district tournament was the following week at Challis Golf Course once again on May 10. Both Josh and I were able to go, and we watched him compete all 18 holes. The weather was fickle, but it was nice to spend the day supporting and watching Jonah and his teammates compete. We walked alongside several holes with Stacie and Mark Oliverson too, which was fun. 

The Salmon boys' team got first place at Districts!! It was close between them and Challis, and it was exciting when they took the title!

He qualified to go to the state meet at Circling Raven golf course on May 17 & 18. It's a tough course (we went there during Ammon's senior year). Josh drove the golf team bus. He lucked out and got to be the scorer for Jonah's groups on both days, so he was able to watch Jonah as he competed. Jonah had a fun season--his first one on the golf team (since golf was canceled last spring due to COVID and he participated in track his freshman year). He liked spending time with his friends, and improving his golf game. He's enjoyed spending his free time golfing the past year, so I'm glad he had a great experience in his first year competing in this sport. 

Kanyon was a member of the track & field team for West Jefferson Junior High. He ran the 400m, but his favorite events were throwing shotput and discus. He was so disappointed when he didn't get to participate last year, due to sports and school being canceled for the COVID 19 pandemic. The difference in the performance of his 6th grade year and his 8th grade year in the throwing events was phenomenal! The first meet of the season was on April 1 at West J. Both Josh and I were able to go--it was the same afternoon as the big Sneetches school party that I was in charge of. Josh drove down from Salmon early to help as a volunteer for one of the party games at it (which was so sweet of him!), and after school ended, we both walked across the field to where Kanyon was competing, which was convenient! In the 400m race, he ran 1:09, and beat a South Fremont kid at the finish, which was exciting to see! He placed 3rd in the shotput with his throw of 31 feet 10.5 inches, exactly one foot further than teammate Jackson V. He placed 5th in the discus with his throw of 78-11, right behind teammate and best friend Jackson V (They had a fun rivalry all season long!).

The throwers on Kanyon's West J team. Jackson is the tall one in the back.

Kanyon's 2nd meet was at Sugar Salem on April 7. I arrived there JUST as Kanyon was finishing his 400m portion of the Medley Relay. I literally walked up to the track from parking my car RIGHT after he handed off the baton to his teammate Jackson M! I was disappointed about that, but thankfully, I still got to see him throw the discus (he'd already thrown the shotput before I got there, too). This time, he beat Jackson V in the discus. He threw it 83' 11", five feet further than the previous meet! He placed 3rd (Jackson got 4th). In the shotput, his distance was 29'2" to earn 4th place, just a few inches behind Jackson V.'s throw! They flip-flopped their placement in the events from the previous week's standings!

His team traveled to Challis for the next track meet on April 13. I was able to take the afternoon off to watch it. It was freezing, and was also a very slow meet! Kanyon participated in the 4x400 relay, which is the last race of the meet, and it was nearly dark by that time, and SUPER cold and windy! However, he and his relay team of Ethan, Luke, and Jackson M won after a very exciting race; they beat the Salmon team by just one second! In the shotput, Kanyon got 3rd with his throw of 29'2". He placed 4th in the discus with his distance of 69'9". This time, he beat Jackson V. in both events. 

His next meet was in Salmon on April 22. Josh went to watch him, and Grandma and Grandpa stopped by to watch, too. Kanyon's 4x400 team beat Salmon again, but placed 2nd to Ririe. In the shotput, he threw 26'5". He placed 3rd in the discus with a throw of 91'8", just 2 inches behind Jackson V. This time, Jackson V. beat him in both events!

Junior High has a shortened track season than high school. Kanyon's final track meet was on April 28. West J hosted the District Jr. High meet. It was a beautiful day, and both Josh and I were able to watch Kanyon compete. However, due to my recess duty, I missed Kanyon's discus throw. I had taken my class over to the throwing area to watch for an hour, but he was never in the heats that threw during that time. I was disappointed I missed it--especially since he got his PR of 100'6". That throw earned him 2nd place in the district! In the shotput, he got another PR with 32'10"! That distance was the furthest one at the meet, and he won the district title with it!! He threw just 2 inches further than Jackson V. I loved watching those 2 boys push each other all season long! His 4x400 relay team received 3rd place. He earned 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place titles at the district meet, which was so exciting! It was fun to watch him all season long doing what he loves. He enjoyed being a part of the West J team, trying new techniques in his throwing events, and spending time with his friends on the team! 

His 4x400m team: Luke, Jackson M., Ethan, Kanyon

Weekend at Ammon's in Moscow

Josh and I took the boys to go visit Ammon on the last weekend in April. The boys hadn't been to Moscow before, or visited Ammon in college, and since we didn't go on any spring break family trips this year, we thought it would be nice to take them to see Ammon--plus I wanted to get some family pictures during the spring season, and this was the best opportunity to do so, too!

I took the afternoon off of work on Friday, and Kanyon and I drove to Salmon, picked up everyone else, then we drove to Moscow that night. Ammon and Gabbie came to visit us at our hotel after we arrived on Friday night. 

On Saturday morning, Ammon and Gabbie made us breakfast at her apartment, which was so thoughtful! Afterwards, Josh, Ammon, Jonah, and Kanyon went golfing at the 9-hole college campus golf course (that Ammon works at). It was the first time Josh has golfed there, and although it was pretty chilly out, it was still golf-able! The boys had a good time together, despite the cold. While they golfed, Micah and I went shopping and then we walked through the nearby Arboretum. It was so pretty, and larger than I expected! We scoped out locations to take our family pictures while we walked, and found some good choices.

 

We took the boys out to Mod Pizza for lunch. Josh and I had eaten there on a previous visit to see Ammon and we really liked it. Everyone got to pick their personal pizza, which was fun! I like that they build it in front of you and cook it in the fire stove. 

We visited Ammon's new rental--he moved out of the frat house over Christmas break. He shares a house with 4 roommates now. We played pool and watched some T.V. that afternoon and just relaxed for a bit. 

We drove over to Pullman, Washington to go bowling later that afternoon. We bowled in a laser-lit room. Ammon loves bowling, so we go a lot when we're with him. It was fun to be able to go bowling again as a family, even with the mask and lane restrictions due to the pandemic. 

Ammon showed us around the golf simulator that students in the PGM program use at the golf course. It was pretty cool--I've never seen anything like it before. You hit a ball at the screen, and it tells you the speed, the direction, and arch of your hit. Ammon helped the boys with their tee shots and gave them some tips. Everybody got to hit multiple times (except me--I just liked watching!). 

We met up with Nola and Tim Barningham for dinner at La Casa Lopez. The Mexican food was so good! We enjoyed the company, too! We hadn't seen Nola for years, and it was awesome that she was visiting Tim the same weekend we were visiting Ammon. Tim grew up in Salmon, too, but later moved to Middleton. He's a year older than Ammon and graduated from U of I in May. 

On Sunday morning, we took the boys to eat at Moscow Bagel & Deli--the place we usually go for breakfast when we visit Ammon. We drove to the Arboretum after breakfast, and took a few family photos. I really wanted to have tree blossoms in our spring pictures, and although it was another chilly and overcast morning, it only lightly sprinkled rain on us, and we were able to take a few photos before we left to drive back home to Salmon. 

We enjoyed our visit to go see Ammon! It was pretty relaxing--we didn't have a lot on the agenda other than spending time together. It was so nice to have everyone all together! We loved hanging out and seeing some of Ammon's college town, too.