Playing Catch-Up

This entire year I have been playing catch-up.  Including with this blog.  The year began incredibly busy.  We started with a new doctor for Adam.  For the first seven months of this year we went to Wichita every other Monday.  That's a four-hour drive each way.  I also had all of my ward conferences.  So every other Sunday I was attending those.  Our stake covers such a large area, that I would typically leave before 7 am and get home around 5pm.  However, what I would often do was take Adam  to the ward conference with me, be it in Kansas, Colorado or Oklahoma, and then we would drive to Wichita, stay the night, have his appt. in the morning and then drive back to hopefully make it to school for a couple of hours. Also, Robert broke his ankle the first week of the year and was on crutches until April.  So, every time I intended to update the blog I had something else to do--the laundry, stake business, traveling to Wichita, etc.  My goal this week is to get completely caught up on my blog.  It won't include everything that has happened this year, but at least a few highlights.  This has been a long, tiring year.  Hopefully next year won't be so hectic.  But then I remember I am applying to a full-time Masters program that starts in August.  I kind of think I'm a little crazy--jamming in one more thing to do.   

Matthew's Baptism

Matthew Leonard Kennington was baptized

a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

on June 29, 2013,

in Garden City, Kansas,

by his father, Robert Kennington.

 

 

Those in attendance were:  his paternal grandparents, Jim & Cristina Kennington; his brothers, Adam & Gavin; his parents, Robert & Heidi; his maternal grandparents, John & Susan Leonard; his maternal great-grandmother, Ruth Dickerson; his Uncle Mike Kennington; and his Aunt Holly Leonard.  Matt doesn't like the spotlight so he didn't want to invite our ward.  So, only our bishop, Cory Mills, and primary president, Royal Taylor, attended. 

It was a really fun day.  We had the baptism in the morning.  The water was cold and made Matt shiver.  He told me previous to his baptism he wanted to swim in the font.  So, being the jokester he is, after he was baptized he swam back to the stairs.  Afterwards, we had lunch at the house and then went over to the school playground for a game of basketball.  Then we headed to Oma & Opa Leonard's hotel to swim in the pool.  Once we finished swimming, we cleaned up and went to eat at Las Margaritas restaurant, where they famously ask, "More chips (pronounced cheeeeeps)?"  I think everyone, especially Matt, had a great day.  Matt is too macho to say, but I could tell he was really happy that day. 

Matt's 8th Birthday

Matt turned 8 on June 18th.  His big present was basketball camp at KU.  We did get him one other thing.  Here he is anticipating what it could be.

BUTTERFINGERS!!!

His favorite!

 

 We also gave him a little bit of spending money.

 

 

 

Matt decided he wanted to have a birthday party with his friends.  In the past he hasn't been too interested in having a party, so we were pleased when he said he wanted one.  Of course, it had a basketball theme.  He invited a few friends.  Matt loved his basketball cake.  I made it with Reese's Pieces.

We took the boys to Pizza Hut for dinner.  Matt's friends that came were:  Carter Fuchs, Joey Reyna, and Bryce Fuchs. 

 We gave the boys headbands to wear (like LeBron James).  They played lots of basketball.

LtoR:  Joey Reyna, Carter Fuchs, Matt Kennington, Carter Fuchs, & Gavin Kennington

Matt goes to KU Basketball Camp

All Matt wanted for his birthday this year was to attend the KU Basketball Camp. 

So that's want he got. 

He and Robert went to the Father & Son camp.  They got to stay in the dorms on campus.  During part of the time the dads ran drills with their sons; other times the kids were just with the players and the parents were with the coach, Bill Self. 

Matt loved it!!

So did Robert!!

I think it was a dream come true for both of them.

Matt loved it so much he wants to go back next year.

 

 Here's Matt ready to leave for the drive up to KU in Lawrence.

Matt, a future KU Jayhawk, with KU Head Coach, Bill Self.



Sleeping on the Job . . .

End of 2012-2013 School Year

Just like every school year, there are a flurry of activities at the end.  Matthew had his music program.  The 2nd graders played recorders.  This is NOT Matt's idea of fun.  He can't stand being in the spotlight.  What makes it worse is he is always in the front row because he's short.  He barely sang the songs.  In fact because of his lack of participation his music teacher gave him an S- for his grade. 

 At the last school assembly, both Adam and Matthew received high honors for getting straight A's all year.  Adam also won the running program again this year.  He ran 75 miles.  He has won it three years straight.  Matt ran 49.50 miles.  He missed placing in the top 10 by two laps.

However, the school had a school-wide drawing for this basket.  It was stuffed with fun, summer activities.   And Matt was the winner! 

Gavin's Birthday Party

Gavin had his first 'friends' birthday party this year.  We had about 10 of his friends come over for his party.  He was very excited.  The theme was 'Thomas the Train'.  Besides the bouncy house, the kids also played with the train table, the sandbox and whatever other outside toy the could find--basketball hoop, tricycles, wagon, etc. 

 

 This is Gavin with one of his best buddies, Kash Provost.  These two have a lot of fun together.

 We thought the bouncy house would be the most popular activity but the kids really loved the sandbox.

 We served lunch--corndogs, orange slices, and juice boxes.  We gave all the kids 'train engineer' hats. 

Here's Gavin getting ready to blow out his candles.  He really enjoyed his party.
(The guests that attended were:  Parker & Kash Provost, Sam & Ethan Waters, Jared & Travis Archibald, Kate & Eli Kentner, Xahiliany & Dafne Becerril, and big brothers, Adam & Matthew).