Jackson Family Easter Egg Hunt

On Saturday, April 3, 2010, was the annual Jackson Family Easter Egg Hunt held at my Aunt Lisa's house. This is where Scott and I planned to make our big announcement to the extended family.

The plan was, to have a "Mystery Egg" in the Easter Egg hunt. Each year every grandchild has an assigned number so that everyone gets the same amount of eggs and it is fun and fair for all the little kids. Well, I think it was my sister Annie who had the idea for us to put an extra egg out or something to represent a "new grand child".

Well, when my mom met with my aunts to fill the eggs with candy and assign the numbers etc. she told them that there was another number this year, but that it was a surprise. All of my aunts started trying to guess who it was. They knew it was someone in my mom's family--but who? They didn't ever think it would be me--just what I thought. No one would think it would be me, which made the plan even more fun! They thought it was Amy for some reason.

Well, on the day of the hunt, I warned Amy that she might get questions when she arrived. And, she did, but she played along with it and didn't give anything away yet.

Here are some of the kids at the start of the hunt:

No one picked up the mystery egg. Well, Scott and I hurried and picked up the eggs with the number on it and the mystery egg. No one really had an idea yet. So, when the hunt was over, me and all my sisters stood at the front and they pretended to hold an egg in their hands and I had the mystery egg in my hands and we each took a turn opening up our hands until they got to me--and I had the mystery egg!

The Mystery Egg!

Everyone was surprised and also happy for us! It was a fun day. Now everyone knows! I went home that day and posted it on Facebook! The Mystery Egg was not a mystery anymore!

Bart providing entertainment for the kids!

It is always fun to meet with the family. I'm so glad that my mom and aunts take the time to put these family events together. Thanks!

2010-11 MMHS Elleves

On March 29 - April 1, we held drill team tryout workshops at my school. We had 31 girls tryout. Nineteen of the 31 were returning members. I only had one senior this year and one girl didn't try out again.

We ended up keeping 23 girls--19 of which are the returning members. I'm excited for another year. Here are some pictures we took the morning after tryouts. We had a breakfast and then gave them their first "Elleve" shirt.

The new 2010-11 MMHS Elleves
A fun/crazy pose!

Here's to another great year! I can't wait to begin and see what we can accomplish this time!

Celebrating My Mom & Dad's Birthdays

My dad's birthday is March 19 and my mom's birthday is March 24, so on March 27th we all met at Applebees in Orem to go out to dinner to celebrate their birthdays.

It was just the adults. My sister Paula and her husband Casey couldn't come. My sister Annie took these pictures.

Dad and Mom
Me and Scott

Jason and Amy

Emilee and Joseph

Eliana and Charlie

Jim and Annie

The group

Scott enjoying the free sundae that Amy and Jason got because their meals didn't come out when everyone else's did!

Amy, mom, and Emilee

Charlie and dad

It was a fun night and good to get together with everyone. The only bad thing--Charlie and Eliana had Amanda watch Max and when they got home, well, Charlie told Amanda about me being pregnant! (We hadn't told the girls yet!) So, now Amanda went home and told Hollie and then they told Kaycee. They were going to play like they didn't know--but we talked to them before they left for their Disneyland trip with their mom. We just didn't want to tell them until we did our big announcement to the extended family at the Easter Egg hunt.

It was okay--they are excited!

The Sickness That Didn't Go Away!

Well, those of you who know me, know that I usually get sick right after the drill team competition season ends. This year was a little different!

I did start feeling a little bit nauseated the week of State Drill. I just thought it was the usual sickness/cold/flu that I had had last year right at the end of drill season and the year before. Well, on the morning of State, I woke up and puked--a nice yellow colored liquid--stomach acid. I had a hard time getting ready--we were meeting at 6 a.m. to practice our routines one last time before we left at 8 a.m. for State.

I called my assistant, Marci, and told her I was going to be late. I would be there, just later that morning. She was concerned, because she knew I must be sick, I would never miss a practice, especially the morning of State!

Earlier that week, when I had told her I wasn't feeling that great, she had teased me and said, "Maybe you are pregnant!" I said, oh no, I hadn't better be. I also was due to "start" my monthly any day that week, so I thought maybe that was why I was a little bit sick as well. Plus, I just kept telling everyone that it was my usual sickness that I get this time of year.

Well, I made it to State Drill and as you know from my previous post, it was a great day! That night, the Principal took the team to dinner at Brick Oven. I was not that hungry--well, nothing sounded good to me. I ordered my favorite--a Diet Coke with lemon, and it tasted like crap! I hardly drank any of it. What was wrong with me!

Anyway, the next day I had to judge the State 2A Competition. I was judging with my sister Paula. I threw-up again that morning and no food sounded good, but I took some crackers with me. I told Paula about not liking Diet Coke and puking, etc. She said, "You're pregnant!" You better go get a test!" I just kept saying, no, I don't think so, I just spotted yesterday, so I thought I had started my period.

That was a hard day of judging! The smell of the cinnamon almonds they sell at UVU about made me puke! I thought I was going to puke while judging! It was a nightmare! But I made it through.

I went home and Scott had bought two pregnancy tests. I didn't want anything to do with them! So, it wasn't until Sunday, while Scott was taking Hollie and Amanda home, I decided to take the test.

I messed up the first one--so I had to try it again. The positive plus sign appeared so quickly! I was in shock! Oh dear--I don't think I believed it. I waited for Scott to get home and I showed the stick to him. He was excited and I was still in denial.

Well, on Monday, Scott called the doctor and made an appointment for me. I was sicker than a dog each day. I couldn't hardly get through school with out puking or dry heaving. I know this will sound like I'm crazy, but I wanted to drive off a cliff on the way home from school. So, Scott called the doctor and got me a prescription for some pills to help with the nausea. I was a lot better after that.

So, I went to the doctor, and what do you know--yep, I'm pregnant! I was about 11 weeks along. Everything looked good. I still was in denial.

Well, this was all before the drill team Florida trip. I wanted to keep the pregnancy on the down low until we had passed the three month mark and we knew everything was on the safe side. Well, Scott had told a few people, even when he wasn't supposed to! He is so excited. You would think it was his first. I have my days--some days I'm excited and some days I'm scared. It is a big change. But, I had been thinking one day, what will I do when I don't do drill anymore? I guess I got my answer.

Anyway, the drill team didn't know. Well, at least I thought they didn't know. They had been noticing little things that I was or wasn't doing anymore. But, I was planning on telling them when we returned from Florida. That would put me at about 3 months and past the miscarriage possibility. I knew going to Florida and spending all day with my team would make it harder for me to conceal my condition. Especially at night, that is when I felt the worst and I also got so tired!

Well, during the trip, I found out that the team did think that I was pregnant and of course I had a break down about it. I don't know why, probably the hormones! But, after I calmed down and had a nice phone conversation with my mom, everything was okay. I decided to keep with my plan and tell the team when we returned home.

So, that Friday, March 26th, we met to begin learning our lyrical routine that Marci was choreographing. So, Scott made some sugar cookies cut out in letters and brought them at the end of practice. One group was frosted in pink frosting, another group was frosted in green, and third group was frosted in blue. We mixed up the letters and split the girls into three groups and gave them the cookies and they had to unscramble them and figure out what the cookies spelled out. They had little trouble coming up with what they said--they are so smart! HA HA

Here are some pictures:

It's a Girl?

It's a Boy?

It's a Baby!!!

Scott also made a cake that looked like a baby rattle. So that is how I told the drill team about our news.

Next, we had a great plan to tell my extended family at our annual Easter Egg hunt.

MMHS Elleves Florida Tour 2010

On March 18, 2010, Scott and I headed to Florida with my drill team. Pretty much this trip was the same itinerary as my trip with Payson last year, but every group is different and I was excited to get away to some warmer weather!

There are quite a few pictures in this post--but these are only a few! Scott and I both have new cameras and so between the two of us taking pictures, we have tons of pictures! So, if you want to see our trip through the pictures I have posted, here you go:

Here are some of the team waiting in the airport for our flight to depart:

Me, at the airport.
Arriving in the Orlando Airport:

Day 1: Performance at Universal Orlando. This year, the team is performing on a different stage. Much larger, so I'm excited that our routines won't look so squished--but the stage is cement! It was a little bit rough and made the headstands interesting! But, they did them and had a fabulous performance!

This is a shot from the camp dance.

Headstands in military.

Military--end pose.

Extensions in dance routine.

Fouettes in dance routine.

Edge routine.

That's Not My Name routine.

The team with the plaque that we received from Universal.

After the performance, we headed into Universal Orlando. There are two parks, Islands of Adventure and then Universal Studios Orlando.

Scott and I just chillin' in Universal. Notice we both got a little sun that day!

Later that night, we went to the Cirque du Solei show, "La Nouba". It is amazing!

Day 2: Workshop at Disney World at Epcot. Here we are at the main entrance, ready to meet the Disney Workshop Coordinator.

Scott and I at the main entrance of Epcot.

The team had a great time at the workshop. Goofy made a surprise appearance at the end of the workshop. Here they are with Goofy!

After the workshop, the girls didn't want to have to carry their stuff around all day, so we were all going to walk out to the vans to put their stuff in them. Well, Scott, being the nice guy that he is, offered to carry all of the bags out to the van. Here he is with all of their stuff! I helped him carry it most of the way, but then he insisted that he take them the rest of the way and I could wait inside Epcot for him.

So, he continued out to the parking lot. I guess he got a little bit disoriented and he couldn't find the van. I called him to see what was taking so long and I could tell he was frustrated. So, I headed out to find him. I found the vans, mainly by pointing the remote in the direction of where I thought they were parked and found them.

A Disney parking security person on a bike saw me and asked if I was looking for a guy with a lot of bags. I said yes, and he was a few rows over. He was on his way over to where the vans were.

We put the bags into the van and headed back into the park. Scott needed a drink and we both were hungry so we had lunch. Then, one of the girls had left her pass in her bag that was in the van. Well, what do you think we did, we walked back out to the van so she could get her pass.

Finally, we decided to take our "World Tour" again at Epcot. We walked around to each country and took a picture. So here they are:

Our trip began in Canada. Here I am in some picture spot in Canada.

Next stop, Great Britain. Scott had to use the telephone.

Then, he decided to head into the Pub.

Enjoying the view of France.

Another view of France--notice the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

At Epcot, it was their annual Garden and Flower Show. There were topiary all around the park of various Disney characters. I loved this one of Sleeping Beauty, Princess Aurora and the Prince.

Next stop, Morocco. Here is Scott, striking a pose!

Now, my turn to strike a pose.

Scott in Japan.

Taking a break in Italy, just outside of a perfume shop.

Scott, on the left, near the St. Mark bell tower in Venice, Italy.

Me, on the right, in Germany.

A stop at a small shop that had this Indiana Jones hat and a walking stick that Scott wanted to try out. What do you think? Should he be Indiana Jones for Halloween this year?

Checking out a nice umbrella in China.

Another view of China.

Scott, by a Viking statue in Norway.

Me, in Norway, on the porch of a little Norwegian House.

Last stop, Mexico. Face to face with some ancient carving.

Day 3: We headed to Cocoa Beach. Once again, it wasn't the best weather for the beach, but what do you do! Here is the team "jumping for joy" that they are at the beach!

Later that night, we headed back into Disney World. Scott and I went to the Disney Hollywood Studios park and watched "Fantasmic". It was a cool show that uses water, lasers, projections, Disney characters, etc. If you have seen the one in California at Disneyland, then this one was somewhat similar.

Scott and I at Fantasmic.

Day 4: Performance at Downtown Disney. This is the sign that listed all of the performances for the day. My team is listed, and just in case you can't see it, we have a close up shot too!

There performance at Disney was really good. The stage is really nice. It is only two years old and it has a nice surface and is a good size. Here are some pictures from the performance:

Camp Dance--"We Break the Dawn."

Savannah, doing her aerial, during "Hush Hush."

Headstands in Military.

Kickline in Military.

A hip hop routine entitled, "Work". Dance routine, "You'll Find a Way".

"I Don't Care", otherwise known as the Edge Routine.

"That's Not My Name" routine.

Headstands in our hip hop routine, "Jump Jiggle".

After the performance, we headed to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner, provided by the school. It was a fun time. Our principal, Mr. Penrod, also included appetizers and got some extra "volcano" desserts for each table to share. We are so lucky to have such a supportive principal!

Later, most of the team headed over to the Magic Kingdom. Here we are at the entrance:

Me, with Cinderella's castle in the background.

Day 5: One last day at Disney World. Our van groups wanted to go out to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch, so here we are at the Hard Rock:

Day 6: We checked out of our hotel and had a few hours to kill, so we headed to Downtown Disney and did some last minute shopping before heading to the airport. Here are the girls trying to get some sun before we go home:

The Elleves--a few last pictures before we leave Florida!

We loaded the vans and headed to the airport. It was a great trip. The weather could have been a little bit warmer, but what can you do. One guy at one of the parks told Scott and I that Florida was having the coldest winter in the past 50 years. It was a little cool, but we were still walking around in summer clothes, but we did have to wear a jacket at times.

I hope the team had a great trip! They have worked so hard this year and accomplished so much, especially for a first-year team! This trip was a great way to finish their year. Next up, tryouts!