Veteran's Day

A big THANK YOU to all the veterans out there.  The Sork family appreciates what you have done on our behalf to preserve our freedoms and keep us safe.

Boy Scout Troop 309 Honoring the veterans at the Waterford Retirement Center

The national anthem was played by youth in our ward on their trumpets.

The color guard of BSA Troop #309

Presenting the colors

Carson Becomes a Life Scout

One of the benefits of having older brothers is having someone to help you with all your merit badges.  Carson worked really hard this year and set a goal to get his life scout award by the time he turned 13.  He completed his requirements by his birthday and was awarded his badge at the November court of honor.  With three life scouts in the house, I wonder who is going to get their Eagle first?

Halloween at the Sorks

Halloween at the Sorks - there is no way to describe it.  Ask Eric and you will get a totally different perspective than if you ask Keri.  Maybe we will find a happy medium someday...

House by Eric

Costumes by Keri

Justice League Heroes - Superman and Flash

Vampress

"Velcome to our home."

McKenna is our last trick-or treater.  She was all set to be a little zombie girl, but when I got the make-up and hair all done for that she said it was too scary and ugly so we had to start over after the tears were dry.  Good thing we have an extensive costume box with lots of wigs and jewelry.  We went quickly from zombie to goth all in time enough to scare her brother who couldn't find the Halloween spirit this year and meet up with her friends for trick-or-treating.

L to R:  Sage McKague, Emily Young, Elizabeth and Rachel Zundel, McKenna
Cassidy Dustin, Jennifer Watson and Lauren Kartchner

Hello Kitty, Mardis Gras Queen and Vampress

Austin and Mr. Bones

Austin was moved from his walking boot to a foot brace the beginning of August and started physical therapy. His hope was that he would be able to fully participate in soccer that started at the end of the month. He found it more difficult to recover from this break than expected.  I am sure most people who break their foot don't jump right into kicking soccer balls, needless to say it was a long and slow transition.  By the end of September Austin was up and running.  His physical therapist released him with the understanding he would continue to strengthen his foot and play smart - which he did.  A week before we were to get a clean bill of health from the fracture clinic Austin was playing basketball at school and much to his dismay he was capped while going for a lay-up.  Our Halloween afternoon was spent in the fracture clinic  The orthopedist was quite confused when we showed up a week early and he was x-raying and casting a hand not just checking a foot and sending us out the door.

 Needless to say, Austin and I shed a few tears over the situation.  That is broken bone #9.  We learned that Washington state soccer regulations state you can play with a cast if it is covered by an inch of foam on the field. Austin continued to play soccer and was still one of the leading scorers on the team even though he only played half the season and in a cast at that.  Way to make the best of it, Austin!

Force Scoring Machines:  Ryan Aufenkamp, Austin Sork, & Robby Schroder

Vancouver United Soccer Club BU18:  THE FORCE
Coach:  Tony Aufenkamp
Assistant:  Rob Schroder, "the Dad not the Player"

For those of you asking:  Austin does not have a strange bone disease, his bone density is fine and the doctors assure us he just plays hard.

The Pumpkin Patch

Elsie, Ethan and Sage McKague with Carson and McKenna Sork at Bi-Zi Farm

What do you do when your youngest tells you they have never been to the pumpkin patch?  After I got over the guilt of not providing such an important event for her, I immediately got out the calendar and planned a trip to Bi-Zi Farm, complete with friends.  Carson then informed me I had never taken him either - well that was easily remedied; I was already planning.  When we got there I made them participate in everything they possibly could.

Carson getting buried in the corn bin.

Carson and Ethan playing in the hay maze.

McKenna feeding the goats at the petting zoo.

Sage, McKenna and Elsie on the hay ride.

It was a beautiful fall day: cool crisp air, blue sky and sunshine.    The perfect day to search for the perfect pumpkin to make into a Halloween Jack-O-Lantern.

Of course the boys needed the wheel barrow for their grand pumpkins.

McKenna's found hers!

McKenna and Sage coming back with their spoils

Now Carson and McKenna will look back at a complete childhood - pumpkin patch included, and the "young-ins" in the family won't grow up feeling that they got neglected due to the "olders" increasingly busy schedules.  I have the pictures to prove it.  Whew, I dodged that bullet!...right?

"Clean those pumpkins well before we stick them in the van."

Digging for Clams!

The third weekend in September Eric took the scouts to Nahalem Bay for a clamming trip.  The following is Carson's experience:

We arrived at our camping spot late in the afternoon, and it was overcast. The scouts quickly got their sleeping bags out and covered them with tarps so they wouldn't get wet. That night we went onto the beach and made a bonfire. We played capture the flag with glow sticks for hours and had lots of fun. At about 10pm we went back to our campsite and settled down in our sleeping bags. The scouts had lots of fun after the leaders had gone to bed and stayed up late talking. 

Woodson and Patrick Parker, Chad Richards, Andrew Nelson,
Carson Sork and Mason Jackson

The next morning we were woken up at 5:00am and drove to Nahalem Bay. We had a brief clamming lesson, then went to work it with our clam guns and shovels. it was cold and wet, but it was worth it when you pulled a clam from the sand. 

It was really fun and we got to spend a lot of time together as a quorum. The over all count for clams caught was 96. After the tide came in and covered the clams we went back to our campsite. We opened up the clams, gutted them, and cooked them in a big pot. We used the meat to make the best clam chowder ever. Everyone was happy with how it turned out and left with full stomachs. 

Happy Birthday, to Me!

Me celebrating my 39th birthday with Family.

Yes, I am going to admit I am one year older.  Each year I get through successfully I want counted, and I don't want to have to go back and do any of them over again.  Yes, I wish time would slow down a bit rather than me slowing down.  There is still so much to do, see and experience.  Even though another year has passed, I feel like I did when I just graduated from BYU:  all the world has to offer is ahead of me--I just have to reach out and take it.