Showing posts with label volleyball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label volleyball. Show all posts

Thursday, December 8, 2011

1000 Cranes

In Japan, they have a tradition where if there is something you really really want, you can show your sincerity by folding 1,000 origami paper cranes and then your wish will come true.  Iris started making some over Thanksgiving break and finally finished them!
Once they are made, you must string them all together and give them to whomever the wish is for.  We wanted them to look ordered, so we decided to sort them by color first.

Then we made 20 strands with 50 cranes on each strand.  Here they are all strung, and the first two (left) strings have been fitted together, so they are more compact.
Here is the finished product (at about midnight... it took awhile)


She gave them to her volleyball coach because she wishes that Timpview can take state in volleyball again this year.  :)

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Volleyball State Championship!

So.  I'm too excited to save it 'til the end, the Timpview volleyball team won the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!  I tell you, it was SUCH an exciting game.  We filmed the entire championship match but weren't able to sit close enough to get many good pictures.  However, we got plenty shots of the other games, so I'll try to include only a FEW of the best ones during this summary of events.  (I just might get carried away though.)
First things first, though.  Jay and I, like good, supportive parents, bought Timpview volleyball T-shirts at the beginning of the season to wear to all Iris's games, but I thought I was ordering a women's medium, and it was actually a men's medium, and it DROWNED me, so I altered it and basically made it a women's T-shirt.  I changed the neckline too.  I forgot to take a before picture, so here's the "halfway done" picture:

Jays was a tad large too, so I took his in a bit as well.  I never remembered to take the after picture so here we are as gung-ho supporters, all decked out in our alterations:

Now for the good stuff...

Our first game was against Cyprus.  I felt kinda bad because we completely KILLED them.  We never won a game this easily all season.  I guess our region must be very good?  The scores were 25-7, 25-13, 25-13.
Megan goes for the spike
Look at how much air Lauren gets!
Iris too!  For being so short, she can sure jump high!
Every picture I have of Jessie mid-air, her pony-tail looks like this.  She was named MVP of Timpview's team.
Huddle before next game.
Iris spikes again!
Iris, getting ready to serve.
Round two was against Box Elder. We lost the first, 25-22 but won the remaining three: 22-25, 21-25, 23-25.
Time-out

Iris bumps
Nice dig, Iris!
I love when they set behind themselves.  I think it's very artistic looking- like a dance move.
Lauren spikes again.
In the semi-finals we played one of my High School's old nemeses: Skyline.  I was extra happy about Timpview winning that one. :) Since I got to go to the two games on Friday while Jay was at work, I let him attend this one while I watched the kids.
25-20, 25-21, 14-25 (we lost), 18-25 (we lost), 15-9.
I love that you can tell Iris's spike makes it past their block in this shot.
Awesome save, Iris!
The final game was against our own region rivals, who we took second place to: Salem Hills. It was seriously, the most intense game I've ever watched.  In a nutshell, we lost the first two games: 22-25, 22-25.  But we came back and won the next two: 25-18, 25-22.  The final game should have been completely stressful, but I completely forgot that they only go to 15 on 5th matches.  At one point we were up 12-10, and then Salem Hills scored 3 in a row, putting us behind: 12-13.  Then we were tied at 13-13.  All Salem Hills needed was one more point and the game would be over, but Timpview miraculously scored 3 in a row and we won 16-14!!  If you want to relive the experience, I filmed the whole thing (although I got there and realized I only had 45 minutes of memory and so I constantly stopped and started the filming so that we wouldn't film in between serves.  I actually ran out of time and ended up filming the entire last match on my iPhone.) and am in the process of posting it to YouTube.  I'll post a link once I've done it.  (It's hardcore.  Seriously- I added a score to the bottom right corner, and put in some slow mo clips.  Make some popcorn though, it's about 45 minutes long.)
  It was much harder for Jay to get decent shots of this game because he had to sit so far back- zooming in all the way lends itself to blurry shots...  It was worth it to have the student support though- the whole Timpview football team was there and a lot of other students too.  (We also JUST got there before it started and a lot of people had come early to save seats.  DUH to us.)  Salem Hills probably still had more than we did, but I think our crowd was louder :)
I love their celebratory hugs.
Lauren played better than I'd ever seen her play in this game.
Timpview just won!! 
The trophy!
I think this picture just looks cool- the crowd rushing the floor.
The Daily Herald Interviewing Iris.  (our neighbor happens to be the camera man)
I think this picture is sooo funny- like it looks staged.
Self-explanatory!  You're awesome, Iris!
Tons of random people kept hugging Iris and telling her good job.  I think she was weirded out by it, but she was still polite.  Strangers don't usually even shake hands in Japan, let alone HUG!


A mom shot :)
The State Champions!!!
So many people came up to me after and thanked me for hosting Iris or told me she has perfect form and could get a sports scholarship here if she wanted.

Congratulations, Iris!  You have worked so hard and you deserve the title!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Leaf Raking

Iris's coach emailed me to tell me that the night before the state tournament, all the girls were getting together for dinner and they were all going to bring some kind of treat with an inspirational message.  When Iris came home that night, I poked through her bag to see what kind of sayings people came up with.  Most people had attached insightful quotes about courage or doing your best, or how to be successful in life etc., etc. 

 'Spose my idea of inspiration is a bit different. **blush**  Here's what I sent her with:

Now for the cuteness:
she may be nearly bald, but still not immune to the forces of static electricity
don't you just want to squish her?!

of course.  his first impulse is always to crash, bang, or throw things.

what a great helper :)

he quickly realized it was much funnier to throw leaves...

at me!

This one might make the Christmas card, folks!


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Iris's Volleyball Pics

We have taken a million-billion photos of Iris's volleyball games.  I have officially gained a new appreciation for sports photographers...  It's HARD to get anything to be non-blurry!!  

We have had so much fun going to all her home games (and a few aways that aren't too far) and we are excited to announce that the Timpview Volleyball team has qualified for the state tournament, ranked 2nd in our region!!  We are so proud of Iris- she is wicked good!
team lineup before announcing the players
It was always exciting to see how they would pronounce her name :)
Iris serving
I've never seen her miss a serve!
She may be short, but she is the left-side hitter.
T-BIRDS!
This shot makes me think she should play basketball. :)
Don't worry- she got it!
Iris wanted to make something for everyone on varsity, and she designed these flags to pin on their bags herself.  She did the embroidery (THS and around the edge) and I helped her sew on buttons, cut stuff out, and sewed the colored part of the volleyballs with the machine.  I think they turned out really awesome!
super cute flags
warming up
huddle!
L spikes it!
E just saves it!
Look how high Iris can jump!



There was always a small gathering of students to cheer the team on, and they always rushed the court when we won.  (which was most of the time :D)
hugging coach Bailey
At the last home game, they always celebrate the leaving seniors, but they also honored Iris since she will also not be returning next year. :'(
My friend took a picture for us, but Iris couldn't see where the camera was, haha.
The seniors and Iris :)