Soccer/Football/Futbol 2010

Get your boots on and hit the pitch, we've got some matches to play! That's how they would say it in Europe anyway. I picked that up from watching the World Cup. I know the season is just starting but Sophie's team accompanied the Granite Bay High School boys team recently in a friendly game against Whitney High (Rocklin) and it was worth a post. I also posted a team pic from Claire's recent tournament in Pleasanton, where they took 2nd place overall. Claire scored a goal in a 2-1 victory and scored one of two goals in a 2-0 win that put us into the finals. I'll have some pictures of Lily soon.

Sophie is wearing her pink Converse tennis shoes because they would be walking on the track they didn't want them to wear cleats on it. 

The expression on Sophie's face was priceless.

I think the boys like Sophie's shoes

Sophie waiting to walk onto the field.

Eureka Lightning - 2nd Place!

Get Your Brown Bags Out -- It's Back To School Time!

Yes, all three Norris girls are back in school. It's a bittersweet time as summer draws to an end and the new school year begins. Claire entered the realm of Jr. High and seems to be adjusting well. Lilian is at a new school as well and likes her teacher and Sophie has moved up the seniority ladder at her school as a 1st grader. Here are a few pictures that Tracey took:

Claire flashes a 7 on her first day as a 7th grader

7th grader - yay!

Lily getting ready to take the bus--she has always wanted to ride the bus

and now her school is far enough away that she can!

Lily boarding the bus

Lily and friends on the first day of 4th grade!

Many familiar faces

Lily stops for a pose

More Friends!

The youngest starts 1st grade

Sophie in front of her class with her pink Chuck Taylor's

Dillon Beach 2010

We spent several days at Dillon Beach recently which is about 60 miles north of San Francisco. It was a really great trip. Pat and Sherry were out from Utah, so it was nice to spend some time with them. We spent most of our time at the beach and then playing games in the evening. Thanks to Mark and Kay for renting the awesome beach houses. The weather was great and I hope we can make it out again next year! We didn't take a ton of pictures but here a few.

Lilian strolling along the beach

Queen of the mountain!

Looking out into the entrance of Tomales Bay.

Sophie and some of the local wild life i.e.,crab

Your feet go here...

Sophie found a nice soft bed and pillow. This is Maggie who belongs to Steven and Trista

Lily flying a kite

Lily's smile says it all!

Camp Liahona 2010

This year Tracey, Claire, and I all went to Girls Camp. The camp theme was Courage and Strength. It was Claire's first year. It was a great experience and I'm glad Tracey and Claire got to go together. I was only able to stay the first two days. (Thanks Mark and Kay for having Lily, Sophie, and Brody!) I learned a few things about girls camp: The first thing is that they sing, A LOT! Secondly they eat well. Thirdly they know how to invite the Spirit. Oh yeah, sprinkle a little drama in here and there. The girls slept in Yurts (see below), which are small cabin like structures and the priesthood slept in tents around the perimeter of camp. As I call it, we were bear bait since bears had been sighted in camp a couple of weeks earlier. It is a beautiful spot up in the Sierras just off highway 89. Here are some pictures--enjoy:

Granite Bay II ward yurt

Bear-bait tents (the purple one is mine)

Tracey and Dave Hilburn with our portable fire pit

(L-R) Claire, Julia, Tracey

Girls Camp craziness

Claire and Aubrey--Level 1's rule!

Tracey and Sis. Holt posing with the girl camp warrior

Claire and Julia--aww

Tracey made ward shirts with the girls' names and then a characteristic of the girl (i.e., Claire the Courageous)

Claire, Kristen, Julia (this shows the front of the shirt)

GB II

GB II

The Polar Bear swimmers!

This picture makes me dizzy

Norris the Noble

Girls Camp -- woo hoo!!!

GB II Girls Camp 2010

Santa Cruz 2010

We made our annual trip to Santa Cruz this year and had a blast. Claire's team made it to the semi-finals and we played a tough Fresno team and lost by one goal! It was like a rugby match! Claire scored a goal in the semi-finals and another in a previous game.
The weather was nice and you can't go wrong just hanging out at the beach. We were lucky to only have to stay in the Torchlight Inn the first night. By lucky, I mean you pay $200+ a night for any hotel within two miles of the boardwalk and the hotels are dives for the most part. The next two nights we stayed in a house in Capitola owned by a family in our ward. Not only did we save some money but Capitola is much more serene than Santa Cruz. The house was great and it was nice to spend some quality time there after the tournament. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Claire and her teammates warming up

Digging for sand crabs

Lily and Claire holding their "catch"

Whale Wars!

Sophie with a poor defenseless sand crab

Lily, Tracey, and Sophie

Cute Lily

Pre-game face

A light moment between games

Claire battling in the semi-finals

Path to the beach behind the Capitola House

A view of the Capitola pier from the house

Deck View

View from the living room (I could live here!)