V- Volleyball

Volleyball is in full swing. Ashlee has been attending summer practices twice a week and also goes to weight training twice a week. She is really hoping to make the high school team, and it is going to take a lot of work to beat the "small town politics". She will be attending 2 volleyball camps this summer and hopefully she will earn a spot. Next week, August 10-14 is the pre-season tryout camp. I am so proud of her for working so hard for this. She loves to play and she is good, so I am pulling for her.

Y- Young Ambassadors/ Year Mark

Year Mark- We have started the year countdown until Bill finishes school. April of 2010 he should be done. The past few months have been really hard being apart. Not only is it just hard to be apart, but I sometimes have so much on my shoulders that I can't take it all. I am back to being a single mom and boy those times were tough. We are both getting pretty burned out but we are lucky to have each others support. Bill arrived home on July 23rd for his 6 week summer break. This will be the longests amount of time that we have seen each other for a year. It has been so nice to have him home and almost feels normal again. Bill is so much help at home. He cooks dinner, helps with housework, helps with the Ashlee taxi and does all those "man" things that I just can't do. I appreciate him so much and I know that I am lucky to have such a great husband.

Young Ambassadors Singing Entertainers- Ashlee had a wonderful opportunity this summer to attend the YASE workshop at BYU thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Hilliard. She had a blast there, met some great friends, and learned a lot. She loves to sing and loves to perform so this was right up her alley. She wants to continue to audition for more plays. You can watch the video of her solo performance on my Facebook page, or on YouTube under SadiePollyPops user name.

Proof that Ashlee's room in college will be as messy as her room at home.

Lots of New Friends!

Z- Zzzzss Not Getting Any

The only people getting a lot of Zzzs are Ashlee and The Pops. I kept thinking all spring when I was teaching seminary and in school that I couldn't wait till the summer so I could sleep more. Now that summer is here I find myself staying up really late at night trying to get stuff done or play with Ashlee. Then while she gets to sleep in until noon, I have to wake up early for work.

Dancing Queen

Ashlee went to her first church dance last weekend on 3/21/09. It was a Tri-Stake dance in Grand Junction. She had a blast. I was kinda uneasy letting her go. I know, I know... I need to lighten up. It's just that these past few weeks I have really noticed that she is growing up. Last week we had new beginnings and for the first time I realized that she was so much more mature than the beehive class that she just left. I am so proud and happy for her, but it is still hard to think that my little girl is growing up.

I Miss My Sis

My Sister has been out of the country since the 27th of February. In my last post about being a new Aunnie I mentioned that we are praying they all get to come home soon. Well half of them did. Paul and Maddie flew home on Sunday March 15th. I was so excited when Maddie (my neice) called my first thing on Monday morning, but I am heartsick that my Sister is still in Africa waiting for the adoption paperwork to get finished.

Although I am dying for her to come home, I am also so proud of her for staying. I finally got to talk to her on the phone today for the first time in weeks. There is just something special about getting to hear her voice. I was glad to hear about the progress Little Quincy has made in just the short week that she has had him in her care. What a brave thing she is doing to stay and make sure he stays healthy. I am so happy to hear how much she loves him and I am so thankful that he is going to join our family. He is a choice spirit.

In the meantime though I miss my sis. I wish I could be there to help her, even if it was just to help her make it through the long days. I am afraid however that my "protective older sister complex would kick in and I would have to get those people moving to fix everything and help her get home faster. I am so proud of her and so lucky that I have her as my sister. She is a great example to me. Come home soon Heidi.

I Survived The Big Birthday Bowling Bash!

32 Invites and 27 RSVPs. I am one crazy woman. The party was a blast. We had contests for the most strikes with prizes, and we played one round of rotating bowling. The kids rotated to a new lane for each turn and after ten frames the lane with the highest combines scores won. I am glad that my Ex-husband and his wife were there to help cuz it would have been a lot for just me. Next time, though I am going to have the come early for the preparations so they can also enjoy making 48 cupcakes. :)

A Momma Make Over

My Mom came to visit me for 5 days last week and I was so excited. She helped me so much and it was nice to have a little relief. I don't care how old I get sometimes I just want my Momma. Whenever my parents come to visit we always do a project becuase not a single one of us can sit still and do nothing. Last summer we put a fence up in two days in the rain. A time before that we painted the entire inside of my house. This time Mom set up my office/scrapbook room. She brought a whole bunch of supplies from her store, including a paper rack, and also bought shelves and baskets to house all of my embellishments. She brought paper, stamps, pens, stickers... Yeah Me!! I was a fun project and now it is my favorite room in the house. Thanks Mom. :)