L-Lap Dog

Is it too late to inform Sadie that she is not a Poodle or Chihuahua, that she will never fit into one of those cute dog purses or designer pet sweaters, or that she is not a lap dog. Everytime we travel she does the same thing. She starts in the back, then she inches her way up to the front slowly. First her head is in the middle of Ashlee and I, then she rests her arms on the middle console. Next her paws and arms will move to Ashlee's lap and her back feet will be on the console. Pretty soon she is all the way on Ashlee's lap. Rotten, Spoiled, Dog!!

N- National Anthem

Ashlee has always dreamed of singing the National Anthem for some sporting event. She got her chance this spring when she was asked to sing at the Little League Opening Ceremony. She did awesome and had a blast. You can check out her video on YouTube under SadiePollyPops.

H- House

My house was BLUE!! Blue I tell you. Horrible. There is nothing worse than giving directions to your house and having to use the phrase "the blue house across from the park." Thankfully my mother shared my distaste for blue and came to paint the house. Now I cannot take credit for alot of the painting cuz I was at work a lot of the time. So my Mother spent a week at my house painting with Ashlee and I helping when we could. The change is amazing and I feel so much better now when people tell me that they almost drove by becuase they didn't recognize the place!

Much improved house now. I love my Mother for all she does for me. Her and my Dad spend countless hours helping our family. (Note the brown patches in the grass, from the sprinkler system Dad helped put in.)

Q-Quincy

Meet my new nephew Quincy Rollins (Q as we call him). What a sweet spirit. I am just in love with him. Quincy just turned 1 and for his birthday he arrived in America after spending most of his first year in an orphanage. He is so precious and such a good baby. It is so wonderful to see him change and grow with the love of a family to change his world. I am sure Heavenly Father loves him so much to send him to a family that adores him.

This is Q's first time meeting his Aunnie and Ashlee. I love him so much.

Here are Maddie and Q at home during a family picture session.

This is a picture of Quincy and Maddie in Africa the first week that they got him. You can see a huge difference in him from then to now. He is so happy now!

S-Seminary/Softball

Seminary was hard this year what can I say. I could barely juggle all of my school classes, papers, and homework, and then also prepare a lesson each night, along with handling all the household responsibilities alone, not to mention being a mother and keeping up with Ashlee. (ok that was a serious run on sentence, which is totally aloud in blogging) All that being said, it is such a blessing to be able to teach. I love interacting with the kids and seeing how much they change over the year, how they grow, and how they learn to trust me. Most of all however I treasure the opportunity to STUDY, not just read, the scriptures everynight. I cannot believe the difference that kind of study has made in my life. It changes the way I view my life, and the world. I truly get that wonderful start to the day that makes all the difference, and my testimony is strengthened so much because of it. I love the kids that I teach, infact sometimes groups of them come over on the weekends and we play Wii all night. It is so much fun to be with them. (Mother and Bill, if you are reading this I should just let you both know that I DID decide to teach again this fall. I know you are both going to kill me and you think I am crazy, but there are just too many blessing from teaching and I need them and feel like the Lord still wants me to teach)

So that I will remember: Left to Right, Andrew Jester, Nicolas Gillen, Corwin Palmer, and Zack Decker.

Left to Right: Charity Borner, Cassie Reagan, Ashley ?, Jaycee Taylor, and Brook Tobler

Evan Lerdall, Chase Russell, and Steven Tobler

Evan Lerdall, Chase Russell, Steven Tobler, Andrew White, and Mitch Reagan.

Quick story: (Sorry this is my journal too. The boy in the yellow shirt, Andrew White, is such a sweet spirit. He is always so kind and thoughful, completely unlike a normal teenager. The first year I taught he remembered my birthday and christmas and brought me a gift each day with a hand written note thanking me for the time I take on the lessons. On the last day of seminary this year he asked if I was teaching again and I said," I don't know Andrew, I just might and then you would be stuck with me 3 years in a row. He replied "I hope so, you are the best teacher ever." Andrew is one of the reasons that waking up at 5:00 am is worth it.

Softball- I am playing on a co-ed softball team this summer. I almost didn't play because I am just getting too old, and lets face it, I am way out of shape, but I said yes. I am having a blast. I had forgotten how much I like to play. I am glad that the skills came back to me. I have been playing left-center field, but I got moved in to 2nd this past week. I love infield and feel more comfortable there. I can actually hit the ball, and run, although not like I used to. Last week, June 18th, I had the best time however because Ashlee played with our team because we were short girls. She had never played a game before in her life and really had only hit the ball a few times in the park with us as a family. She was so awesome. She played left-center, in my spot, and I moved over to center field. It was so much fun getting to play with her. She did a great job too. She got on base everytime she hit. And the mark of a true ball player, she came home with an injury, a jammed finger. Our team took first place in the league. Already can't wait till next year. Plus next year Husband can play.

Ashlee with her jammed finger. There's No Crying In Baseball!

In the middle of the picture is Kristen Williams and I walking in from the field. Kristen and I played on the same softball team when we were in elementary school. Makes me feel like a kid again.

Trying to stretch before the game so the base running doesn't kill me.

My Mom and Dad came to one of my games. It was fun to have them there. When I was younger my Mom was my softball coach and my Dad was always at every game. On off days he used to pitch to me for hours in our front yard.

T-Talent Show

Ashlee was in the end of the year talent show at her school again this year. It is so fun to watch her sing. The kids love it too becuase all the other acts are typical of a middle school talent show and then Ashlee gets up there and sings rock songs. This year she wanted to sing something different and so she sang Paramore Misery Business.

U- U-TURN

Over 4th of July weekend we were in a car accident in Heber Utah on our way to the family reunion. I was making a U-turn and this lady (her name was Sadie, so we have forgiven her) smashed into us from behind. I was given the ticket (which is wrong) cuz she hit me from behind, but the ticket said I did not have enough time to make the U-turn. Whatever! Anyways, I was glad that no one was hurt especially my two babies (my dogs) in the back. Yes, Ashlee and Jaci were in there too, but my dogs were not seat belted, thus the worry.