Maddie's summer...

After graduation...
 

and Seminary graduation (love these kids!)

Maddie decided she wanted some time away.
We said okay.

She and Mariah spent two months in Medford, Oregon.
I put her on the plane without shedding a single tear.
After a few days I missed her immensely.
 

She turned 18 while she was gone.
That was a hard birthday for me.
Her there.  Me here.

For fun...

This turned out to be more difficult than I thought it would be.  After all, I'm not much of a one word kind of gal : )
Give it a try...

Answer the following questions with one word answers and one word only!

1. Where is your cell phone? bedroom

2. Where is your significant other? work

3. Your hobby? reading

4. Your mother? gone

5. Your father? Bob

6. Your favorite thing? music

7. Your dream last night? sad

8. Your dream/goal? endure

9. The room you’re in? kitchen

10. Your favorite sound? laughter

11. Your fear? loneliness

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? here

13. Where were you last night? home

14. What you’re not? tan

15. One of your wish-list items? patience

16. Childhood favorite? dolls

17. The last thing you did? breakfast

18. What are you wearing? jammies

19. Your TV? off

20. Something you do you wish you didn't? soda

21. Your computer? annoying

22. Your mood? pondering

23. Missing someone? wholeheartedly

24. Your car? gasguzzler (one word, right??)

25. Something you’re not wearing? shoes

26. Your summer? HOT!!

27. Love someone? completely

28. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday

29. Last time you cried? yesterday

30. What are you good at? lunches

We interrupt these updates for...

...a little piece of heaven.


After the arduous task of beginning a new school year, I thought an end of the week/after school snack would definitely be in order.
 

Just pulled these from the oven.
 

Chocolatey, chewy, peanut buttery.
Cookie dreamland people.

Do yourself and those you love a favor and mix these up.
Quick.
You will also want a glass of ice cold milk.
Your welcome.

 Recipe from Picky Palate
Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies

Like it or not...

"School starts in the morning" was all I said and it was met with moans and groans.
"Like it or not" was my reply.


Davis ~ Freshman
Cooper ~ 5th grade
Maddie ~ still in bed. college doesn't start for another couple weeks after all.

Once in a while I'm nice...

Like the day I declared
"the last half day of the school year, no one has to go to school!"

 

I was their favorite that day : )

April events...

Opening day is a tradition.
We take the kids out of school.
It's a big deal.


A field trip with Cooper's 4th grade class to the State Capitol.
 

I actually learned a lot and enjoyed the afternoon.
 

 

Cooper had to do a report on a famous person that had an impact on Arizona.

He chose Pat Tillman so we took him to ASU to check out the memorial.

 

Moving on to...

All Stars!
#15 ~ Cooper Brown

 

Head down...
 

Up on his toe...
 

 

I get super nervous when he catches.
 

A lot is riding on his 10 year old shoulders.
 

No past balls is key in baseball.
Past balls lead to runs.
And that is not good when you play defense.
 

But Cooper is getting so good at diving, blocking and scooping those pitches. 
 

One night they played under the beginnings of the Super Moon.

In order to move forward...

I am going to post a bunch of pictures from my phone (finally figured out how to get those to here) so that I can have something recorded of days gone by.  Then I can be much more productive with the present.

 

I love this little man with all my heart.

Spring Break called for a little pizza time with my boys.

Sis was playing on the beaches of Florida!

Spring time means baseball around our house.

Cooper had an amazing season as the Rivercats catcher and homerun smasher!

 

He was chosen to play on the League All Star team and had a great experience. 

 

A good night for a ball game.

 

Ouch...

So we do have two other children in our home.
One of them had a little accident with a throwing knife.


And just because you are an Eagle Scout doesn't mean you can become casual when you play with toys.

Celebrating her...

S E E K:
to go in search of;
to try to discover;
to ask for;
to try to acquire or gain.

In every part of your life may you SEEK to find happiness and all of its wonder.

And then...

she graduated.



A little story I don't want to forget about this special morning...
For a couple weeks before this day I knew I wanted to put together a little "celebration entry" to mark the occasion.  I also knew I wanted a WORD that I could give to Maddison on her graduation day that would be meaningful and help set this day apart as significant in her life.  I pondered for sometime and finally decided on the word S E E K.  I bought black and white 4 x 6 cards with each letter and planned to hang them on my "clothesline".
Graduation morning dawned and while Maddison had gone off to rehearsal I hurriedly got my things together that I had been working on all week. Everything was set and ready but I could not find the 4 x 6 cards.  This was very important to me.  It was the focal point.  It was meant to be more meaningful that anything else.  I tore the house apart.  Brent was looking as well and trying to help me remember where the last place was I had set them.  I repeated over and over that I had already looked in that basket. I was pleading, no, I was more like demanding my Heavenly Father that these cards appear.  This continued for some time and I was frantic that Maddie would come home and the entry wouldn't be complete to start her day.  For some reason it mattered.  It mattered very much to me.  Why?  I'm still not sure.  Then Brent stepped into the living room and said, "Honey, remember last night when you were gathering your things one of the cards had a bow in it.  You wanted to place the cards under some books to flatten it out."  INSTANTLY I knew where they were.  I went straight to the bookshelf and lifted the stack of books I had put the cards under.  I hugged Brent in a tearful embrace and asked how he knew.  What he explained to me is the beauty of the story.  Brent saw me frantic and getting upset and he told me he knew how important this was to me.  With tears in his eyes and a choked up voice he said that he didn't want this day to start out unhappy for me so he lifted his eyes toward heaven and asked Heavenly Father to please help us find the cards.  Brent isn't one to offer up a silent prayer in a circumstance like this.  He even told me that and I nodded my head in agreement.  But he said "as soon as I offered my prayer my mind was filled with the thought of the card with the bow in it."

As silly as it may seem to others it was confirmed to me once again that the Lord is involved in the details of our lives.
 

 

And the rest of the day was exciting!
 

I had remained very composed the rest of the day until this moment.
When she found us in the crowd and she blew us a kiss.
My heart just couldn't have held anymore love and so the tears poured down my cheeks to try to ease the weight of what my heart was trying to hold.
 

 

 

 

You did it SIS!!

Senior Prom...

The last dance...
 

 

 

 

 

 

Not just any guy...

With the end of school upon us, Davis was busy being recognized.
First as an outstanding artist and let me say...
YES he is and I can't wait to post a couple of his projects.
He was even asked if he would sell one of his oils.  Davis turned down the request : )
I soon as I figure out how to post from my phone, I'll show you.


And then again as a Golden Scholar. 

This guy is so much more than just your average Joe.
He makes me so very very happy.

It's over...

I didn't think I would be so emotional at the final basketball banquet.
But then I didn't expect Sis to be acknowledged to such a degree.
Forgive me for my pride but I think she deserved each award.
 

Every Senior player gets the P.R.I.D.E award.
Coach Webster came up with the acronym which stands for...
Perfection Requires Intense Daily Effort.
It was and is his mantra.  It was drilled into the girl's minds and was executed in their play on the court.  He was able to get the very best out of his girls.

One girl is chosen and recognized for her Academic Excellence, which was expressed as being extremely important to the coaching staff and deserved the respect and admiration of her peers.
When Maddie's name was called I couldn't help but get a little emotional.  She has worked her tail off throughout high school to keep her grades impeccable.
 

The last recognition given is the Hawk Pride award.  As Coach Webster explains it, it is his favorite award to give because it is the "complete package".  Given to a girl who represents the Lady Hawks with every good virtue and characteristic you would want in an individual both on and off the court and who makes those around her want to be better both on and off the court.

Maddison was surprised when coach called her name.

I had a few tears and felt extremely grateful.

 

Maddison has been incredibly lucky to be coached by these good men.
Tough as they should be, tender when necessary and honest always.
Coach Webster, Coach Erwin and Coach Valocchi.
 

(Olivia, Megan, Kat, Liz, Sis, Rebecca, Kayla)
Would you ever guess these seven senior tough as nails Lady Hawk basketball players could dress up and be so awesome!!

It's been an unforgettable ride ladies!