~Happy Memorial Day~

Happy Memorial Day to all my blogging friends~I hope you are having a WONDERFUL weekend!

Ashley graduated from high school on Thursday and it was such a bittersweet moment.  I have been sad, I won't lie....but Ashley has such a bright future ahead and is so excited to move on that I try to be happy for her.  I am going to help her get moved up to Flagstaff tomorrow and I hope we are able to enjoy our time together.  I will keep you posted!

This has been an emotional week for me~Ashley graduating was part of it, but Oprah's last show was Wednesday too.  My mom loved Oprah and watched her everyday.  I have watched Oprah since I was a senior in high school & I feel like she has helped me throughout my married life. Oprah's last 3 shows were wonderful, but the very last one was full of such great advice, I felt she was talking to me.  Everyone wants to feel validated & it is so true, we all need to feel like what we say & do matters.  I'm gonna start adding Oprah quotes to my blog & I hope you enjoy them! =)

Oprah Quote~"Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance"

To my sweet Ashley~ I hope you know how much 'I Love You' and that I am ALWAYS here for you!  You are a WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, KIND, LOVING, SPECIAL woman, whom I'm proud to call my daughter.  Know that you can do anything you set your mind to~'THE SKY IS THE LIMIT'~ and let your Heavenly Father be your best friend, turn to him daily and he will bless you more than you know!

May Madness!

I can't believe it is already May 18th....HOLY COW!!! Ashley has Seminary Graduation and Baccalaureate on Sunday.  Graduation is Thursday May 26th and she leaves to go to NAU on May 31st & she'll be gone til July 6th.  I can't believe she'll be gone soon but THANKFULLY she'll be back July 6th til she leaves in August. 

I will be leaving June 5th til June 25th to take a CNA course in Mesa~I have to have this certification to apply to the nursing program.  Dusty & Hayden will be 'bachelors' for the month of June, I may need a housekeeper! =)

It has been so nice not having homework.....I have gotten some cleaning done on my house that was badly needed.  I love school, but having a break right now is HEAVENLY!! =)

Sorry~it's been way too long!

I haven't even been on blogspot since Aug. of last year~so sorry!!  I am going to 'TRY' to do better at posting~I promise!!

Let's Play Catch-up:

Hayden is doing great at EAC~~I think he is majoring in 'pretty girls' but his grades are holding up, so I guess it's okay =)  He has been able to come home a few times & we sure enjoy his sweet smiling face & his teasing that never ends.  Summer is coming fast & he will be coming home to work with his dad....Dusty loves having his boy home~They are 2 peas in a pod!!

Ashley's senior year has been full of volleyball, basketball & friends...friends...friends!  She was accepted to NAU & has senior-itis something HORRIBLE~can't wait to fly the coop & start her college life as a psychiatry major.  Ash was accepted into NAU's Star Program as well, in which she will take classes at NAU from June 1st to July 1st~she will beable to earn 8 credit hours for doing this.  We are so proud of our 'Ashley Bug' & the wonderful goals she has set for herself!

Well, I started school at NPC and boy has it been fun BUT an eye-opener....23 years is WAY to long to wait to go back to school.  I am finishing up finals & will have 1 year behind me....Phew!!!  I will be going down to Mesa from June 6th to June 24th to become a CNA.  I need this certification to apply to the nursing program in the spring of next year.  Being able to apply to nursing school seems so far off, but I know it will be here before I know it!  Dusty & Hayden will have the house to themselves in June~~not sure if this is a good idea or not! =)  My mom passed away over a year ago & it has been a hard anniversary but I know she is looking down on us & smiling.  I was able to go & do her temple work with my Aunt Lilly and Rachel.  What a WONDERFUL day that was...I know she was dancing in heaven!!

Dusty has been staying busy with our appliance store, although business has been a little slow lately but hopefully it will pick up again soon.  Fishing is on his mind all of the time, so hopefully he'll be able to get away to Roosevelt & fish....fish....fish!!

May is coming fast & Ashley will be graduating from HS.  I will try to get some pics posted soon of dances, senior pics, graduation & more!  Hope all of my 'blogging' friends are doing well~thanks for sharing your blogs with me~I enjoy reading about your families too! =)

BACK to SCHOOL!!

Ashley's senior year started today & it makes me sad! Where did the time go?? Time definately flies by & I HATE it! I miss my kids being little~wish I could go back~I would be a stay-at-home Mom~Not worry about the house being clean all the time~I wouldn't stress over the small stuff~my list goes on & on! Hayden's 2nd year of College starts Aug. 23rd & he has decided to transfer to EAC in Thatcher. He is going to try-out for the baseball team & seems excited about it!

I have registered for College at NPC as a full-time student & will hopefully start the nursing program this time next year. There are some pre-requisite classes that I need to get out of the way first. I am looking forward to going back to school~hopefully I can handle it~23 years is a long time to be out of HS. I LOVED taking care of my Grandma & my Mom so I look forward to taking care of others in the future! =)

My niece Devanie had her baby on 8-6-10~Carter Lee Tate~7 lbs 3 oz. He is a perfect little boy & we LOVE him so much already!

Summer...hmmmm!

I can't believe it is already the middle of July, where has the summer gone??? It definately hasn't been full of things I had hoped for~but I'm not giving up yet, gotta get out there & make it AWESOME!

Hayden has decided to transfer from Adams State College in Colorado down to Eastern Arizona College & boy have I had mixed feelings about it! Football is no longer in his future BUT he hopes to tryout for the baseball team at EAC. There is more to life than football, I wish him happiness & success in whatever he chooses to do =)

Ashley's senior year will start August 12th.....HOLY COW....I can't believe it! She is going to be the Student Body Social~Chairman & seems really excited about it! Her summer has been full of hanging out with friends...swimming at Becker Lake...going to movies in Show Low...sleepovers...volleyball...basketball...she definately lives life to the fullest & I'm happy for her =)

My year so far has NOT gone the way I had planned! Does it ever??? I miss my Mom on a daily basis...will it EVER get better (not sure)??? I have heard that your 40's can be the BEST years...gotta say, I'm looking forward to it!!!! I have a WONDERFUL man in my life, thank goodness!! My children are AWESOME & bring me sooooo much HAPPINESS!! These are things that REALLY matter in my life & hopefully I can focus on that! I've come to realize that life doesn't revolve around what other people think of me...only what my family thinks of ME, THAT'S what REALLY counts!!! I am ALSO thankful for the WONDERFUL friends in my life, you know who you are...THANK YOU for loving me unconditionally =)

Til next time....... =)

Small Plane Crashes into RVHS

On 6-11-10 a small plane crashed into the Round Valley High School. Hayden & I were in Colorado when Dusty called to tell us this horrible news! Dusty & Dj (my nephew) were fixing the walk-in inside the cafeteria at the HS when the small plane crashed into the main building. We have now discovered that the Ulrich family of 4 from Florida was on the plane & did not survive. This family had just refueled at the Springerville Airport & was headed to the Grand Canyon. Our HS was badly damaged, but it can be rebuilt! My heart goes out to the family & friends of the Ulrich family, what a very sad time for them. Life is to short! ~Laugh Often & Love Completely~

Bliss!

Ashley went on the Trek & had a POSITIVE fun experience! She had Mike & Angie Colwell for a Ma & Pa with a GREAT family! I am so proud of her for going & making the BEST of it, she is definately growing up! Dusty & I went on the Trek in 2000 as Adult participants, it is pretty tough, I won't lie! We both loved the experience & had GREAT Trek families. In 2005, we went again as Ma & Pa, which was an AMAZING experience as well. We had the BEST family & hopefully made their experience an AWESOME one. Hayden was able to go in 2005 too & he had a GOOD Ma & Pa/family too. (Thanks to Ginger Wiltbank for the Pic =)

Hayden had a couple of sports clinics to do up at Adams State College June 6-10 & I decided to go along for the ride! I have plenty of things to do to keep me busy...(2) quilts to finish for my niece & nephew & books to read. The weather is warm during the day & it has been raining in the afternoon. It is green & beautiful =) Hayden is busy from 8:30 am to 9 pm. Wednesday, he only has to be in clinic til noon, so hopefully we can do some sight~seeing =)

Dusty & I celebrated our Anniversary June 6th away from each other =( I can't believe it has been 23 years!!!! HOLY COW!!! I am the LUCKIEST woman in the whole~wide~world to be married to such a SWEET & LOVING man! What a GREAT married life we've had & I'm hoping for many many more years of BLISS =)