Debbie came to visit right after Christmas and we took a picture. Mom stood up and everything!

Band Boosters is Done

Well, I'm about to end my band booster experience. We decided to go back to voting for the new board in December so we can start fresh at the beginning of the new year. Voting is done, with our own band of drama, of course! And we have voted the new board in and I am done! I am kind of sad about it. It was a lot of fun but this year was especially hard. I would have liked to go out in a good place but I don't think that happened. I hope that when I come back in a year or so it will be a little different. Of course it will because the people will different and I will miss those friends whom I have got to know and love while serving. It has been fun for the most part and I have some regrets but I loved working with the kids. And do have my favorites but I can because I am not the teacher!!!

Christmas Eve

One of my favorite parts of Christmas eve is we go to McDonalds! I know, what were we thinking starting such a crazy tradition! But it works for us! (Mackenzie was telling her school teacher and she didn't think Mackenzie was being serious!!! I guess I can't blame her!)

We eat chicken McNuggets and then we play! Yep, I get up there in the playland and we all have so much fun! Only once a year, thank goodness, because I looked like a beached whale trying to climb up those tubs and go down those slides! The kids laugh at me and take pics. Maybe that's why they love it so much!

Travis bruised his ribs and watched from down  below. Poor guy! He missed out on all of the fun!

Not sure how long this odd tradition will last but it really is one of the highlights of our Christmas!!!

 We then spent time at the temple enjoying the lights and running into old missionaries who served in our ward. It was a great evening and we all had such a great time!

Sister Merrill! One of my favorite missionaries and Ashley finally go to meet her!!!

My family at my very favorite place in the world!!!

We finished the evening off watching the Christmas devotional and opening a few presents. It was a very fun evening! 

Merry Christmas!

Christmas afternoon at my moms! Dinner, skype visit with my little brothers and their families, and presents! 

Merry Christmas!

Quick trip to Texas!

Ashley needed to go to Texas again. Sister Facer, a sister missionary she met at the MTC, was marrying her high school sweetheart and invited Ashley to come. We got this hair brained idea that she could fly into Dallas and take David's car down to El Paso so she could attend the sealing. We needed to get this idea OK'd by the man himself and he agreed! I had to promise I would come too, I don't think he minded one bit! Britt found out and wanted to come too so we arranged to all go together.

And then Ashley got the teller job she wanted. The only problem was training was the week of our trip. She had to postpone her trip a day but Brittany and I went as planned. Poor David had to come to the airport twice! 5 AM each time, to boot!

We are so glad we went an extra day! David took the day off and we went boating! The weather was perfect! We were the only ones on the water and it was so much fun! David got to show off, Spencer did too, and then Nathan had his turn!

 

Britt busy doing her thing!

 David, Nathan, and Britt

We had dinner with the whole family and it was decided that I would spent the rest of the next day with Peggy, Carol, Barbara and her girls. It would be a girls shopping day! It could be fun!
In the morning at 5 am  we picked up Ashley at the airport and the two girls were off! 

I enjoyed spending the day with the girls! We shopped, had lunch, and I had a lot of fun with the little girls! So cute! I kinda miss that age! David, on the other hand, had a terrible day. I cannot do the story justice but it involved a live cow, some chickens, and a slaughter house. I wouldn't be surprised if he looks at beef in a whole new light!

Ashley and Britt made it back by 11 pm. The wedding was beautiful! Sister Facer was so happy to have Ashley there for her!

Three Sister Missionaries

My Girls at the El Paso temple

We left Sunday night after a very relaxing and restful Sunday. We had dinner with everyone again. And I got to spend a little bit of time with Caroline so it was a great trip! Poor thing had to work three 12 hour shifts that weekend.

I always love visiting with the Meyers!

 Lidia and Amelia, Barbara's youngest girls! The are so cute and very busy!

 This is Peggy's work area. My aunt has the most amazing talent of quilting! Her work is absolutely beautiful! These pictures don't do it justice!

Ashley's exciting birthday!

Ashley is 22! And, poor thing, she had to work on her birthday. You see, she has a new job! She is a teller at the Desert Schools Credit Union on Alma School and Baseline. She seems to really enjoy it and her training started this week. And training, unfortunately, is in Phoenix.  This, of course, means no late partying for her!
A funny thing happened on her birthday. It was Wednesday and the boys chose to miss mutual to celebrate it since she did not get home until almost 7 pm. We made her a special dinner with an English trifle for her birthday cake (her favorite!). We finished it, had scriptures, and then were going to watch the Christmas devotional when Travis got a phone call. He quickly got off the phone and told all of us that Dave Lane says we all need to get out of the house because the house behind us is on fire!
We quickly walked the little ones across the street and then we headed to the back yard to turn on the back hose and water down the tree in the back, which is a fire hazard in itself. I started watering the tree, trying to see if there were any flame close by. Nothing. I went back out front to see if there were any close to the other side of the house. You could hear the sirens form the fire trucks as they headed this direction but still no huge plume of smoke,  From the front of the house we could tell the fire was actually the house across the street from the one behind us.
 Travis and Ashley hopped onto the roof to see it better. We watched and watched. Then I walked over to tell my parents what was happening just in case a good Samaritan called to tell them our house was on fire. By the time I got back it was discovered the house itself was not on fire but the dumpster in front of it was. The house was in the middle of being remodeled and apparently someone in the neighborhood was starting fires in the dumpsters. The fire department stayed there until midnight and the next morning the porch light was on. So, the house was not damaged at all!!! Such good news! The dumpster has seen better days, though. Thats my kind of fire!

I lost my punch bowl so it kind of takes away the effect but the trifle was awesome!!!

 Cortney came for dinner!!! Happy Day!

 picture from the roof!

Cortney had to work for her birthday so we decided to surprise her with a cake she could share with her coworkers and some flowers since she would be there all day! It worked! My girls is 24! 

We love you, Cortney!

 The ornament would't fit into my car so he had to leave it, poor kid!

Memorable Monday

Mackay Shelley came home for the last State compertition and Ashley flew up so she could drive home with him. Safety in numbers, right? Well, I got this big lecture about not telling Jana. Seriously, 10 minutes of how I need to not say a word, no hints, no goofy grins that make me look guilty, and it would be so hard and I needed to do this one thing!!!
Well, Mackay accidentally texts his mom instead of his sister and blew the whole surprise.
WHEWWW! I didn't do it!
Anyway, they ended up surprising Don and Grandma Jo anyway so it was great! And after they all sat and got comfortable, James Harsey showed up and I just had to take a picture!
 6 years ago I took a similar picture at the WGA championships and I wanted to take another one! Here it is!

 WGAZ 2010

ABODA Division II State Championship, 2015

2015 Division II State Marching Champions!!!

The Mesa High Marching Band won state again! We have been ahead all season and we did it again! This year has been so crazy! The props have been a headache, getting what Mr Brooks wants has been a challenge, the butt capes were actually pretty easy (I think that is because I did not do them all by myself this time), Drama that even Ms. Stones would envy (not!), and our first year in the new concessions buildings! I has been memorable, and not all in a good way, but a year I will never forget! The show itself was spectacular! We not only won State Division II but we won our division in the new AZMarching Festival as well! 

Zach is not coming back next year so it looks like I am done for a season. But I will be back, although I don't think I will ever be president again. That's okay, new experiences will be good for me! But I have made some lifelong friends and memories that I will never forget! And I think we the boosters won just as much as the kids did!

 The shirts for this year! Angela Sanders was in charge of the design and they look great!

 Waiting for awards!

 So proud of Zach! He did great this year in pitt!

 Jana! This lady is amazing! I had so much fun working with her these past 7 years! I would not have stuck around as long if she had not been by my side dragging, wrestling, or pulling me up. She has made me laugh more than anyone else! A true kindred Spirit!

The last competition, the AZmarching band comp, Shea's grandparents made this cake for the kids! Amazing!