All-Star Practice

Brett has his big All-Star debut tonight.   He has been practicing for 2 weeks, every day except Sunday.  Tonight is his first game.  A parent snapped some pictures of the practice last night.  Good Luck Brett!  Also, Josh, the team mascot was captured as well. :)

From A to Z

Newsflash:  I am headed from Arizona to Zurich.  It is still hard to believe.  The idea started with my dear friend Andrea who is spending 2 months in France.  She invited anyone to come and visit.  I joked that I would go but did not really think I could swing it.  Well, Mike has a friend that works for US Airways that offered to give us buddy passes.  One thing led to another and it all started to fall into place.    

Each one of my siblings have spent a semester abroad in Europe.  During college, that was the last place I wanted to go, even though I was given the opportunity.   I know, I know..What was I thinking??.   For some reason, it did not appeal to me.  I could only look as far as New York and that was the end all for me. 

Mike and I have traveled around the US and Mexico a fair amount but we have never been to Europe.  This time I am headed out with my sister in law, Shay.  She is my travel companion this trip because Mike's work is not as flexible as I am.  :)

Our plan is to fly to Zurich and make our way through Switzerland, We will stop in Chamonix where Andrea is staying then plan a day trip to Milan and then head down to the French Riviera for a time I am sure we will never forget.

I wounder if anyone will speak Spanish, because I sure as heck don't know any French.

Adios Arizona,
Bonjour France

New Bathroom...FInally!

Well today we had the mirror's installed in the bathroom, which was the final missing piece.  It has been a couple of months in the making, but it is finally done!  Even though this process started with a disaster, we came out the other end very happy with the result.  

Before

After:

Catch Up

I want to wrap up the last bit of school, before we move on to summer!  In April we had both of my sisters come to visit with there cute kids.  I hate that they live far away and I can't see them all the time, but we pretty much stop everything that week and hang out as much as possible at Grandma's.  I wish I would take more pictures, but with a lot of kids running around you are usually using your hands helping everyone, rather than snapping pictures.   Basically the ones that are blonde are Cynthia's and the others are Karen's.  I missed Monica somehow.  She is almost 15 years old.  Sorry Monica!!

After the cousins left, Josh came down with a nasty stomach virus.  It lasted 4 days!  He was pretty miserable.  He wouldn't be a good cousin without sharing the virus though.  His Aunt, Grandma and two cousins got the bug too.  At least they made it home before it hit.  I did snap a picture of Josh, he pretty much didn't move far away from the safety of the sinks and toilet.

 After he was better, he had to make up for the 5 pounds he lost.  He had some weird cravings, one of those was S'mores!  So, he insisted that we have a campfire.   Well, I improvised and roasted marshmallows outside over a roaring candle.

Brett's piano teacher this year was his Aunt Pam.  She is a women of many talents and piano playing and teaching is one of them.  This was her first year.  She was an amazing teacher.  The recital took place at her brother's house.  Brett got a certificate award for the best sight reader!  He really is good at piano, it is just not his first love :)  The bonus of going to his Aunt's for piano is he gets to play with his cousins.  Megan is a year older than Brett and she is becoming such a pretty, talented young women!  After the recital we ate lunch with Grandma and Grandpa Barney to Cafe Rio. YUM!! 

Josh had a quick run to the Urgent Care.  He was playing Wall Ball at the baseball field.  One boy decided to throw rocks instead of a ball.  The rock hit the back of Josh's head.  I was not there, but I got a text from Mike that they went to the Urgent Care.  He said that Josh was fine, that he would just need a band-aid, but they wanted to make sure he didn't have a concussion.  When they got home from Urgent Care, this is what his band - aid looked like...

I felt bad for him!!  He was a trooper, this hasn't been his first or last visit to Urgent Care :)

Now Baseball season is over with, the boys had a great time like usual, here are a few pics of Josh's team.  We don't have team pictures of Brett's team yet.

Now it's time for the D-Back's Games.  They are on fire this season!!  It is so much fun!!

Brett and Mike went to Scout camp for a week.  This is Brett's first camp out with the Scouts.  He received his Arrow of Light and has graduated Cub Scouts.  They are headed for the mountains to camp.  They will be getting a ton of merit badges.  They will do Archery, Canoeing, Rifles, Basket Weaving, Orienteering, Astronomy, and will end with a 10 mile hike.  Have fun Brett!!

While Brett and Mike are up North, Josh and I will hang out and do a lot of Golf Cart riding around the neighborhood, his favorite thing!!  He will be ready to drive by 12!

Bring on Summer 2011~~

School Project

Brett had to do a State Report.  His teacher pulled states out of a hat randomly and assigned the kids.  Brett was given Georgia.  He had to write a report and put together a display.  He also had to make a food that represented the state.  He made Peach cobbler.  At school, they had a "State Fair."  All the classes came in and walked around the displays to ask the kids questions about their states.  Congrats Brett!!  You did a great job!

I found this video of a child in Korea who did an English project.  The name of the project is, "I never want to be a mother."  I wonder if her Mom helped her on this project..hmmmm.

Day 30 - What I learned

So Day 30,  3 months later.  What I learned is that life is unpredictable.  We plan for what life may bring, but hopefully we have prepared to handle what life actually serves.   I have learned that as a family we need to be able to navigate our way toward our goals together.  If life puts a road block in our way, we all need to make the adjustment to get around it and back on to the right path together. 

This last month we have had some craziness for sure, but one opportunity that I have had has changed me forever, is the opportunity to give Missionary Lessons.  My current calling in the ward is a ward missionary.  I have never had that calling before, and was looking forward to this new experience.  Recently, my partner and I have been able to give 2 discussions to an investigator and his wife.  The first time, I was nervous for sure, but with preparation and the knowledge that I know that the Spirit is doing the teaching, not me, I was calm.  What a wonderful teaching moment for the investigator and ME!  The second lesson, I was more confident in my ability and I hope I will have a 3rd opportunity.  I know we need to turn the investigators over to the full-time missionaries soon.

It is an amazing feeling to be a part of that process, even if the investigator chooses to be baptized or not.  The joy is in teaching the gospel.  I know that navigating this life is much easier when we know where our destination lies.  Our goal is being together as a family forever. 

Day 29 - What else?....Baseball

It is that time of year when our lives are taken over by baseball.  We eat dinner on the go and at the ballpark.  It's a weird dynamic because we are never home, yet we sit at the ball park for what could be 2 to 4 hours depending on the day.  I just sit, thinking of what else I could be doing.  It is kind of like a forced time out.  I am forced to sit in a folding chair enjoying the beautiful weather watching the kids play baseball and play at the park.  It is a time to sit with family and enjoy eachother and enjoy new friendships.  It really is a magical time, I just have to adjust my head and ENJOY hanging out.  I love it, I really do!!

Here are some pics that I have taken of the boys..