October flew by...

I have one word to describe the past 30 days.....BUSY! I am not complaining, just stating a fact.

We had Grandparents from South Dakota the last week of October and here is sampling of what they got to do while they were here. It started with a final 9th grade football game, then a final fall baseball game, a pee-wee flag football game and finally we got to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat all before we carved pumpkins and trick or treated!

Maddy did such a great job in Joseph. She had worked so hard since early September. The show itself was wonderful and the performers were great! Jackson had a great football season and only got to play two baseball games due to his finger injury. He received the "tough nut" award from the football coaches. Not surprised by that.

We have had two local sales events for this and the first month has been really busy. Go to the web site and check out all that is happening on our blog.

I am thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas. I can't believe how fast this past 6 months have gone. It is hard to believe that this is Haley's last round of Holidays at home. Next year at this time she will be a college student coming home for the Holidays. That is just CRAZY!

Here is a picture of our Mexico group. We had a really fun time even with the two injuries we incurred. We are beach lovers, plain and simple!

What's your Virtue?

I would like to introduce you to six of my closest friends. I understand that they are lip glosses, but my partners and I have spent the last three years bringing these little ladies to the public.

They are smooth but not sticky, shiny but not alarming and most of all they are moisturizing beyond compare. The message that they convey is that we are all beautiful and that starts from within. Each one of us has virtues within us and this product line is just a reminder to be like the virtues found on these tubes.

You can purchase these on line here.

We do have a local show that we will be selling at this Saturday 10/24/09. The address of that show is 1809 E. Gary St. Mesa, AZ 85203. If you live in the Mesa area, this will be a great start to doing some holiday shopping. Everything in this sale is under $25 dollars! So don't be late!! For more information go here!

Homecoming and more

Another year has flown by, like they all do, when you are my age. But honestly, it seems like Haley and I were shopping for the perfect dress last year and now we have done it again. There was no stress (honestly) involved this year. I think she picked the 6th dress she tried on. The stress came from the earrings..... go figure. Her date was Dan Kindt. They had a nice time and he brought her home early. Shane was thrilled.

Jackson has had a great football season so far. He has scored 2 TD's, rushed for lots of yards, dislocated his finger (still played) and has an all around great experience. That is him holding the ball.

Jake is playing flag football which is super cute and Maddy is in her first stage production of Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. It opens Oct.28 and is at MCC's Theatre Outback. She is in the children's ensemble and has loved every minute of it. Pictures of these two will follow.

Life is Good!!

Top Ten list

My top ten favorite things about our trip:

1. The weather. Anything beats 114 degrees

2. Picturesque views 24/7.

3. Seeing whales, seals, eagles and NO bears!

4. Having a balcony to sit outside and watch the ice burgs.

5. Playing cards, eating dinner, and touring Alaska with good friends.

6. Zipping through the trees 100 off the ground in Juneau.

7. Sleeping in

8. Spending time with Shane with no cell phones, clients or kids.

9. Hiking and then floating down a freezing river in Skagway.

10. Kayaking, catching a nasty fish and finding my boat, The Sara B.

I loved it and I would go back again. Here are some of my favorite photos from our trip.

Let's start planning the next trip!

-sara

Time flys

I don't know where the time has gone, but since my last post we have survived Toro Football camp, girls camp, back to school shopping and Scout to name a few. Some of these items I listed have been easier than others to have survived.

It has been a long and short summer at the same time, if that is possible. It was short enough that we did not get a summer trip in. Which is the first time in a long time that we stayed home. But was long enough that everyone was ready to get back into school. This is a milestone year for each of us this year at our house.

Haley is a senior this year! We are very excited for her and kinda sad for us. Haley took two classes in summer school, to lessen her hourly load for her Senior year and to add to her GPA. She is a good student and is working hard at her academics even though she already announced to us that she has "senioritis" on the third day. She is busy trying to figure out what she will be doing next year as well as where she will be. It could be Utah, Idaho, California or even right here in Az. She is actively looking for a job for the year and a major for college. We love her and are very proud of her!!

Jackson is 14 and a freshman. Even though he is still in Jr. high (location), the grades count! He is a really good student and he is blossoming as a good athlete as well. Jackson decided to go out for football. His father is so proud and I am not so happy about it. He loves it and has not complained about any of the 6am summer practices, the weight training that followed or Toro Camp, otherwise known as hell week. He is loving seminary in school this year and is growing into a great young man. He is looking forward to an antelope hunt in Az and a pheasant hunt is SD later this fall. We love you!

Maddy is in 7th grade! I can't believe this. She is totally ready to be in Jr. high and has made a smooth transition so far even though some parts have been a little bumpy. Her schedule was totally changed on the 3rd day of school and then was changed back to her original schedule on the 6th day of school. Maddy hasn't even missed a beat and has taken the bobble in stride! We think Maddy might have a future in theater.....she is going to try out for a local musical. Keep your fingers crossed! We love you so much!

Jake started Kindergarten this year!!! He so far he loves it! He loves being the table captain because it means he is the boss of his table for the day. He has assured me that he is nice when he is the boss. I hope that is true! He loves being big like Jackson and the girls by going to school all day. He also is mister independent and wants to walk to and from his class by himself with no help he says, every morning. He is learning so much and is so proud of himself, which is great! Love you!!

Sara is home by herself everyday, now I don't want any of you to feel sorry for me, I will be just fine!! I know that some friends are worried that I will have too much free time and will not know how to best spend it. The kids think that I will be very lonely and will be depressed having so much free time to myself. Shane is worried that I will spend to much money going to lunch everyday with friends or shopping for the kids or the house. I think he would be ok with my spending if I told him I was going to The Bass Pro Shop.

In case there is any confusion, I am good, happy, excited, and ready for this next phase of my life.

Shane is having a much better 2009. In case you don't remember 2008 was a little bumpy for him and us. He has been to Alaska twice so far this year, both without me or the kids. He was bear hunting (got one) for a week and then he went to a funeral, but did get to experience Alaska when it is light at midnight. He also has an antelope hunt with Jackson and a trip to South Dakota on the books for this fall. He is very excited about taking Scout with to bird hunt with him this year. Hope she lives up to expectations! Love you!!

Scout is still very much a puppy in a big body. We are trying to break her before she breaks us. She has been swimming and chasing birds to get ready for pheasant, duck and whatever else they can find to hunt, hunt. We do love her, just not when she is digging in the garbage cans! But you have to admit, she is a cutie-patutie!!

Shane and I are celebrating 20 years of wedded bliss this month. We are doing an Alaska cruise. My first time in the area, his third! It should be a great time out of the heat! More on that later.

Sara

Wicked good!

It is hard to believe that we are in the middle of summer vacation, six weeks done and six to go.  Haley finished summer school with straight A's, Jackson had a great week at EFY in Flagstaff,  Maddy was fabulous in musical theater, and Jake is working hard at becoming Michael Phelps.   He loves being big enough to ride 4 houses down the street, by himself , to swimming lessons.  

The girls and I went to see Wicked on it's opening night in Az.  We are huge fans and we were not disappointed.  We wanted to share this experience with the boys as well, but an All-Star baseball game got in the way.  But Jackson had a great game and they won 13-3.  Which means they have another game this week.  Way to go boys!!  But we are "wicked" through and through!!

One final news flash.... Jake learned to ride his bike without training wheels!  Pictures to follow later.

Nothing but a bear

I can't believe that it has been two months since my last post, my bad. I guess blogging just hasn't been my main focus as of late. It seems like the last two months have gone super fast and super slow are the same time. I know that is impossible, but that is the best way to explain.

Shane has been gone alot, for work and for sheer pleasure (he must have a good wife). I had the task of being a single parent for almost three weeks starting with his trip to Alaska for bear hunting and some fishing and ending with a second trip to Detroit for business. Some of us in the house have said in the past,"When Shane goes hunting, he brings back nothing".
That was what I was hopping for, but here is what I got....

Shane has promised a bear skin rug and not the full body mount.   We have had a standing rule of no animals in the house except domesticated animals of course.  After 20 years of marriage (we had our anniversary o5-27) I gave in, but with strong conditions.  So I am starting to gather ideas for a new bedroom addition or a new addition in front of our fireplace.  If you have ideas please advise.

So I did say that we had an anniversary but we aren't celebrating until later in the summer.  But Shane was gone for it.....Young mens encampment (boys camp).  That led into my second week of single motherhood.  But Jackson had a great time and Shane was in charge of the shooting range (go figure), so he was in heaven.  We girls and Jake got really used to a quiet house but we did come to miss them both.  After a last quickie trip to Detroit, I officially handed the kids over to Shane for 3 hours of AT (alone time).  I asked for two weeks but I took what I could get.

We are now flying thru summer at super sonic speed.  Summer school, musical theater, swim lessons, jump start Jr. High, football practice, baseball hitting practice, weight training and All Star baseball practice and games and EFY.  I am exhausted.  I need to go lay down after I put gas in my car.