Wow 20 years ago... REALLY???

So yesterday I took the two older boys to get their schedules for this coming school year.

And it got me thinking...holy heck

 June 23, 1991 I graduated from ROME FREE ACADEMY. 

I lived in Rome, Ny and went to most oldest school I ever thought.  It has been around since Smuckers Jam was created!  Look it up you will be amazed!  Any way I liked school sure.  I wasn't the smartest by any means but I did ok.  I was in Marching Band and loved that.  (and my Emalee is now in marching band too).  I had alot of friends (most of them are on my Friends now too on Facebook!) during my senior year it was these 2 ladies who I hung out the most with.

Kristie S. is in the middle and Courtney C is on the end.  They were the best!

Kristie has gone on to be a teacher herself and I know she is incredible at it! Courtney passed away from Cancer a few years back.  (I miss her).

I also graduated from Seminary.  It was a hard 4 years for me.  I am not a morning person by any means and yes I walked through the rain and snow to get there and sometimes up hill both ways!

This is Sister Bell and also my brother Alan. Sister B was great she taught my last 2 years of seminary, I also had Sister Ahrens and Sister Ditman as teachers both were great too.  

So now with 3 of my kids being in high school, I hope they have the great times like I had and can get to the end and graduate with a smile on their face like I had 20 years ago!!

  

The need to not become to crazy!

So this month was an overwhelming experiences one right after another,

 it start last month and has snowballed.  

We were asked to take in our nephew, Christian at the beginning of June.  Due to family situations in his family he would not be able to live with his mom.  After much prayer and family talks we decided it was ok for all.  He is just 3 months younger than Nathan. He loves basketball and seems to want to play it every moment he can.  So we are looking forward to school starting so he can jump all he wants lol.  We had to do a lot of moving around and my house is still not totally back in place.  But we are adjusting. Also this month Nikolas will be turning 12 which to me is another teenager!  

Next my sweet daughter and hubby decided I have been very lonely with out my dog Jack who ran away last year.  They had secretly talked to Lisa Boren and got to puppies from her litter she just had.  They are 2 boys.  I named the bigger one Rufus.  See I love the movie (original) Bill and Ted Excellent Adventure.  If you have seen this movie then you know who Rufus is.  The smaller puppy I named Cooper.  He was so much smaller than the other, and I have always wanted a Mini Cooper to drive so now I have a mini Cooper in puppy form!  I love them both!  Our older beagle Scout is now a Grandpa but he isn't so sure he likes having them around.  It is cute to see them follow him around.

Next was my Grandpa Stewart passing.  We were able to drive to Sierra Vista to see him once more before he passed on.  I know he is with my Grandma now and much happier.  It was hard to see him but I am glad I got the chance.  That side of my family is very split over family things. It is sad to see one person tear a whole family part.  Little does she know or care to realize all the more harm than good she has done.  

When we got home from the visit 2 of our chickens were dead.  We still have 4 and one of them is the kids favorite (momma) but it was hard to deal with.  

Let's see then we had our ward split.  When we moved here I remember hearing the clerk say "you guys are one of the lasts and then our ward is done growing". (meaning no more homes to build in our boundaries) Well he was WRONG!!!  We kept growing.  It was hard to hear we weren't going to be apart of Sierra Ranch any more.  The kids had a really hard time, mostly Emalee.  But I promised her she would be ok. I was right we are doing well in our new ward Castlegate.  We all are making new friends and love that our old ones are still so close and we can see them when ever we want.  

So to round off this post -----

A few sad moments and new ward,

4 teenagers , 4 chickens, 2 puppies, 1 dog and 1 hubby!  

Enough to keep any mom busy!