My Graduation

The Tuesday tell all topic for this week was to tell about your graduation. Well, it is my Thursday tell all- it still fits the abbreviation TTA.

My graduation was really just a formality. I didn't really care if I took part in the actual ceremony or not. All I wanted was that piece of paper that declared I had finished my 12 years of school..... in 11. I was graduating with the class one year ahead of me. I wasn't really friends with any of them and I felt like an intruder or outsider. I was already engaged and really wanted to be announced as Ashley Rappleye instead of Ashley Holmstead. Jason was not having that for one minute. My graduation was the ticket to my marriage. He told me he would not marry me until I graduated from High School . . . . . so I did. I had to take a few home study classes and not take seminary for my last year in order to have enough credits.

We attended my nephew-Stetson's- graduation this year. Every time I go to a high school graduation it brings back lots of memories and feelings. It reminds me of how care free you are as a teenager. My biggest worry was if my hair went right in the mornings. Every day at 3:00 you were completely free to do whatever you wanted. There is so much life ahead of you and no clue what to expect. Some days I wish I hadn't been in such a hurry to 'grow up' and become an adult. You are only young once. You have the rest of your life to be an adult and have those worries and responsibilities. I hope I can help my kids realize that and live their teenage years to the fullest. (not that I didn't)

Bowling

Sekoya loves to go bowling. Not to bowl, but to wander the bowling alley and "play" the video games. I say it like that because I don't give her money to put in them so she just thinks she is playing them. She usually only bowls two or three balls and then is done. Katera likes it too. She is now big enough to push the ball down the lane-with some help. She gets so excited. It is an inexpensive way to spend some time out of the house.

Bummer Memorial Weekend

I say 'bummer' because the weather ruined all our plans. We always go camping and set up our trailer at Fishlake on Memorial weekend. Our friends from St. George were planning on camping with us, but nobody wanted to freeze all weekend. Sekoya was really disappointed. She loves camping with our "cousins from St. George". On Sunday we took our trailer up to Fishlake and got it set up for the summer. We threw our fishing lines in the lake for a few minutes until our hands got too cold. We went to eat at Bowery Haven with Grandma Maridon and Grandpa Kirk. Katera was very onery and threw fits ALL DAY LONG. That is a usual thing these days. Her new thing is screaming "Idoet" which is supposed to be "I do it". She has gotten really good at saying NO too. We were planning on staying the night, but plans changed and nobody was going to stay with us. We came home and slept in our own beds. Thank goodness because Sekoya woke up in the middle of the night puking. Memorial Day was spent just taking it easy so Sekoya could get feeling better. I scrapbooked with her in her little scrapbook until she got tired of it. I guess it wasn't all bad because we got to be together.

Carnival

We went to the traveling carnival last night. We bundled up in coats and put socks and shoes back on. We went to get Makayla and Hayden to go with us and Melissa fed us some yummy chicken noodle soup. The kids had so much fun together. We love our cousins and are so glad we live close to them. They each rode each ride once. Sekoya's favorite was the big slide that you ride on a burlap sack. She was a little scared the first time down, but once she realized it wasn't scarey she loved it. Katera even went on a couple of rides. She kept reaching for the kids when they went on the rides and was sad about being left out.

Preschool Graduation

Sekoya graduated from her second year of preschool yesterday. The program was outside and due to the winter temperatures we had yesterday it was short and sweet. I didn't even get any great pictures because we just wanted to get inside where it was warm. She was so cute and performed all her songs very well this year. (last year she cried and wouldn't sing any songs) I am so proud of her and how much she has learned and grown this year. She really loved school and would ask every morning if it was a school day. I can't wait, and I think she would say the same thing, until she can go every day next year. I can't believe I am going to have a kindergartner!

This is her best friend from school- Kaylie.

Pet???

Sekoya wants a pet. We have been telling her she could get one in the summer when it's warm. She hasn't forgotten! We have had fish and a cat that ran away. I don't really know what else there is except for a dog. When it comes right down to it, both of my girls are afraid of dogs. Big ones that is. I don't know if it would be different with a puppy of our own. I have looked on the internet about rabbits and guinea pigs. I am just not to sure about a rodent-hamsters, gerbils, etc. I really don't want an animal in my house. Animals belong outside, that is why they have fur! Help!!! Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. I was thinking about getting her pet for her birthday in two weeks so I don't have a lot of time.

Golfing, Gardening, and the Grove

Jason has been promising Sekoya for weeks now that he would take her golfing with him on the big golf course. We just haven't had a nice day that we haven't been busy with other things. Friday was finally the day. Jason and Grandpa Mike took Sekoya golfing with them for the first nine holes. Then I picked her up and they finished another nine. She loves going with Daddy and he says that she is very well behaved. Grandma Sindy asked her if she got a hole in one and her reply was, "Nope, I got a hole in thirty!!" Obviously she doesn't understand the concept of the game. Jason said when he and Mike were keeping track of their scores they would call out "4 or 5" and Sekoya would say "I got 8, I beat!!" At least she had fun!


Kacey showed up with her two boys right around lunch time. So we took them to McDonalds. After I got Katera back home and down for a nap they came out to our house and played on the swing set, trampoline, and caught bugs. Only it was so hot we didn't last outside for very long. I have been complaining for so long about it being cold, but now it just got hot. There was no in between. Oh, well as the preschool teachers say- You get what you get and you don't throw a fit.


Saturday was busy!! I woke up early, 8 am, and got going on our ward garden. Six of us girls in the ward decided to do a garden together on some ground that was volunteered by my wonderful neighbor and relief society counselor. As soon as Sekoya woke up and found out where I was she got dressed and came over to scold me for not telling her I was leaving. And to help. She poured water in all of our holes for the plants as we were planting them. We planted a little bit of everything.... corn, tomatoes, onions, peppers, radishes, beets, beans, cilantro, carrots, squash, peas. After three hours of that I ran home for a quick shower and went to the primary activity- wet hair and all. Came home from the activity and had lunch, then back to the garden to make sure the watering was going OK. I helped Deidre Jenkins tend the water all day every two hours. We got the kids to bed and then I ran and did my grocery shopping. I was very sunburned after all that time in the sun with no sunscreen. I'm not in the habit yet this year.

Sunday after church we pulled our trailer out of its parking spot and got it ready to go for the summer. As we were doing that Sekoya wanted to catch butterflies. She thought she found one.
Sekoya: " I found one with wings, but a long butt."
Jason: "Is it a dragonfly?"
Sekoya: " I think, but I don't think!"
We got a good laugh out of that one. After Katera woke up from her nap we packed them in the car and drove to Maple Grove. I have never been there. I moved here when I was in 2nd grade so I didn't go on the field trip. And that was too close for my dad to go camping. It was really neat. Other than it is posted 'no four wheeling' all over the place. We let the girls get out and go for a walk along the paths. Sekoya was having a great time exploring until a little water snake slithered across her path. Jason said she pointed and gasped and then burst out crying. I wish my girls didn't look like such orphans. The lighting was great and the pictures would have been great IF my kids looked decent.

Katera really dislikes the camera!! I have to be really sneaky in order to get a picture of her without a scowl. The first picture here surprised her. Then she kept screaming- Uh, Uh and scowling at me. Then she just blocked the lens with her hand.

This waterfall was really pretty. Katera was funny to watch. Jason says she wears her thoughts and feelings on her face like I do. She went from a little nervous about standing next to water that was rushing so fast to, wondering where it came from, to amazement. She makes me smile!!

As we were leaving there was a snake all stretched out across the road. We stopped so Sekoya could get a better look at it (from inside the car). When we stopped though it slithered into the weeds and she couldn't see it. So Jason got out and grabbed it by the tail. I had to get a picture of that!!! He is freaked out by snakes so I was completely surprised that he did that. It was about a four foot long blow snake. The picture I didn't capture was when the snake started to curl up towards his hand and he dropped it and squealed like a girl!! It's OK Jas, we still love you even if you aren't the bravest guy around.

We stopped in Salina on the way home to eat dinner at Denny's. It was a really fun afternoon. We would love to spend a day there- BBQ lunch, hike, and play in the water- so if that sounds fun to anybody else let us know and we'll plan it.

Summer Memories

What do you remember about your childhood summers? -friends, vacations, activities.

This is hard for me to remember!

picking the Barney's raspberries when they weren't home- sorry!

playing night games with all the kids within a four block radius

sleeping out on the trampoline

playing in the canal without my parent's permission

riding bikes or walking to the swimming pool and the 25 cent candy afterward

Friday night sleepovers and watching Full House- You got it dude!!

toilet papering

end of school year parties

lip syncing and dancing to the Beach Boys, Madonna, and Janet Jackson

staying a week with grandparents in Salt Lake

camping trips- lots of them, even when we didn't want to go

scouting deer with my dad

thinking I was big when my mom let me "walk main" and go to LK Pharmacy for an Ironport

bagging candy at Christensen's with the other Ashley

setting up my own candy stand with Laura Jordan and spending my whole savings on candy at the store, but then selling it for less than I paid for it

riding bikes at the bike widow

riding horses with Laura that belonged to some guy in our ward

walking two blocks to meet my "boyfriend" and stand by the side of the road and hold hands

painting my fingernails and standing in front of the swamp cooler to dry them

planting, weeding, and harvesting a garden every year

yard work- lots of it, I think my parents thought we were slaves




Man, once I got thinking the memories just came flooding back!!

Mother's Day and a new trampoline

Mother's Day was wonderful!!! Not only did Jason take care of me and do all my chores all day long, I finally have a child old enough to know exactly what she wanted to do for me. Sekoya specifically told Jason that she wanted to make me breakfast in bed consisting of pancakes, sausage, and chocolate milk. She also told him to buy a little bear with a cup of candy and a balloon. She was so cute and woke Jason up bright and early to start breakfast. Jason said she was really great and he let her do most of it herself. She even got to "flip the flapjacks". Then she brought my plate to me in bed with the sweetest smile. She kept saying all day "Mommy, it's your day." She even had to give me mother's day spankin's. I told her I only needed two because I only have two kids, but she kept right on spankin' til it hurt! Jason kept saying that he felt like he didn't do much for me, but I thought he did GREAT!!! What woman would not be happy with her meals cooked, dishes done, laundry done and put away, and even the beds made!! I even got to soak in a hot bathtub! So if I haven't told you enough already- You made my day wonderful sweetie!!!

Gotta love that morning hair!!

After a lot of internet searching I finally found a trampoline for my kids that won't scare me to let them jump on. It is 8 ft across and only 20 inches high. I was so thrilled to find it. Sekoya loves to jump on friends' trampolines. Katera likes to try to jump too since going to Jumping Jacks. I am a little paranoid about them jumping on a full size trampoline for the fact that if they fell off that would be a long way to the ground. I know they can still get hurt on this one, but it's not so far if they fall. We definitely have to set some rules about who can jump on it and how many. But for my girls it is perfect.