Brittney's 12th Birthday!

This is the day she's been waiting for since she turned 11! Brittney is FINALLY 12 years old! Why so excited? Well, apparently everything "good" happens when you're 12! (duh) Brittney graduated from Primary (that's the children's organization at church) and now is able to attend Young Women's with their weekly activities, and summer girls camps, and start working on her goals in her Personal Progress book. She also will get to begin babysitting "outside" the home - for money! She's constantly reminding us of the "perks" of being 12, lol.

Brittney's new haircut - This was a huge deal! notice the "bangs" - OK well shorter hair around the face, although she has had other haircuts, off the length, this was her first, in the salon, wash with shampoo, layers, style, etc... the whole shabang! she couldn't stop smiling!

On Saturday morning, her Beehive class came over about 7am and "kidnapped" her for breakfast. As she casually lay watching TV, 3 girls came running in, with bandannas, and scarf covering their faces, grabbed her, and dragged her out the house, and off they went with their leaders for breakfast and bonding ... Olivia was quite upset and quizzed me for hours "I want my baby sissy back" (Mercedes is "sissy" therefore Brittney is "baby sissy") Even after I told her who the girls were, and that she was just going for breakfast and to have fun she didn't rest until Britt was safely home.

September 11 Remembered -

Hard to believe it was 7 yers ago that we watched in horor as airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers, The Pentagon, and a field killng so many. Hard to believe people could hate others so much - Many heros were born that day -
Brittney brought this video clip home from school.
It's called "Hero Painting" by Michael Israel -found on utube here's a link (be sure to click the bottom right square of the video clip - it will make it full size)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNjU1tc2GUo
Many thanks to heros everywhere - I'm proud to be an American!

Sponsors welcome -

UPDATE FOR SPONSORS -
1st payment has been made, and I have until October 15 to raise the remaining $400.00. So incase you were wondering what to get me for my "sweet 16" - lol.

Hey everybody – it’s me – Mercedes!
I am a Sophomore at Willow Canyon HS this year and turning 16 very soon! Yea!
I am playing Volleyball on the JV team this year – Being left handed is my secret weapon, LOL.
Anyway – why am I randomly writing to you? Well along with Volleyball, I am also in the Wildcat Marching Band! This is a very serious program (so stop laughing) and a lot is expected of us. You might remember my mom sending everyone she knew an email to watch for me in the ½ time show of the Super Bowl earlier this year- although we didn’t play our instruments in that Bowl game, we get a second chance! This December, our band will be going to San Diego to participate and PLAY in the ½ time show for the Holiday Bowl! We will also be taking part in workshops, and the Holiday Bowl Parade! We get to go to Sea World as well and hang out with the other bands playing in the ½ time show. It will be 5 days of hard work and tons of fun. The field will be full and it is going to be so awesome. Check out the promo video here – www.bgaevents.org/bgawebsite/marchingBands/video_player.asp?id=12
We have been asked to find personal sponsors to help us earn money for the trip. Total trip cost is just under $1000.00 and the 1st payment is due Sept 15! Yikes, I know!! So, I am writing to let you know of our plans and if you would like to help sponsor me, any amount will be greatly appreciated! (make checks to Jenni Taylor)
Also, 2 other fundraisers that are free and go into the general band fund are
Good search – This is a search engine – use just like you would use Google – only Type in "Willow Canyon High School Band" and for every “search” we get a penny! Go to www.goodsearch.com/ And let the searching begin, LOL.
Finally –escrip - go to www.escrip.com/ to "sign up"Type in “Willow Canyon High School Band” (caps important)
Our Group ID# 500001578Register your grocery store club cards from a participating merchant-- and your debit, ATM and Credit cards if you wish. That's it! Visit escrip merchants when you shop. Our band gets a percent - It's automatic!
Whew – well thanks for reading and helping me out, I know the September deadline is close, but remember if you live in AZ you have $400.00 in AZ Tax Credit you can donate as a married couple (haha) just kidding, but the school will send out receipts for your taxes. (Arizona Residents – make checks to Willow Canyon HS Band)Thanks again – I really appreciate your support! Go WILDCATS!

Big Weekend!

Well, it's Monday - we survived... If you're wondering what I'm talking about - let me take you back a few days! Tuesday - I'm being wifely - ironing, when the phone rings - "Hello?" - The Stake Presidents Secretary...(dun dun dun) says, "The Stake President would like to meet with you and wants you to bring your husband along." I spent several hours stressing wondering what the heck he could want me for, and in what Stake organization - (jumping ahead to the meeting) He asked about our kids and about what callings I have held in the church - (BTW I'm still panicing) Finally he asks if I was ready for my next calling in the Church. I said "Umm, sure" (brilliant huh) He then called me to be the next Bishops wife!
After the couple of seconds clicked by - Dean said, "We don't do that in this church, Bishop Smith already has a wife". (LOL) he then proceeded to tell Dean that He had been authorized by the First Presidency to call him to be the new Bishop of the Willow Canyon Ward. After about 30 minutes, we walked out of the office and I said, "Well, I feel a lot better!" We are completely humbled, and feeling the Lords love and strength today more than ever!
(Jump ahead to the weekend - Sunday) Ken and Taleen were on their way back to Kansas after visiting their kids in the west, so they came to Arizona - Kyle and Kara and their family came over from Glibert, Kay and Jerry Hartley and Otis and Cheri Henson and family all came to our Sacrament meeting - just incase the Stake Presidency sitting on the stand wasn't a give away of something big going on, you only had to look around the congragation, LOL dead give away - visiting family and new suit.
Anyway it was a wonderful day and once the testimonies were given, I felt a lot better. Color returned to Deans face, and the rest of the day was filled with family visiting...without Dean of course, he was in meetings. BTW Jeff Lunt is the 1st Counselor, and Lynn Johnson is the 2nd Counselor.
Here is our family picture - don't look to close, it might wind up being the Christmas picture this year too. :)

First Day of School - Whoo Hoo!

First Day of School

Well...I am full circle (again) At Willow Canyon HS Dowlin started his Senior year, Mercedes started her Sophomore Year. At Cimarron Springs Elementary Brittney Started 6th Grade and Zachery started 4th Grade on Monday August 11! It was a glorious day...

Until Olivia was frantically running around trying to gather paper and pencils to put in her "pack pack" - way to go Mom... Fear not though :) Olivia began her educational career this morning at Bloomin' Beginnings Preschool.

Hope you enjoy these pictures from the first days of school. Hang with me, I'll figure this blog thing out and you'll be begging me to stop posting pictures of the kids. So for all those of you who "can't believe Jenni of all people didn't have a blog" ... TaDa!

Life's A Beach - Oceanside, CA

On Wednesday the 22 of May school let out for the year and we all set our sites on California! We love the beach and had a week planed of just lounging on the beach and being together as a family. We're not sure how we got such great kids, you know, ones who don't mind hanging out with Mom and Dad, but we did. And we did just that "hung out".

We collected sea shells, played in tide pools, had a great visit with Jared and Amanda who just happened to be there on job related business. We had 2 wonderful visits and dinners with Great Grandma Dowlin. As she was leaving out place Friday evening, she wanted to get on the road before it got too dark, you see her eyes don't work as well in the dark... Dean asked her if she wouldn't mind recording a Public Safety Message for the state of Arizona! (HA HA - she thought that was funny)

Our Family with Great Grandma Dowlin

We swam in the ocean and the pool. We built a great sand castle village (Grandpa Wilson would be proud - I learned everything I know about building sand castles from him)

Preparing to build the ultimate sand castle -

On the Pier

We walked around Oceanside, along the beach, and out to the very end of the pier. It was lots of fun! Too many fishermen if you ask me. But we had fun "people watching" and the lifeguards were out on their daily training mission so we got to see them climb up then jump off the pier.

I'm not going to go into detail about the multiple members of our party who were so sunburned and blistered that the state didn't have enough Aleve, Aloe gel, or Solarcaine to kill the pain! Let's just say, after nearly 40 years of burning...you would think I'd be more into "prevention" instead of "treatment" - aparentally I really am as dumb as I look,. (LOL) I have to edit that - actually, not mentioning any names, but I came in 3rd behind the guys who's names start with "D"