I'm back from North Dakota and back into life thank goodness! Last Thursday, Ashley had her last cross country meet of the season. Adam and I were there to cheer her on! This was her first year running cross country, I am so proud of her for working so hard and being so dedicated. Cross Country is a lot of work! Early morning practices, long runs, meets in the heat etc. All that plus she is doing cheer and getting straight A's :)
During the race. Go Ashley!
Ashley and Adam after her run. Could you look this cute after running 3 miles?
Right after the meet (at Red Mountain Park) it was off to Westwood to get ready to cheer at the football game.
Also, earlier that day I made this potato soup for the teacher dinner during Parent/Teacher conference week at Adam's school.
Delicious soup!
Friday was parent meeting for girls softball at Faith's school then Faith had cousin Lacey over for a late night which turned into a spend the night lol. Friday night, Sara was busy with her color guard performance with the marching band at the away football game.
Then Saturday was band competition day in Tuscon. They did great getting 2nd place over all plus a guard and music caption!! It really is an excellent show! Sara plays the fairy godmother and has a beautiful solo.
Beautiful Sara!
The costumes & flags are so pretty!
Saturday was also the Westwood Pom/Cheer BBQ and carnival. It was so fun! The girls worked really hard setting everything up and getting all the donations. The food was yummy bbq sandwiches, bbq baked beans, salad, chips and pie. Fun carnival games, train rides and dancing were the activities.
Little bud!
A silent auction was held. We won the Ultimate Teen Basket!!!
Made their night and then some to win this!
Sunday was Adam's primary program at church. The theme this year was 'Choose the Right'. It was an awesome program with some of the best singing I've ever heard in all my years of attending primary programs. I couldn't help but get teary eyed as the spirit poured out of those sweet children.
Today is Sara's 15th birthday! We love Sara & want to thank her for all the joy & light she brings into our home!
Here are a few fun facts about Sara:
Sara was born at home in Mesa, Az on Sunday, January 8, 1995 at 10:30am. It was a beautiful day. She weighed 11lbs & 12 oz. She was my shortest labor at just 3 hours but very sharp contractions (probably because she was so big they had to be extra strong to squeeze her out). She is the second oldest out of 5 children.
Sara owes getting the name "Sara" to Madison. She was originally going to be named Eden Ashley instead of Sara Dawn. My mom kept Madison while I had Sara & when she brought Madison over to see her new baby sister after she was born my mom asked if we had changed her name to Sara. I said, "No, why?" & she said that Madison had been talking all about her baby sister Sara & how the baby was named Sara. Ryan & I decided not to disappoint Madison & went with the name Sara, with Dawn as the middle, which is my middle name.
Sara was quite an independent girl at home, she learned to get her own drinks, use the microwave, make sandwiches very early on. She could do her own pony tails by 5 years old.
Her nick name is "Sarasponda" or "Sponda" for short.
She loves sports, music & signing. She also loves sewing & is a great artist. She does well in school & keeps good grades. She is a Poston peer mediator & on the NAL team. She participates in band playing the flute & harp. She likes to set goals & challenge herself. She earned her Young Women Recognition award while she was a beehive, something which is very hard to do. Also, Her farmville farm is amazing!
Sara has great faith & it has been so special to see her exercise her faith at certain times in her life.
Sara loves life, friends, family & having fun. We love you Sara - Happy 15th Birthday!!!
Here's a little Birthday video we made to celebrate 15 amazing years with Sara:
Here is Maddie & Sara along with the Mt View band & color guard in the Fiesta Bowl Parade today (1/02/2010) in downtown Phoenix. It was so fun to get to watch them & to have both Maddie & Sara in it was double fantastic! They did an excellent job!! The song the band was playing is called "On Parade".
The Fox morning show was out on the field today with the Mt View band & you can see Sara playing the flute in one of the clips they aired. We are hoping they post the clip with Maddie & the Color Guard but nothing so far.
Good luck today girls! All your hard work all will pay off!!
Tune in around the 59 sec mark to see Sara:
"The Mountain View High School Toro Marching Band of Mesa, Arizona will compete in the 32nd Annual Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Fiesta Bowl National Band Championship on January 1, 2010, at 1:00 p.m
Each year, one school from Arizona is selected to perform in the National Band Championship as the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Honor Band. While Mountain View will hold this honor for the 32nd Annual National Band Championship, a second Arizona band from Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, Arizona, will also be competing in this year's event.
For ticket information on the Fiesta Bowl National Band Championship presented by University of Phoenix, please call 480-350-0911 or visit www.fiestabowlbandchampionship.com"
For those counting down there are only 10 days to go 'til Christmas Day, which means only 9 more shopping days & only 8 days for those of us who don't shop on Sunday lol!
If you still need to get in the holiday spirit, here is a 4 min excerpt from the Christmas number in Sara's band concert last night. She is first chair flute in Poston's Cadet Band. Sorry for the sideways video :P Also, what would a concert be with out Adam & my telling him shhhh, which is heard several times.
Sara's NAL shirt. On the back it say's, "Poston Academic All Stars - It's a sport for your mind."
Sara is on Poston Jr High's National Academic League (NAL) this year. They have academic competitions against teams from other schools. Last week the competed against The Academy which is a Mesa Public School for accelerated kids. Poston won 66 to 50!
This week they competed against Carson Jr High. Poston won again! The results were 49-18 and here is some example questions:
State the name for energy created from food? Answer = Joul (no one got this)
Name for why the earth moves and causes earthquakes? Answer = Platonics
Name the commander in chief of all Generals in 2009? Barack Obama
Artic region characterized by low shrubs and grasses? Carson got this answer = Tundra
