School Bag In Hand...

I cannot believe my baby is off to SECOND grade. I have such mixed emotions about this. She is so excited to be back to school. No more pestering me about play dates, or doing "something fun". I do share this excitement with her in remembering my school days, so long ago.

BUT...

A little bit of my heart breaks each and every beginning school year. Growing and moving on. Soon enough we will be taking her to college,then walking her down the isle. I feel the years slipping through my fingers. There is not one thing I can do, except love each and every day I am blessed to have this amazing, beautiful, angel in my life.

7 green ribbons...

UTAH COUNTY FAIR
Ashlyn had a great 4H experience this year.

In return, she won 7 ribbons at the county fair.

She entered a...

Babysitting kit,

Pioneer doll,

Recipe book,

Delicious cookies,

Rag flip flops,

Handmade bookends,

And last, but not least...

Reading project.

Since we were there,

we enjoyed the County Fair experience ourselves.

WOW! I did not know perms were back!!!

And, all of Sam's shirts actually have the full sleeve {how do they rip them so perfectly}

After a few flash back moments to the 80's and the 90's we "cowboy'd up" and went to the

DEMOLITION DERBY

I did not know this sign was in back of us.

{what exactly is "custom" slaughtering???}

He really IS having a great time!

WE all actually, had a great time!

Grandma and Ash ended the night with a 40 second, 8 dollar, FERRIS WHEEL RIDE!

Happy Birthday Kimmy!!!

Today is my favorite sister's BIRTHDAY!Thanks for being a loving and thoughtful sister and aunt.

Thanks for making me laugh all these years.

Thanks for your selflessness and hair tips-ha! ha! Thanks for being a GREAT sister!!!
I love you with all my HEART.

GO U.S.A.!!!

I am sure all of you have seen this. If you haven't, watch it NOW!

WOW!

To watch click here...

And, maybe I am watching too much of the

Olympics,

and reading too much...

Breaking Dawn

I am starting to think someone is looking like a VAMPIRE?

Are those.....FANGS???

Is that.....A vampire BODY???

{inhuman speed,14,000 calories a day...who does that?}

I'm just saying...

Does this explain all the world record breaking???

I'll take a deluxe suite for 2,PLEASE!

My friend who is a serious CRUISER sent me this link. So cool, I want a VACATION!!! Check it out and tell me when we are going...
http://www.oasisoftheseas.com/

Happy Birthday, Bugga BOO, WE LOVE YOU!!!

Today is my beautiful niece Lacie's' 20th Birthday.

WOW! Were did all the time go???

Happy Birthday Boo! We really do love you!

Families are FOREVER!

Today was our Bi-annual Bowers family party. We love getting together with our loved ones. My cousins from Idaho and Oregon were here. Grandma Jiggs came up from La Verkin. It was great to see them all. Ashlyn loved seeing her(second) cousins and getting to know them again.

Her name is Mystery...

Three of the five larvae have hatched. Meet Mystery...

Girls Night Out!!!!

Thanks to our good friend Lisa, Ashlyn and I were able to have a girls night out.We went to see High School Musical, the play at Capitol theater. We went to a favorite restaurant Tepanyaki, and had sushi and shrimp-YUM!!! Ash and I go there when we are sans Dad ( you know that little thing... Allergy to shell fish). We had such a good time. Ash loved the play. This was the final week for the Broadway performance ending in Utah, were the films were made...

This is her waiting for me to get in the car {hurry up MOM!!!}

Pic while having dinner{notice the chopsticks above Ash's head}
Waiting for the show to start, with souvenirs in hand.

We had great seats- Thanks again Lisa!

Mama Mia!

I had a great day out with my mom for my birthday Saturday. We had a great lunch, some shopping and then off to see Mama Mia!
Loved It!
Flash back to my childhood...

I was the "Dancing Queen"{ at least at the skating rink ;p }

Everyone loves ABBA.
You should all run, not walk to your nearest theater...
Thanks, Mom for the girls day out!

24th Of JuLY...

We call her Crystal...

Today we set our newest family member free...

One out of five caterpillars survived. Ashlyn named her Crystal in the Chrysalis...so cute. After several weeks, and a funeral for the "sisters" that didn't make it. We welcomed Crystal into the family on Monday, July 21st. We LOVED watching something so beautiful take place. The beauty is so different up close. We learned a lot and can't wait for the 5 replacements(all with respective names, of course) to turn into butterflies.{I will keep you posted}

Right after she hatched. Notice her tongue.
When Ashlyn released her, she walked right onto Ashlyn's finger then flew...

She is still "hanging" out around the yard.

Broadway musical revue...

Ashlyn has been taking theater workshops at the Covey Center for the Arts. We love them, and the teachers. The classes have been a great OUTLET for our own "DRAMA QUEEN." This summer the center offered a intensive Broadway workshop where three groups(age based) put on a fun musical revue. Ashlyn was asked to move into the more advanced class, she sure stepped up to the plate and did amazing. She hit all her marks and sang very well. She performed Oklahoma, 76 Trombones, and Singing in the Rain. The group also sang Lullaby of Broadway and Give My Regards to Broadway. She learned all these in 5 days, not just the songs but the dances to go with them. I was impressed how well she did with so little rehearsal. Truly a NATURAL. Here are a few pics. My camera battery died. These are taken with our video camera thus, the crappy quality.

Give My Regards...Flowers from Grandma and Grandpa Bowers

Costume ;)

American Girl...

Thursday we went with our friends to see the Kit Kittredge, American Girl movie. This is seriously a MUST SEE. So cute, by far my favorite movie this summer.

I LOVE the 4th of JULY!

The 4th of July is my second fave holiday. We start our day early to see the balloons, off to breakfast, then to the PARADE! For many years we have stressed about getting a spot on the route.This is something passed on from my Grandpa Jaeger{whom I miss SO much this time of year} He always was up early to save us a place for the days of '47 PARADE. The last two years we have JUST GONE and NOT STRESSED. Take our chairs and find a spot. Makes me SO happy. I love the Freedom Days parade. We then had lunch, took a nap(not Ash-of course...see pic of her sleeping during the Stadium of fire). Then off to dinner at Mom and Dads. We were very lucky to be 8 of the 35,000 people to get Stadium Of Fire tickets(which sold out in 7 minutes!) Ashlyn was excited to see Miley, and we enjoyed the Blue Man Group. Amazing fireworks set to popular motion picture movie theme songs. What a great day!
WE LOVE THE U.S.A.

Wake Up & Surprise...

We surprised Ashlyn with a quick trip to Mesquite this weekend. Our family makes a trip every year. SO MUCH FUN. We enjoy just getting away. We joke about driving 4 hours just to swim, but OH, Well...

On the road

Hedgie loved the ride!

.

WE LOVE THE POOL!!!

Ashlyn is such a fish. She loved her snorkle and fins!

Went to see Wall -E...{Please recycle!}

Very cute. Great message.