He Did It Again........

Alex added another first place trophy to his wrestling trophy and medals collection this past Easter weekend. He wrestled in the Southern Nationals Tournament at the Carrabus Center located near Concord, NC (Home of Nascar in North Carolina) on Saturday, March 22nd. He easily took his first place prize by pinning each of his opponents in the first round. I guess all that weight training and wrestling practice are paying off.

We had a good time as well with the Tracy and Becky Eidson Family from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Tracy and Becky are very good friends and their son, Blake is Alex's best friend. We met the Eidsons through wrestling a few years ago. Tracy and Becky brought Blake up to wrestle in this same tournament. Unfortunately for Blake, he injured his wrist and lower arm during his first match. He did go on to win that match but definitely could not go on in the tournament. We think we are looking at a good old sprain. The Eidsons spent the Easter weekend with us.

We also got to hook up with some other good old wrestling friends, Mike and DeeDee Sanders and their son Ellison. Ellison also went on to win first place in his weight class. The Sanders used to live in Mt. Pleasant as well but now live in the Greenville, SC area.

Great wrestling and Easter weekend.

Nic lands "TWO" dates to Charlotte Church Prom

The evening is Saturday, March 15th, 2008. The air is warm. Pears trees are blooming like popcorn popping in the gentle breeze. A perfect night for a Prom. Nicholas is looking handsome in his black tux and ready to take on the town. It is the night for the annual five stake Prom for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a night where youth ages 16 - 18 will gather for the annual dance from the four corners of the greater Charlotte area. This prom is unique in the fact that there will only be those who have committed to live the standards outlined in the "For The Strength Of Youth" pamphlet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints admitted into this dance. No sleeveless, plunging neckline prom dresses for the Young Women to wear. Beautifully Modest is the theme for this dance. Young Men will equally be asked to look neat and clean in appearance. There will be an absence of inappropriate music and alcohol and a tasty punch and light refreshments will be served. Youth of each ward will attend dinner together at a local restaurant prior to the dance with their Bishop and his wife and other Youth Leaders. Date or no date is the order of the night. Following the dance, youth will be escorted home in the same Bishop/Youth Leader chaperoned carpools that they came with. What more can a parent ask....clean, wholesome, chaperoned fun. Nic placing corsage #1 on Dena, a Laurel, from our Waxhaw, NC Ward.
Nicholas placing corsage #2 on Dena's cousin from El Salavador who is visiting with Dena's family for a few weeks. Neither girl had a date and Nic was dateless himself so he decided to ask them both.....who says pologamy is not alive and well in the Mormon Church. HA HA!!!

Ashley Graduates from Ameritech

Ashley graduated from Ameritech College on Friday, March 14th, 2008. The graduation ceremony was held in "THE BARN" at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. Attending were Dad and Mom from Charlotte, NC, Brad, Emily, & Macey Miller from Perry, UT and Grandma Karen Smoot from Brigham City, UT. She received a certification in Dental Assisting. Ashley will be starting a internship with local Utah Valley Dentists the middle of April and will be completing it sometime the end of June. We are excited for Ashley and proud of her and all of her hard work. Ashley has not only been carrying a full load of credits including lab time but is also currently working a 32 hour week in Park City for Resorts West, a Deer Valley based vacation management business. Ashley makes the trek through Provo Canyon to Park City four times a week for a eight hour shift. She is looking forward to her new position of employee rather than student. Future plans are to work for a bit and then look into attending Dental Hygienist School in a year or so. A graduation dinner at "The Roof" in Salt Lake City was enjoyed by Ashley, family, and two of her friends, Leslie Goltra from Mt. Pleasant, SC, currently attending Brigham Young University and Ashtan Evans, also from Mt. Pleasant, currently attending the University of Utah.

Spring has come to the Carolinas---maybe not officially but it is getting green and flowers are in bloom and trees are beginning to bud---YEAH!!!
We will be glad to be able to spend more time outdoors. We have had a winter of sinus infections, fevers, sore throats, chills, and missing school. Even Ladd the Dad took a day off work last Thursday for being sick which NEVER happens.

Heather and Blaine have been here this weekend. Blaine had a conference for his work in Atlanta, Georgia all last week and rented a car and drove the 3 1/2 hours to Charlotte after his conference finished on Thursday evening. He had rough duty driving. When he went to rent his car from Avis, he explained to them that he needed a car to drive to Charlotte and then drop it there because he had a flight home. He also explained to them that he needed the cheapest car they had. It just so happens that Avis needed to get a white Ford Convertable Mustang to the Charlotte area and told Blaine that if he would drive it for them they would give him the cheap car price. DEAL OR NO DEAL!!! I think y'all know what Blaine did---lucky for him it was one of those picture perfect spring days and that convertable felt pretty good as he went flying up I-85 between Atlanta and Charlotte.

Heather drove down from Virginia Friday afternoon after school.

As you may or may not know, Blaine and Heather are doing the split-living thing right now. Blaine took an position with the Georgia Pacific Lumber Company in January. The mill he is working at in located in Columbia, Mississippi. YES, I said M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I. Southern Mississippi to boot. They will be located in the DEEP south. Heather will join him in June when her school year gets over. She is in her second year of teaching a Special Needs Preschool class. Blaine is working as their Reliability Manager. His responsibilities include developing ways to improve productivity, quality, etc. He is absolutely LOVING his job. He will be more excited when his Southern Belle finally gets to join him.

We spent today at the boys' Stake YM Basketball games. Our ward has a great team and have got a 5 - 1 win/loss record on the year. Today was the stake tournament. They won their first game in a nail biter in overtime. Alex scored 12 of their 22 points. Nicholas was a leading rebounder, Cameron is one of the toughest on defense and Christian is all over the court in their faces. It is fun having four boys on the team because one of them is always placing and at one point today their were four Halls in the game at the same time. Our second game did not go so well. We lost in a big fashion. No one could hit their free-throws and they played a very well put-together team. That loss finishes their 2008 season.

Ladd and I are continuing today to fight sinus infections and headaches. I told him we were becoming big fuddy-duddies. We sent the boys with Heather and Blaine to the movie "10,000 B.C." tonight while we staying home and nursing our pains.

We are looking forward to day-light saving time which by-the-way changes TONIGHT. I love longer evenings and warm summer breezes. Can't wait to warm up that grill and cook some burgers---YUM!!!!

Tagged by Tammy

ABC TAG
A - Attached or single? Attached to Ladd & Red Hats
B - Best friends? Ladd, my girls, my sisters
C - Cake or pie? Totally Pie---any kind but cherry, rhubarb, mincemeat
D - Day of choice? Sunday---The Lord's day of rest and I use that to my advantage
E - Essential Items? Mascara, my red planner, my cell phone and my tiny copy of the Book of Mormon
F- Favorite clothing item? Comfortable Shoes
G - Greatest ambition in life? To be a "Popular" BYU Education Speaker and sing in the Tabernacle Choir
H - Hometown? WEST Corinne, UT!
I - Indulgence? Going to lunch with friends, Diet Coke, shopping at Deseret Book
J - Jan. or July? JULY---hands down. I HATE WINTER AND COLD. That's why I am NEVER leaving the South except if I ever get to speak at BYU or sing in the Tabernacle Choir
K - Kids? Heather, Blaine, Emily, Brad, Macey (grand-KID), Lynsee, Mike, Addison (grand-KID), Ashley, Nicholas, Alex, Christian, & Cameron
Life isn't complete without? Family & Diet Coke
M - Movie? "Move Over Darling" with Doris Day and James Garner---the first movie I ever saw
N - Number of bros and sis? 3 Brothers and 3 Sisters.
O - Oranges or apples? No Contest---APPLES
P - Phobia or fear? SNAKES SNAKES SNAKES
Quote? "The Day Obedience Becomes Your Quest Rather Than Your Irritation Is The Day You Gain Power" & "Attitude IS ALTITUDE"
R - Reason to smile? Daffodils & Tulips
S- Season of choice? Spring or Fall---it is a toss up---both are wonderful!!!
T - TV shows? General Conference and the BYU TV Station---sorry it is the ONLY time I watch TV
Unknown fact about me? I like to wander around Barnes & Noble (really any bookstore) because it makes me feel intelligent
V - Vegetable? I LOVE vegetables PERIOD---not one is my favorite
W - Worst habit? I HATE asking people for help
X - ray or ultrasound? Ultrasound.
Y - Your favorite food? I like it ALL except for MUSHROOMS & MUSSELS.
Z - Zodiac sign? Aries

I tag Carole, Janna, Veda, Pam

Catch--Up Time

I know, I know---I am a slacker in the blogging world. What can I say? I have been unpacking a house, helping four teenagers with homework that is WAY beyond my comprehension and understanding, being called to be a Relief Society Teacher in our church, being called to be the Missionary Meal coordinator in our church, planning a birthday party for Christian and Cameron's 13th birthday which was on February 26th---sorry no pictures---we hadn't found the camera since the move as of their birthday---found it just in time for the wrestling picture, attending the Nucor Corporate Meetings & shopping and playing with the other Nucor wives, picking up boys from wrestling practice and afterschool tutoring, making dinner for a sick family in our church, keeping up with emails, did I mention unpacking, hanging pictures, YES---shopping for a little new furniture, getting all four cars licensed and inspected in North Carolina---you try standing in those DMV lines, and yes unpacking. Are you tired yet? Needless to say---the slackness in my blog. Lucky for me that there is repentance in this world and I am here to say that I am going to try and do a little better from here on out.

Spring had made it to the Carolinas until this past week when Mother Nature played a dirty trick and threw a little snow our way. I haven't lived in snow for so long that I had almost forgot what it was. I looked out the window of our den last Tuesday morning while I was typing emails and darned if it wasn't snowing. It did stick or anything exciting like that but it did look pretty coming down. I must admit it was fun to see but I was equally glad when it warmed up to a more spring-like 70's today. The flowers and trees are coming into bloom in the Carolinas and it a beautiful time to be here.

We are doing great and adjusting well to our new situation. The boys have finally given Charlotte a thumbs up and are enjoying their new school and friends. Ladd is enjoying his new job but it does keep him hopping and busy. He loves being in on some of the exciting plans that are in store for the future of Nucor. Good times ahead for this steel company.

We now have our guest rooms ready to go-----no blinds on the windows yet----but they are coming. Beds are made and mints are ready.

Give us a call when you make it this way......our door is always open.

Four Pins = North Carolina State Title @ 130 lbs. for Alex

Saturday, March 1st, 2008 was an exciting day for Alex. He won his first state title in North Carolina at the State AAU Middle School Championship held on the beautiful campus of Applachian State University in Boone, NC. He pinned his first three matches in the 1st round. The championship match was a bit tougher and he didn't get the pin until the second round and then only after being nearly pinned himself. He was wrestling a boy that he had wrestled the week before at a tournament that was held in Concord, NC----home to the Lowe's Motor Speedway for you NASCAR buffs. He beat this same kid at the Concord tournament by a major decision 18 - 3. Alex has enjoyed getting back into wrestling mode and we will head to Wake Forest University this weekend for yet another AAU Tournament.