Updates

So I didn't blog for a VERY long time and I have a lot of catching up to do. It makes me sad because I know I will have to leave some things out, but oh well. Better something than nothing at all. A favorite Sister Hinckley quote comes to mind:

"I have a new project, one chapter a day from each of the standard works. I have been on it for four days and am only three days behind. Better to have tried and failed than never to have tried."

Do you not love that woman? I do. Anyway... I decided to do one big post with all our individual updates, and then do some separate posts about things we all did together, like when Corey's parents came out for a visit this month. So without further ado... the updates: oldest to youngest (age before beauty as my Grandma Carmen would say...)

COREY

I am so proud of Corey this month! He finished out summer semester with an absolute bang! I wish I could describe to you how hard he works. This semester he had classes that he enjoyed which made it easier... but I still don't know how he does all he does. He got excellent grades, and got noticed by some professors for his original ideas and applications of the theory they had been teaching. Now we are in the middle of summer break before he starts fall and he is getting to read some books of his own choosing which is fun. He's been able to spend more time with us too which we always love and soak in. July was a great month for spending time together actually. He got to take a full week off which actually meant more like 10 days off straight from work when his parents came out and we have loved every second together.

Also Corey got a SCOOTER! Yay! Yep we did it. We know a lot of people who have actually. So many people in our ward have them we are going to start a scooter gang. We did it to save money on gas and it has totally helped (plus also it's just a ton of fun to ride!). Jack of course was beside himself with delight at the new addition. Here is a picture of the two of them on their first ride together. Corey hasn't even taken him on the road (they just stay in the parking lot) and it is like the coolest thing in his little world that he gets to do.





Corey and I went on a date too and at the end of the date he took me out for a spin. Wahoo!

To go along with serious things like school and scooters we also learned another very important thing about Corey... Perhaps you have wondered, like us, what Corey would look like with a mustache? Well this month we answered that question. It was the longest he had ever gone without shaving so the day he finally shaved he had some fun. Here's the evidence:

Full Beard:



Goatee:



Handlebars:



Mustache:



Nice Eh? I prefer him clean shaven though I think.

All in all it was a good month for Corey and hopefully it was a good enough break to get him ready for his LAST TWO SEMESTERS!!!!!!!!! Glory Hallelujah!!!!!!

ASHLEE

It was a CRAZY month for me. It started off with a bunch of extra work because my management company held a competition between the managers. It was a good thing because I feel like I did a lot of things to really improve the property, but it was A TON of extra work in an already crazy month. Thank heavens for Aunt Natalie who saved the day and took the boys for an entire day so that I could work. Love you Aunty! One of the fun things that I did for the apartments in July was throw a property picnic. It was actually a lot of fun and I thought it was worth the effort. Here are some pictures of the event:





Aren't my residents cute? I honestly love this apartment complex. It's been the best one I've ever managed by far! And the work payed off because I got first place and a nice cash reward. Score!

The saddest part of my month was that I got released from Young Womens. I had been serving as the first counselor, and I will be going to the nursery. Corey got released as being an Elders Quorum instructor and he will be joining me. I was totally excited about Nursery, but having to leave YW's was HARD! I absolutely LOVED my girls and the other women that I served with. The lessons were always fantastic and it was just such a FUN calling. I did get to go out with a bang though and attend Girls Camp. I went up early friday morning and stayed long past testimony meeting that night.

We started the day out with a hike behind Brighton Ski Resort. (Did you know you could hike up there? It is so PRETTY!)

We have just a small group of YW in the ward. This is most of them:



This is my Brooklyn. I ADORE this little beehive:



It's been a long time since I have been out in nature. I remembered how much I LOVE it. The hike was 4 and a half hours, but I could have gone all day. It was so peaceful and fun:



Here we are hanging out on the porch of the cabin talking before dinner and testimony meeting:



All the YW leaders. I just LOVE these ladies!



Here are the girls being silly:



I stayed late into the night on Friday being hyper and playing with everyone. It's been a LONG time since I have been that hyper. Something about sleep deprived teenage girls and being secluded in the woods brought out a side of me that is... well it's a sight. Testimony meeting was amazing too. I have learned SO much from this calling and I hope I get a chance to serve with the Young Women again some day.

One day this month my sister in law Whitney came up and we had a recipe swap girls night. Did I ever mention to you how much I love Whitney? I do. I am so glad that Calvin married her. She is one of my very best friends, and I just think the world of her. She is kind and genuine and well the list could go on and on. We were going to watch a movie that night but we just had so much to talk about, like we always do, that we never got to it. That was fine with me. Thanks again for coming up Whit! I love you!



Last and probably least (but still worth mentioning) I had a So You Think You Can Dance finale party with Whit and my good friend Emily. I am so sad that I didn't get pictures! We had a lovely time. I just want to say that I LOVE that show, and I thought this year was fantastic. The choreography and dancers were all a step above previous seasons I thought.

Here was one of my favorites of the season:



Guess I'll have to do the boys tommorrow... I need to go to bed.

Oh and this one...



That made my insides all twisty with desire for wanting to dance again!

Oh and I also loved Tabitha and Napoleon's stuff. Okay the end.