Scholarships - wahoo!

NUAMES is a small High School 

but the 163 seniors graduating this year were awarded 2.4 million dollars 

in scholarships - wahoo!

As the twigs have approached graduation, 

they've been accepted and offered scholarships 

to multiple Universities. 

When Zac left on his mission he thought he'd be coming back to University A,

in the middle of his mission he decided University B was the one for him, 

and now that he's nearing the end of his mission the...

the winner winner chicken dinner 

is University C!

We'd never have guessed it two years ago

so we're super grateful for the whisperings of the spirit that told him 

to apply to multiple Universities. 

We're especially grateful for the scholarships

that were so generously offered to help the twigs!

Just like Zac, Hunter was awarded scholarships from multiple Universities, 

from the State of Utah, 

and from the American Legion. 

We love them!

There is another scholarship they've received.

It's given by a family

that is full of generosity and vision and love. 

It's the "Jim Hefner - spirit of NUAMES"

scholarship given by two of the wonderful women pictured below in 

honor and memory 

of their dear Husband and Father.

Deb (in peach) is the school's Director of Business Operations

and we adore her!

Her dear husband, Jim, passed away when Zac was at NUAMES

and it was heartbreaking. 

She courageously and optimistically

has carried on and influences more lives that can be counted. 

She and her daughter (on the left in the picture below) 

gave three scholarships in Jim's honor this year. 

Jenny and Hunter (pictured below) were two of the recipients. 

We love you Deb and Ash. 

Thank you for loving and supporting our twigs!

We'll all do our best to follow your examples.  <3

(Thanks, Jenny, for the great picture!)

Leather dress shoes and President Obama...

The twig's high school sure knows how to celebrate graduation. 

It feels like we've partied all month long!   :)

The Senior's Capstone Night was so interesting. 

Caleb's project was making his own leather dress shoes from scratch, 

Kolton made a laser, 

Jason shared his experiences from years of gymnastics/tumbling, 

and Hunter presented about the opportunity 

Boys State gave him to attend Boys Nation and meet President Obama.

 I wished we could have made it an all-nighter 

and heard about everyone's project! 

The next party was Scholarship Night which

left me with a lump in my throat that has lasted for days because of the generosity that was extended to the graduates.

That will have to be another story for another day though 

because it's time to go celebrate some more.   ;)

The "royalest" of friends...

A year ago I posted here about Zac and his fantastic friends 

who voted him Prom King. I wrote...

"I've been thinking what it means when a girl or boy is crowned Prom Royalty.

I believe it means the ones wearing the crowns

have the very very best of friends:

unselfish, kind, thoughtful, generous friends

who see the best in others,

friends who make a difference in others' lives

and never even know it."

“Friendship," said Christopher Robin, "is a very comforting thing to have.” 
-A.A. Milne"

 

So when Hunter came home from Prom just the other night,
wearing a crown like Zac's,
I was sooo confused.
"Why was Hunter wearing Zac's Prom King crown?

Turns out it wasn't Zac's crown, it was Hunter's Prom Prince crown. 

Wow, what friends!

"When a girl or boy is crowned Prom Royalty. 

I believe it means the ones wearing the crowns

have the very very best of friends:

unselfish, kind, thoughtful, generous friends

who see the best in others,

friends who make a difference in others' lives

and never even know it."

“Friendship," said Christopher Robin, "is a very comforting thing to have.” 
-A.A. Milne"

Avoiding flashover...

We are blessed with many friends who have exceptional talent at baking and candy making! Not only that, they are generous and share their delicious treats.  Rachelle and Debbie gave us this for Christmas. Yum!   :)

Even the twigs' friends were into the baking and sharing, along with giving homemade glittery cards.     

  

The majority of us in our home don't have this talent. (Our girlie is the exception and loves to bake if she gets the time.) The rest of us are having a good day in the kitchen if we can avoid flashover. Just the other day while in the shower, I heard screams coming from Hunter and hysterical laughing coming from the girlie, then I thought I heard "Fire, Fire, Fire!" Thank Heaven the Mr. was home as Hunter was on the hunt for a fire extinguisher. The Mr. picked up the flaming toaster oven with hot pads and carried it out the front door.

Hunter was just warming up a tortilla...

Yup...it's a good day in our kitchen if we can avoid flashover...and extinguishers.

A Pelton Wheel and a yurt...

UEA weekend we'd hoped to escape to our beloved rock heaven in the desert of Moab but the twigs trumped that plan so we looked for closer and quicker escapes. Our very fun Scottie and April always have at least 3 great ideas ready at the blink of an eye and had carved out a few days to escape with us. They knew of an amazing little place in Southeastern Idaho and away we went to Oneida Narrows Reservoir.

On the banks of the Reservoir is an "off the grid" little hot springs called Maple Grove and was my first encounter with homemade power. I found it very interesting. They used a Pelton Wheel to garner power from water as well as using solar panels and a windmill. Pelton Wheels are noisy! (The Pelton Wheel and windmill are in the bottom left corner.)

That first night we hopped in the hot pool at 10:00 pm and stayed till after midnight. It was perfect! Then we made the mad dash back to the yurt and learned that a little power at midnight to heat a cold yurt is totally fantastic! Did I say Pelton Wheels are noisy - I take it all back, never heard a thing.

Did I say yurt? Why yes, yes I did. Sleeping in a yurt has been on my bucket list for years and it was so much fun I may have to do it again, sans boxelder bugs.   :)

We went for a little ramble out yonder and met this big friendly dog named Diesel. He helped ease our longing for sweet Kipper and made us think maybe we could love another dog.

Scott and April know how to play and come well prepared!  (The Mr. and I think that's the cutest little trailer for two.)

They are also completely generous which tickles the twigs who didn't stop smiling.

Thanks Scottie and April for your rockin' ideas and for being fabulous you!   xoxo