She Runs Like the Wind...

Track Season just ended.  Her specialties:  4X1 Relay, 4X2 Relay, 4X4 Relay, and 100 and 300 hurdles.  She was awarded the "Will to Win" award this year for excellence in performance and being the athlete on the team that tried and tried until she was a success!  It was fascinating watching her run and get over those hurdles.

The "Wills to Win" of the team.  They were both fun to watch.  He worked on lengthening his stride this year and just seemed to fly around the track.

Pretty impressive!

And here she comes in the 4X4 relay.  Her coach has great expectations in her Junior and Senior years, and of course we are very proud parents!  Now...on to soccer season.  Conditioning starts for her today in about an hour.  Here we go...

Finally!

 School is out and life just got WAY easier!  So here are the updates from our family...Mom, these are the tulips you sent from Winter Quarters, they made Spring beautiful at our house!

 The dog, the truck, and the kids all got baths outside during our suprise March warm-up.

 Tim, Kelly and I saw Bruce Springsteen up close!  We actually touched the stage!

And it wouldn't be Spring without their annual turkey hunt.  They didn't get anything, but had a good time together in the woods.  Now that we are out of school, more to come soon!

Update Time...

 Our musician!  Or should I say, one of our musicians.  He played solo, in a trio of saxophones and also in a quartet.  All three performances scored a 1, needless to say we were proud!

Tim and Aunt Donna celebrated birthdays.

Carley is trying to grow her bangs.  We will see how long either of us can last!

Science Fair time...he pulls it off again.  Which liquid do you think causes the most rust?  He chose six for his experiment:  mouth wash, vegetable oil, salt water, well water, bleach, and vinegar.

More updates soon so we can share our North Carolina trip.  That is the most beautiful place in the world...I just know I am going to live there someday!  Hugs and Kisses!

A Day Off to Catch Up...

We finally broke down and purchased a new laptop, so we can finally email once again and update our family and friends with the latest on us.  This laptop better last a little longer!  So...

Taylor is driving!  YIKES!!!!

 Dallin turned into a teenager, double YIKES!!!

Carley took the "Polar Plunge" into Portage Lake.  Since we really haven't had a winter to speak of, there wasn't even any ice or snow and it was 42 degrees outside.  Still, she is crazy!

The van was totalled by a relative of Bambi's...dumb deer!  So we had to go car shopping, which I despise!

I turned 40!  Triple YIKES!!!

My thoughts on 40:  It is not as old as it once was, the grey is plentiful so hair color is no longer an option, my students think I am 26, now I am more than ok with not looking my age, at least my husband is still older, my brothers are right behind me, I am living my dreams!  Life is fabulous!!!

Well, more to come soon. 

Our parents are offically returning home from their 18 month mission today.  We are so proud of you two and feel so fortunate to have been the recipients of many blessings due to your faithful service to our Heavenly Father.  Travel safely this day and the next few until you are safely home in the good ol' south where it is warm and home awaits!  We love you!!!!!

I Love the Holidays...

Merry Christmas!  I love having Christmas on a Sunday, we went to church before opening presents.  So...the true meaning of Christmas was first, then the fun.  And...we looked nice while opening our presents instead of tired-looking bed-heads.

"All I want is an XBox 360! That's it and I will be so happy!"  Santa delivered.

An iPod for Taylor...

And...Kanani for Carley.

The Martin Christmas Tree.

The Busch Christmas Tree.

And my favorite part.  We hope your day was as special as ours!

The Happenings...

We went to a Cleveland Indians Game, Taylor made friends with the mascot!

The naughty dog is not allowed in the house, but he worms his way in occasionally.  Dallin was the champion in getting him back outside where he should be as the guard dog.

Carley gave Tim a new "Do", and loved every minute of it.  He was brushed, curled, gelled, and ponied.

The only place we know that he is being good!

Muddy Mess...

If I had been the bus driver for this team, I would have made them walk home!  I can only imagine how long it took to clean that bus from a team of muddy girls, but it was a fun game to watch as they sloshed through the puddles.  Getting that uniform clean probably took longer than cleaning the bus.  And we had her cleats in front of the fan to dry-out for hours.  Soccer season has come to an end, and I think those cleats are going in the garbage, they may never dry out!

This was on one of our Sunday outings.  We took the kids to Pennsylvania back to the Busch roots.  They got to see the original Busch homestead (which I will share with you another time).  Tim is so lucky to be right here where his ancestors pioneered after emigrating from Germany.  We have found some amazing things out about those Busch's.  It is fun to try to put the pieces together.