A Letter From Scoops!

Heidi told me it is my turn to write the blog. Since I know what's good for me I guess I will. We have been having a good vacation from school. I have caught up on some reading (seventh Harry Potter book--I have 100 pages left). Heidi referred me to read Ender's Game next. It's amazing how much I enjoy reading now that I'm an adult. I want to read all the good books available. It's too bad I inherited the slow reading gene. Heidi on the other hand has worked on everyone's Christmas presents. She's such a talented girl. She makes up for my lack of talents.

I have two weeks of school left. It looks like I'll be passing (whoohoo!). I have to start my internship the winter semester. Unless luck comes out of nowhere and bites me in the rear, I will be taking an internship doing the same job I have been doing for the last two years. Heidi is still teaching and has started getting paid. We appreciate the money a lot! Heidi is planning on teaching as long as her little body can take it or until the baby arrives. The semester at the high school ends Jan 23 and Heidi is due Jan 30.

We put up our Christmas tree yesterday and bought a couple new ornaments. Today, we did a lot of Christmas shopping and got lots of good stuff. We bought 3 candy cane brands to try them all out. We got a camcorder and have been having fun trying out new things with it.

For all those who really just want to know how Heidi is feeling...She is doing great! I'm really impressed with her optimism! She has heartburn sometimes but since I have always had that we just enjoy it together. I don't know how interesting I am to read. Why don't you all just reply with something positive and the more the merrier--I have to get more responses than Heidi would if it was her entry. Heidi says I'm a little competitive. Just give me the pickle!

We think about you all very often and we hope your Christmas holiday is a fantastic one. Keep those posts coming because we read them! I love you all.

It's a GIRL!!!

So we just found out yesterday that we are having a girl. We are really excited! We had been talking about names before hand so it didn't take us long to decide on one. We have decided to name her Samantha Marilyn Robbins.

We both just really like the name Samantha. Marilyn is my mom's name. I am named after my grandmother and have really felt a close bond with her because of it. I have also found that Grandma and I have a lot of similar traits. As we were thinking of names I thought about the kind of person I would like our daughter to be. I couldn't think of a better example for Samantha than my mom. Then of course there is her last name, Robbins.

I asked Mike if he would call her Sam or something of that sort for short. He thought about it for a moment then said he would probably call her Sambo. He then laughed, so I think he was kidding, but you never can tell with him. Whatever he calls her I'm sure she will be Daddy's little princess!

A Whirl-Wind Summer

We, like most people, have had a whirl-wind of a summer. Of course we were in school for most of it, but as soon as school let out we really got busy. Lawrence go married July 22 in Utah. It was a wonderful wedding. We love Melissa and couldn't be happier that she is now officially part of the fam. Mom did a wedding dinner the night before. She made all the food by herself, plus all the cookies for the open house later. I think she is ready to be done with weddings for a while; at least that is what she keeps telling Kathryn (my 18, almost 19 year old sister).

After the wedding we came home for a few days then left for Illinois. Unfortunately our camera has been out of commission for a while, so we don't have any pictures. We do have a lot of fun memories though. We had fun going to Nauvoo, playing with some of our wonderful nieces and nephews, seeing family, telling everyone that we are going to have a baby in Jan, and just having a good time. The drive there and back wasn't too bad. We don't have any exciting stories about the van breaking down this time, and I really don't mind.

After we got back we had an Open House for Lawrence and Melissa at Grandma and Grandad Burt's house. They live along the river in St. Anthony. It was beautiful during the open house. We were worried that we would get wet, but the rain poured right before and right after everything. I don't know that anyone was more thankful for the cooperation of the weather than mom.
Now it is canning season. We've already started canning rhubarb and raspberry jam and apple sauce. I think pickles and beans will be next.

I started student teaching today. The meetings that teachers have to go to before the year begins are VERY boring. Mike is working full-time until he starts school September 8.

Ready for a Break!

The semester is almost over; three weeks left. Savior of the World opened Tuesday, so hopefully that means Mike and I will get to see each other a little more often. It has been an amazing experience for me, but Mike has had to spend a lot of nights home alone (although he usually just sleeps, so luckly he's not suffering much). Mike's IBC business is doing well, but he will be excited when he doesn't have to sell tacos any more! Graduation is on July 18, then we head to Utah for Lawrence's wedding on the 22nd. We'll come home in time for me to take the Praxis (the test I have to take to become a certified teacher) then we head to Illinois! Wahoo! We are excited for the break.

Picking Asparagus

On Saturday we went on a hunt for asparagus. It was a blast! We found a lot in the ditches of Plano, Egin, and Parker. While on our hunt Mike discovered snake grass for the first time. It was fun watching him pull it apart like a kid. We also saw a few water snakes. Mike tried to get a picture of one, but they were all to fast for him.

If you are unaware of how asparagus grows it grows wild along the ditches. The best place to look for asaparagus is between two ditches that flow along side each other. We found out that some will grow along canals, but not much. We had a lot of fun picking it and will have fun eating it for Sunday dinner.We found more than just aparagus. We found a basketball and a golf ball. Wahoo!!! Annie Olmsted went with us. She braved the ditch (and almost fell in) to get the basket ball.

Mom let us pick some of her secret stash of asparagus. That is real love! :)

Taking Time to Have Fun!

We finally took some time to just play this weekend. We get so caught up in school and work that sometimes it is hard to find time to play. It was a beautiful day! Kathryn didn't get asked to her senior prom so we went out to Mom and Dad's house for a group date and we set her up with a college boy! It was a ton of fun. We played croquet, played by the pond, ate burgers, and had an all around good time.







Mike did attempt to throw me in the pond a few times, but I held on tight! Lucky for him! ;)

We had a ton of fun with our friends! We are definantly going to have to take time like this more often!

We are back in school! Fortunatly we had a one week break in which we invaded John and Sunny. We had a good time in Vegas (except for the crazy traffic; I wasn't sure if we would make it).

On our way home we stopped in St. George. Mike was so excited! He served part of his mission there. We even got a chance to go through the temple. It was beautiful!

Mike is currently working hard in his business classes. He had to go camping for two and a half days for his classes. What that taught him about business we still don't know.

I'm ready to be done with school. I just got my student teaching assignment; I will be teaching theatre and English at Sugar-Salem High School. GO DIGGERS! (That's the school mascot). I am also in a production called Savior of the World. It is an amazing thing to be apart of.