tales from a far-land

Today Madilyn  promoted to high school. We are so proud of her. She is becoming quite the young adult. She was awarded the Principal’s List for 2023-2024 for receiving A’s in all of her classes for all four semesters. She embraced leadership and school spirit by participating in Girl Boss Club, National Honor Society, Student Council, and being selected as Captain of the MSJH cheer team . She continued to be involved in the extracurricular activities outside of school through AZP Cheer as a Level 2 Junior main base squad team member and in her local chapter of the National Charity League. She is kind, thoughtful, sassy, helpful, a tad messy, enjoys being involved, a good friend, a good sister (most of the times), a hard worker, a goal setter and so very funny. She makes us smile and laugh all of the time. This past fall, Madilyn decided she wanted to apply to Xavier College Preparatory, an all-girls private high school in Phoenix. With this goal in mind, Madilyn studied diligently ...

Today marks a milestone that fills my heart with gratitude and joy. Fifteen years ago, I said "I do" to the most remarkable man, and every day since then has been a journey of love, growth, and endless adventures. To my incredible husband, Joshua, on our 15th wedding anniversary: thank you for being my rock, my partner, and my best friend. Together, we've built a beautiful life filled with love, laughter, and countless memories that I hold dear to my heart. From the moment we met through Leadership West back in 2007, I knew there was something special about us. Our shared passion for making a difference in the world brought us together, and since then, we've been unstoppable. We've been blessed with two amazing children, Aiden and Madilyn, who fill our home with laughter, excitement, challenges, a hectic schedule, and love every single day. Watching them grow into incredible individuals has been one of the greatest joys of our lives. Our home has become our sanctu...

February brought a mix of milestones, achievements, and cherished moments for our family. Here’s a look back at the highlights: House Renovation Updates The house renovation saw significant progress this month, though not without a few hiccups. Cabinets were installed, but the kitchen cabinets turned out to be too large and had to be resized—a debacle that tested everyone’s patience. On a brighter note, the wood flooring began to go in, and it’s absolutely stunning! The new roof was completed, and the installation of wooden accent walls and beams brought warmth and character to the space. The house is truly transforming into our dream home. Aiden’s Lacrosse Adventures Aiden participated in the Robinhood Skirmish Tournament, playing for both Team 48 2030s and the Arrowhead Warriors. This made for some very long days, but his hard work paid off as Team 48 2030s placed first! It was a demanding yet rewarding weekend of lacrosse for Aiden. B’nei Mitzvah Preparations Both kids began diving ...