Stake Basketball Champions!

Our girls basketball team won the stake championship game last Friday. I was SO proud of them. Unfortunately I wasn't able to play because I had commited to sing in a recital that night before I knew what day the game would be. I was SO bummed but was happy that I was able to help them get to the championship. We sure had a lot of fun and a great team. Way to go girls! These pictures are from our celebration dinner.

People's Choice Awards

Every year our ward does a special activity called People's Choice Awards. It's a really big deal and the ward goes all out for the event. A couple weeks before the event there are papers passed out where the members can nominate each other for different categories like, "Best Home teacher", "Best sense of Humor", "Most Athletic", "Best Crib (house)", etc. A week later the nominees are revealed and we go online to our ward website and vote. The evening of the activity they literally roll out the red carpet and everyone dresses up as celebrities. They take photos as you walk up the red carpet and then people are asked to present the awards. There are skits and videos and all kinds of creative things. It's really fun! This year a group of my friends decided to go as the characters from Gilligan's Island. Everyone fit the parts so well and we were a hit! We even brought along the S.S. Minnow. Rachel (Mary Anne) and Mark (Gilligan) and Bud (The Professor) were all nominated for "Most Athletic". I (Ginger) was nominated for "Most Likely to be the next American Idol" and also for "Most Likely to Win America's Got Talent". I am proud to say that our little group did well. Bud and Rachel won "Most Athletic" and I won "Most Likely to be the next American Idol" (right...an opera singer? Please!). Bud and I also presented the "Best Home Teacher" award which was really fun. Here are some fun pictures!

Photo Fun

No special occassion, we just thought we'd take a few pictures. :)

Not sure what this facial expression is...

Date night fun

Last weekend we went to a fun park in Tempe called Fiddlesticks and played miniature golf and hit balls at the batting cages. Afterwards we went and had dinner at Olive Garden and then went back to the park to meet up with some friends from our ward Mark and Rachel to hit golf balls at the driving range. It was really fun! It took me a while to get the hang of it and I definitely missed way more times than I actually hit the ball. But I had a few good drives that my Dad and brother Jeff would be proud of. Bud on the other hand is a natural at sports. He can hit, throw and kick a ball further than anyone I've ever met. We probably hit over 200 balls that night and had a blast doing it. Here are a bunch of pictures that Mark took.

The expert (well kind of) ;)

An attempt to hit the ball

If you look closely you can see I just barely knocked it off the tee.

Miseed again

He launched it

Bud explaining to me that it's "all in the hips"...Riiiight...

Missed again

...and again

Preparing mentally for the next attempt

Bud launches another one

...I miss again

Here we go again

The pull back...(check out that stance) ;)

The swing...

...and it's GONE!! Ya! Woohoo! I finally did it!

Here's the whole gang after we were done...apparently I need more sleep...check out the bags under my eyes. Sheesh!!

My New Niece

Katie Lorraine Badger

Born March 19, 2008

7lbs 1oz 18inches

Sorry that it's taken me so long to post this but here is a picture of my beautiful new niece Katie. What a sweet little girl. I haven't seen her in person yet and I might not be able to until our family reunion in July. Oh well pictures will have to do for now. For more pictures click here. ;)

5 Simple Pleasures

I'm cheating and doing 6!

Music

Music is such a big part of my life that I can't go one day without singing or listening to it. It has such incredible power and without it I wouldn't be who I am today.



My Laptop!

This by far has got to be the best investment I have EVER made (well besides my education). I take it everywhere with me and don't know what I'd do without it.

It's special to me!

When I stared exercising really hard and loosing weight I started eating Special K. I have really grown to LOVE this cereal. I eat it almost every morning for breakfast and when I don't I generally want it for dinner. It's is refreshing and only 110 calories per cup and loaded with protein.

Cell Phone

Similar to my laptop this is a must have. I feel completely lost and disconnected from the world if I don't have my phone. If I lose it the only people I can call are my Mom, my parent's home phone and Jack and Kelly Barlow. I just haven't taken the time to remember all those numbers. Plus texting is a must! ;)

My Nieces and Nephew

Jocelynn, Aubrielle & Emberly

Jeffrey & baby Katie

I sure love these kids! I just wish I could be closer to them so I could play with them more. I can't go a day without looking at their blogs so that I can see how big they are getting.

My Buddy :)

I've of course saved this one for last. I know all of you have been dying to see a picture of the new man in my life so here it is. He is third from the left in the green shirt (the tall one). His name is David Packard but everyone has called him "Bud" since he was a little boy. We've been dating for about two months and we have so much fun together. Seeing him everyday makes me happy so I felt that he definitely deserved a place in this post. (In case you haven't caught on I really like him.) :)

Now I tag Stephanie Z., Shelley, Karlie, Stephanie B and Alicia.