Back From CALI!!!

So we are back from California....

Nationals was a HUGE success... you are looking at the coach of the new 09 USA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!! We are so stoked! The last time Meridian has won a National title was 2003- so it was a long time coming! The girls worked so hard and performed flawlessly! And we took home a national title! YAY! :) The HUGE trophy and BEAUTIFUL banner will be displayed in our gym for all to see!

We also went south after the competition. Danniel met me down there. We spent 2 days on the beach. The weather was nice, but I was ready to come home. I missed my puppies and being in my own bed! :) I didn't like coming home to the snow and rain but rather enjoyed familiar sights, smells, fresh air, and my own home! :)

Off to another vaca in a month! :)

Recieved the "mascot" bear from our parent club at Homecoming FB Game

Winter Parade in Meridian! Cuda (right) is wearing tinsel! :)

FB Game in the Fall 08

Basketball Season 08/09- In their dance routine wear... and

Im holding all their coats... as usual!

WOW- IT HAS BEEN A WHILE!

Can you say that I've slacked?!!! That is an UNDERSTATMENT! A huge reason I had slacked on my blog is because it wouldn't update fast enough for me... then I would get frustrated and then just stopped... unintentionally... but it happened. Well, my aunts came into town this week and told me that I need to get back on here and update already! :) So here I am!

A lot has happened since I've posted last...

Starting a new major in school this summer. getting my ENGLISH TEACHING DEGREE! Can't wait! I want to work at the school that I coach at and think that would be so much fun and a great long term investment into both Danniel's, mine and our families future... so more updates to come on that.

Dance has been a hectic year.. but rewarding. They are a great bunch of girls and you can check out all their progress at- http://mhs.meridianschools.org/Dance%20Team/08-09%20Dace%20Team/danceteam.htm - we have PNW tonight and tomorrow, next week is State, and then 4 days later we leave for sunny california to go to nationals! Wish us luck!

Started Twittering... (blogging but more like instant messanger) Like it way more than I ever liked Myspace or facebook.. we'll try it out for a little while... see how it goes and then go from there. http://twitter.com/home

Dan and I are doing great! We celebrated our 2 year anniversary! It seems like not that long ago that we did get married... I can't believe that it has been 2 years!!!! We are madly sickly in love and I wouldn't have it any other way! :)

Our puppies are huge and all grown up... well cuda is getting there. Hemi is putting on the pounds and I call her my little chunky monkey.. I think that she needs to go on a diet soon! :) Cuda is still rambunxious! She is only 1 but is so much fun and cuddly! We love them!

My brother, Josh, got home YESTERDAY from his mission in Canada! I was very happy to see him and couldn't beleive that the time had flown- I took the day off and spent it with the fam and it was very special to see him again! I think that he'll be "normal" again very soon! I love him and glad to have him home safe and sound! :)

Work is still the same ol' same... nothing new... same stupid people... just another day :)- But hey it is a job and that is way more than some people have in this economic time- so I am thankful!

I am excited to have my family and Danniel go down to Nationals with me in 2 weeks! Wow can't beleive that is already here! We are going to Disneyland, Cali Adventures, and then when my team leaves I am staying in a condo on the beach with them and having a few relaxing days to myself (well, and the fam) :) Should be just what the doctor ordered! And I do hope that it is so much warmer than Idaho... when is it going to be Spring already?!

Also looking forward to going to the OR coast in May with the Kelsay side of the Family! I think that will be a lot of fun!

Well, I think that for the most part I have updated everyone... I can probably think of a few more things to post here and there and will do so when I remember those things... But im glad to be back! :) ENJOY!

OutDoor Movie Night!

Wow- this was so much fun and such a genius idea (Way to go Kent!) Last night Dan and I went over to our friends' Lacey and Kent's house to watch a movie under the stars! They have an awsome set up on their back patio where they have hung a projector screen from the patio tent edge, have two large speackers behind and to the side of everyone, and have a projector set up outside! We watched Van Helsing and it was so much fun! We plan to do it again, but just wanted to share with everyone. Dan really wants to do something similar in our backyard now too... except w/ the addition of a fire pit... so, hopefully in the future we can have cool outdoor parties like that at our house too... YOURE ALL INVITED! :)

Sorry we haven't put anything up lately... we were both really really sick last week, and then were really busy with misc. things! We will be posting more things soon! We promise!

We can't beleive that we start school in 2 weeks! That is nuts! Danniel gets to start marketing in September again and Samantha is preparing for another hectic and busy school year!

There will be more posting soon... it has just been a couple of those weeks, you know?!

Update From Canada!!!

So, this is the update from my lil bro all the way in Canada:

"So yeah, yesturday we had a pretty rough and fun day. so yesturday at 8 in the morning we went out and shovelled grain for a couple of hours. That was a lot of fun! it was awsome to go into the silos and sink knee deep into grain while shoveling it. then at 11 we went to a less-active member's house and dug out a huge planter box and used a sledge hammer to break up concrete!! that was a lot of fun too! so basically we were doing heavy manual labor from 8 till 4 non-stop! that was great! It felt great to get my hands dirty again. We also got to shoot of a rocket! that was pretty fun!!"
Just wanted to fill everyone in! He looks great huh... I mean eh?! :)

New Dance Team!

Here is Sam's new dance team for this year! Aren't they Cute!

It's Amazing What You Find When You Clean...

My Mom used to say this to me ALL THE TIME! However, I have found over the last couple days for it to be very true. We are going through all our closets and boxes to get rid of things we don't use, don't need, don't fit into anymore :), or don't need duplicates of. WOW- we cleared out about 10 boxes that were just in our master bedroom closet alone!!! We have a full laundry bag of clothes to take to Platos Closet (they buy name brand clothing) today and have two big boxes of clothes to take to the Dance Team yard sale on Saturday. The spare bedroom is next on the list and I have a feeling that things are going to be "donated" left and right! :) It actually feels good to get rid of a bunch of junk and see all the new clean space it creates!

YARD SALE- AUGUST 2nd @ the MHS parking lot from 8am-2pm!

RED FISH LAKE

Went up to Red Fish Lake in Stanley, ID this last weekend. Never knew how beautiful it was up there! Really wish that it didn't take 3 hours to get there, because we'd be there every weekend if it wasn't! Laid on the beach, played in the water, rented some paddle boats, and ate good food...= GREAT WAY TO SPEND THE WEEKEND!

Black Canyon Adventure

Last Weekend we decided to tag along w/ Sam's family upto Black Canyone Resevior. Needless to say it was an experience! :) We fished for a while, took a little raft out, and listened to Sam shriek about the bugs :). All in all it was a fun time and nice to be together. Here are a few pics.

OH NO CUDA!

So, latley Cuda has been more and more independant and wanting to sleep downstairs at night instead of sleeping in our room w/ us. She has been doing really well so we continued to let her do that. Well... we were hopeful way too soon apparantly, as Saturday morning rolled around and we had a present downstairs when we got up... No, it's not what your thinking... Cuda is COMPLETELY potty trained. What we saw was my (Samantha's) brand new, Christmas morning present from Danniel, Sony digital camera chewed up like a toy!!! Thankfully, she didn't harm the memory cad! Yeah, needless to say Cuda is not quite ready to sleep downstairs on her own yet :). So, We are in search of a new Sony camera. We'd like to get one that not only takes digital pictures but video as well, And preferably isn't a million dollars :) so if have any suggestions please let us know!

This was a very expensive lesson well learned! :) :)

Just a picture of us at the Fireworks show for the 4th w/ Hemi. We had been up at the lake camping and swimming all morning and it was nice to sit in the cool grass, have a picnic, and watch the fireworks!

Out Shootn'!

Here are pictures of us taking Dan's new gun out for

a test run! :) YAY! Good Ol' Idahoan Fun!

Dinner w/ the Utah Fam!

On Wednesday, while in Ogden, I called Grandma so that she could visit. To my surprise she brought my Aunt Sheri, Aunt Angie, Aunt Jill, Aunt Nicole, and Cousin Stephanie to dinner too! They took me to a great mexican place! Yum! And It was GREAT catching up with everyone and seeing everyone too! Because I don't get to go down in August I was glad to see everyone then! Nicole then took me back to the Eccles Center and on the way showed me the new Solomon Center... VERY COOL! and the best place to get Ice Cream ever, Farrs Ice Cream!
IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU! Love, Samantha

Janessa is 3 years old!!!

My little sister turned 3 years old on July 1st! (I know a 20 yr difference from me, tell it to my mom :) We went to her birthday party and I just wanted to share some pictures. One is of her opening her present from Dan and I and her friend Caroline(blonde) is in the picture too. The other is of her getting ready to eat cake and the last is of the cute little barnyard cake my mom made! CUTE!

NEW GUN!

Danniel bought a new gun and is so proud of it. It is a Glock 9mm. We already went out and shot with it and he's so excited about it. Now more than ever he wants to get a CWP :)

GOING CAMPING!

We are going camping for the 4th of July! Just up to Lucky Peak and back, but Hey, that is what we like to do! We are so excited to take Cuda (our black lab) on her first camping trip! She is absolutley going to love the water and being outside! Roating Marshmellows, eating hotdogs, swimming and laying on the dock... YAY- we are so looking forward to it! Pics To Follow!

Elder Rizkowsky Update!

Josh is again, in a new area, and if you didn't know, is also a District Leader. He sent us some amazing pictures of the area and the temple there and of him and his companions. It is finally warm up there in Canada so they have been outside a lot! Only 9 more months till I get to see my baby brother again! YAY!

Back from the Sunshine State!

We are back from our Honeymoon in sunny Florida! We had an amazing time w/ perfect weather, no crowds, and just the two of us together! Here are some pictures of our time there!

Vacation Time!

In 2 weeks, Dan and Samantha are finally headed to their HONEYMOON destination! Because they could not go over a year ago when they were first married (yet again because of dance stuff :)) they are finally getting to go now! Headed to the Universal Resort in Orlando FL, Dan and Samantha are going to soak up the sun, ride some roller coasters and have a lot of fun with just eachother, pretending to be newlyweds again! :) These next two weeks couldn't go slower!!! :) More pics and stories to come after that trip, for sure!

Sam's Team gets recognition!

This is a picture of an article in the paper about my team at Nationals! Just wanted to share with everyone!

Danniel is OLD! :)

Happy Birthday to Dan! He turned 24 on the 23rd of this month! We celebrated by going to the 8th St. Wine Co. and it was so good! He asked me to make him a special birthday cake (filled with confettis cake and confetti frosting) so we had that for dessert! :) Happy Birthday Danniel!

Back From Texas...

MHS returned from TEXAS successfully! We got 2nd in lyrical, 3rd in Military and 4th in kick! All the soloists (Bri, Shayla, Alyssa and Camille) also received superior medals! It was such a fun trip and we all had a great time kickn it in the sun and w/ all the cowboys! :) Here is a pic of my girls on our last day, and of me (right to left), my advisor and my assistant.

Sam's Little Bro Josh!

The Update on Josh is that he has been transferred to a new area and absolutley loves it. I don't know exactly what area it is in Canada, and I will be sure to ask him the next time I write him. But he is excited that he gets to baptize his first person on his mission this week. He was also on the first page of the paper up there because he was feeding the deer... not by hand, by mought! :)

Samantha is headed to TEXAS!

One Week from today Samantha is taking her high school dance team to nationals in Dallas, TX. She is excited to go as she has never been to texas before and thinks that her team is going to be very successful down there! We will have results after the competition is done! She is hoping that the statement is true... "Everything is Bigger in Texas!" and that will apply to the fun and success they will have down there! :)

Dan Got a Rabbit!

On St. Patricks Day Danniel went Hunting for one of the first times this spring. He and our freind Jason had been talking about having/trying rabbit if Dan were to shoot one. Needless to say Dan was going to hold Jason up to that- and returned with a jackrabbit. Dan and Jason made a stew and....... they were pleasently surprised that they loved it!

Our Family Letter

Unlike most families, sending out family letters at the beginning of the new year, we sent ours out after our 1 year anniversary! We hope that they all made it to all of you! We hope you all enjoyed them and can't wait to hear from some of you!