Congrats Provo Grad

Friday May 29, 2009 Kynsie McKell Rife was called over the loud speaker as she graduated from Provo High School!

(Kynsie right after graduation. she wasn't all that thrilled to have a camera already in her face. But this is all I got of her alone sooo now she has to deal with everyone seeing it! teach her to not smile right?! haha)

Kynsie participated in A LOT during high school. Volleyball, tennis, choir (including PHS singers!), band, National Honor Society, and she was also the Student Body Secretary her senior year.

Kynsie will be going to Europe this summer for Music, and then be returning and continuing her education at BYU. She isnt sure what she is going to be when she grows up yet, so only time will tell but she is going to be great at whatever she decides to do, that I know for sure!


Annalisa and Kynsie after graduating.
(These two girls have been best of friends since elementary school!)

Kenz and Kyns

When your the best of Friends
(Annalisa, Kynsie, and Kenzie)

Matthew was very emotional about the whole thing, or a bug flew in his eye...you decide.
**wink**

When I lived at home Kynsie and I shared a bathroom and lived in the basement together. We had a lot of GREAT times together. When she Turned 14 I got her a wooden plaque that hangs in our bathroom that says, "I smile because you're my sister, and I LAUGH because there is NOTHING you can do about it."

Kynsie did more than enough complaining to me about how I set the bar too high, got too good of grades etc. and she was NEVER going to be able to do that.....well....frankly....she achieved FAR more than I did in high school, not that it was a surprise or anything. She has always been smart and talented.

Kynsie and Kate

I hope all my sisters can blow me out of the water and meet the goals they set.
(Kendra, Kynsie, Kate, and Kylee)


This really isn't our best picture, and the sun was in our eyes but we were and still are thrilled for Kynsie and pleased with all the things she has accomplished!

Congrats Kynsie! We love you girlie!

Faces

Here are just a few of the MANY faces of this cute little brother of ours!

Alex showing off to the camera!

May 28th 2009

Congrats Springville Grad!

May 28th, 2009 Christopher Bryant Austin's name was called over the loud speaker as a 2009 Springville High School Graduate. Congrats Chris! We are so happy for you!

Chris right after coming out of graduation

This is the last year that a member of the Austin family will graduate as a Springville Red Devil since there has been a new high school built in Mapleton. (Tucker will be going to Maple Mountain High Shcool this next year.)

Chris is a great kid and he is definitely going to go places in his life. during high school Chris participated in ballroom, dance company, welding, football, FBLA, and was the SHS webmaster. Now that he has graduated we are looking forward to him going on a mission for the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints in just one short year! (Where does the time go? Is he really old enough?!)

Chris with Dad and Mom (you would never have guessed mom just had surgery on the 27th, she looks great! Red is definitely her color!)

Nick has a VERY close relationship with his brothers. They and the time he spends with them means the world to Nick.

This is a GREAT picture that just shows the love! They all look so handsome too!

Nick and Chris after Graduation

Lookin' GOOD Boys!

While we were waiting for the rest of the pictures to be taken Nick and Alex were playing. I couldn't help myself, and I had to include these pictures in the post...it was just TOO cute!

CONGRATS again Chris! We love you, and cant wait to see where life takes you!

Not So Different After All

Sometimes Nick and I are as different as what we drink for dinner.

We grew up in different situations, and had different experiences in life. We dont always share the same common interests, or understand why the other even has the interest they do.

However, on Sunday, after a frustrating day full of "WHY cant you just ** insert task**?!" and "Why do you have to**insert task**!"s I was picking up our shoe basket and putting the shoes away when I saw this.

I realized that even though we are different, we are the same. We share the same goals and typically we share the same interests and opinions. sounds silly but seeing this helped me understand that, and realize how silly I had been for getting frustrated about the small things.

"Don't sweat the small stuff."

Screen Clean

I don't know how many of you are like me but I am OCD about keeping my computer screen fingerprint free and spotless! I found the most amazing thing ever! Check it out!

http://www.planetdan.net/pics/misc/screenclean.swf

Do I have you convinced?!

A Really Fun Day..

Yesterday was just flat out fun. At 11am (after sleeping in a little) Nick and I headed over to my parents to pick up Kylee to take her on a little road trip. We took her for her first time to the ZOO! She was so excited when she woke up. When we got in the car she told us that she waited on the porch for "10 MIN!" looking for us to come. (10 min is a REALLY long time for a 3 year old.)

We learned a lot while we were there and got to see ALL the animals. The first thing she wanted to see was the Elephant. The One that is eating the hay (2nd Picture) is going to be having a baby sometime between July and September! How exciting! They found out October of 2007 so its going to be fun to finally have it here. (2 years of being pregnant, how would you like that?! 9 months isn't sounding so bad now!)

We played on the animal playground for a while where Kylee got to ride a catapiller, and a spider, climb on the spiders web, slide down a snake, be a turtle, and hatch out of an egg. (and MUCH more!)

Nick resting for a while watching Kylee play from the bench.

We also took a ride on the train Where we saw birds, sheep, and buffalo. For some reason Kylee was worried about going on the train ride but once we were on and going she had a lot of fun!

Kylee even got to drink directly out of the "lion's mouth"! **wink**

"Mom sometimes says I'm a monkey."

I have saved the best for last HER ABSOLUTE FAVORITE animal was.......
.....In her words the "Zebra with the loooonng neck!" She LOVED their blue tongues.
After a little explaining I think she understands now that a zebra has stripes and her favorite animal is called a giraffe. It was too cute.

We had so much fun at the zoo, she was so worn out that she zonked out in the car on the way home after saying "No! I don't need a nap!" haha!

After dropping Kylee off Nick and I went home and pulled the hotdogs out of the fridge and headed out to the pool where we grilled up some hotdogs and took a little swim (1st swim of the season). After our swim I ended the day with a hot bath! It was a GREAT day off.

Dont Climb Higher Than You Can Handle!

Yesterday after work I came home and went upstairs. When I took Samba out for her walk I noticed a cat climbing up the tree in front of our Condo. I didnt think much of it until about 6:15pm (1 hour later) when I could hear it meowing and trying desperately to get down. I went out to see if I could get it to come down by calling it. I noticed the cat looked familiar. I ran over to the neighbors to see if Sparta was missing. Indeed he was!

Sparta was even with the 3rd floor of the complexes! (there were no low branches for him to get down onto...just the split trunk, and a few sticks here and there.)

Quite the crowed had gathered , when all the kids started yelling "Call the fire department!" haha all the parents were trying to explain that they don't really rescue cats from trees!



One of the adults went and got a fire escape ladder that got wrapped around the tree, then the kids held it while Tyler (Neighbor) climbed up to be the hero! Ha ha! It was quite the neighborhood effort!



Once Tyler got the cat to let go of the tree and let him grab him he just threw sparta down 3 stories into a blanket a group was holding out to break the fall.

2 hours later the cat was out of the tree, and the kids were thrilled. It was pretty fun to see the neighborhood effort though.

Moral of the Story: Next time you're climbing a tree don't follow the typical instructions of "Don't look down!" you should probably stop every once in a while to see how high you are so your neighbors don't have to come rescue you too! **wink**

Is My Sister Cute Or what?!

She Graduates from High School May 29th 2009 at 2pm at UVU!
How Exciting!

"Make You Feel My Love"

First here is a little trip down memory lane. Remember these times?

Advanced Womans Ensemble (AWE)
2004-2005

PHS Chamber Singers
2005-2006

THE Altos
2005-2006

PHS Concert choir

These were the days. When We all looked to one man for direction (literally.)

Mr Cory Mendenhall
No matter where he goes he will ALWAYS be THE PHS choir director.

Last Night I was able to attend the last concert that Mr Mendenhall will direct as the PHS choral director. It was a very touching concert because of the love that we all have for this not so everyday teacher. (I know he isn't dying but he touched too many lives to be forgotten at Provo High School, and in its legacy.)


It is very seldom that you meet a teacher that REALLY cares about their students and would do anything for them. A solo was sung at the concert last night called "Make you feel my love" that was dedicated to Mr Mendenhall that I feel captured his feelings towards us (his students) PERFECTLY.


"Make You Feel My Love"

"When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love

When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling down the avenue
There's nothing that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love

The storms are raging on the rollin' sea
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing like me yet

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
To make you feel my love"

Thank you Mr Mendenhall for Everything you stand for, and for helping me find the love I have for music.

Kate & Mr Mendenhall
May 13, 2009