Corbin is 15

How is this little bestie of mine 15? Corbin brings a lot of excitement into our lives. He is funny, smart, compassionate, clever, hard working, and relentless. For the past several years, I would wrestle Corbin 1-2 times a week and up until a couple weeks ago, he has never pinned me. Suddenly, the man child is freakishly strong and I no longer stand a chance. Even though he has been taller than me for some time now, he is no longer in my same weight class, and I don’t think he realizes that he’s putting in the same effort that he was months ago, but now I’m very much at risk of getting hurt haha no more wrestling, Corbin. He’s growing like a noxious weed, and is currently 5’10”.  He has a new interest in lifting weights, which has been a fun thing to do together. Aaron invested in a smith machine for the garage, and Corbin has also been lifting with Hyrum, Neal, and Brody at Tuckaway pretty regularly this spring. 

His cello skills are improving as well. He took on a book 6 piece, Rondo, for his Camerata audition. Quincy played this piece for her 10th grade spring recital and Chamber audition. He worked hard and learned it in about 5 weeks, made Camerata, and played beautifully at his recital with Sully Shaw and Peyton Thibedaux (10th graders who are both in Camerata this year.) 

Corbin got straight A’s this year in school, and bravely tried out for soccer, track, and basketball at BHS. He did not make any of the teams but he did play boys and girls club ball on the Steezy Boys with several friends. (Tate Gulbransen, Noah Hill, Chase and Landon White, Ryan Mains, Gabe Miller, Neal Ratsachack, Preston Gubler, and Hyrum Johnston, managed by buddies Parker Owen and Ammon Johnston and coached by his seminary teacher Kyle White) they did not win a single game, but gained a huge following and enjoyed the attention of their many female supporters. The Steezy Boys also rallied together the metfield ward youth in an important way. Corbin loved it all and he loves running around town with his boys as often as possible. 

Corbin played cello in church a few times, played 1st chair in Philharmonic Orchestra at BHS, made All Region Orchestra, Honors Orchestra, and 3rd chair in Arkansas Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. 



A month ago, aaron took Corbin and Soren on a dream trip to LA where they saw Lebron play at a Lakers game. They also caught a Kings hockey game, went to the la brea tar pits, the beach, dropped off treats to the mission home to be delivered to Reese, ate at in n out, and hit up other LA highlights, including seeing the LA temple and Hollywood sign. 
For his birthday, he got a Spikeball set and threw the most epic party and teenager has ever had. 

It started with volleyball at memorial park. 35-40 kids pulled up. (Tate G, Ammon J, Hyrum J, Brody S, Noah H, Zoe Z, Charlie C, Calli H, Georgia S, Sydney G, Ariana D, Avery P, Brooklyn, James S, Pfeiffer, Shriya, Rhett, Chase and Landon White, Ada, Lucy, Preston G, Caleb and Roman M, Neal R, and like 10-12 more kids from school that I don’t even know, Quincy had a few friends David S, Zack V, Parker O, Elle R also join the shenanigans). At any given moment, kids were playing soccer, volleyball, spikeball, or just hanging out. Brody brought a Bluetooth speaker and kasey stopped by to hang out while I played DJ.  They had pizza, soda, prime, and cupcakes, and lived their best lives on the last day of school. 

And then the sky cracked open and a heavy downpour and thunderstorm whipped through. The fields flooded instantly, and once the threat of lightning was mostly gone, the 20 or so kids who were still there turned memorial park into a giant slip n slide/ mud wrestling arena. It was the most fun they’ve ever had in their lives, and all of them were still saying so days later. It was truly an unforgettable night of spontaneous fun. Zack Van Swerigen and Sydney Grover made all of Corbin’s wildest dreams come true and surprise dumped an ice cooler on him. Corbin felt kind he’d won the Super Bowl. Everyone was so happy. One friend from orchestra said “I’m not surprised so many kids are here. It’s Corbin. He knows everyone and everyone loves him. He’s the hype of the party.” What a night to remember! 

I sure love this crazy 15 year old. 

Your Mom Goes To College

“THAT’S MY MOM!” 🫶🏼 hearing those words are my favorite part of this experience. 

I am a first generation college graduate! 

Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences with a Lifespan Development in Diverse Contexts Concentration 

Not going to sugar coat it, this was really really hard. It turns out keeping my efforts as a full time student compartmentalized to the hours my children are in school was like telling a new mother of young children to “sleep when baby sleeps” 😂🙄 but I tried, and thanks to the best support system, here we are! We made it and learned so much! 

2024 University of Arkansas graduate with High Distinction 🐽♥️Woooooo Pig Sooie!! 

Be brave. Keep learning. Try hard things!

There was a special ceremony and dinner the night before graduation for all the 2024 first gen graduates. Each of us were called up by name and given a silver stole. 

I made the lei out of fresh spray roses Aaron picked up for me from Sam’s club. 

There are 7 little bee pins on my regalia—one for each of my children (7 little bees in my hive)

The yellow cord is for completing the razorback career track course and a 160 hour internship for Branded Equine Based Therapy Services. The purple cord is from the Volunteer Action Team for doing 100+ of community service for verified non profit organizations during my senior year at University of Arkansas. And the white stole and white tassle are for graduating with High Distinction. My final cumulative GPA for 159 university credit hours is 3.913. I think my high school

GPA was like a 2.7, so I pretty proud of myself for graduating from college with highest honors. I took 5 classes at a time both fall and spring semester so I could finish up this spring. It was ridiculously hard and I am really exited to have time to sleep again! I am so glad I did this and I hope my family knows how thankful I am for their support. I also hope they learn from my example to follow promptings and just do things. What’s next? No idea. Ok I have a few ideas, and I’m trusting that the path will unfold. 

To my Sunday school class of high school seniors: nothing is impossible with Christ, and no doors are closed for you. 

Quincy’s Junior Prom 2024

Quincy and David went to prom together with a great group friends. The call the group “Canes” because that’s the name of their group chat….which is also funny because they are more likely to end up eating at Don’s over Canes most of the time. They they pulled the Canes group together such a fun night.  Most of the same kids have been hanging out all summer. 
Quincy and David S, Baylee G and Zack V, Brightyn G, Ryan M, Parker O, Elle R, Annalisa G, and (her date). Quincy and David took a few pics at Tuckaway Farm and then met the group at handcut hollow, and an old schoolhouse on price coffee rd for the group pics. They missed their dinner reservation and happily ended up at Torchy’s for dinner. Prom was at the Record in downtown Bentonville, and they had midnight breakfast burritos, swimming/hot tub, and a movie at Saumweber’s after prom. Dave brought Q home and they talked and laughed with Aaron and I for an hour before he left and Quincy called it a night around 3:30am 😂 and miraculously everyone made it to church on time in the morning. Quincy says she had a magical night. 

The way David asked Quincy to prom was super cute. When the Saumi’s returned from sailing for two years, Dave enrolled at BHS at the semester. He had talked to Quincy a couple of times at parties and dinner with their family. One day, Quincy was sitting in her math class and Davey walked by her open classroom door. 

Then he walked by a second time, and waved and she tried not to laugh/be distracted. 

Then he walked by on his hands and stopped in the hall outside the door in a handstand. 

Then he did a backflip. 

Quincy noticed. Hahaha. They became friends and then started dating 6 months later.

So to ask Quincy to prom, over a year after David’s silly meet cute in the halls at BHS, he wrote prom upside down on a hoodie, and came out walking on his hands. Very creative, and so so cute. And Quincy has stolen the sweatshirt.