POLLY is 12!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot believe that the baby of this family is 12. 

Oh my, how the years have flown.  Polly is a pure joy.  Polly was born February 26, 1999 in Safford, AZ. 

Polly has a no holds bar when it comes to getting dirty.  Here is her infamous stuck in the mud day. 2002

Polly loves her brothers, Dallin & DeWitt!!  She really loves to hang out with them, and to be just like them.

Lillian and Polly just finished playing a match against each other at Gene Autry, they thought it was so fun.  They actually laughed and giggled most of the time.  They are the best of friends.

Our first year at Rocky Point  2005

This is about 6:00 in the morning.  Couldn't miss the snow.  We played in it all day.

Silly sisters and best friends

Our hike at Ash Creek

Rocky Point 2009

Polly just won the million $ monopoly game, and now she is POWER hungry.

Polly Mae Evans is the 5^th child of the Evans clan.  She came into this world with a bunch of black hair that stuck straight up.  She soon lost all of it, and her hair grew back in blond.  She is so much fun to be around.  She keeps her family laughing most of the time.  She can hold her own with her big brothers in a wrestling match, and in Nerf basket ball.  Her best friends are her brothers and sisters, and she has each on of them wrapped around her finger.  Polly loves sports.  She played soccer for the first time this season and her coaches were amazed that she had never played before.  Her dad coaches her in  the jr. league basketball, and she loves to dribble.  For her, tennis is a must.  She loves it, and she has a natural talent for it.  Polly loves pets, and has loved and cared for many.  She has straight A’s at school and holds a consistent position on the Principle’s Gold list.  Polly collects chairs.  Her room is getting smaller, because she keeping trying to fit more chairs into it.  She is an entrepreneur, she has a candy machine and enjoys hearing people drop their quarters into it.  She loves to go on vacations with her family.  They went to Washington DC and there she fell in love with history.  She loves to read, and especially books with real history in them.  Polly is a very tender, loving girl.  She loves to help others, and she loves to see others be happy.  She has a very strong testimony, and loves learning more about the gospel.  

THINKING BACK.....TO ONE OF OUR FAVORITE VACATIONS!!

Oh  memories are wonderful.  The vacation we took back east to visit with my sister Esther and her family and to visit Washington DC and surrounding areas, is one of the most talked about memories in this family.  I thought since things are quiet around the Evans house I would take a trip down memory lane, and blog about one of our favorite vacations.

It was Spring break  March 2009, we wanted to take the kids on a surprise vacation, and we also wanted to do something kinda cool, because we could see that our family would be changing in the next couple of years.  So Saturday morning we were sitting around the table eating our traditional waffle breakfast, and Scott casually said..."Well kids, we are going to be leaving this afternoon on a week long trip."  Oooos and Ahhhhhs, and "What????" went around the table.  (I was loving it all).  Then I handed out a packing list, and told the kids that it all had to fit into a airplane sized suitcase, no exceptions.  The kids kept looking at each other with questioning looks.  So we did tell them that we were going to fly somewhere in the world, but that's as much information as we would give them.  We spent the next few hours frantically preparing our house and animals, and suitcases and everything else that goes along with leaving for a week.  I think it was close to 5:00pm when we left Safford and headed for Mesa to stay in Mom and Dad's condo. (thank heaven for that place, thanks M&D) The kids were questioning us and questioning each other, but no one would give, and none of the kids knew except for Allison, who had to arrange her work schedule at Dairy Queen. 

Sunday morning we woke up at the crack of dawn.  I think we got to the airport at 5:30am.  When we were sitting and waiting for the airplane, the announcer came on and told us about the boarding and the fight we would be on.  She said, "this is a non-stop flight to New York City"  Every body's eyes got huge.  They thought for sure they knew then.  We just smiled.  We flew on a really cool airplane with individual TV screens.  The kids were loving life.  We landed in New York, and the kids discovered that it was just a layover.  They had fun in the airport though, and we bought a NY taxi car magnet.  We knew that the kids would be finding out where we were going for sure in our next plane so we, asked each kid where they thought we were going.  It was fun to hear the thoughts.  Some thought that we were going to stay in NY, and some said London, I think one actually said DC.  Anyway it was a fun game.  When all of the guessing was done, I told them that we were going to Washington DC, and to Crofton, Maryland, where Esther, Shad and family lived.  Oh the kids were ecstatic.  We then boarded a smaller plane that we had to walk outside to, and climb up the stairs to the plane.  It was a little nerve racking to fly in something so small, but it was all part of the adventure.

So here we are at the condo, it's late and no one really knows what's going on.

Allison, DeWitt, Scott, and Polly

Dallin and Lillian

This is early the next morning, just getting ready to leave to the Sky Harbor airport

Dallin and Rebecca

Polly, DeWitt, and Scott, in the Gecko bus, taking us to our terminal.

Dallin, Lillian, and Allison enjoying their Gecko ride.

This is Polly in the NY airport, and she is threatening Scott, so that he will give up the info and tell her where we are going!

I couldn't miss a picture of this little plane.  Polly, Lillian, Dallin, and Allison waiting to board.

DeWitt, Scott, Polly, Dallin, Lillian and Allison waiting to board.

Oh we've got to get everyone in here, so DeWitt, Scott, Polly, Dallin, Lillian and Rebecca waiting to board the tiny air plane.

Inside the tiny airplane.

Dear brother Shad picked us up at an airport near Crofton, Maryland.  (maybe they will remember the name of it), I wish the picture were less dark, because Shad has on a Hawaii shirt to welcome us to his town. He makes me laugh.

Here is the Brown clan eagerly awaiting our arrival.  Bridger up at the top, Soren in Marlie's arms, Marlie, Esther and Harrison at the bottom of the steps.

I ran up the stairs real fast to get both views, so here we are getting out the car.

It was so exciting to be in my sister's town.  She has lived a lot of different places, and it's fun to see her casa and where she lives.  Esther and Rebecca

Love this picture, it is a classic.  Soren was so very excited to see DeWitt, and visa versa I suppose.

Soren's first birthday.  We made it in time for his party.  Um that cake was so very yummy.

This is one of the kids most talked about memories, and that is commuting with Shad into the city.  We would leave his house around 5:30am and then he would park, and we would walk in the morning darkness to his law office, and we would go have breakfast at the Old Post Office Pavilion.  Then we would continue walking around the entire City of DC until Shad was done at the end of the day, and we would drive home to their house, where Esther would have a yummy dinner all ready for us.  I'm going to start a fresh new post for the other parts of the vacation, but I have to first say, a huge thank you to Shad, Esther and family, for doing so much for us.  We never could have done something like this, if they hadn't of been so willing to give us room and board.  We just had a super time with them.  A few memories. The kids staying up super late and being scared by watching "So I Married and Ax Murder" they got mad at Shad the next day for suggesting such a scary movie.  Shad had a good laugh, and said that it wasn't scary, so he watched it with them the next night, and now they love it and own it.  We got to celebrate Esther's birthday, Soren's birthday, and Esther and Shad's anniversary with them.  The four of us went out to eat at Kung Pao's or something like that, it was a really  nice restaurant, and then the Cheese Cake Factory for dessert.  Family Home Evening with the Browns, was a treat to be sure.  Um....their traditional opening song is "In My Room" by the Beach Boys.  I'm not sure if we laughed more or sang more.  We played in the beautiful park by their house.  Allison drove their car to baseball practice, to pick of one of the kids, and was given directions by a British computer lady.  She made it home so I guess it worked.  Dallin buying a real life Civil War sword, and he and Esther walking into the Crofton post office wanting to send it home.  The kids thought they were in heaven when Esther took them to Sam's Club and they could eat all the free food they wanted????  Good times.....Good times!!!!!

A Day of Baking

My Goofy kids, the fun things they try when they get bored on a Saturday.

 This is the Saturday before Valentines Day.  We decided to do our traditional heart shaped cookie baking today. 

 I was finishing up being sick and trying to be healthy so Allison took on the monumental task of baking.  It became even more of an adventure when DeWitt stepped into the kitchen.  He doesn't like to see any moment happening without a bit of "DeWitt fun"  Oh the joy of teenagers.

So DeWitt gets creative and makes these really cool looking mustaches.  I was impressed, but had no intention of playing with them. 

DeWitt likes to get everybody involved.  No one is ever left out when DeWitt is near.  Although Dallin is taking the picture, and he didn't have a flour mustache, I guess it's because he's bigger, and can control his younger brother.

 I was doing a sumo look or something

but then the kids said that I looked mean and should smile instead...So welcome to my life.

Valentines Day 2011

First of all we were Heart Attacked, by the "Valentine Fairy"  (Lillian)

It was fun to wake up Valentine morning and see this cool kitchen.  I was surprised to open the fridge and sitting right there was another heart, and even in my pan cupboard.

Polly had made two huge hearts and had written very thoughtful notes on each one for Scott and I.

We set the table for a special breakfast of strawberry shortcake....Yum

This is our Valentine dinner, we had grilled steak, and chicken, with all the fixings, and chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert.

Can I just say I think my family is the coolest ever!!!

We got Dallin an Argentina flag for fun, and it arrived in the mail today.  He was walking around the house wearing it, and was super excited about it, and then he decided to be like Sound of Music and hang it over the banister.  I like it....It stays!!

I especially like how the 2 little sweet girls want to show how tough they are under the flag  hummm:-)

Dallin went through the Gila Valley Temple

On February 12, 2011 Dallin went through the Gila Valley Temple.  IT was so incredible!!  He had a lot of support from family and friends.  Grandpa and Grandma Biggs were there, Grandma Sherry, Matt and Jody Barney, Skyler and Wanda Evans, Jarom and Nicole Lunt, Ronda Turner, Tony and Rachel Alder, Tyson and Mary Richins, Jeremy and Erika Biggs (traveled from Mesa), Shad and Esther Brown were there in spirit, they really wanted to and tried to come, but Esther got the flu that morning, and couldn't make it.  Jeff and LaWynn Brown, Pres. and Sister Lines, Brother and Sister McBride, and Brother and Sister Smith, 

Pres. Kent Woods was the Temple Presidency, that was there that night, so he gave Dallin his orientation.  He did such a wonderful job.  Dallin felt so important, and special.  I love that at the small temples, that each person is treated so individually, and special.  I told Scott that the evening could not have been more perfect.  I love this gospel that provides so much good and so much positive.

It was perfect, Mary was sitting outside the Temple when we walked up, so she was able to take our picture, before we went in.

Dallin and Scott after the session was over.

 Dallin and Rebecca

Oh the happiness, life doesn't get much better than this.

Dallin is going to Neuquen, Argentina

My missionary son. 

This was one of the missionary pictures that we took of Dallin to send in with his mission papers.

On Friday February 4, 2011 when I got home from working in the Temple.  Scott, Polly, and I walked to the mail box with the video camera in hand to see if the mail had come.  We were anticipating Dallin's mission call.  Dallin and Allison were in Mesa for a preseason tennis tournament, and Polly was home sick.  So I opened the mail box, and I pulled out each piece of mail very slowly.  Finally I pulled out the large white envelope that read..."Elder Dallin Scott Evans."  I immediately called Dallin who didn't answer his phone, and so I called Allison, and she let me talk to Dallin, I couldn't contain my tears.  It was a happy moment.  Scott called DeWitt who was at his state soccer tournament, and we told Lillian who got home from school just about a half an hour later.  I called the grandmas and the aunts. 

When I came inside of the house I cleaned the counters and put the envelope in a special place so it could be seen as soon as Dallin walked in.  Ever since Dallin turned in his papers I have been speculating on where he would go, and then now that the call was here all I did was draw a blank.  I was frustrated by this, but I didn't know why.   I finally decided, it was because I was going to be happy with wherever the Lord needed him to serve.

Dallin didn't open his call until Saturday night the 5th of February, because DeWitt wasn't home from his tournament yet, and it was important for both boys for him to be there....of course.  So that night at 7:00 we had grandma and grandpa Biggs, grandma Sherry, Rachel, Tony and their family, Matt and Jody, Mary, Tyson and their family, Skyler, Wanda, Brice, and Valerie on the phone, Ronda, and her grandson, Allison, Dallin, DeWitt, Lillian, Polly, Scott, and Rebecca.  We had each one of my brothers and sister on the phone, Nathan, Joel, Daniel, Jeremy, Esther, Thomas.  Some of Dallin's friends were there.  Matt, Tawny, and Lila Herrington, Billy, and Julie.  We had a full house house and it was so very wonderful to have so much support.

When Dallin opened his call, he smiled first and then he read.  "You are here by called to serve in the Neuquen, Argentina mission."   Whoops and cheers went out, and everyone was so excited.  I gave him a hug, and Scott immediately grabbed an encyclopedia and started to check right where he would be.  Everyone else was chatting excitedly.  It was such a wonderful time.  Dallin called bishop Carpenter, and Pres. Lines and Pres. Sanders and was very excited to tell them.  He has already said the words..."This is the best mission in the world"  I love it!  When everything calmed down, and people left.  Scott was checking the Internet for more Argentina info and Dallin was still visiting with friends, I was feeling lost.  I felt bad that I wasn't super excited and super happy.  In fact I was very confused by my feelings, and so I went to bed, so that I wouldn't make anyone feel bad.  Scott came in to check on me, and he asked me what was wrong, and I couldn't explain it, I just reassured him that I wasn't mad or upset.  The next morning, I was able to explain a little bit better.  I was feeling that for the last 19 years I have been preparing Dallin and working with him, and getting him ready, spiritually, physically, and emotionally to leave our home and serve the Lord.  Dallin is completely ready to do this, he is ready in every way, and I wouldn't want it any other way.   I just feel like our family will never be the same.  Dallin will come back different, in a good way, and things will change at home.  He will have experiences without me.  Being the selfish person that I am, I'm already jealous of the people that will get to have him for the next two years.  So these are real feelings, but I am working through them.  I see that I have to for my sake and for Dallin's.  Dallin is a very mature person, and he will be changing lives, his included.  I am so proud of him, for his life this far, and for the example that he is to his brother and to his cousins.  Another side note is that Dallin has well over his money needed for his mission saved and ready to give without any second thought.  DeWitt also has his mission money saved.  I am so proud of my boys. 

Dallin reports to the Prove MTC on May 25, 2011.  It is the same day as Lillian's 8th grade graduation.  The plan is for all of us to drive up and tour Salt Lake, and surrounding temples, and then drop Dallin off at the curb and come on home.  I really hope it all turns out that way.  We'll see in a couple of months.  For now.  I am a joyful, proud mother.

The reaction, when Dallin read..."Argentina"

 Dallin is going to be on the bottom of the world

Grandpa reading the call.

Dallin with his sibs

Grandma Sherry

Best friends

One of the next Gila Valley missonaries.....Luke

 Grandpa and Grandma Biggs

Tyson and Mary and family

Tony, Rachel and family

The momma and the dadda, reading all of the paperwork.