My New Car

Ok, so its not that new, I just haven't got around to blogging lately. Long story short: Back in October Kylee crashed my car on the way home from Disneyland. Luckily the insurance payed what I owed on my old car and I had enough to make a good down payment on a new one. Well, new to me!

My 2005 Honda Civic EX Special Edition

I found it on Craigslist from a girl that was the original owner and she had taken really good care of it. I absolutely love it! It runs great and gets awesome MPG.

A Dedication To Saulo Morris

I want to dedicate this Blog to a good friend and role model to many, Saulo Morris.

The sound of a different (now distant) drummer
by E.J. Montini - Dec. 4, 2008 12:00 AMThe Arizona Republic

When I found out that Saulo Morris died, I called Eric Byrnes, the Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder.
"John (Saulo's father) sent me a text," Byrnes told me. "I started crying. The tears just came. It's not right, you know? It's not fair. And it's really frustrating." Saulo was so close to making it.
He had endured a lot, never losing his optimism or his sense of humor, never asking for a better break than anyone else with a life-threatening illness, always believing that he could use what was happening to him to improve the lives of others. Then, just last month, he finally got some good news. A bone-marrow donor was found. A transplant might eradicate the leukemia that had appeared two years ago, when he was 16.
All that he had to do was to get through one last round of chemotherapy. But he couldn't.
There was an infection. Then another. And at 2:18 p.m. Tuesday, Saulo's family posted the following notice on the online journal (www.caringbridge. org/visit/saulomorris) that they'd been keeping for his friends and supporters:
"Saulo has passed on to a better life on this 2nd day of December 2008."
Saulo was a high-school baseball player. He played the bass drum in the marching band. He was an honor student. Byrnes became aware of him over a year ago, about the same time that I did.
One of Saulo's teachers at Thunderbird High School told me that a student of hers had donated the $6,750 that was raised in his name by the Make-a-Wish Foundation to Doctors Without Borders. He wanted to help victims of the war in Sudan.
When Byrnes found out about Saulo's generosity, he invited the teenager to be a guest on his FSN Arizona television show.
"That's how it started," Byrnes said, "but it became a friendship. He got to be like a little brother. The ups and downs were hard, but he always stayed positive. Just a couple of months ago, he had a full head of hair and was looking healthy. When I heard that they found a match for him, it was like justice had been served. If anybody deserved to live a long life, it was Saulo. Really. He is the type of person who makes sense out of this cynical world."
Just last month, Saulo's family and friends held a bone-marrow donor drive at his high school.
"He told me that he didn't think it would help him but that he felt really good knowing that somebody out there who was sick would find a match," Byrnes said.
"He's a much better person than I could ever hope to be. People have told me that I've had a tough year, being injured and such. That's nothing. Nothing. Saulo was living through the harshest reality that there is and totally dealing with it. Smiling. Honestly, I want to be like him. I want to live my life like him. He's such a unique person. He's only a kid but he also is my role model."
He didn't just march to the beat of a different drummer; he was that drummer.
The first time I wrote about Saulo, he was too sick to talk. When he got better, he called to say, "Thanks for all those nice things you wrote about me. But it was too much."
"That's him," Byrnes said. "I honestly believe that a spirit like that will live on forever. People will tell their kids about him. I know that I will."
Saulo told me that meeting someone like Byrnes and having the support of his family, his friends and so many others made him feel "really, really lucky." He wished that everyone could experience something like that, adding, "Without the leukemia, of course."
I said at the time that I hoped my own son might someday grow into a person like him. And even more, that someday I might grow into a person like him.
Reach Montini at 602-444-8978 or ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com



Saulo was wise beyond his years and always showed strength in all that he did and said. He new when his time on this Earth was soon coming to an end and he came to accept that. These were his last words:

My Journey
by Saulo Morris

Well, I’m going to start with my freshman year. My freshman year was great, I was in the marching band, on the football team, in the winter I wrestled and in the spring I played baseball. I felt like I made it, high school was going to be a blast. Then my sophomore year came along and I started out just as good as my freshman year and everything was working out for me. I thought I was going to have another great year. But, it didn’t work out how I thought it would. I noticed that toward the end of my sophomore year my mentation began to change when I would work out. Then I was diagnosed with leukemia, and I didn’t really have a junior year. So now I’m going to make the most of my senior year and compare to the last two years and everything I’ve been through it should be a breeze.
My biggest hobby is my music. My life basically revolves around my music. I’m in the marching band here at Thunderbird, but don’t worry I’m not a horn player. I’m on the drum line, so no worries. I’m also in a band with three other guys. The name of our band is Sideways ∞. We thought it was kind of clever seeing how the 8 turned sideways is the infinity sign. We did our first headline show at the Phix. It went really well and it was a charity concert. So it was for a really good cause. We also recorded our first album so we’re all really stoked. It’s going to be titled “To Infinity and Beyond.” I think my biggest strengths come from my music, problem solving, my creativity, and positive outlook on life.

“I’ve been burning in water and drowning in fire trying to prove you wrong” -- author unknown. I really like that quote a lot. I wouldn’t say that the quote is a moral blueprint of my life, but it does have an influence on my life and the way I deal with situations. When I hear someone say, “Saulo, you can’t do that ...”, especially after all I’ve been through in the last year and a half, I do everything I possibly can to show that person that I’m perfectly capable of doing anything, and I want to prove them wrong.

I guess the one thing I would ask you to remember me by is not the tough times that I’ve been through, but remember all the good times. Remember Team Saulo and continue to help everyone around you. Make a difference in this world. Please remember me and don’t mourn for me, but celebrate me. Celebrate everything I did and please don’t forget me.

He lived an incredible life in his short 18 years, more than some people can show for their whole life. I am so grateful for the chance to have met him and be a small part of his life. He has touched so many lives, more than he will ever know.

What's New???

Here is a quick update on what is new in my life:


About 9 weeks ago I joined Weight Watchers with my cousins, then about a month after that my mom joined with me! I have really enjoyed the program. I feel like I am not deprived of any of the foods I want, but yet I am more aware of what I am eating and how much I am eating. I have lost a little over 13 pounds so far. The weight loss has been a little slower than I thought, but at least I feel like I am in control and it is slowly coming off.

Moving Day!!!

My cousin Jodie and I moved to Queen Creek about a month ago. My aunt Debi and Uncle Terri built a new house and because the housing market is so bad right now they were unable to sale their old house before the new one was done. They were so nice to allow Jodie and I to live in their old house until it sales. It is a very nice, big house and I feel very privileged to live here for the time being. My mom came over one Friday morning and helped me decorate my room. I was really happy the way it turned out.

Family Time

After I got all settled in to my new place I invited my family over for a B-B-Q and pool party. It was a lot of fun to host my own party.

Skylar, Ethan, and Malissa chillin

Dallin torturing his girlfriend Amanda

Dad is the master B-B-Qer in our family

Mom made some really yummy brownies

We made our own band, and we pretty much ROCK!!!

Do Blondes Really Have More Fun!?

So I have slowly started to become blonde by putting more and more highlights in my hair. A couple days ago I got my hair done and I am officially more blonde than I am red. So I guess I'll find out!!!

I have very thick unruly hair, but my cousin Dusti (who has a hair salon in Queen Creek) always does a great job. Thanks Dusti!!!

One Step At A Time

I heard this song the other day, by Jordin Sparks, and I really loved it! I think because it really could relate to how I feel about my life right now.

Hurry up and wait so close but so far away
Everything that you've always dreamed of
Close enough for you to taste but you just can't touch

You wanna show the world but no one knows your name yet
Wonder when and where and how you're gonna make it
You know you can if you get the chance
In your face and the door keeps slamming

Now you're feeling more and more frustrated
And you're getting all kind of impatient, waiting
We live and we learn to take

One step at a time there's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly or falling in love
It's gonna happen when it's supposed to happen
That we find the reasons why, one step at a time

You believe and you doubt
You're confused and got it all figured out
Everything that you always wished for
Could be yours, should be yours, would be yours if they only knew

You wanna show the world but no one knows your name yet
Wonder when and where and how you're gonna make it
You know you can if you get the chance
In your face and the door keeps slamming

Now you're feeling more and more frustrated
And you're getting all kind of impatient, waiting
We live and we learn to take

One step at a time there's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly or falling in love
It's gonna happen when it's supposed to happen
That we find the reasons why, one step at a time

When you can't wait any longer
But there's no end in sight
It's the faith that makes you stronger
The only way we get there is one step at a time

Take one step at a time there's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly or falling in love
It's gonna happen when it's supposed to happen
That we find the reasons why, one step at a time

One step at a time there's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly or falling in love
It's gonna happen when it's supposed to happen
That we find the reasons why, one step at a time

Labor Day Weekend

On our Annual Labor Day Weekend Campout, Dad, Mom, Me, Kylee, Stephen, Kelsey, and Skaylar, came. We didn't get our usual spot in Kehl Spring's because we ended up getting there after dark and all the spaces were taken. Mom and Dad found a good spot nearby, though. I actually liked it better, because we were completly on our own and we could be as loud as we wanted. The only bad thing was that we had to "build" our own bathroom. It was interesting, but it worked.

The girls had to set-up our own tent. It was not an easy task, but we did it!

(i'm not quite sure what skylar and stephen are doing in the background)

It was Skylar's 14th Birthday while we were up there. We celebrated by having dump cake cooked in a dutch oven. It was so yummy!

Left: Kylee & Noah - The Reed Family came up on Saturaday and we had a lot of fun with them
Right: Again, I'm not quite sure when it comes to these two boys!

This is Dad playing Bolo Ball, the funnest game ever! It's kinda like horseshoes, but instead of a horseshoe you have a rope with a golf ball on each end of it. You throw the golf ball rope and try to wrap it around one of the three pcp pipes. The bottom row gets 1 point, middle gets 2, and the top gets three points. You usually play on teams. It is so fun and addicting.

Ok, so while we're camping all the girls (including my mom) are obsessing over these vampire books. They all brought the same book up called Breaking Dawn, and they couldn't seem to put them down. I guess I was the loser who brought her Microbiology book to study!

Third Time's A Charm, I HOPE!!!!

Well it happened again! My throat started bleeding at 12:30 on Sunday morning and it didn't stop until 7:ooam when I went into my third surgery in less than 3 weeks! It was a horrible night/morning. I am so glad it is over, but this means soft foods for at least another week and I have to take it really easy so it doesn't happen again. I am so sad, I was so ready to go back to work and get back to my normal life this week. I'll make it though, and I am so grateful for my mom who has been with me through the worst of these past 3 weeks.

Tonsillectomy

After having chronic Strep Throat and Tonsillitis for over a year, my doctor and I decided the best thing for me would be to get my tonsils out. I went to a outpatient surgery center on Friday, June 20th to get them out. I was doing okay until Monday I started throwing up non-stop! I had to go into the ER to get IV fluids and nausea medicine. I felt a lot better and started to heal really well. Kesley stayed with me all week and took good care of me. I was doing so good that I thought it would be fine if Kelsey went home Thursday night. Then the worst happened! I woke up Friday morning with a mouth full of blood! The back of my throat was hemorrhaging and I couldn't get the bleeding to stop. It was really scary because I was all by myself and I couldn't get a hold of any of my family members. I called my doctor and he said to keep crunching on ice and put it to the back of my throat. After about 3o minutes the bleeding started to slow down, but by then I was feeling really weak and my stomach hurt really bad. I finally go a hold of my mom and she came and got me and took me to the ER. My doctor was already at the ER and he said that I needed to go to the operating room ASAP. Everything was happening at once and I started to get an anxiety attack. The nurse was starting an IV, there were having me sign all sorts of paperwork, the Anesthesiologist was trying to explain that she was going to be putting a tube down my throat before she sedated me, the doctor was asking if we were ready to go..... I started to feel an anxiety attack come on. Luckily I held in there for about five more minutes and they gave me something to relax. The second surgery went well, the doctor cauterized the parts of my throat that was bleeding. I'm back at my parents house now, recovering from the second surgery. The doctor wants me to be extra careful and not have anything solid for 7-10 more days. It's kinda depressing because I have to start all over again. I'm glad the worse is over, though. HOPEFULLY!

SoCal So Fun!!!

I took Kelsey, Stephen, and Skylar on a fun ROADTRIP to Southern California.

We spent the first few days at Huntington Beach. I love the beach! We bought a couple of boogie boards and had so much fun riding the waves.















We also had fun playing in the sand and relaxing on the shore.



Sorry there is no pictures of me at the beach, I don't trust the kids with my camera when there is sand and water involved.



Even though we put a lot of sunblock on, we ALL end up getting sunburned. Kesley and I got it the worse. We went to Wal-Green's our second night there and bought two bottles of Aloe Vera, and we almost used all of it up.

Then on the third day we traveled an hour and a half to Six Flags, Magic Mountain!!!
It would have been a little better if we weren't so sun burned, but we had fun. My favorite ride was Tatsu!

It feels like you are flying!!!

Memorial Day Weekend

Every year my family goes camping during Memorial Weekend and Labor Day Weekend. I love to go camping and I look forward to it every year. This year we were planning to go to our usual spot, Kehl Spring's, which is a little passed Pine and Strawberry. We had everything ready and all the food bought when we found out it was SNOWING in that area! My parents wanted to call the whole trip off, but being the strong determined spirit I am, I convinced them to keep our plans, and go somewhere else. We end going to a place by Globe. We were starting to get disapointed when we got close to the campsite because, all we could see was yucky desert landscape. Then we started driving up a mountain, we went up and up and up and it got greener and prettier.








It was such a nice campsite. There was Pondersosa pine trees all around us and a creek that ran right next to our campsite. It did rain the first night, but after that the weather was wonderful.

Jodie and Kaitlyn crossing the creek

Gotta Love The Hammock!

Amanda, Dallin, Ethan, Skylar, Jared, and Jodie standing around the campfire

We played a fun game of poker one night in the boys' tent, Jared was the Poker Champion!

Amanda, Ethan, and Dallin cooking breakfast

I don't know what is up with this hat, but Dallin and Ethan really seemed to like it