McCoy Scholarship Award Night

McCoy with his favorite principal

McCoy has truly thrived in academics this year. He applied to Arizona’s “Big Three” universities—ASU, NAU, and the University of Arizona—and received scholarships to all three! One of his proudest accomplishments was earning the Ming K. Jeang, M.D. Prize for having the highest ACT score in the 2025 graduating class at THS. It’s been so rewarding to see his dedication pay off, especially after the countless hours he’s spent studying in the library!

On top of his regular high school coursework, McCoy also enrolled in our local community college’s graphic design program, completing it and earning his certificate before even graduating from high school. Great work, McCoy!

And because I can’t resist a good photo op, I made him take pictures with my two favorite classical busts—you know, the ones that seem to show up at every high school around here. He humored me and posed for the photos; I am sure Washington and Lincoln appreciate the inclusion.

Flashing the bling!

This was award night was near May 4th

 

Family Update: 2025

L to R: McCoy, Quinton, Rhiannon, Declan, Tia, Zaynzley, Archer & Eddy

It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since my last update in 2025. Time really does fly—and in our case, it’s brought a whirlwind of change, growth, and some pretty big milestones.

Quinton has moved to the big city and is enjoying pursuing his interests and hobbies.

Declan graduated from high school, completed a two-year mission in the Mexico Cancún Mission, and recently married his high school sweetheart, Tia. Watching him take those big steps into adulthood has been both surreal and heartwarming.

McCoy is right behind him, wrapping up his senior year and getting ready to graduate next week. It feels like just yesterday we were helping him learn to ride a bike—now he’s ready to take on the world.

Archer is finishing his freshman year of high school, and Zaynzley has officially survived the rollercoaster that is 7th grade (drama and all!).

On the professional front, Eddy is back in the classroom, teaching junior high social studies. And as for me, I’ve taken on a brand-new challenge—teaching high school special education for the first time ever. The best part? We’re both at the same school, which has made this new chapter even more meaningful.

The past few years haven’t been without their ups and downs, but each twist and turn has brought opportunities to grow, learn, and support each other. Life is rarely predictable, but that’s part of what makes it beautiful.

Thanks for following along with our journey. Here’s to embracing change, celebrating progress, and finding joy in the everyday.

 

Quinton Carlton August 2019-March 2020

During senior year, Quinton decided he wanted to serve a proselyting mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He did the necessary paper work/medical appointments and submitted his paperwork to get an assignment for service. Quinton was called to the Mexico Hermosillo Mission for two years Aug 2019-Aug 2021. This mission is actually where Eddy's mom is from and generations of her ancestors lived in a couple of small towns in Sonora area. This mission borders Arizona where we live and is only a 5 hour drive from our home. We were all very thrilled with Quinton's mission call.

Quinton by Gila Valley Temple with Mexico Flag

Quinton was set apart and becomes Elder Carlton

One last visit to his Great-Grandma before he leaves

As a family we took Elder Carlton to the Tucson Arizona Mission and said goodbye. Elder Carlton repeatedly told me, "Mom, don't expect me to cry at the airport-I am not a cryer!" True to his word he didn't but I can't say the same for the rest of the family!

Two year goodbyes are hard!

Elder Carlton went to the Mexico City Missionary Training Center for 9 weeks to learn the Spanish language and how to be a missionary

At Mexico MTC with teacher in black and companion.

Mexico City Temple

A word about missionary service, the purpose of a mission is to teach of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and help others make commitments that ultimately lead to baptism and membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While a missionary you follow strict guidelines and rules-your whole purpose is serving the Lord without pay and basically putting your old life on hold-for example no dating or video games or movies. What you do, do as a missionary is study a lot and work basically 9:30 am to 9:30pm. Missionaries are not paid but in fact pay $400 a month to be a full-time missionary. Once a week a missionary get to call home and visit with their family.  

Quinton goes to an internet café to call home weekly. Here he shows off some recent purchases.

Elder Carlton in his missionary apartment 

Elder Carlton with his landlady Mama Luly-she was the best and took good care of Quinton and made him a cake for his birthday.

Elder Carlton far right with other missionaries

Members of the church usually feed missionaries one meal a day.

Quinton with a girl who was baptized, she was later kidnapped and was never heard of again. So very sad!

In March, Quinton received devastating news that all foreign missionaries would be sent home due to COVID-19. Elder Carlton wanted to stay in Mexico and continue serving as a missionary but he was not allowed to.

Elder Carlton reads the email that he is being sent home-he was so disappointed.

On March 30, 2020 we picked up Elder Carlton at Phoenix International Airport which was a ghost town. No stores or eateries were open in the airport and the only ones using the airport were missionaries being sent home from all over world. 

Welcome home, Elder Carlton!

 

Family Update 2021

I thought I should post a family photo so there would be something more current on the blog, but actually this photo is almost a year old already. Our oldest son Quinton is out of the country and has been since this photo was taken. In this photo the ages are as follows: Quinton 19, Declan 16, McCoy 13, Archer 10, & Zaynzley 8.  This is our first professional family photo in a decade! The previous one was such a terrible experience. I prefer candid shots but I can see the purpose of professional photos too. 

Left to right, back row: Quinton, Rhiannon, Eddy, Declan

Left to right, front row: Zaynzley, Archer, McCoy

This gives you an idea of heights in August 2020, of course things are very different now, except Mom and Dad of course.

August 2020

 

Zany is almost 8!

Zaynzley (you say it like Ainsley but with a Z) is soon to turn 8!! How can my baby be nearly 8? She is the youngest and only girl in a family of four brothers.  She is full of spunk and sass at home I think she is more timid at school but not to sure. She really loves friends and delights in going to friends houses or having them come over.  Zany, her nickname, has very wavy hair that gets extremely tangled and she hates to have it brushed out but doesn't want to cut it. It can be a struggle. I have the same tangly hair so I literally feel her pain!  

Zaynzley decided she wanted to learn to blow bubbles with gum 

so she kept at it until she could

Everyday when she comes home from school she gets right on her homework 

so she can get on to other funner things.

Zany being the only girl gets her own room. It is the smallest room in the house but it is all girl! 

She wanted photographic evidence of her clean room to show 

her older brother Quinton who is on a mission in Mexico

She actually cleaned it herself

 Zany loves to cook and bake! She had a play kitchen when she was small that she really loved to fix meals for people. When she outgrew it we gave it to the Duncan Public Library where it has been a big hit with the 8 and under crowd.
Now she likes to help in the kitchen if there is some baking to be done.

Helping to make Declan's strawberry cake

Declan tries to pinch out the flame

Declan got to pick whatever kind of cake he wanted and I was surprised he picked strawberry. But I vaguely remember when he was younger he did like strawberry cake.  In the last couple years, I have gotten lazy and tend to just buy a small cake from the bakery but I guess strawberry cake is a niche flavor and they don't carry it ready made. So I had to make one from a box which was easy and cheaper.  He wanted cream cheese frosting so I took the lazy route again and bought pre-made cream cheese frosting and added a package of cream cheese and the juice from the frozen strawberry stuff. And while the cake isn't as pretty as a bakery cake it was a big hit with all who ate it.

Back to Zany, this girl loves to craft and I mean loves it. 

Painting, coloring, making bracelets and any kind of craft kit.

This is a shaving cream snowman she made with pasta

Zaynzley is a delight and such a fun and tough girl. Don't let her smack your bum she packs quite a wallop! I guess rough housing with four brothers has some advantages she is a strong girl.

Archer is 10!

Although Archer is 10 he is still the same hot beverage, hot bath, slipper wearing little boy he always was.  He has added a few more things to his love list.  He loves comic books like Big Nate, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the like. He is a get up early kid if it means he can play a video game on a Saturday.  He will routinely get up at 6:30 am to play while everyone else sleeps.  He is also extremely stealthly and quiet especially  when his time is up for playing on his kindle. Archer had a delightful grin and is such a sweet kiddo.  He has a daily hot cocoa and has pulled out his last three loose teeth by himself. 

Arch loves hot fries and all kinds of hot chips. 

Comic and a cookie

No one likes a fire like little Archer he loves to roast himself by the fire and he is an infamous soda sipper when you leave your soda unattended. 

When Archer is tired from an early morning rise he will just put himself down for a nap wherever seems handy.  He curled himself up on this footstool and I later put a blanket on him.  Archer is very limber and is able to still trim his little toenails himself (with his teeth). 

Archer would love nothing more than a pet to cuddle and nap with near the fire. His dream pet is a Husky dog.  His mean momma wants nothing to do with another creature to feed.  His great-grandma has a litter of wild kitties at her house that are the fluffiest you have ever seen. The mother cat will let you pet her but not the kitties. I told Archer and Zany if they could catch one I would consider letting them have one thinking no way could they catch one. Archer did catch a cute black kitty that wasn't to pleased with the operation.

Archer with feral kitty

Archer is going to attempt to tame the feral kitty and part of his plan is to take piano lessons from his great-grandma again so he can have more chances to capture and pet the kitty. Who knows maybe he will get a pet of his own?

McCoy of the Junior High

McCoy is a calm, peaceful middle child who has grown in to a sweet 13 year old boy.  He can be quiet but on occasion extremely talkative.  He was my baby that never tried to crawl out of his crib even though he was 3 years old.  McCoy loves sports watching, playing and even the video game versions of sports. McCoy is a cuddle bug and loves a hug.  His favorite animal currently is a sloth seen as a stuffed animal below.  He of course has been raised to love ASU and 

despise U of A.

McCoy and Sid the Sloth

 McCoy has a very large head but with that large head is a large brain.  McCoy is a whiz at math and actually all subjects in school.  He also enjoys the after school gifted program. Just remembering to turn in all those assignments is his challenge.

Despite liking wrestlers he does not want to wrestle.  

Can't say I blame him it does NOT look enjoyable.

McCoy seen front row far left, was a pirate and read to some primary school children. 

McCoy is getting less shy the older he gets and has tried some new things lately like quartet with the Junior High Choir and also he did a play at the college. I'm looking forward to seeing what else he does in the future.