Independence Day

I seriously can't remember a better fourth of July.  The entire day from start to finish was just wonderful!  After a breakfast and patriotic program at Raelynn's church, we all went up to visit the temple quarry site.  It was a short drive, an even shorter stroll, and just all around beautiful.  Perfect for our group.

My festive family!

 I love these three girls.  None of them have sisters, but they have each other!

 Parent and sibling selfies!

 20 months old

 My kiddos in front of our house.

 I tried for a picture with all the boy cousins, but only these three would cooperate.  The others were rolling down the hill and throwing grass...

 Cousins!  All my parent's grandchildren sitting on their front porch.  :)

 We had fun playing games in the green space and Ollie decided to go with Eric and Dad to get the ice cream from the house.  He did not want to stay with me!  It was really cute watching him walk away with those two.

 The firework display in front of our house that night was epic.  Between Eric and our neighbors, we had as good a display as if we had gone somewhere.  My two favorite parts were watching Cooper's face (I love this picture so much):

And screaming with Raelynn during the finale when it felt like the fireworks were exploding right on top of us.  It was awesome.

I'm really grateful to live in this country.  We are so blessed!

20 Months Old

He's just so cute I kind of am obsessed.

Happy 4th of July!

Friends

"You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere.  That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place." 

- Miriam Adeney

 That is a price I willingly will pay.  These two ladies have given my life much richness, I am completely grateful for the joy that is my life because of them.

Missy and Jennifer, thank you for the countless girls night outs.  The crying, laughing, and talking until way past my bedtime.  Your examples and love.  It's been magnificent!

Missy told me:  Life is made so much better by dear friends.  I miss you already and you're still here!

Jennifer said:  I will miss you more than you know.  My life is better because you are my friend.

I feel the same way about them.  So grateful for friends.

Last Day of School

Ethan and Madeline both just finished incredible years of school.  I can't believe Madeline is done with second grade and Ethan is done with fourth!  What great kids I have!  I have been so incredibly grateful for the wonderful years of learning they have had.

 Ethan received the Super Reader award at school this year.  He read 380 hours this school year.  380 hours!  Mind blown...

 He also got high marks in every thing else.  He's always been good at so many things.

 Madeline won The Citizenship Award for the second year in a row!  Teachers nominate the kids from their class that are the best at following rules, being respectful and cooperative, and all good things like that.  She really is such a good girl.  Her work is always beautifully neat.  She is creative and works really hard.  She is a whole year ahead on her reading level as well.  I felt very grateful that she had the same teacher as Ethan in second grade.  This year only, she didn't teach the ALPS class.  I can only explain it as a blessing because Mrs. Worwood is the best teacher I've ever known.

 And here is Michael and Ethan.  Best best inseparable friends for the last five years.  I pretty much cry every time I look at this picture.  I'm surprised how much I think I'll miss Michael myself.  He's been such a good friend for Ethan.  What a joy it's been to have him in Ethan's life.

Ethan was a bit emotional saying goodbye to his class and friends.  That ALPS program has sure been a gift for him.  His class has shared everything together and grown really close over the last few years.  That is an awesome bunch of kids.  I think I will miss them all.  Ethan was very grateful that he didn't have to say goodbye to Michael on the last day of school though.  That helped a lot.

Goodbye Jordan Ridge Elementary.  What a great school!

June's Ten Things

June has been crazy.  I've been so busy packing and trying to get ready to go, I am kind of amazed that I even did anything else.  But I packed a lot in.  I wanted my Ten Things to Smile About in June to be ten things I haven't mentioned in previous blog posts.  So here are my ten random things to smile about in June:

1.  The South Jordan Parade with cousins

 2.  My sister

 3.  Having the entire family cavity free at the dentist and watching Cooper be awesome there!  Not even a tiny fit.  He was perfect!

 4.  Dad playing outside with the boys

 5.  Teeny tiny pool parties

 6.  Funny faces with the kids

 7.  Cooper raking and playing in leaves.  What?  We sure have a messy tree!  But it makes Cooper very happy.

 8.  Going to a really fun pack meeting with giant dogs, tortoises, chinchillas and other fun animals.

 9.  Brothers!

10.  Feeling God's love as I prepare to move.  Seeing His hand in my life.  Knowing it's all going to be okay.

Road Trip!

On Sunday morning, Todd and I left in his truck to drive up to WA.  Just a short little 15 hour road trip.  Ha!  Some might call us crazy, but for me it was an adventure I needed to take.  The drive up was quite enjoyable and the time actually passed pretty quickly.  Here we are when we finally got to Washington.  Don't be deceived though, we probably had at least five more hours to go.

 I was grateful to get there and get out at Todd's parents new little place.  It's really cute and they are very nice company.  It made being there instantly feel like home.  And speaking of home, I finally got to see mine the next morning:

The inside is just right.  I was surprised at how just right it was.  It's really meant to be our house.  I felt so comfortable inside that I could have just stayed all day.  The yard is enormous and quite lovely.  We will enjoy two cherry trees, three apple trees, and two pear trees.  I'm excited to make applesauce again!  And pies!

 Being there settled my nerves and made me feel happy.  I even laughed about the neighbors really loud roosters.  We will see if I still am when I live there.  But seriously, it just felt good.

 The area is just beautiful.  Lot of trees and lots of farmland.  Dairy farms, corn fields, berry farms.  It feels slower and quiet and peaceful.  Here is what part of the drive to my house looks like.  And about that much traffic too.  It's really lovely.

 Todd and I also enjoyed going to Whatcom Falls Park, one of my favorite places on this planet.

 We had some good meals with Todd's parents and more good visiting.  And then the next morning we left for home.  We got up with the sun, and were still driving to watch it set.  The drive home was much harder than the drive there.  My back revolted.  But it will recover and it was totally worth it.

I'm glad I know now where I'm going.

4th Grade Program

If there was one thing Ethan was excited about this year, it was the Utah History Fourth Grade Program.  They worked on it all year, and he talked about it all year.  He said he for sure just didn't want to move before the program!  And honestly, after going to it, I could see why!  It was completely awesome.  So cute.  And wonderful.

 They had speaking parts, singing, playing the recorder, and dancing.

 All of which were entertaining.  The recorders where much more pleasing to my ears than I had anticipated.  The songs were really good.  The dancing was so fun to watch.

 I loved it!

 And you could tell that Ethan did too

 He had so much fun dancing

 and he had a smile on his face the entire time.

 They were such a cute bunch of kids.

 I admit I was teary-eyed the entire time.  Partly because when a group of kids sing cute songs I am always teary-eyed, and partly because we are leaving.  The songs about Utah made it even more difficult to not start ugly crying.  But I didn't want to seem like a crazy lady, so I kept it in.

 Caleb, Ben, Ethan, Jordan - buddies!

I'm so glad I got to watch Ethan having such a wonderful time performing!