Welcome to our World

Natalie  enjoys playing catcher so wanted me to include this picture but I have to tell you a mom fail story too. Now that it is fall the girls are supposed to wear black softball pants to their games instead of the cute shirts they had this summer. Even though I bought her the smallest size as Dick’s Sporting Goods they are still too big and I forgot to buy her a belt. So, when she took a turn playing pitcher and her job was to try to get to home before the 3rd base runner she couldn’t because she had to use one hand to hold up her pants!  Plus, she was just wearing tennis shoes because she announced suddenly that her cleats were too small.  So, in between games that Saturday, Michelle and I took her to Play It Again Sports and bought her the smallest belt they had and boy, were we all surprised when the girl who had size 13.5 cleats in March tried on the size 1, 1.5, 2 and eventually the size 3 shoe fit!  Same brand too!  Proof Natalie really did grow this sum...

First, here is some fun before we had a big surprise handed us this year.  Off roading on our way to visiting Rocky Mountain National Park.  We had waited weeks for our reservation day to arrive! Yummy treats Danny made after learning how in virtual FCS class. Electives are the best. Taking our last chance to get a reservation at our favorite outdoor pool meant only the elementary schoolers could go on a Friday while Grandma stayed with the middle schoolers to finish their full school day.  I really wish they would take it a little easier on my middle school kids during this pandemic but it is what it is. At 106,000 miles, our 2011 Toyota Sienna kicked the bucket.  It began acting up as I was driving due to safety features helping with the steering by using the breaks.  A warning came on to check the VSC System at the dealership.  I felt like I shouldn't drive it anymore and my mother was generous enough to bring me her car when we needed to take the childr...

No one wants to celebrate their birthday on a Monday when most of their favorite people would be at work or online schooling, right?  So, we celebrated a day early and began with going to church in the building for the first time since March.  It was familiar and felt good to be there but also so strange with only half the congregation there and wearing masks and using our cell phones as hymn books.  Photo credit goes to Kate the Great! I felt spoiled by cards and well wishes both in life and online.  We filled up the entire kitchen island with ice cream and toppings based on the Kitchen Sink from the Disney Parks Blog.  It was pretty amazing!  Kate slept through all the festivities because she had a sleepover with her best friend the night before.  They stayed up late in our basement watching 3 movies!  I was kind of jealous they wouldn't let me watch To All The Boys I've Loved Before (1&2) with them.  Perhaps it was because I've read a...

Our last hurrah before school began included N finally having her dog themed birthday party we planned in February.  Such a great group of children willing to go through our obstacle course and play fetch and remain outdoors the entire time of the party in order to eat cake (made by M) and ice cream to celebrate the birth of our youngest girl.  N was delighted and it was so fun to be around her and her friends together again.   M went to Gateway to party for her best friend A's birthday and I had fun journeying to the mall in search of the perfect Harry Potter present for her.  Lunch Box for the win!  Such a fun store we've never been to before.  I think it will be our new favorite place to buy presents for special occasions.  I also got to celebrate the birthday of A's mom completely outdoors with some of the other Waldorf moms and she was kind enough to share the recipe with me and I used it when I hosted book club at the gazebo behind our house. ...

With the disappointment that followed the news that school will begin online instead of the hybrid model they announced a few weeks ago, we were glad to have the family reunion to look forward to. I was told there were 38 of us that shared a mansion in Ashton, Idaho (the first time in Idaho for all of us except Hubby) but I didn’t count. It was wonderful to all be together! My in-laws know how to organize and feed huge groups of people but they also know how to be flexible and have tons of fun. The first couple days we hiked a little and walked to Mesa Falls, went tubing down the river, I truly enjoyed mountain biking for the first time in my life around Silver Lake, fed ducks, played games and spent many happy hours on kayaks and paddle boards at the little lake on the rental property. I also got to hold my precious newest niece and hear the announcement my oldest niece is expecting. (Imagine cute baby noises here.) Our last day we journeyed out to visit Yellowstone National Park toge...

When Kate's volleyball camp was canceled at BYU we canceled her trip first solo trip to Utah.  Then my father pointed out that she would have nothing to do the entire month of July so we asked our sister-in-laws if Kate could still come to visit even without volleyball camp to go to everyday.  Of course they said yes!  Hubby drove her out and she got to swim, shop, bowl, have slumber parties and have a magnificent time.  I'm so glad she could have this time to bond with extended family and create wonderful memories.  She is growing up so fast! Danny and Michelle also journeyed away from home that week.  They went on a backpacking trip with Avid 4 Adventure to Gunnison National Forest with the destination being Lost Lake.  I absolutely loved hearing the stories they told me on the ride home from pickup and over the next few days.  When their leaders sent out photos it was even better.  All 13 children and both leaders had trail names that were...