Moving

Cameron's parents moved out of their home today.  They moved into this house when Cameron was four and have been here for 35 years.  There are so many memories here, even for me.  This is where I came to pick him up for our first date (after he accidentally broke the window trying to get inside because he had been locked out... his mom was not happy with him that day!)  We hung out here as teenagers.  We stood on this porch for a picture the day that Cam went into the MTC (I looked terrible, by the way.  It honestly felt more like a funeral than a farewell to me).  We broke up here.  We got back together here.  We came here the night we were engaged to share our big news.  We were here the night before we got married.  We were here the morning we left for Iowa.  We ate countless Sunday dinners here as newlyweds.  We were welcomed here for weeks and even months at a time during summer breaks from law school.  We blessed Hayden here when we were in between homes and wards.  Our kids have hunted for Easter eggs on the lawn and under the bushes and around the rocks.  They have opened Christmas presents in the living room and watched cartoons in the family room.  On more than one noisy occasion, they have been banished to the backyard or the basement.  They have played here, napped here, eaten here, and mostly, they have been loved here.  We all have.

 

The Little Girls' Salon

I came home a couple of nights ago to this sign on the garage door:

 

 

Unfortunately, it was 10:30 p.m. and the girls had gone to bed.  I had missed their grand plans and I felt terrible.

 

Thankfully, they were more than willing to reschedule me.

 

I proudly wore their handiwork on my toenails out and about and even to the doctor's office.  I did, however, draw the line on Sunday morning and went to church polish-free.

 

Girls' Camp 2013

I just got back from our ward girls' camp.  This year we were lucky enough to go to Bear Lake.  We had such a wonderful time.  Some of the highlights included:

 

 Skits (hilarious!)

Chants Revealing Leader's Embarrassing Moments (our husbands told on us)

Kayaking

Personal Journal Time

Bonfires

Painting Nails

Sand Castle Temples (such talented girls)

Flip Flops

Smores

Swimming

Raspberry Shakes (can't go to Bear Lake without stopping for these)

Amazing Race Certification

Silent Walk to the Beach

Hiking

Devotionals

Rides on the "Princess Raft" (we never tip.... we only flip!)

Singing Happy Birthday Monotone Style (poor Sadie)

The Question Box (anything goes... really, anything)

Cobbler

Getting Busted (for sneaking away to shower at an undisclosed cabin location)

Laughing 'til all Hours of the Night (girls and leaders alike)

 

and my personal favorite:

 

Testimony Meeting on the Beach

 

Swim Lessons

Hayden, Ellie and Hadley have been taking swim lessons from our neighbor, Sam Murphy.  They love her.  They love going. And they are making great progress.

 

Hayden:

 

 

Hadley:

 

Ellie:

Somebody's Been Sleeping In My Bed...

and she is still there!

 

 

Sleepin' Over

This morning I went down to wake up the kids and this is what I found:

 

 

It is not unusual for my kids to make forts and sleep in them.  The difference this time was that all five of my children were asleep in it.  It has been such a long time since my older kids slept in a fort; probably years.  It just melted my heart to know that my 13 and 16 year-olds were willing to forego their comfy beds to sleep on the floor in a blanket fort and make memories with their younger siblings.

 

I'll just have to remember this the next time I am pulling my hair out over their messy rooms.  

Farewell Taylor Family

Tonight we had a farewell party for the Taylor family.  They are moving to Kentucky and we are trying really hard to be happy for them.  After Annie died, I was assigned to be Stephanie's visiting teacher and we quickly became great friends.  She is one of the most genuine, caring people that I know.  A few months ago, I was privileged to go to the temple with her for her first time.  It was such a neat day and I feel blessed to have been invited to share it with her.  I am excited to hear about her new adventures, but am sad that they will not be taking place here anymore.

 

I'm really going to miss her.

 

Mt. Aire

Last night, we went for another date-night hike with Steve and Sharon.  Sharon picked Mt. Aire in Millcreek Canyon.

 

The hike is about 4 miles round trip... not so bad. 

 

It is two miles straight up and two miles straight down... not so good.

 

However, the scenery all along the way was beautiful.  The wildflowers were especially amazing.  And we could not have asked for better weather (minus the thunderstorm that rolled through quickly and freaked me right on out!). 

 

When we started off we felt like this:

 

 

Halfway up, we felt like this:

 

But at the top, we felt like this:

 

My legs feel a bit like jello today, but it really was one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever been on.

 

So glad we made the journey!

Happy Fourth 2013!

Attending the block party for breakfast on the fourth of July has become tradition for us.  The little kids are always more interested in decorating their bikes than they are in eating any food.  The big kids, however, are plenty interested in the food.  After a flag ceremony and breakfast, all the bike riders line up at the end of the cul-de-sac. 

 

They then race... I mean parade, around the block.