Before it gets forgotten

So, it's so much harder to get pictures off of my phone... I do want to record a couple of things about him before I forget.

Seth lost his first tooth.  He's two weeks away from his 5th birthday, but he's officially my youngest to start losing teeth.  He found it wiggly when we were at our grandparents house swimming and chatting with Aunt Emily and Uncle Jay.  He was worried about it, but Evelyn reminded him that if he puts it under his pillow he gets money.  "Yay!  I'm going to get a penny!"  Then I forgot to put money under his pillow.... and Sam saved me.  While I cuddled with Seth, Sam slipped money under his pillow and eventually it got found.

We've been doing paint by number paintings together.  It's been so much fun.  Seth got some dinosaurs to paint.  Ada helped him with one and he said, "Ada!  I'm so proud of you!"

Besides these things, we've been hiking the Y with our family, unpacking and hanging out with my parents because they finished their mission, swimming with friends, splash padding with my family, and running a sealing and reception for my Ecuadorian family.  All good and busy things.  It's been fun, but it's nice to be able to have fewer things that I'm in charge of... (Jer was so marvelous at the reception.  I think he was a one man show!)

I don't think I took pictures of my family hanging out... it's just so easy to forget!

Chick fil a day.  Easy to make paper cow ears and get free food.  We went with Frankie, Ada's friend, and the Kaiser family.  And I took 2 pictures.... and yes, I'm closing my eyes in both.

We got to go to Bridal Veil Falls the last week that Margaret was here.  I love them and I'm glad we get to see them.

Top: Ada, Joseph, Seth, Eli, Sam

Mid: Maisy, Cyrus, Jonathan, Evelyn

Bottom: Hal

It was a new experience to put up a pool.

We went to Provo Rec Center with Marg and Amy's families.  They all had a blast.  Ada was shy about using the slides because of her broken tail bone.  Sam got lost for a while, we couldn't find him anywhere.  He'd gone into the locker rooms with the Tarkingtons and not told us.

Game of Pomp

First time in the new pool.  I think they love it.

Loose tooth

4 of the 9 siblings.

Jer, Marg, Judy, Jim, Jay and Amy

We went out for Korean

Hiked the Y.  I always struggle with inclines, but we got most of the way up.... very slowly and Evelyn threw a tantrum.  So instead of finishing, I took her to the car and she sat in time out.  Sam was hiker extraordinaire and both Seth and Ada slipped and skinned parts when it started raining on them the last quarter mile.  Uncle Jay brought his drone and that was fun.

We had a park day with our friends from school.  Evelyn is in Parker's class and Ada is in Abigail's. We checked out the new Discovery Park.  The older kids are not fans, but I love the new water features that they put in.  Then we went and had lunch at the American Fork library and Culver's to redeem our free ice cream vouchers from reading at the library.

Paint by numbers.  I think Ada's addicted.

Lost tooth.

We had a girls day with Aunt Nella.  Ada planned the whole thing.  It was super cute.

Babysitting Vivien.

Jer got to climb Mount Olympus.  It sounds amazing and the pictures they took were amazing.  Jer's excited to try that one with Sam.

Sam got to go to the scout day trip.  They learned CPR, made tic tac toe games, canoed, went for a 3 mile hike, etc... Sam is such a wonderful listener.  He got home and told me all about CPR and he got it all right too.  Including what to do if you are the only one there and what to do if you aren't. 

Our new porch.  I'm very happy with it.  Jer is going to try to even out the colors after we get home, I hope it works because that was the only thing I was disappointed in.

20th High School Reunion

This past weekend was my 20th High School reunion.  Unlike a lot of people I know, I liked school.  I liked the people, the school work, the after school activities.  I loved catching up with a lot of my friends and we've even made arrangements to meet up again soon.  Some I haven't seen in years and some I've seen in the last 6 months.  There were a couple that I'm not sure really remembered me, but for the most part we were happy to see each other.  I was sad to find out that several people from our class have passed away since then though.  At least 8, but most of them were from accident or sickness.  Only one was from substance abuse.  

My camera stretches people out when I use the front camera, but it's fun anyways.  

Rebecca McCool, Michelle Flowers, Aliesha Shepherd, Jeff Shepherd, Michelle Myrup, Sharon Bowman and me.

This one is Mesh.  She's my favorite.  Always has been, always will be.  

Aliesha is a dog trainer, Desire is a programmer that just started making games.  My kids love her Unicorn Rainbow game.   Especially Evelyn.

This was our lunch spot.  We never ate in the lunch room.  We always ate at the top of the stairs.  It was quieter and most of us brought a home lunch.  I don't think I went into the cafeteria more than a few times during the 3 years there.

Sarah Christofferson, Desire Glasher, Aliesha Shepherd, Michelle Flowers, me, Rebecca McCool

This one doesn't have me in it, but it's basically my favorite High school people so I got a copy.

MaryAnn Bentley, Desire Glasher, Robyn Stocks, Mesh Lenaburg, Rebecca McCool, Emily Lodato, Katie Rasmussen

Some of these guys have had the typical life, but most have had struggles and challenges.  And we still love each other despite all of it.  Some of these ladies have 8 kids and teenagers.  Some are childless or have new babies.  One has attempted suicide.  Some work outside the home.  2 aren't married.  Some live on the east coast, some one the west.  One never joined the church, two left the church.  Several struggled with parts of their faith and stayed faithful so far.  Several have lost parents or siblings.  Most got to go to college, very few ended up where they thought they would.  About half of us were missionaries.  But again, all of us were happy to see each other.

Jer was such a good sport.  A lot of my friends didn't bring their spouses, financial or personal reasons.  I wanted Jer to be there.  I often feel like Lehi and the tree.... when he tastes the fruit, he wants to share it.  I want everyone to be with me to share in the good stuff.  Jer let me share my love of friends with him and I appreciate him taking it all in stride.  

Side project

This amazing man!  Before the lawn dies and before our road trip he had to get in the new sprinkler lines.  One part of the yard doesn't get enough water, so while he was digging lines he went ahead and added one to the side yard.  He took a whole day to work on it, then worked with his Dad putting up the pool, then spent the next day working on the sprinklers again.  I did a little bit, but honestly he did the most.  I helped the most on the 5th.  I helped bury the lines and level things out.  We were out until midnight trying to finish.  We had all the kids out watching the neighbors that were doing fireworks a day late, the Prices were just down the street, so they let the kids come watch while Jer and I dug. Then he went over on the 6th and helped his Dad again.  

Done!  Working sprinkler lines, new porch and just need to finish the roof and the rain gutters.