Ava's first Girls Camp (June 2019)

Ava and her best friend Mckensie getting ready to leave for Camp.

Ava wasn't always "thrilled" to have her mother around taking pictures.

Ava looks so little compared to everyone else! We have 3 Miamaids (on the left), 2 Beehives (Ava and Mckensie), and one Laurel. I guess they won't be using these names anymore in the Church.

ready for the cold and rain

blurry picture of the two of us

Sitting around enjoying the fire.

Some of the girls enjoying the "snack" trailer.  :)

When the Prophet announced that 11 yr old girls would be part of the Young Women I started thinking about Ava attending her first Girls Camp. I really wanted to go but they had plenty of leaders and didn't really need any moms to tag along. But at the last minute, the very day they were leaving, a leader came down sick and they needed someone to fill in. I had already told them that if they needed someone, I would be more than happy to go up and camp. So, they asked if I could still go and of course I was thrilled about it. It was so much fun and of course Girls Camp is uplifting and spiritual and just wonderful to get out in nature and appreciate the beauty that Jesus created for us. (Even the torrential downpour the very last night;)

End of School Dances (May 2019)

The kids always perform dances for their families at the end of school. Ava did "What Time Is It?" from High School Musical and Eli danced to the song from "Coco". (Ava really was happy-she was looking for the kid who's hat she was holding). I love to see the fun dances and choreography the teachers come up with for their classes each year.

From One Grandma to Another (May 2019)

Joan had this little loveseat/oversized chair ever since she left Virginia. She had always planned on recovering it but just never found the time to do it and then her shoulders played out and she couldn't do it anymore. It was a dingy cream color and had many stains all over it. But I knew Cindi Lou would LOVE it with it's Victorian charm and she did. She was so happy to have it and look how beautiful it turned out. 

Andrew McEwen (May 2019)

Eli was absolutely heartbroken when his friend, Andrew, moved to Idaho. His family was renting the house next to us while they decided where to move to and Andrew and Eli became fast friends. They played together almost daily. This is a photo I snapped right before Andrew got in his Dad's truck and moved away. Eli was sobbing and continued to cry for a long time. He loves his friends with all his heart.

Brad's Senior Pics (May 2019)

Brad had Jake take his Senior Pictures back in May. I think they turned out fantastic. My copies aren't as clear as the ones on Jake's camera but I think Jake captured Brad's personality. He is serious most of the time but has this silly, kid-like side to him that comes out every once in awhile. He is such a good-looking young man. 

Clay Pins from Dad (April 2019)

Mom wore these pretty little pins one Sunday for church and I snapped a few pictures of them. Dad made them for her years ago. I think he made them out of flour but I'm not 100% on that. Look at the detail he put into them and it's amazing they have held up so well after all these years.

Easters (2019)

Easter was wonderful this year. I was so focused on the Savior I almost forgot about coloring eggs with the kids. I remembered Saturday and hurried and boiled some eggs. We had so much fun together. I love the photos Jake takes. You can tell which ones are his and which are mine;) We went out to eat with the Ralph family Saturday night and had the Merrill Easter dinner on Sunday. I really felt so close to the Savior and had such a feeling of gratitude for Him this year. I am always grateful for Him but I felt it deeper during this Easter season. 

Eli turns 7 (April 15, 2019)

Our little "buggie-boy" turned 7 on April 15th. The Saturday before his birthday, we took him and his friend, Henry, to McDonald's (his choice). They played for almost an hour there. Then on Monday, we had his birthday party. He had invited Henry (who couldn't come because it was his little brother's birthday, Andrew (who came down with strep throat), and Collin. Collin was the only one who made it. Collin was so sweet and brought a lego character and Eli carries it everywhere. Eli had told me the only things he really wanted were cowboy boots and a cowboy shirt. We went to Cal Ranch and found both. (I also went back later and bought his a couple of toys with cowboys and horses so he could have some toys and not just clothes). We had pizza, cake and ice cream and then they went swimming at the legacy center with Jake, Ava, and Dennis. He said it was a great birthday.

His face kills me! (I had put his boots in my stockpot so he wouldn't be able to guess what they were).

So excited!

Feeling like a new man!

His "golden" (yellow) cake with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.

The balloons that Brad helped pick out for him.

Getting ready for the pool (Collin is almost 8 and rather tall for his age)

The buddies at the pool.

Timpanogos Temple

Ethan and Chani want to get married in the Timpanogos Temple July 20th of this year. They also want to have their reception right across the Temple at the Amphitheater. It's an old, beautiful park with lots of room. So Jake, Ava, and I went with Ethan one afternoon to check out the park and of course we had to walk the Temple grounds. The daffodils were all in bloom and smelled absolutely delicious. There was only a handful of other people there because it was a Monday. Such a beautiful Spring day.

Curly Hair for a Day (April 2019)

Ava wanted to try having curly hair one day so she had me braid her hair in tiny braids all over her head and then slept in them. The next day she took them all out and she had beautifully crimped hair just the way she wanted it to look.

Ava with an admirer in the background

Her hair is getting so long! We need to trim up the ends.

Playing Tag is Dangerous (March 2019)

Eli was begging us to play tag with him one afternoon so Jake and I played with him. He is super fast and I can never outrun him but I give it a valiant effort. Well, we were playing and Jake and I took off around the kitchen counter with Eli barreling after us. He rounded the corner and slammed into the garbage cans. What a mess! He hurt his elbow but was right back up and at it in no time.

Color Festival (March 30, 2019)

Every year in Spanish Fork, the Hindu religion does a Color Festival (at least it's at the Krishna temple there). Hundreds of people go and dance and throw colored chalk or flour all over. I'm not exactly sure what they are celebrating or commemorating but people of all faiths go and have fun together. Ethan and Chani went this year and had a blast.

I had to get a couple of photos of these two and all their bright colors.

They had a great time!

Brad's final Woodworking Project (March 2019)

Brad took woodworking this Senior year. He actually went back to school a few days after he graduated and worked on it a few hours each day until he finished it. It's a beautiful Alder nightstand. He has it in his room and plans on passing it on to his children. He said he really enjoyed woodwork and thought maybe he would like to be a carpenter some day. I'm glad to hear of his ideas of what he would like to do for a living someday.

Graduation Dinner for Brad and Birthday Dinner for Jesse (March 2019)

I wanted Brad to know how proud we were of him for graduating from high school since it was such a struggle to go during his 10th and 11th years with his health. So I sent everyone a text or a call and had a ham dinner. Everyone was so sweet and pitched in. It was also Jesse's birthday so Rachel brought him a cake. (They had been in St.George with the girls for softball so Jesse had been staying with us. We took him bowling, and out to eat and bought him a little cake from "Nothing Bundt Cakes" and also some air cartridges for his airsoft gun.) I hope they both felt special and loved.

Jess getting ready to blow out his candles.

Mom and Dad enjoying the ham dinner and listening to all the chatter.

Dave, Dean, and Alisa

Tyson got such a kick out of Mom's story of the "cat in the bag". He was dying. We all get such a kick out of Mom telling her stories of how she and Dad got engaged.