Birthday Month

Holy cow this summer has been crazy! August is birthday month in our family - Zane's is Aug 11th and Morgan's is Aug 22nd. Thankfully, they're really good sports about celebrating their birthdays together every year. (I'm sure it helps that we have about 4 birthday parties for them total throughout the month.)

 

The first weekend in August, Uncle Rick and Aunt Sharon came over from Oregon and we got to spend a couple days shopping and BBQing with them. Morgan and Zane showed us how good they've gotten with their BB Guns they got on Christmas. And it's not a birthday party without cake - and Aunt Sharon found a good one!

 

 

Then this weekend, we celebrated some more! Levi and I drove up to Mom and Dad's on Saturday to go swimming at Jefferson Lake.

 

 

And then Sunday my family came out to the farm in Arbon Valley for the first time for even MORE partying. (I'm telling ya, it literally lasts all month!) My awesome balloon bouquets flew away in the wind before I could snap a picture, but trust me, they were adorable: Animals for Mo, and Spiderman for Zane. And they matched their gift bags perfectly. The kids had a blast running around with the dogs, playing on the swing set and hammock, and jumping on the trampoline.

 

 
They are such good kids. When we realized that Zane's birthday was only a couple weeks away (seriously, where DID July go??), Mom asked him what he wanted. "Mmmm..... I will be happy with whatever you get me!" :) After they left the farm, Ken and Melinda both commented on how easygoing and well-behaved they are. Made me feel like a proud momma - er, Big Sister. I only wish I could take credit!

Happy 4th!

Every year, I think "We're going to keep the 4th a simpler holiday this year. It shouldn't have to feel so chaotic." Aaaand then it ends up being CRAZY. This year, we drove to Pocatello on the 3rd to stay with our friends Dustin and Cami in their beautiful new house. Dustin is one of the M7 boys, and they've been our neighbors ever since we got married, so we're missing them a TON. (Now who am I supposed to borrow powdered sugar from at 10 PM when I randomly decide to make a cake??)

We went to the Pocatello parade in the morning, and tried our best not to melt away. It was HOT.

Levi's tradition is that you HAVE to go swimming on the 4th. So we found a spot on the river that was semi-shaded (although extremely dusty), ate our pizza, and then Cami and I decided we were done sweating to death. ...Plus, that water looked like you would probably start glowing green if you swam in it too long. So she and I packed up little Hadli, and went back to her house to take a nap while everyone else swam. :) THAT should be one of my 4th of July traditions... napping.... it's Patriotic right?

When everyone was finally together again, we had our usual M7 Independence Day BBQ, and then Levi and I jetted up to Mom's to watch the Menan fireworks. The kids were so excited that we made it in time.

Zane couldn't stand still long enough for a non-blurry picture.
Sparklers are just too exciting!

Our plan was to stay the night with Mom and Dad, and then come home, but what's the use of being young if you can't be spontaneous? Deciding that it would be a great weekend to go camping, we left Mom's at 11:30 PM Thursday night, made it home at 2 AM, and left the next day to go camping. It was definitely worth it though.

A thunderstorm rolled over us as we were cooking dinner, but other than that the weather was beautiful!

 

Tis the Season - For Weddings!

May arrived, school ended, and all taffeta broke loose. Hello wedding season! This summer, we have 8 weddings to attend within a 12 week spread! I'm hoping to make it to at least half of them. Add in 1 new M7 niece being born, a college graduation in Oregon, 2 of the M7 boys graduating from Utah State, Levi starting a new job, countless niece and nephew birthdays, and trying to take advantage of the nice weather and my parents living closer.......... I think I need a nap!

 

One of Levi's mission companions, Justin Despain got married on May 18th, and as Levi was a groomsman, we got to be involved in ALL the festivities. Jen and Justin wanted a "Disney Princess" wedding, so their theme was "Our Happily Ever After".

 



Levi made a beautiful groomsman.

The reception was all things Disney...

 



Each table centerpiece was based on a different Disney Princess.

The food was all things Disney... 



In case some of these are hard to see, those are (starting top left and going clockwise): Jasmine's Gold Sugar Cookie Coins, Pascal's Cupcakes, Button Cookies, Ariel's Sand Dollar Cookies, Rose's Cupcakes, Pocahontas Hummingbird Nests, the Snuggly Duckling Watering Hole, Fruit Flower bouquets, Mulan's Fortune Cookies, Cinderella's Mice Truffles, Pretzel Fairy Wands, Belle's Magical Rose Shortcakes, and a magical light up princess castle.

 

Jen and Justin also asked each member of the bridal party and their significant other to participate in a Disney Princess photo shoot. Luckily, I already owned a green dress and had just found a box from Mom's that had my prom tiara in it. So we chose Tiana and Prince Naveen, from Princess and the frog.

 

Pretty good likeness, right? I told Levi to make a "suave" face lol.

 

As a whole, I think we looked pretty swell.  

 

Her dad and grandpa even joined in as kings.

 What a day!

 

Almost exactly a month later, it was Dallas (Levi's brother) and Laci's wedding. They went for more of an outdoor, superhero theme. It was beautiful!

 

 

Only 4 more weeks, and 3 more weddings to go! :)

Oregon Time

I was so ready for a trip home to Oregon! So when my cousin Zack asked if we were coming for his college graduation, I answered with a resounding YES! Levi and I only told Mom and the kids that we were going, and then Friday night we jumped in the car after work and drove to La Grande. You should have seen Grandma's face when we came walking up to the house Saturday morning. :) We got to spend all day Saturday with Dad's side of the family at Zack's graduation and the after party...

 ...and then spent Sunday with Mom's family barbequing and playing with the cousins at Grandma and Grandpa's.

 

  

Hopefully, we'll be back in time for Huckleberry season at the end of the summer...

Party for Presidents' Day?

I love school holidays, even if I'm not in school anymore! Mom and the kids came over to spend a few days since they had no school on Presidents' Day. There's not much to do in Cache Valley in February (unless you're a snowboarder or snowplow driver) so Mom and I took the kids down to Salt Lake City to visit temple square and the new City Creek mall. It was a cold day but fun to get out and run around.

 

After living in Utah for 2½ years, I've done the Temple Square thing so often that the new has fairly well worn off, but it was super fun watching the kids explore and see things that they recognized from watching General Conference.

 

 

 

As we walked into the Conference Center, Morgan's eyes got really big and she whispered: "This is where the prophet is!! Are we going to see him today?!?"

 

 

 

 

But our favorite part was taking pictures in front of the temple! The kids proudly said as we drove home "Best Day Ever!"

 

 

And finally, Levi's stepbrother and one of my good friends from high school, BRADEN came home last night! He's been serving a mission in Cuernavaca, Mexico for the last two years. Welcome home, Elder Campbell!