Busy July

Plain City was full of awesome days this year around the 4th of July.  There was a concert in the park by Ryan Shupe and the Rubberbands.  We relaxed and listened to great music while the boys played cards on the sleeping bag.  It was just a beautiful perfect July evening. The next evening we had our traditional sleep on the tramp with all the cousins.  Thank goodness my mom has three tramps because there is getting to be a lot of kids and a lot of crazy.

Cam took one to the face with a foam bat.

I got to go out to dinner and also camping in July with some of  my besties from High School.  This picture was taken at North Fork while we were in High School and the silly one below it is a remake.

All of our kids.  They all got along so well and played a ton of fun games.  I can't even believe all those tiny humans (and some not so tiny) are here because of the four of us.

Girls camp 2018.  I had the time of my life as usual.  I can't even believe that I could ever love someone else's child nearly as much as I love mine.  They make me want to be a better person.  The examples they set for me and our ward are immeasurable.  I stayed out with them super late both nights and was exhausted the whole time.  The second night I think I got a bit of food poisoning because I was up sick ALL night long.  It was so bad.  If we had to stay one more night I would have gone home, that is how bad it was!

I snuck into their cabin to chill with them one evening and one of the girls was super sad because she missed her family so they all gathered and went in a circle reading one scripture each to help comfort her and it also brought them so much closer together and united in faith.  I just sat back and watched in awe at their courage and kindness.  I spent many an afternoon having deep long conversations with them about their lives and I truly came away a better woman having spent that time with them.

We went to Marsh Lake camping the very minute I got home from Girls Camp and this is the only pic I have is of Cam's crazy hair.  We had so much fun and caught a lot of fish and best of all spent time together as a family.

Shane and I took Dakota and Gunnar on an awesome hike up in North Ogden one hot afternoon.

High Adventure 2018.  Brax and the Teachers Quorum went hiking for a few days.  They started off with a wonderful fireside as well as a trip to the temple to do baptisms for the dead.  He had a great time and learned a lot while he was there.

At girls camp we were challenged to attend the Temple once a week for 3 weeks in a row.  I helped the MiaMaids accomplish this goal by driving them to the temple on Wednesday mornings for 3 weeks.  It was such a special experience for me to spend that extra time with the girls right before I was released.  It was quite a difficult experience for me to be released.  I cried a lot for a few days because 1) I hate change 2) I love love love those girls and wanted to watch over them forever! 3)I wasn't ready, I needed at least one more activity to say goodbye and make sure they knew how much I love love love them. 4)I was just sad.

On the way to Yellowstone we stopped at some falls and also at Idaho Falls.  These pictures snuck in on this bit of pictures instead of the ones earlier.  The falls were breathtakingly beautiful and really made me think of the majesty of God's creations.

Scout Camp for Dakota was a blast this summer.  He loves the boys in his Deacon's Quorum and they had a lot of fun adventures.

We were able to participate in the Anything for a Friend 5k again this year with the Cottam's in honor of Becca.  It is a benefit for people who have terminal illness.  Dakota was at camp, but the 4 of us finished and ran hard.  It was exhausting and really fun.  One of the butterflies they launch landed right on Shane's shirt.

For an impromptu FHE the Weston family cleaned up Grandpa Brent's yard.  It was terribly overgrown and needed many many hands to make lite work.  He was gone so we surprised him and got the entire yard done.  It was so overgrown it would have been impossible for one person to take it on themselves.  I am always in awe of what great families Shane and I both have that are always so willing to help whenever they are called upon.