Temple Time

 

One of the very best thing about 2023 so far, (there's lots of good things still to come) has been our family trying to spend more time in the temple.  Here is Abe the Jordan River Temple.  He takes mighty fine selfies.

The boys at the Draper temple.

The boys are good sports with my pictures.

Fridays are our "Temple and a Cookie" days.  Here we are at the Jordan River Temple (our preferred temple) 

And here we are getting our cookies.

The Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

I believe this trip was on Cinco de Mayo-- so we had Temple and Taco.

Saratoga Springs open house

This past Friday it ended up being just George and I at the Draper temple.  It was so nice to have the one-on-one time with him.  We decided to do Temple and Treasure--- as in "treasure hunting" at DI.  It's pretty much our favorite thing to do together.

And boy did we find a treasure!  George found this fetching faux fur stole!  He felt it was a perfect 

He-Man costume piece.  You can imagine his disappointment when I explained (after we purchased it) that a stole was generally considered a women's accessory!  No matter.  It is still fabulous!

The Tulip Festival 2023

 

Our annual outing to the Tulip Festival was wonderful in every way, except that we didn't have Clark and Bethany with us and we didn't really have any tulips either.  Because spring was so late in arriving, there were a few, but not many tulips in bloom yet.  It has been our intention to go back, but as of writing this, we haven't yet.

Okay, well now I look like a big liar, because we did get a family picture in one of the few patches with blooming tulips.  

I'm so glad we have these two.

A little ice cream treat with Dad.

I It was absolutely beautiful springtime weather the day we went.  And we went on a weekday afternoon, so it was much less crowded than years past when we've gone on Saturdays.

Elinor was looking so beautiful-- that pregnancy glow:)  It's a real thing.

I haven't been able to capture many pictures with Brandon smiling-- which is unfortunate, because he has a great smile and he is usually smiling.  Maybe the no smile is a Korean thing?  I'll have to ask him.

Greta loves Brandon--Oh look!  He's sort of smiling in this picture!  We must simply take more candid shots.

Cannon does amuse me so!

I think I will always love this picture and this memory of Elinor.

Spring Fever Fun

Grover has now joined the ranks of my awesome morning walking partners.  He loves his morning walk, and it plumb tuckers him out.  I am his most favorite person:)

Have I mentioned what a good dog he is?

It's become somewhat of a tradition with the kids that on the first spring-like, nice day of the year, we head over to the Riverton City Park with hammocks and Little Caesars Pizza and try to soak in the sunshine.

These two have always had a special connection.  The two "G's" of the family.  I guess Grover is the third "G" now. 

Faith and her daffodils-- its' tradition.

Faith hanging with friends (AKA "a date") to a BYU baseball game.

More mother/daughter bowling fun.

Fox cousin fun.  They are all so beautiful and so sweet to each other.  The cousin bond is strong-- they love each other so much.  What  a joy to be with and listen to.

The joy of cornhole!  Tis the season to prepare for competition!

Late night with best friends and The Sandlot.  Does childhood get much better than this?

Have I mentioned lately how much I love the Chase kids and and how grateful I am for their family?  Well, let it be noted, I do love them and I am grateful for them!

Peter and Greta made a miniature golf course in the family room.  We have had some nice spring days, but I'm guessing this wasn't one of them.  Spring has been especially slow in coming with lots of cold, snowy/raining days in between.  I'm pretty sure this was one of my "no screen days".  

They love it when I do that.  

Kidding, they do not love it.  But secretly, I think maybe they do like it.

Either way, nothing gets the creative juices flower faster than no screen days.  And I do love me some creative juices.

The biker gang of the neighborhood-- about to make their way to the local Walmart.  Aren't kids awesome?  When was the last time you gathered friends from your neighborhood and said, "Let's ride our bikes to Walmart?"  

These royal princesses seem quite pleased with themselves.

She's almost seven.  How did that happen so fast?  If I could, I would keep her the age she is right now.  She is a joy!

She made herself a homemade lava lamp.  She's clever like that.

Family D&D with Cannon as dungeon master.  I was not invited to join.  After my last stunt of napping on the couch when I was supposed to be playing, it was understandable.

These little ladies donned their princess dresses and formed a spring costume parade around the block, throwing out candy to their adoring fans.  And if there weren't any adoring fans, they knocked on doors to throw candy at unsuspecting home owners.  Way to make it happen!

Celebrating the Good News-- Easter 2023

Easter.  We had a wonderful Easter celebrating the birth of Jesus.  I have been enjoying the sunshine and family and fun springtime activities, but I haven't been updating this blog very much.  So here's a recap of the last month or so.  Lots of good stuff and not enough time to enjoy (or write about) it all.

The mad dash downstairs-- Greta with the clear lead and Peter and George jockeying for 2nd position.

George pulled ahead

Cannon lacks a competitive spirit-- while I don't understand it, I sort of love that about him.  

I love how Faith is acting like she doesn't care much about the fast and furious little foil wrapped chocolate egg hunt.  Oh, she cared!  She silently, yet swiftly collected A LOT of eggs to use as bargaining chips for the great candy trade shortly to follow.  

Greta gets a little help from Dad and George has a shirt full of eggs.  George is the ultimate collector of  anything and everything.

Peter played it pretty cool as well.

Cute little Elinor and her pregnant tummy.  As of writing this, she has less than three months to go!  

We're about to be grandparents!!!!

Moments before the might trade began...

It's ends up looking like a big game of Pit-- you know, the yelling/ bartering/trading card game.  It's funny how each person ends up trying to corner the market on one particular item.  Greta went for the chocolate bunnies this year-- none of which she actually ate because it was cheap gross chocolate.  But eating the candy isn't really the point.

Peter went for the Kit Kats.

Faith went for the mini M&Ms.

After a wonderful Easter service at church we all went to the cemetery to visit Tessa and my mom's gravesites.  No better place to celebrate the miracle of Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He overcame death and sin and because of him, we can too. The ultimate good news!

Then we came home and got into our comfy clothes and Clark led us on a family D&D adventure.  It was my first time playing.  Confession:  I didn't have a long attention span and after a little while, I took a little happy on the couch and just enjoyed being in the same room with all my people.  I don't think D&D is for me-- or I'm not for it.  That's okay.  I do love listening to them play together.

I love this picture of Peter--- so enthralled, so invested, so earnest.  So cute.

Elinor was so sweet to color a few eggs with Greta.

A few depictions of the Savior I loved this Easter season---

This one reminds me of a song Bethany recently wrote and performed in her mission called "My Lord".  Stay tuned--- it's SO GOOD!

I've never really been much of a gospel art connoisseur or even great appreciator.  But lately, so many paintings of the Savior are really speaking to me.  I loved this one.