Our Summer of Fun!!!

We are just having a blast this summer! Our days are busy, we go to bed way too late, and we are going to California NEXT WEEK!!!!

What have we been up to?

We took an afternoon and drove up to Kennecott Copper Mine. Pretty cool. Daybreak is a really pretty area.





Jake spoke at Seminary Graduation - what an amazing brother! He is going to be the best missionary! (Jake is on the left.)



Aaron finally got contacts! Doesn't he look good in them? His eyesight isn't very bad, but he's been squinting a lot lately, so we got him some contacts. I've had contacts for 13 years now, and it was fun watching Aaron learn how to put them in! :) He's really good at it now!



My little brother, Josh, turned 15 and we went bowling as a family! Worst bowling game ever for me. Oh well, at least I got over 50! Michael enjoyed it.





We went out with my parents to Outback, and we spent some time at Relax the Back. That is a fun store! :)





We went to all the end-of-school activities - the carnival, dance festival, 6th grade softball game, etc.


Gorgeous Hannah


Emms


Mr. Michael

Aaron had an awesome day with KPMG, and said their office is just beautiful! The view out the window is literally the angel Moroni on the Salt Lake Temple! We are so grateful for all of the opportunities we are having. So fun.

I visited my long lost friends at the MTC and showed off this 21 pounder! :)



It was so so so great to see everyone again! I made friends for eternity there. :) We also got to visit with our great friends, the Taggart's. Again - so fun. We also got to see Jason & Andrea and their new baby Hunter! Andrea looks so good, and Jason is working for his brother's company, puj. Check it out! Oh, we also got to see our cousin Ike and Angela, and Jim and LaDawn. :) We love family.

Our great friends, Wei & Schwai got back from China and had us over for delicious, and spicy, Chinese food! They also gave us these incredible gifts. They are so fun and so smart! Wei is working on her second major in grad school!





They gave us these awesome gifts - a cell phone carrier, and a symbol that means "blessings of joy to you." Cool.

We went to Marissa's wedding reception with my parents - what a pretty place!


I know, I should be a model.

And, Dan & Annie came up from St. George! Wahoo! On Saturday we all went to the temple together, and then we went miniature golfing, ate great food, and played Scum. We will see them this week and next!







We took my family up to heaven, I mean, Scofield.



It's Aaron's family ranch, and it is gorgeous! I love the outdoors, and it is so peaceful up there! We went polywog hunting, played games, and spent a lot of time on the 4-wheelers, along with eating good food! We slept in the trailer, and Michael got up about three times during the night. I had to use the propane stove to heat up the water for his bottle, so I would get him, hand him to Aaron and go warm up the bottle. Every time I would have the bottle ready Michael would be asleep again on Aaron. The last time Aaron just had Micheal sleep with him the rest of the night! I love my husband and our cute son!


My little brother, Aaron, and a polywog.













Yes, this was Michael's first time at Scofield - so of course he had to have a ride on the 4-wheeler!





More fun.






The best part about Scofield was shooting. Get this - this was my very first time ever shooting a gun. Dad showed me how to shoot and then let me have a try at it. The whole family was watching, and my target was a bend in the dirt road, about 250 yards away. Ka-boom!!!!! I HIT THE TARGET! YES, YOUR VERY OWN ME HIT A TARGET 250 YARDS AWAY WITH A 22-250!!! Aaron was just tickled. He said, "I was proud of you before...but now, I'm really proud of you!"











Aaron shot too, and obviously hit the target. He has had A TON of practice.

We had Quinoa (Keenwa)as part of our dinner the other night and Aaron couldn't get over what a fun word that was! He kept saying it over and over, Quinoa. (Keen-wa. Keen-wa.) He is proud that he knows how to spell it too! :) Aaron always keeps me laughing!

We took a walk up the canyon and it was beautiful! Love the warm weather - however, San Diego is going to be just about right for us.

Michael can sit up now - and he is just getting cuter! He looks like a little man when he just sits there and plays with his toys and looks at us. He loves when I sing to him, so we sing, and read, and play all day. What a life.



On Sunday I taught the young women in Aaron's ward - and it was so much fun! I love young women! What beautiful girls! Then we spent a lot of time visiting, singing, and seeing Sister Elliott, Grandma Nell, the Hobbs, and the Johnsons.

I've been upping my mileage on my runs (what little I do), and I'm loving it! We'll just see if I can get Aaron to run with me in Cali, because I don't want to go alone!

Did I ever mention that I LOVE LIBRARIES? Yes, I do. In fact, I could almost live at one. One of my very first posts includes some pictures of a gigantic library we will someday have in our home. Think of Beauty and the Beast. :) So, we take lots of trips to the library and Emma and I have a grand time reading to Michael, and having picnics. I love picnics too.

Emma is my best little pal! Since everyone is out of school now, she has a lot of time and enjoys doing just about anything with me! Last week we worked on making a cardboard bookshelf and writing books for Michael. She is amazingly mature and spiritual, and I'm learning so much from her!





The Sunday before Memorial Day we went to Salt Lake for the afternoon and spent time at the Visitor's Center, Conference Center, and the Salt Lake Cemetary. The new temple replica is so neat and I love being on temple square! I'm so thankful for the gospel and for the fact that our families can be together forever, even after death.









On Monday morning, Memorial Day, we hiked the Y with my family (tradition) and met an amazing man named Guy Larson (yes, we were on his documentary movie!) - read about him here. We also saw Henry, an older man (like 70 something) who hikes the Y twice every day. Wow. Inspiring.





That afternoon Aaron and I went up Provo Canyon and went 4-wheeling - we loved it! Then we had a BBQ with my neighbors and family.








Life is good.


My brother Dan comes home from his mission in Hong Kong on July 9th, and so we're flying out the next week to have our first Crowder Reunion (with all of us siblings!).









That's all for now - see, we are having A BLAST! :)