September 2015

I totally love where we live.  This is the view from our backyard... its not our backyard but what we see.  Every time there is a rainbow it is picture perfect.  Next time I am going to go get a family picture of us on that fence!

September was a busy month.  We had a lot of work done on our basement.  We are finished now with everything up till insulation and sheetrock, but we get to take a break!  One weekend Darren's work got all their rooms a room at a nice hotel in Deer Valley.  We had a nice appreciation dinner that night.  The next day I sat in my room and read a good book for a few hours.  Then when Darren was a little bit worn out from his early morning bike ride, he and I went out together.  It was a nice day followed by a nice Mexican lunch!

My girls are so sweet.  They love each other so much.  Ella loves to dance and do gymnastics.  We did her hair crazy for crazy hair day!  Abby loves story time at the library.  We learned about dinosaurs one day.  She calls it her school.  She and I went to a museum with our Gardner cousins.  And Abby likes to wear dress ups or no clothes at all.  So she helped me pick tomatoes one day Adam and Eve style.  

Tyler Spotlight - Turning 10

Tyler is a pretty amazing kid.  We couldn't have gotten more lucky with a first child!  

He loves to read.  He loves school.  He does fun things outdoors with us (night rides with his Dad).  

He very rarely complains about practicing the piano and now we have added the Organ.  We go to the church for an hour most mornings from 6-7 AM.  The picture below is of him...his brain was tired as he laid down on the bench out of pure exhaustion after one hour of piano and organ practicing.  (now he is used to it and the hour is gone and he could still go on!)

He was picked from his whole class as the best student in September.  

And he turned 10 years old.  That means he only has 8 years left with me and he will be starting college and going on a mission.  oh my!  We let him have two birthday parties this year.  Never Again. But this year we did.  He had friends from school over.  We made buffer swords and played silly " Minute it to Win it" games.  The game below is to start the oreo in your eye and then with no hands move it down to you mouth.  The next day we had neighborhood boys over.  I think he finally feels like he has settled into living in this new place.  He has friends both places.  

Family Dinners on Sunday minus the Parents

My parents have been gone since June.  They are living in the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Mexico City. They return home in about 14 months.   They both stay very busy helping with doctor things, music things and anything that is needed!  Different siblings call every Sunday to rotate between the 6 of us.  One Sunday we were at Candace's house having a simple family dinner when we got to talk to them.  They kids were pretty excited to all be together to see Grandma and Grandpa.  How times have changed.  I used to have to call my friend Safra in Israel and pay 1$/minute to talk to her with a bad connection.  Now we can Skype and FaceTime anyone all over the world.  Internet is amazing.  

Our Sunday dinners are pretty simple now.  Last week we met at my sisters Renee's house (which is my parents house).  We laughed as we started eating and my moms bar was filled with 4 or 5 items. My mom would have had the whole counter filled with dishes.   

We love and appreciate all that my parents contribute, as parents, missionaries, grandparents, and additions to our simple meals!

BYU football weekend

Mid September the Allen crew came down to visit.  They really came down to see a BYU football game but we will take them when ever we can.  It was a great weekend.  I took care of the girls.  Jenny and Eric took the boys.  We stayed at my house and did nails, jumped on the tramp and had dinner outside with Jello.  The girls had a sleepover and watched a movie.  

The boy crew got to go to Subway and then to the game.  Tyler thought it was great.  He tried a cougar tail.  (a really big maple doughnut) and he may have taken a little nap mid game since the game didn't end until around 11 PM.  Thats pretty late when he is used to getting up at 5:30 AM to practice the Organ and the Piano.  

A real GREAT weekend... Labor Day

Sometimes life is hard and sometimes life gets monotonous.  But I really do have a VERY good life.  Money magazine just published a list of the best places to live in 2015.  Where I live was on that list. It is wonderful!  

The weekend started perfect.  A relaxing sit by my friends pool in her in laws backyard.  I have been bringing my kids here swimming for about 10 years.  It is a place of peace and relaxing and sometimes its even quiet.  

Monday we went rock climbing in Corner Canyon at Red Rocks with the Larkins and the Larabees.  It is one of my happy places.  Rock Climbing.  I was exhausted by the end trying to teach everyone climbing.  

Sunday I did Ellas' hair in a cute style.  I am trying to make improvements.  Then we had a nice fire Sunday night and ate Smores.

Saturday we cheered Darren on for his 78 mile race in Park City. Point to Point.  

While we waited for him we played at a fun park. (Tyler can read a book about anywhere.  I love seeing my girls play together and have fun. )  We rollerbladed  down a path and saw a beaver dam.  Ella had to take a picture to show Grandma Harston.  Then we made it back to watch Darren in one or two spots and have a good finish.  

After rock climbing Monday morning I took off and went mnt biking with Ang on the famous Wasatch Crest trail.  It was beautiful.  We got to ride by a lake I have wanted to hike to for a long time.  Great weekend.  Great friends.  Great outdoors.