Elder Tyler Balls headed home in a month

I have loved having Tyler gone.  Its been amazing for our family to get to talk to him every week.  He has been an incredible example to Ella and Abby.  He loves them and always makes them feel so important.  He wants to know what it is going on in their lives.  Most of his mission he give up quality time on his Pday to talk to us.  I am going to love having him home.  I seem to dry a lot lately.  Him coming home means a big change into this phase of our lives.  Ella and he will go off to college.  They will do adult things.  Dating, school, social lives.  I am so excited for this but also morning that this time in our quiet lives is coming to a close.  

He said goodbye to his beloved mission president and his wife.  He will quietly walk away from Finland in 4 weeks.  It is a beautiful place that he has loved.  Before he comes home we have set some pretty lofty goals to have the main floor of our house redone.  I guess its a fun deadline to set to get it down ASAP!

His boyhood ward friends are coming home.  Tate, Matthew and Davis

He got to play for 2 hours on a beautiful organ. 

 

June 2026

 What a great month.  We started off summer in a full sprint.  Abby went climbing, had cupcake wars with DPMS Grit girls, went to Toy Story 5 opening night, went to the temple, learning that reading books is amazing, and did a lot of mnt biking.  Deer Valley with friends, riding Porter Rockwell and the Murdock trail to get food at Bajios in Provo, the Pioneer Trail in Park City and tons of riding her in Draper.  She also finished off her "All of Me" song in her piano recital.  

Ella went to Trek.  Then she left for 3 weeks in Colombia.  That gets its own post! 

As for Darren and I, we heard Icy Hot play in Angs backyard.  Lots of loud fun silly music.  We had some bad fires that put ash and smoke into the air.  Darren got to go to Texas with Savage and see some cool spots. We went for a ride with Katie in Alpine that was fantastic and beautiful.  But mostly Darren and I worked on house projects.  Lots of things to do before Tyler gets home. 

Subway with the Rupps

My favorite cousin Jeff and his amazing wife Julie- got 12 permits for Subway on a Saturday.  I had to jump in and guide them since they didn't know what they had really gotten into.  What a treat.  What a strong group.  We were very preppared thanks to Jeffs planning.  He couldn't even come because he shattered his ankle a few weeks prior to this trip.  A group of 12, with wetsuits, and not a lot of rappelling experience- - - They CRUSHED it!  We were done in under 8.5 hours.