Snuggling during General Conference

Well this was just a little slice of heaven. 

Especially with how wasted my body was after running the Colbert Half Marathon (that I bombed. But grateful I finished intact). 

Sitting on mom's comfy cute chair, snuggling my snuggly snugglykins, listening to inspired wise men and women share uplifting guidance. 

I love the Spirit during General Conference and what it does for our family. 

It's beautiful and affirming and just oh-so-GOOD. 

Life without this semi-annual tradition/opportunity would be sadness. 

But we are snuggling in happiness. For that I'm so grateful. 

backyard birthday bash, on the fly 🎊

I think this is our 3rd year in a row getting to celebrate Savana's birthday with her here in Spokane! Lindsay and Cougar come into town for the weekend, mostly for Lindsay to do the Colbert Half Marathon with Meredith and I.  Super fun tradition.  Wish I had actually trained for it this year though. I didn't. I've been working out of course, but not running a lot. And the only way to get better at running is to RUN.  So I bombed. I had a bad sideache during a lot of it. Finished a full 25 minutes slower than the last 2 years.  Ugh. So lame. But whatever. We had a fun weekend together! Lindsay made a super cute treasure hunt for the kids to go on during the party.  

She didn't directly ask if she could have the party at my house, but it occurred to me a couple hours before it was going to start that everyone would probably end up at my house, since the plan was to have the party "at the park."  That typically ends up meaning....at my house.  So I zoomed to get it super clean and ready for guests!

I love that my kids will have such great memories of fun cousin play. Meg loves that too. Life living close to relatives isn't perfect, but it's wonderful. 

Brianna took this photo on not-her phone!

I'm really impressed she took the initiative to pull out the phone and snap a photo of this gorgeous scene! My little nature aficionado. 

And when I say "THE" phone... I don't mean HER phone... she doesn't have a phone. I do. I have an extra one. That does with her in her backpack/purse when she's at school and extracurriculars or staying home with Charity while I'm taking the twins to piano, or holding down the fort for the 15 minutes between when I have to leave for YW and Brian is running late getting home.... the list goes on. I just got tired of not having a way to directly contact her, and she was scared not having that with me. I was due for an upgrade on my phone anyway... so I activated my now old-phone with a phone number and everything.  Oye. It starts! But it's not as bad as some parents make it out to be. We've had zero issues so far. Wi-fi is disabled. So it's just basically a texting and calling device that costs me $1/day. So worth it for the convenience and security. 

That cloud looks like....happiness

Charity, Mommy, Courtney, and Brianna. Cloud gazing ("hey, that one looks like a dragon!") on the trampoline on a perfectlyperfect Sunday afternoon.

Flowers for B, from B.

Brian came home with these 2 lovely bouquets.

 Anyone who knows us can easily guess which one goes to me and which goes to Brianna.

Brian wanted to congratulate Brianna on earning a part in the school play (she worked so hard on her monologue audition!). Brianna was THRILLED. She loves receiving flowers so much. 

And mine were a sweet gesture because he knew I was having a rough day. I had a super bad cold/flu (that oddly lasted just a little over 24 hours, then I was fine). 

Love this man!

Dinners outside

Gotta enjoy being outdoors while we still can! Evenings have been getting a little chilly lately. Sometimes. This is that weird time of year where ya never know if it's going to be cold or warm. I feel like Spokane is super unpredictable all year long. Wouldn't surprise me to get snow in May and a heat wave in December. But maybe lots of places are like that.
Brianna told me recently, "Mom, family dinners are REALLY important to me. Like really important."   What a sweetie.  Quality time is important to me too! So we make sure it happens.

I love this picture because it took about 4 tries. Each one had at least one child not cooperating. I thought this one was just about perfect, until I looked close at Charity's face.
But then I liked it even more.

Bennett is proud to be a guitarist!

Of all the things he could have chosen to put on his paper that he can do... He chose guitar.
And the picture is of him sitting on our grey couch, complete with the lamp behind it, and a big smile on his face strumming his blue guitar.

He said all the bodies he drew around the edge are the people trying to get on his train. 😁🤣

Afternoons with the animals

It's fun hanging out on the McKell Critter Farm

Radioactive Reading! 🤡🤣😜

Pile on Mommy!!

MOPS

Another year of the Mothers of Preschoolers meetings!
The twins are bummed not to be attending anymore, and Charity was nervous to go solo. But then "LilyAlbi" joined us cuz her mom needed someone to watch her all day, so she's here too!

Edited later to add:

So the Director of the "moppets" (childcare) pulled me aside and told me it is NOT ok to bring friends, that moppets is only for the children of the moms attending.

Whoa.

Here I am providing a big service for a single mom trying to work and have her daughter be in a good environment... and this Director turns into crankypants.

So - we're done with MOPS! I let them know, so so so sweetly, that I didn't want to impose or break their rules. 

The MOPS leader came back and said she spoke with the Director and it was ok for me to come back and bring Lily. But honestly....to awkward now. And while I enjoy MOPS...it throws my morning routine off that day. Prob not worth it. So we're DONE! Kinda free-ing!

Brim-ing with joy

A screenshot from a text I received today :) 
I'm often told, "hey, you look like someone I know!"  and it's usually some girl with brown wavy hair, a roundish face, and little to no makeup - a more natural, sporty look. :) Lots of us out there I guess!

But more importantly, it makes my heart happy when I get thank-yous from my YW and their parents.
So sweet.

Running to Chicago to visit an old friend

Right before we left to catch our flight, I quickly went down to the recesses of our basement for a last minute hail-mary search through boxes I haven't touched in yeeeeears to see if I might by chance find something to give or show Jeremy.
Hit the JACKPOT!
This poster was at the bottom - I barely remember ever seeing it myself, let alone putting it in the small box of BYUH running memorabilia I have.
For a moment I selfishly thought... no, *I* want this poster, I don't want to give it away, I'd never be able to get another copy! It's 13 years old! My kids would love to have this!
But reality check - it's been sitting in the box for  years.
And would've kept sitting there for more years. Obviously didn't care about it too much and wouldn't miss it if it were gone.
On the other hand, it had the potential of making the other person in this poster - a guy who has, is, and will go through one of the worst trials I can ever imagine - it has the potential of making him so happy. Of reminding him who he REALLY is - a strong warrior, not just a 30-something losing his body to ALS disease. So I found a giant envelope to protect it and packed it away in my suitcase. I took a picture of the poster so I can print a copy later if I want to. Probably not quite as big as the original, but that's ok. Small sacrifice to make an old friend happy.

Flying!

I'm a little too excited to be in an airport at 6am...

Giant glowing pineapple

   

Yep. Got another rabbit.

 Because when you're taking care of 1, might as well get 2 more... then why stop there? 

MORE CRITTERS!

Seriously though. 

It's a little crazy. 

I didn't want ANY animals. 

Now I have the same number of animals as I have children.  And both - 3 girls, 1 boy!  The new big brown bunny is male. And he might have to go get snippy snipped, because I don't want baby bunnies!  Not that they're in the same change yet... because I don't think they'd all get along....(note all the fur in the cage... the girl bunnies started fighting just SEEING the boy bunny, ugh! Crazy ladies!).

The gold star for good behavior goes to BacaBaca, the guinea pig, as always. She just goes in her big hidey house and chills all day. She gets very excited when I throw a red bell pepper or lettuce in there. 

I like her. 

The others...ugh. I let them stay because somehow this is good for the kids to help care for animals... right? If it's not, someone please tell me, so I can not feel bad re-homing these guys!

But I DO feel bad for them. No one wants them. They're old and fat and cranky. They'd never survive in the wild. They weren't being played with enough at their previous homes, so we had to rescue them. So I'm going to attempt to make these bunnies more kid-friendly! First up - trim the nails!!

Bennett's schoolwork

I love that when Bennett was asked to draw and write about something he wanted to learn this year, his response was "everything" and he drew the creative picture in the lower right - him in the middle of a web, and the little bubbles say 123, abc, life, brains, plays, tae kwon do, animals.

Our first few plums of the year!

Our tree isn't an especially large or successful one....so we definitely appreciate each and every sweet little purple plum we get!

Wonderland golfing with Mom for her birthday

Chillin in the shade with a friend

  

two tutus

Obsessed with Dills

I made stuff!

My friend Cheryl Raab hosts "Craft Parties" every few months. We sign up for what we'd like to make, she gets all the supplies ready, then we show up and get to work! I spent about 8 hours getting these guys done. Exhausting yet invigorating!! The "Daughter of a King" signs are for Lily and Brianna, I think. Saving for Christmas probably. The big white post and sign are a gift for Mom. The "Farm to Table" was supposed to be a gift for Mom, but it looks good on my yellow front porch table, so we'll see. The "Then Sings My Soul" sign is a decoration atop my piano - symbolic of the fact that I'm a terrible singer, so I love that I can at least play the piano as my sole musical outlet. The "Home" sign I love because seriously - I love being home. And I want it to be Happy Place for my kids too.

happiness

oooooooooo, snuggling with a squishy sleeping toddler has to be the best feeling in the wooooorld! 

Sunday dinner at Nonny's.

It was our first Sunday NOT in the same ward! Our stake boundaries got redefined. My neighborhood is now part of the newly formed Morgan Acres Ward. Pretty exciting! And I'm YW Prez again. I could've been happy NOT getting that calling, but I do enjoy it, so this'll be fine. Mom and Dad were a little bummed to not have us in their ward anymore, but they're mature enough not to dwell on that. We'll still see each other plenty ;) But to make SURE we all still spend Sunday together, Mom invited everyone to a little family get-together. And made a fancy cake! I dressed the girls all matching today, so cute. Meredith seemed to especially love the family time. She brought Bobby for the first time in awhile! Always nice to be with the fam...though honestly, I'd prefer to spend every Sunday afternoon just snuggling my kiddos at home!

What Charity and I do alllllll day....

Just kidding. We don't do this ALL day. Just once. While at the library. And it was lovely.

Decorated for mom's birthday!

Awoke early, inflated the balloons, colored the cards,  wrapped the gifts, collected the decorations, threw kids in car after quick breakfast and lunch pack, zoomed to mom's house while she was out, placed the flowers, plated the cupcake, put up the banners, greeted Dad, tied balloons, attached strings, staged presents, kids back in car, zoomed to school with seconds to spare.  

Puppet show by Charity

First day in the Morgan Acres Ward!

Stair sleeper

1st day 1st grade!

Fire air

Eeewwwwww.

Our air is gross, thanks to crazy fires in Montana.  Or Idaho. Central Washington?  Canada? I dunno. I just know it's yucky and I can't go running outside til it's gone! Not that I run a lot lately....but I like having it as an option...plus the Colbert Half Marathon is at the end of the month so I guess I'm doing it....

Anyways, back to the picture.  Ew.

Except for the darling 3 year old of course! Loooove my little buddy. 

She's supposed to be making her hands into a zero for the first day of school...since her siblings held up a 1 or a 4...and she's not doing any formal academics this year (so far, we'll see). But her hands looked more like a heart symbol, which I like even better  <3

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

We're all just ready and excited! Great classes, great teachers, it's all good! What a blessing!

Star Valley Wyoming Temple!