Pioneer Day Thoughts

I had a little moment on Sunday as the speaker was talking about the pioneers. She was talking about how they left their homes, their land, their temple.... all with faith in their hearts that they were following what God wanted them to do. I've thought about this before and admired their strength and their courage.
But it was a little more poignant this Sunday. For the past few weeks Trav and I have been considering moving to St. George, because his firm wanted him to work in the office down there. In some ways it would be a grand adventure and we were both really excited about it.
In other ways, it would be so sad to go. I love our home. It's not a home we built with our own hands, like the pioneers did, but it is our home. Our first home. And even if we didn't build it with our own hands, we did install the sprinklers, tend the new grass, put up the fence, select the flowers, and plant the garden. Not to mention all the walls I've painted inside. This place is special for the memories we've made here-- Evie laying on her little blue light bed in our room on Christmas Eve, Kate busting her head open on our staircase, Daisy chewing a hole in the linoleum. Family home evening nights where we play Red Light, Green Light at the front door, hide and seek where the kids always hide in the closet, building forts in the loft out of sheets and blankets.
It's not the best house out there. We don't have granite anything, or crown molding, or an island in the kitchen. We have holes in the walls, chipped paint, and a dead tree in the yard. But right now, I'm convinced that it's the best house for us. I'm so glad to live here.
I'm sure those early Saints felt the same way. How difficult it must have been to turn from a home you knew and loved, shut the door on those empty rooms, and walk away. And into what? A cold wintery home in a tent, just on the other side of the river. How did they do it? How did their faith carry them so far?

Holy Freakin' Cow!

http://www.dana-made-it.com/2010/07/you-made-my-summer.html

I was featured on MADE! She is totally my idol, and she featured my little summer dress for Anna. It's like if I were a high school basketball player and Michael Jordan told me he liked my jump shot (that is a basketball term, right?)

Fabulous 4th

Check out this web album for all our photos of the 4th of July! Just click the photo. For those who are in the photos, you should be able to download them from the album.

Our 4th was so fun... we did the balloon festival as always, had a fun BBQ and fireworks with neighbors, watched the parade, and went to the carnival. I love the 4th of July!

My Daddy is My Favorite Pal

We had a pretty relaxed Father's Day this year. The kids actually spent Friday night at my mom's house and stayed with her Saturday so Trav and I could celebrate our anniversary. (He took me to the carnival, how fun is that?)

So, by Sunday we were happy to get our kids home with us. We loved hearing them sing "My Daddy is my favorite pal" in sacrament, gave him some yummy Laffy Taffy for a fun little treat, and took the whole fam (including the dog) to Provo Canyon after church. Considering how many other people were around, Daisy did great. It's still stressful to take her places because she wants to meet all the new people she sees, but she was able to be still for a few pictures.

We are so lucky to have Travis as the Daddy in our family. He is so patient with the kids. He loves each one of them individually and strives diligently to spend one-on-one time with them. He is good to be a fun dad who tickles, chases, and throws them in the air. He takes being a dad seriously and constantly considers the example he sets for the kids. In fact, that's why he didn't quit training when his marathon practice runs would dehabilitate him for 24 hours. He wanted to show the girls that you don't give up just because something gets hard. (good thing, too, 'cause they're definitely not learning that lesson from me.) He leads our family in righteousness and we all can say "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home." The atmosphere in our home is just happier when he's here. Love you Trav!

Have you heard, the bird's the word?

One fun thing that Spanish Fork does is the Youth Arts Festival in the summertime. This year Kate took an arts and crafts class where she did fun things like painting with golf balls, making her own T shirt, and creating a pet rock that she named after Grandma Alice.

Anna wanted to be a part of the Youtheatre's production of Cinderella. Can I just tell you, the first day when I stayed in class with her-- I was nervous. She was definitely the youngest one there, couldn't read the script they passed out, and she was surrounded by all these Drama People. But she loved it. She loved singing, meeting new friends, getting her own costume, and learning to use the women's dressing room all by herself.

Anna's part was to be one of the birds that helps Cinderella. There were 15 birds/mice and she fit in just fine. She apparently got along better with the mice than her fellow birds, which is why she is sitting in the middle of them, instead of with all the other birds like she was supposed to. still, she's the cutest bird I've ever seen!