Baby shower, golfing, GiGi, and haircuts

The day before the Betteridge Reunion started we threw a babyshower for Estefi since her little boy, Tommy was due just a few weeks after the reunion. It was an "Oh, the places he'll go"  / "Hello world" theme. Tiff had popcorn in little bags that said, "ready to pop!" all cute, and lots of yummy 'international' food: Mexican Pork Salad, chocolate croissants, quiches, Greek yogurt parfait, Italian sodas, and chocolate brownies with airplanes stuck on the top. 

Sarah and I were in charge of games and I brought the ultrasound game that I've used at various showers in the past 6 years, a 'get-to-know-estefi-better' questionnaire, and a little mini Mommy Olympics. Everyone who came got one of 3 colors of a cute hair-tie bracelet thing that automatically divided them up into teams. Then when it came time to play the game they could nominate one person to send up to compete for their country. We had 3 events: "in the car one handed back hand carseat fruit snack toss" - for when you're driving in the car and need to accurately toss a fruit snack to a carful of kids, a "tied up knees ball drop" - for when you're making dinner and trying to maneuver around the kitchen with a toddler wrapped up around your knees crying to be held, and a 'fast food drive through order' - for when you're trying to listen to 4 kids talk to you at once and keep track of all the changes they make to various components of their meal selection at a drive through.  They all turned out well, simple, interesting, and optional.  I had all the kids with me (who all just watched a movie next door at Jared and Ashley's with Grandpa and other dads/kids) because Chris got to go golfing with his dad. He hadn't played in a long time but he played really really well! I love how happy he is when he gets to do something he loves and does it well.

The morning before we all gathered in Layton for the reunion, we took an hour or two to visit with Chris' Grandma. I keep expected her to seem all of a sudden older or something as she's over 90.. but she still looks the same! She just received some horrible news about her house. The city needs to remove -- as in demolish-- it (and all the other houses on his side of the street) because they're expanded the main road that goes right along the front of her yard. Apparently the city voted and its a done deal and she's got no choice. That's the house Chris' dad grew up in and she's lived a widow there for 25 or so years.  Since she lives at the end of the road, she thinks she may get to stay there for another year or two or three (in her words), "if I can last that long". The garden in her backyard is a symbol and a current demonstrator of her life's work as she still keeps it up. So. So. Sad. I think they should keep the garden and set it up as a community garden or mini park in honor of her. 

I gut Chris' hair to look all nice for family pictures. :) We tried out a conservative mullet mohawk. Looks normal from the front, but its a party in the back.   Oh, Chris. 

UT time with Jess and Ryan - Pioneer Day

A few days after I got home from Girls Camp we loaded up and headed to UT a bit early for my family's reunion. We wanted to make the 29 hour drive extra worth it by spending some time with Chris' family. We stayed at Jess and Ryan's for the first time because Dixie and James would be gone most of the time we were there to Chris' cousins wedding in Oregon. It was SO awesome to spend that much time with Jess and her family. Our kids line up perfectly (except that they also have a little 6 mo old baby) and they played together so so well. I was especially impressed with their oldest, Mady. She is so helpful and kind-hearted, and responsible! The girls slept in one room: 

And the boys slept in another: 

We kept Freddy in the room next to us since he has a hard time falling asleep when other kids are in the room... like when we go camping he is seriously the last one to nod off. He was a little bummed about this but mostly he was young enough to not really realize what he was missing. I loved having so much time with Jess and Ryan in the evenings. When we stay at Chris' parents house in UT, they usually have to leave every evening to put their kids to bed and we miss evening time with them. Ryan (and even Jess) are into cycling and so we watched the Tour de France in the evenings and just chatted. Jess watched our kids one morning so Chris and I could go do a temple session in the new Provo City Center Temple. It was such a wonderful experience. The building used to be the Provo Tabernacle and when Chris and I were dating it was the building we met in twice a year for Stake Conference and it was a real landmark in Chris' mind throughout his childhood. So when it burned down in 2010 it was really hard for him... I believe there were some tears shed as he watched some of the coverage online.  We were so excited when it was announced that it would become a temple and have followed the buildings progress and were SUPER sad to have missed the Open House by 3 weeks last Christmas.  Its hard to express in words how stunned we were with the beauty of the new temple. Every room was like a new discovery that we wanted to study and admire. It was fun trying to picture the old layout in my mind as we walked through. Chris said its like everything the church has learned about building beautiful temples has been optimized in this building...like a capstone or something. Seriously the most stunning edifice I've ever been in (and I've traveled throughout Europe touring famous chateaus and castles) .. I know a lot of that has to do with the Spirit of the work that goes on there and with our personal ties to it. Anyway.. I'm probably overstating this experience.. but I'm just trying to capture it just right...it was ... ugh! its just so hard to put it to words! Peaceful? Heart-pounding? Radiant? Exquisite? Meaningful? Resoundingly fulfilling? 

We did some fun things with Jess and Ryan and with Dixie and James and Edward and Kayla. We had dinner together, went swimming, went on a hike, went running, went out to a movie, celebrated birthdays (mine and Dixie's -- where Jess and Kayla totally spoiled me and got me some REALLY cute shirts, dresses, shoes and jewelry) and watched movies.  I love Chris' family so much and feel really lucky to have married into such an awesome family. 

On the Saturday before Pioneer Day there is this awesome firework/community party in one of the cul-de-sac's in Jess' neighborhood. They call it the Cul-de-sac of Fire. This one family started it because they like to light off fireworks so they would buy a bunch and light them off for the neighbors. Its gotten bigger and bigger as neighbors have added in things themselves: an inflatably bouncy house, face painting, popcorn stand, music, sno cones, and some tables of potluck-style deserts. Everything was free except for the food truck where you could buy some good BBQ. 

Freddy was pretty tired and I'm glad we brought the stroller for him to fall asleep in. We played and chatted with Chris and his sister, and his aunt and a cousin until just before they were going to light off the fireworks. We knew it was going to be late and it was pretty crowded and Jess said the fireworks were big enough that if you're up too close your neck hurts from starring straight up so we walked back to Jess and were going to watch them from her house on the next street over. 

The fireworks lasted SO LONG. I was so impressed that it was just a neighborhood thing. Such a fun night.

Girls camp

I was looking forward to girls camp this year but also stressing a bit for it because I didn't really feel like I knew what was going on and I was supposed to be the Stake Assistant Camp Director. Its hard living so far away from other areas of the stake because its hard to coordinate meetings...plus everyone shoulders more than one calling and so everybody seems to operate on a most last minute 'whats-the-next-thing-on-my-plate' kind of planning schedule not because we're procrastinators but because the human brain can't be in so many mental states/worlds at once. (at least thats how I feel).  So I was able to get there early early and stay almost to the bitter end so I have a much better idea of how an entire camp week flows. I've been told I would be the next Stake Camp Director in the coming years.  The first night was just with some Stake Leaders, the cooks and the YCL's... and we had laid back meals and activities... but mostly just set up and prepared the camp. I got to sleep in the air conditioned leaders building this year (well for all but 1 of the nights) and it was fun to bond more with the ladies I've been working with. Its interesting how sleeping in the same room as someone really does bring your closer. 

Our first night with just the YCL's was the most beautiful sunset. We lit off these cool lanturns and I held my breath that we wouldn't start a forest fire as we saw them sail miles away in the sky over the half-woods, half-farms countryside. Luckily we've had some steady rainfall the past month so I worried a little less than if it had been bone dry.

One of my favorite parts of camp is hanging out with my 'daughters' from my trek group last summer. Jessica, Madelyn, and Emma Grace.

Also I loved working with my old Stake YW presidency buddies. Allison has some of the most beautiful hair I've ever had the pleasure of braiding. So thick and soft and clean (even at camp!). Jessica let me practice on her hair too. 

The first night was dutch oven dinners which is always good and we spaced the skits out this year across the week. (not sure that was a hit, but it did break up the LONG night of watching skit after skit). The YW from my branch memorized the YW theme in sign language. Really impressive. 

We had an out-of-stake special speaker one night, and passed out these glow LED balloons and spelled our the letters: Be The Light. Then we had a spontaneous sing-along session in the dark with our glowing paraphernalia. A lot of the stuff this year wasn't planned exactly but ended up being great. It stormed one who afternoon and we had a dance party in the pavilion again. An awesome way to tire everyone out. The ropes course was open to all the years this year (something I was pushing for) and I was in charge of making sure we had enough workers to keep it safe for everyone (we've had some injuries in the past). It was a lot of fun and I was able to rock climb and rappel for the first time and go through the course twice. 

Me and some of the girls and a few leaders goofing off with masks one night. Its kinda crazy how much you can love people without really knowing them for very long or being able to see them very often. One of the cool things about the way the church is organized is how we get the chance to serve with people you would never have been able to otherwise... doing things you would never have asked to do, or even thought you wanted to do... and yet you come away happier, stronger, deeper and with meaningful relationships. 

Summer Activity Jar

I can get so focused on my own projects and household needs and the kids generally are so self-entertained that I found, after just the first week of summer, that we needed to have something specific to do with the kids that was 'fun'.... and also we needed to pick up the playroom at least once a day or I would go crazy. So we started a Summer Activity Jar. Alec and I came up with lots and lots of ideas of free and fun things to do together at home and wrote them on strips of paper and stuck them in a jar.  Each day, as soon as the playroom was clean, each of the kids could pull out a slip and then vote on which activity to do. Alec put in "watch 2 movies" and "watch 4 shows" so most days they would get all excited and try really hard to pull one of those two out. (Once or twice I MAY have pre-pulled those out so they wouldn't even be an option) 

Heres two pictures from the first week of summer that show how crazy the playroom can get after just an hour or so: Also, aren't those motor-home duplo creations awesome!? My older kids still love playing with duplos. 

Painting with pudding:

Stomping in the rain:

Visiting the library's Summer Reading Program (Not specifically in the Summer Activity Jar, but still a fun activity we did this summer)

Making home-made Play-do:

Picking Blueberries: (Again not actually in the jar)

Flying kites:

Make a volcano:

Paint with our feet:

Run through the sprinklers:

Make card towers: (not in the jar, but the kids LOVE to do this.. then they'll flip dominos or matchbox cars at one another's tower and see how many it takes to knock it all down)

Eventually the kids did pull the watch 2 movies and watch 4 show strips. They were in heaven.