Hanging With the Hankes'

One of the things I love about being in Utah is that a lot of friends visit!  It was fun to have a couple of days with the Hankes'.  Nick and Kristie want to move to Utah, so we spent a little bit of time driving around and looking at different areas.  From experience, that can be really stressful!  Utah is very different than California!  I think of it as unorganized.  I had a really hard time settling on a place to live because it was all so different than what I am used to.  I could tell they were feeling the same way.  I'm glad I understood what they were going through.  It can be a bit overwhelming.

 

We took the kids to the Dinosaur Museum.  It doesn't get old to me! 

 Jessica and Kailey

Ashlyn, Kristie and Kailey looking a fossils.

 Gannon and Nick

 Paige, Jessica and Ashlyn

  Paige

 Paige, Gannon and Ashlyn

 Kristie and Tara

 Kailey, Kristie, Paige, Tara, Ashlyn, Jessica, Nick, Gannon, Jason

 

Another night, we went out to dinner with Nick and Kristie, and her brother and his wife who live in South Jordan.

Jessica Turns 14

Jessica's friend, Chloe, had been texting me for weeks, wanting to plan something fun for Jessica's birthday.  Many different plans were made.  In the end, she settled on kidnapping Jessica in the middle of the night and taking her to Denny's.   (Jessica is not a morning person, so the middle of the night was a better option.)

 

I was afraid they would wake up the little ones if they all came tramping upstairs at 3:00 a.m., so I agreed to be the one to wake Jessica up and get her out to the car where they would be waiting.

 

I went into her room and quietly woke her up.  She asked what I needed and I just told her to put on some shoes.  She thought something was wrong and like a good girl, she just followed directions.  Seeing she was in pjs and a tank top, I whispered for her to grab a sweatshirt too.  She looked concerned, but followed me outside to the car full of giggly girls. 

 

She opened the car door and the lights came on in the car.  Her friends laughed, said surprise and happy birthday and Jessica looked at me and said, "you could have told me to get a brush!". 

Halle, Katie, Vaeland, Chloe, and Jessica

I had a fun night with these girls.  We got home as the sun was coming up.  Jessica slept for a few hours and then met up with her friends and spent the rest of the day at Seven Peaks water park.

Wrapping up June

We wrapped up June with another trip to the canyon while Jen and Jeff were in town.  Billy and his family and Diane and Norman joined us.

Paige

Britta, Ashlyn and Paige

Austin, Tara and Jessica.

We once again forgot about Jen's allergy to smoke and all tried to roast hot dogs over a very small pile of coals.

Jen

Ashlyn, Jason, Norman, Britta, Jeff and Paige.

The kids all love to play with Uncle Jeff!

Jason

Another night we went to JCW's with the Bohn's.  Oh I have missed them!!  Here is sweet Drew dancing with Paige.

Jeff and Paige

We hung out at Billy's one night as adults after the kids all went to bed.  It is always sonice to just sit around and visit.

Billy, Jen, Norman, Jen and Jeff

Janelle, Sterling, Billy, Jen, Norman

Families are Forever

On June 28, 2013 We were finally sealed!

We were so excited to go to the temple as a family that we hadn't really thought about inviting everyone.  As we shared the news with our families and friends, we were so touched that everyone wanted to come and be there for our special day.

The sealing was beautiful.  It took my breath away to see all of the kids come in wearing all white.  Paige came in with a doll she had attached herself to in the temple nursery.  She was so cute, but in true toddler form, wasn't interested in sitting still and cried through most of it.  It didn't matter though.  The spirit was so strong.   My heart was full knowing that we would be a family forever.  I loved looking across the altar and seeing the tears of joy in Jason's eyes.  The kids all looked like angels as we stood together and looked in the mirrors. I love my family so much and I have never felt more complete.  

Our friends and family took pictures while they waited for us to come out of the temple after the sealing.

Diane, DaNae, Jen, Janelle, Mindy, Jen and Kristie

Nick, Jeff, Sam, Sterling, Norman, Billy, Peter

Cute Janelle, pregnant with Brooke and Peter in the background.

Peter and Norman

Nick and Kristie

Mindy, Sam and Diane

Jeff and Jen

Sterling, Mom (DaNae) and Billy

Jessica coming out of the temple

Jessica, Paige, Tara, Lauren, Jason, Ashlyn and Austin

Billy, Jen, Tara, Mom, Janelle, Sterling

Tara and Kristie

Jen and Paige

Splash Pad

While the boys were off at camps, we got to enjoy some time with Brynne.  She has such a great laugh and loves to tease and be silly!  I LOVED having her here!  I miss being part of her daily life.  

I found these pictures of an afternoon we spent at the Splash Pad near by house while Brynne was here.

Grandma Lori and Paige 

Lauren

 Brynne 

 Logan, Janelle, Ashlyn, Lori and Paige

 Paige 

 Ashlyn

Janelle and Paige

June =Bohns

June was a great month for me!  It kicked off several weeks of having my nephews and niece around! Garrett was the first to show up.  He had back to back camps at BYU.  I think he was appalled at how cold it was in June!  He braved the 80 degree weather and sat through one of Austin's baseball games. (He played all summer.)

He was gone during the week at Rugby camp, but the rest of the kids came rolling in with my parents by the end of the week and Garrett was back for the weekend.  Jason was so excited to have some riding buddies!  He took the boys up the canyon for an afternoon.

                                                   Garrett, Wes, Drew and Austin

Garrett

Wes

Drew

Austin

We took the kids up the canyon Saturday night to roast marshmallows and hang out.  The older kids all brought friends.  Bria met us at our house and came with us too.

My dad, Garrett, Cole, Drew, Austin, Bria and Brynne, Wes, Jessica and the back of Ashlyn.

Jessica and Ashlyn

Paige and Jason

                                                 Jessica and Katie, Lauren and Millie

Bria, Wes, Austin, Cole and Garrett

My heart was happy.    Garrett, Wes and Austin all left for EFY the following week, but Drew and Brynne stayed and hung out.   Actually, Drew went to Football camp either the week before or the same week the boys were at EFY.  I can't remember, but I loved having them all around!!!