Our McCall vacation ~ Town edition

We spent the evening after the hike, walking around McCall until the sun set. It was a perfect night.

Our McCall vacation ~ Hike edition

Our yearly vacation with our fabulous friends and their kids. We've been excited about this

for weeks. And we started it all out with a gorgeous hike. A wonderful start to the trip for sure.

Bair Gutsman

This incredible guy I know ran a race called the Bair Gutsman this morning. Eleven miles,
five of those with an elevation climb of just under 5000 feet. And obviously, you have to come
down from that elevation. Which is super easy on the knees, as you can imagine. Especially a
knee with an MCL strain, due to a odd tubing accident, less than three days earlier. But the
doctor said he could give the race a go, recommending a brace if he did, and Jacob did just that.

And not only did my handsome husband finish (something you couldn't pay me
enough to even attempt), but he actually beat the PR he got when he was 18 years
old. You know, just 25 years ago, when he was young and young. No big deal.

This guy. He was grateful for the support for sure, but he also worried that I woke up
before 5am this morning to get he and his two buddies (who heard he was running this
race and decided to join at the last minute, doing absolutely awesome for sure) to the
starting line and then drove up the canyon to the finish line and waited for them to finish.
It stresses him a bit when I don't get enough rest and when I put myself out too much for him.

But there is no such thing as putting myself out too much for Jacob Allen. Because first,
the Lord let me marry him and I will be grateful for all of eternity for that blessing. And second,
I get to be married to a man who inspires me on a daily basis. And that is no small thing.

So waking up early and waiting and praying and cheering and taking photos on a morning like
today...count me in. Every single time. Because I love being Jacob's wife. And he is seriously amazing.

A good night

A drive up the canyon with my favorite. I'm a fan of date night.

Another grown up doing grown up things

Another day, another adult child of mine purchasing his own car. How am I so old?
And how is he so stinkin' handsome and amazing and hilarious? I'm so happy for him.

Backpacking in the Uintas

About three weeks ago, Jacob and Campbell, along with two of our neighbors and good friends,
went on a backpacking trip to Red Castle in the Uintas. It was a lot of miles. And a pretty great couple
of days full of adventures and fabulous people. I'm so thankful the four of them had this trip together.

Sweetest pup

My favorite picture I've ever taken of Denali girl. Hands down.

Allen family reunion

Three days of reunion time with Jacob's immediate family.

Three beautiful views at the end of each day. I'm a fan.

Doing grown up things

 

 

Someone in our family bought their very own, new-to-them car today.
Spoiler alert: it's Annie! She is the cutest. And I am the happiest for her.

It's official

We now officially have 50% of the children in our home with a driver's license.
Yee to the Haw. And this guy happened to accomplish that goal during a pandemic and
with a cast and on crutches. Quite the stud, I'd say. I'm a huge fan of Matthew Allen.

Grandma Thursdays

She's seriously so incredibly sweet. And I've come to love our regular time together a whole lot.

She is always worried I can't take a day away from my family to help her with her weekly
doctor appointment, errands and house chores and to that I tell her, "Grandma, don't take
this away from me. What would I do without my Grandma Thursdays? Plus, you are doing
my kids a favor. Guess who doesn't have to do extra chores if their mean mom isn't around
to make them? Do you really want to take that from them and then try to sleep at night?"

All joking aside (although I did say that to her and gratefully, it made her laugh), one of the blessings
of losing so many people you love to death (and there really aren't that many bright spots, just so
you know) is that you very quickly figure out what matters. And what doesn't. People matter.
Love matters. Making people feel loved matters. And that, along with being the Savior's disciple
and my Heavenly Father's daughter, is it. The rest of it is pretty ridiculous. At least if you
ask me. And a whole lot of my difficult and beautiful life experiences have taught me that.

So Grandma Thursdays will continue. Because if once a week our family can sacrifice to
make sure Grandma feels loved and appreciated and that the burden of losing her eyesight
and having to deal with everyday life without being able to see is lessened, then count
me in. It's literally the least I can do. And I'm so incredibly thankful for the opportunity.

God has indeed blessed America

This picture I took the other night, as I was leaving my Mom's graveside,
reminds me of what I have because of those who have sacrificed so unimaginably
much--in some cases everything. I'm so beyond blessed. And pray I never forget that.

This guy

He's just the coolest. I love him so much.

A post-op cast

A post-op appointment today for this stud. I'm so grateful he is healing well. And as we
finally saw today, is going to have a really large and crazy-looking scar to show for it.

My favorite weather

 

A super rainy morning walk. I'm a fan.

Lake day

A day of friends boating on the lake. Because Annie's dad is the best.

Her day

A second birthday closer to being with her again.

Love you Mom. And miss you so much.

Living below my potential

I was walking this familiar trail several days ago, early in the morning, when two boys
rode past me, one on a bike and the other on a scooter. They looked to be around ten
or eleven. One of them had a gigantic bottle of Hawaiian Punch, hanging by the plastic
loop over his wrist. And the second had an enormous container of cheese balls tucked
under his arm. It was at that moment that I realized I am clearly not living my best life.

Surgery day

 

The surgery is over and his tendon is fixed. Matt handled everything incredibly well
and I'm so thankful to be on this side of it all and on our way to getting our boy healed.