More Annie

To celebrate Annie officially guiding her first river rafting group last week, some pictures of this darling girl from
the last many days. She’s so happy. And so amazing. And so in her element. Ugh, I just love her so much.

Welcome summer

 

Big old trampoline jump by Nate. Fabulous photo capture by Matt. That lovely feeling of
flying and freedom brought to you by the last day of school. Bring on the summer.

The sweetest of nights

Such a beautiful night with so many I love in my very favorite place. And to have a new temple

so close to our home—it’s just so sweet and good. I’ll never get over how much God loves us.

Firsts and lasts

This incredible boy. He brings tears to my eyes. His first day of elementary school and his last day
of elementary school. Just three weeks apart or so, I’m pretty sure. I adore him more than I could
ever put into words and can’t believe that God loves me so much, He let me be Nate Allen’s mom.

A whole lot of kickball

Three hours of coaching sixth grade kickball plus one hour of being the umpire
for the championship game (sixth graders v. teachers).

Not sure how I got myself into that last situation...

Jacob's boating hat came in clutch. Plus, I got to lunch on the lawn with these two darlings.

It was a good few hours.

Also, is it too early for bedtime? Asking for a grandma I know.

Nate's last spring soccer game

Grace's Beauty and the Beast dance recital

 

My beautiful girl. Her performance in her dance recital today was truly incredible. I just can’t quite put
into words how happy it makes her, how hard she works, how talented of a dancer she is becoming

 and how much we love her dance company and who they are and how they love our darling girl.
It was such a sweet afternoon, made all the better with Grace’s aunt and cousin, Angela and Adele,
who so kindly drove a long while to support her, as well as Jacob, Nate and Ben who made sure to
be there for our amazing dancer. Adore this little love and just feel so deeply honored be her mom.

Ben’s last spring soccer game

Spring piano recital

Spring piano recital for these three darlings last night. They were truly amazing and it made me
 emotional to think of how much hard work and consistency goes into this beautiful talent.

And their teacher. I have no idea how we could be the luckiest ever to have one of our favorite
humans we have ever known be these kids’ piano teacher, but she is. And we are forever grateful.

And that second picture. These two cousins have been with Emily from the beginning of our time here
—when their heads didn’t even reach her shoulder. They just really love her. And for good reason.

The happiest of evenings, with some of our very favorites. I am a fan.

AP tests and this boy I adore

AP World History test over and done.

This boy is the coolest. And makes me laugh so hard. One more school assignment
left and his sophomore year is officially complete. Yee to the haw.

Good grief, I just really love Ben Allen.

Nate and the district decathlon (again)

District decathlon today for this stud—so proud of him and his sixth grade friends who
participated. These fun memories of the last few days of Nate’s elementary years are
 just the best. Love this boy and his incredible heart and athletic self so crazy much.

Just so much love and kindness

Every single one of my kids are honestly the greatest and kindest humans. I love them so much.

I’m so thankful for any second I have with my chicklets. I know it isn’t guaranteed, especially as they
get older, and so, when they choose to spend time with us, I’m just so crazy happy. And I knew that
Campbell and Kelsey were coming this last weekend, since they had invited me to the temple, and
I was so grateful. And I also knew that Matt was coming home from a cruise with Edie’s family late
Saturday night—I was so excited to have him home. As well as our darling three youngest being around
 of course. But Annie, as I’ve mentioned, is working in Moab for the summer. And we knew she was
 only planning to come home in June for a couple of days for some important weddings. I 1000%
 understood and while I missed her, was so happy for how much she loves her job and her coworkers.

But then Saturday night, this beautiful girl called, as we were leaving the temple, and asked if it would
be a problem to come home, because she had already left and would be here in about 4 1/2 hours.
She wanted to be here for Mother’s Day, even if she had to turn around and go right back on
Monday morning. And I cried. Because that is kindness and sacrifice that just blows my mind.
But doesn’t surprise me at all with Annie—or any of her siblings.

So while I’ve made it clear over and over that I never want my kids to feel obligated to come to
any event or family gathering if it doesn’t work with their schedule or if something comes up,
the fact they were all here together today, will be a favorite memory of mine for a very long time.

As I used to say to my kids often when they were little,
“How come of all the kids in all the world, I got the very best ones?”

Because I really, really did.

And then this photo. I love these darlings and their sweet dad behind the camera so ridiculously much.
And not only did Jacob treat me with far too much love, kindness and attention all last weekend, but he took
great pains to make sure this photo happened yesterday. I just can't with him and how well he loves me.

I don't know how I could ever be blessed enough to be married to Jacob, and to have
this life I do, but I'm just so grateful for him and for it. More than I could ever say.

This Mother's Day

Alongside my Father in Heaven and my Savior, nothing matters more
to me than these seven and their dad. Nothing.

I’ve never stopped feeling undeserving of being their momma, but I’ve also
never stopped feeling grateful, to the deepest part of my heart, for the privilege.
They are the reason I keep trying and keep going. And who they choose to be
brings me the greatest happiness I could ever have imagined.

There truly never was a girl as blessed as I am.
And I will never stop thanking God for it.

The most wonderful of gifts

These two sweetest of humans called a few days ago and asked if, as a gift for Mother’s Day, they
could go to the temple with me. Are you kidding me right now? Talk about making a momma cry.

I loved today so much, it meant more than I could ever say. And the fact that my kids know that I’m
not a gift person, but a picture from any of them, or a text telling me they are thinking of me or now,
time spent in the temple together, is just the greatest and most thoughtful present in the world.

Love these two darlings so much and so grateful I could be with them
and Jacob in my favorite place today. I’m just so blessed.

District Math and Science Olympiad

This darling boy, and his fabulous friend, took 2nd place in Krypto today, at our school district’s math
and science Olympiad. It was so fun to watch and I was so thrilled for our Nathan of the brilliant mind.

This is the third straight year Nate has been eligible and has also qualified for the Olympiad and
I love that he and his friend, Zach, have competed together all three years. And to see our boy
end his elementary years, on such a high note, did something to my mother’s heart.

How I love being this boy’s mom and watching him work hard and fly high.

She’s just so happy

I’m just so grateful.

My favorite temple

Annie's summer job

Annie girl took off for Moab this morning, to spend the summer as a river rafting guide.
I’m so excited for her. And the lucky groups she will be in charge of the next several months.
We will sure miss her, but good grief, she is so adventurous and fun and darling and brave. I sure love
that girl. And love these pictures she just sent me. Looks like the adventure has already begun.

These three darlings

Just a quick post about these three darlings who have less than a month left
of school before sum, sum, summertime arrives. Oh the happy.

Nate had his 6th grade Greek feast and Olympics today, hence the cool toga. There are so many
 fun activities in the next four weeks and this boy is here for them. His mother, on the other hand,
is a tad bit melancholy about how he could possibly be done with elementary school in mere
days. But he is going to love junior high and do so very well there. So ultimately, I’m just really
thrilled for this amazing boy that is truly incredible and good in every way.

Ben joined a rec soccer team, just for a fun, with the short break he has in comp soccer right now and
 it is kind of the greatest. Especially because he is playing on a team with his cousins, Allie and Caleb,
 who are pretty much the best in all the land. It’s so happy and fun watching this boy handle everything
 in these last weeks of his sophomore year so calmly and well (even though he has a whole lot on
his plate), just makes Ben that much more tremendous and good to me. 

Grace just loves life. And her friends and creating and dancing and singing and reading and
 laughing and school and cartwheels and well, everything. She just brings such a happiness and joy
to everything she does and makes everything at home more fun and exciting. I absolutely cannot
 believe she is almost finished with fourth grade and will be our only child in elementary school
next year. Pure craziness. So grateful for this little love and her incredible goodness and light.