This past week

This past week I was able to get out on eleven different walks or runs (short and slow
in the run department for the record). I'm a happier person when I get outside a lot.

Ben's last flag football game

This stud had his last flag football game today (because of a disc golf tournament he has next
weekend) and I was grateful to actually remember to take my good camera in order to get several
 pictures I love of him. I just keep saying it, but that is because I mean it so sincerely...this boy is
something else. I'm so thankful for him and love watching how much joy and energy he
brings to everything he does. He's unreal amazing and I'm just so honored to be his mom.

The coolest birthday guy

Happiest Birthday to this guy that we have grown to love and admire a whole lot the last few months!
Stone has so many amazing qualities, man would I love to be as athletic and brilliant as he is, but the way
he treats our Annie and the deeply good person he chooses to be is something that is so inspiring and
incredible to me. Happy Birthday Stone! Thanks for being one of our favorite people ever.

This soccer stud

This boy has honestly worked his head off the last many weeks. Practices with different teams most every weeknight,
one-on-one soccer training with an amazing coach, soccer workouts at home in his free time, indoor and outdoor
games regularly...it's a lot. And he loves it. And keeps trying to find ways to stretch himself and learn even more.

Just so ridiculously proud of Nate and who he chooses to be. I texted him today to tell him that not only do I love
watching him play soccer because he is so skilled and amazing, but seeing how hard he works and how
he chooses to come back quickly from frustrations and setbacks, is just as inspiring, often more so, to me.

Oh man, this kid is gold. I'm so thankful for him.

Grace's spring dance recital

Grace performed in her main dance recital of the year tonight, dancing in three routines—
pointe, ballet and a creative composition she and the other dancers helped choreograph. I took these
photos during the dress rehearsal and still can't get over how much her dancing took my breath away.
The actual recital made me pretty emotional, thinking about how hard Grace has worked for the last
eight months and how much she loves what she does. I'm just so in awe of our beautiful girl.
She's absolutely tremendous and I'm so thankful she is ours.

Soccer games and handsome boys

Jacob and the boys that were available went to the RSL game last night, both to watch a
great soccer game and to also see Nate's team presented at half time—because of a Southern Utah
tournament they won a few weeks back. It was a happy night. Love these boys a whole lot.

These two darlings

Jacob and I loved taking these two out to lunch today to celebrate Stone's birthday a few days
early. They are just beyond darling and the time to talk and laugh and feel so grateful for Stone
and he and Annie's relationship was just the best. Oh man, just adore these two like crazy.

More flag football

These two darlings

Just feeling grateful for these two and how darling they are and how good they choose to be.
They make everything about life more fun and exciting and I love every second we get to spend with them.

An exciting week for Grace

Darling Grace outgrew her first pair and got a new pair of pointe shoes this week. It was a really happy day for our girl.

And also had a week of extra prep in her dance classes this week, getting ready for a big recital
both next week and the week after. Parents could come in and watch, the last few minutes of class,
if they wanted, and Jacob got this fabulous photo of Grace's group within her dance company—
Shimmer Co. These girls are incredible and we adore each one of them.

High school assembly fun

Assembly fun for these studs. I heard it was a trivia competition between the disc golf club
and the volleyball team and these boys pulled off the win. Oh man, can't believe it is our boy's
 senior year and we are officially five weeks from it being over. Not a fan of time and what
a thief it is right now. But definitely a fan of that Ben Allen. Big time.

Some potentially good news

A follow-up appointment with a sports med doctor for this amazing boy. Nate's got some work
ahead of him, but this boy was never afraid of hard work. And while not guaranteed, it looks like
 the concerning x-ray may possibly be something less worrisome than we thought. We are going
to go ahead with that conclusion until something proves otherwise. Oh I am thankful for really
 good doctors who are thorough and knowledgeable and for truly incredible sons who choose
positivity and calm. Bring on the next several weeks, we've got this for sure.

These two darlings

I've been going through some photos and organizing them a bit better and spent quite
a bit of time enjoying photos of these two darlings. Oh man, they are tremendous.
I'm so thankful for them and their example to me and the goodness they bring to everything
they do and everyone around them. I'm just so grateful to know them and to love them.

A weekend full of disc golf

An evening of Ben convincing his mom to try disc golf for the first time. All five of us played
a few holes at a nearby course together and it was the best. Even if I was the worst. 

In addition, Ben had a multi-round league this weekend and man, the first two rounds were just
rough. The weather didn't help, but sometimes life is just like that and you don't play as well as
you'd like. But Ben came back the final round and moved from ninth place to finish in fourth.
Pretty incredible for just eighteen holes if you ask me. He's amazing that Ben Allen.

Junior high dance company tryouts

 

This little beauty needed a head shot this week, in order to try out for the junior high dance company
 (think performing arts, rather than drill team). We were so thrilled for her when she received the news
she had made the team. The fact that our youngest is about to graduate sixth grade...pure madness.
 The fact that our darling dancer made the dance team she was really hoping to join...a whole lot
of happiness. It was a good week for our amazing girl for sure. We're so thankful.

Darling boys and x-ray fun

A morning appointment to have some imaging done in order to try and figure out an issue Nate has been
dealing with for a bit. Unfortunately, the x-rays added an additional concern that wasn't on anyone's radar,
but we are sure that the specialist we have been told to see will be helpful and fabulous and we will soon
know how to proceed and none of it will be a big deal in the slightest. We sure are feeling grateful for good
doctors and thorough tests that will ensure all of this ultimately ends up a very small issue when it is over.
And this boy, he's so tough, so positive, so good about any kind of set back, it blows me away. Oh I love him.

Our spring break

Because I had a family wedding I needed to be at during the week of our kids' spring break, and also
 because Jacob is the kindest and wanted to give me some time to myself, I spent the first week of April
at home, while Jacob took the three youngest to Moab and Colorado, to camp and hike and bike and
adventure and have fun together. He's the best. And these kids are the most darling. And I'm so thankful
for the week to recharge and for the memories they made together. It was a good few days for all of us.

The sweetest of invites

Goodness, I'm so thankful for these people, this picture and this afternoon.

To be invited to the temple sealing of the daughter of my darling cousin and dear friend earlier
today, meant more than she could ever know. And to be with Brooke and her four brothers,
who are some of my favorite people ever, will forever be such a happy memory. I have long
felt so thankful that they are my family and my friends, what a blessing they've been to me.

These five are so close and I have often used them as inspiration when raising our own
children, to do everything in my power to make sure our kids are close and love each other
fiercely. So to feel included with this group of incredible people, who I absolutely adore,
meant so much. The sweetest experience I've had in a long time. Never mention feeling
heaven close, with my aunt and uncle, their parents, with us in the temple, along with
my mom and grandma and grandpa there also. I'm forever thankful.

Another tournament win for this guy

And finally this photo that will never stop making me laugh. Because when you ask for permission to share,
you take what you can get. This boy entered another big PDGA tournament yesterday and won his entire
division—in a playoff, with two birdies in a row to become the overall winner. And which resulted in him
qualifying for a tournament this fall in Missouri. He's honestly unreal to me. So ridiculously proud of him.

PS. I love so much that disc golf gives the weirdest/lamest/best trophies ever. They are so random and often miniature
and not even trophies most of the time and Ben has an entire nightstand covered in them. It's kind of the greatest.

School plays and choreographers

And then the week of the school play with this darling student choreographer. Grace attended the
play ​s​ix times this past week to be on the front row and help the whole cast throughout the song she
and ​K​enzie choreographed together. Forever thankful for ​t​his amazing mom, dancer and ​human
and how she included, loved, celebrated and cheered on our girl. She's truly the best!

Grace's Greek festival

The most fun week for this girl as her sixth grade year winds down. Greek festival on
Friday for this darling goddess of dance (as dubbed by her friends and peers).