Settling into UT

So we arrived in our new little abode in UT very late Friday night. We drove both our van and truck and the kids did very well. I think they've gotten used to the drive now that we've been doing for 2 1/2 yrs! Sat. we unpacked a bit and then went out to Grandma O's 4th of July BBQ with family. The kids swam their little hearts out and we had a great time with family that we haven't seen in a while. Sunday we went to church and then were off to my Dad's. We went to Murray Park and met the rest of my brothers and their families. We had a fun night playing, eating, and celebrating a late Father's Day for Dad.

Monday we went to see our Aunt Trish! We had so much fun just relaxing and chatting and then on Tuesday we went to Park Day and then they came over to our clubhouse swimming pool and the kids did lots more swimming. Our complex has a great pool and the kids are in heaven! They've been good little sports going from living in a home to being in a small apartment. It's been so nice though and so much more of a simple life! :)
Then Tues. night Ry and I got to attend the temple together and it was such a great feeling to be back close to the temple! It was so much fun also running into dear friends the Poveys and also one of my old mission companions and her husband! Sis. Amy Winkfield and I were comps 3 times on our mission and got to be dear freinds. We saw each other and hugged with both of our big bellies! We're both prego! It topped off the night so perfectly and the kids loved being with Grandma Rosie! Thanks again Grandma!!!

Today my sis-in law Shelli and I took the kids to the Oquirrh Temple open house. Kel and Sofia both wanted to wear their beautiful white dresses and took the whole tour hand in hand. They loved it and so did we! It is a beautiful temple and such a neat experience to be able to take your kids in with you! I LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE!!!

Last day -- so much we'll miss!

Well on Friday morning we woke up and finished cleaning and packing and headed out! We will miss Flagstaff a lot and our home. Summer is our favorite time in our yard and garden and all the beautiful things that are around! It's been a great home for us with lots of great memories and it will always be a part of who we are! Farewell to our Flagstaff home, friends, and family!

Things we'll miss cont.

Thursday was a crazy day of packing, cleaning, saying goodbye to friends, packing and more cleaning. One of the hugest blessings of living in Flag has been our dear friends the Mowers. They are actually from Bountiful too and have been in Flag for over 5 years. They were a HUGE part of helping us get in to the great ward, home, neighborhood, etc. We've felt like we've had family away from home having them to share so much with -- carpools, birthdays, pedicures, girl's nights out, family camping trips, play dates, and more. Nik will kill me for putting this pic up but it's just so "who she is" -- She is a wonderMom and I just love her to death! Thursday she and kiddos brought us the cutest "farewell gifts" THey gave the kids each a cute bear to hug and snuggle for when they need a little lift or miss their buddies and then a cute snack pkg. for our family -- We just love them to death and are so grateful that their family is in Btfl. too so we'll be seeing them a lot still :)

A fun day for the whole family!

Yesterday we took the kids out to our dear friend's home in Mountainaire! The Wests have been good friends from minute one here in Flag. Rhonda and I served in YW together when I first moved in and then she was released a short time later and I got to stay in with her FOUR wonderful daughters who our family just loves to death! For camp this year we had a dinner and auction. The West gals auctioned off a four hour babysitting trip with horseback riding, swimming, quads and more. Well Ry hopped on that one and we won it! We took them up on it on Tuesday and the kids had such a fun day. Then they had all of us over in the evening for a BBQ and we had such a great night! They gave us a cute hanging quote for our wall and I just love the saying. It says, "TODAY'S TEST IS TOMORROW'S TESTIMONY!" I think that will be our new theme! So true -so true! This little journey we are embarking on is so scary and so much unknown -- But we are growing (physically as well as spiritually) and know that we're being guided! Thank you West family for the fun day and night! We love you!!!

Things we'll miss - DAY 5

We will miss being close to our Arizona family -- Grandparents and Sister and fam in Chandler. We were able to go down to the valley this weekend and stay overnight. It was so fun to see cousins and make sure Bryn's broken arm was doing well. She has been a little trooper after breaking her arm falling off the trampoline. She had surgery and 2 pins put in! :( We had Sunday dinner with grandparents, made ice cream with Gracia and fam, played in the water in the 110 degree weather on Mon, went to PEI WEI, took the kids to an indoor amusement park called Jeepers, and then ended it off by seeing grandma and grandpa and grandpa's nephew Dan and his wife. It was a lot of fun and so good to be with family. We have loved being close to them and having the chance to go warm up in PHX. We love you family!

Things we'll miss -DAY 4

Sunday was a hard day -- I had to say goodbye to my wonderful YW! It was a teary time and so hard to say goodbye -- So we just said "See ya later!" We decided that would be easier! I have loved being with these amazing girls and feel so blessed to have them as a part of my life forever! They all made me a cute scrapbook with pics and with letters from each of them and the leaders -- It's something I'll treasure forever!

Then Mikelle wanted to share her testimony in Primary and say goodbye! She was such a little tender heart and bore the sweetest, emotional testimony and there wasn't a dry eye! Then they sang the girls the Good-bye song -- Like the hello song only changes the words to Goodbye! It was very sweet and they'll always remember it! We have truly oved our ward here and have made friends that will be forever! It's hard to leave but we also know that this will be a part of home for us always and that we have lots of fun friends to come visit when we pass through!

Things we'll miss -DAY 3

We are really going to miss how many amazing, fun places there are to see here so close by -- We have taken little family outings quite frequently to Indian ruins, rivers, canyons, peaks, fun little towns, craters, meadows, lava tubes, red rocks, and many other historic and national parks-- One of our last little jaunts (on Saturday) took us down to Seligman. A historic stop on Route 66! It's an old little town and is actually in the movie Cars. They have a fun diner there called the SNO CAP and in the back they have all these old cars that look like the ones in the movie! The kids loved it and we had so much fun just walking around taking in all the historic feel of the place! We got our KICKS on ROUTE 66!

Monsoons!

Another things we will miss is the monsoons in the summer! They are warm, rainy days that come in the afternoons and just freshen everything up! The kids had so much fun today running and jumping in puddles and getting completely soaked! RAIN, RAIN, RAIN!

Things I'll miss -DAY 2

One of the BIG things I'll miss about Flag is my wonderful clients from the past 2 years! I really wondered how the photography thing would go here when we moved and it has gone so well! I've been able to make so many fun friends and have had the opportunity to do some things I never could have dreamed possible! I will truly miss each one of my clients and am so grateful for each and every one. It's been so much fun to see little toddlers now that I started taking pics of as newborns and a few even before they were here (maternity). Taking pictures is one of my passions and without people to photograph, it wouldn't be possible! I'm excited to be able to come back through and visit and already have some plans to set up shop in Misti's when I come to visit! To my Flagstaff clients--Thanks for two and a half great years!

What we'll miss about Flag!

I thought since we only have one week really left here in good old Flagtown, I'd take a post each day and dedicate each one to things we'll miss about it here! One of the first things, is my dear friend Misti! She has lived 2 doors down and has been like a sister -- I started doing pics for her and she has done all of our hair ever since as well. We've done freezer meals, double dates, chatted almost daily, shared fun recipes, borrowed everything from eggs to fresh garlic. She is a one in a million sister-friend and I will miss her dearly but also am grateful that we will be keeping in touch! We laready have several fun trips planned both in UT, here, and half way in between!

We've also been blessed to have other wonderful friends in the neighborhood - Lisa, April, Lori, and Jen -- Those who could make it today went out to lunch and had such a good time! We have had such a wonderful neighborhood and it's one tat we will really miss! But a fun place to come back to and visit! Thanks gals for a fun day!

Making soap!

I made soap with my YW a month or so ago and it is so much fun! My girls have been begging me to do it with them ever since so yesterday we did! Kel ha d a friend over and we ended up making a ton! They loved it so much! And it is seriously so easy! Just melt in the micro, add your color and scents, pour into molds, let set, and pop out! It was so much fun and not too messy either! They have all the stuff to do it at JoAnn's or any craft store.

BRITISH SOCCER CAMP

This week all three of our kiddos were involved in the British Soccer camp that comes here every year! They are real British soccer pros and they are so great! Our kids love them to death and all of us LOVE their accents! We got to be in it with our best buddies the Mowers ( Amelia and Carter on the same team and Alex and Aubs on the other) And Mikelle played the whole 3 hours on her own team! All three did so well and had so much fun! And now that it's all over -- I think we are all exhausted but are so glad we had such a good week! They got to practice their soccer skills and the little ones did a lot of cute games like "What time is it Mr. Wolf?" and the crab catcher game! they loved every minute!

Happy B-day RY!

Today was Ry's Birthday! He took Aubs to breakfast to celebrate both of their days. (Tradition -breakfast date with Dad on your day!) Then tonight we went to good old Black Barts! The kids LOVE it! And so do we- The NAU music majors sing nightly hits from Broadway and it's a really fun time -- then for b-days, they bring fried ice cream and sing Happy Birthday better than any restaurant I've heard! We had a fun night and more than anything want Ry to know how much we love him! I could get totally sappy but I won't -- just want him to know how lucky I feel to be his wife and tell him how grateful I am for the great daddy, hubby, and best friend he is! I love you!

Happy #6 Aubrey!

Aubrey is SIX today! She has been having such a fun week so far-- We've had British soccer camp every day this week until Friday from 9-12 -- They have been in heaven and have loved being with their best buds! They sang to Aubrey today in their cute British accents and she loved it! Tonight we had tinfoil dinners with the Mowers and then had presents and ate hello kitty "pup cakes" (as Aubs calls 'em) and homemade mango ice cream! Aubrey is a light in our lives and we love her so much-- She is always the first one up at about 6 every morning, we love her cute face full of freckles, her contageous laugh, her sweet, helpful nature, that she loves animals, that she is such a good big and little sister, that she loves to sing EVERYWHERE she goes, and most of all -- We just love our Aubster lobster! Thanks dor 6 great years -- We love you sooooo much! Happy Birthday!

Girl's camp!

We took our YW this week to Happy Jack for our girl's camp -- Wednesday through Saturday! We had such a great time -- Our theme was SURVIVOR! We focused a lot on our new value- VIRTUE and went on a Virtue climb, made Virtue pillowcases and bracelets, did crafts, went to the resevoir, ate foil dinners, and dutch oven, went hiking, and just had a great time with the YW! It truly is my very favorite time in the world! (Even being prego!) The girls were wonderful and as leaders, we had so much fun as well! And a nice shower yesterday was complete heaven after roughing it all week! And more than anything, it was so good to know that our kids were in good hands at home -- Thanks Tiffany, Kelsea, and Ry! love ya all!

Big changes ahead!

Well..... I guess the picture probably says it all! The house is officially for sale! The past few months have been a whirlwind as we have know that a possible change was coming. This past week- we got a job offer in Utah. A great job that is going to be the perfect fit and Ry is very excited --although when we start to think about leaving this place, it is hard. Sunday was such a hard day and very emotional. I had to tell my dear YW and many of our friends were asking questions at church. There have been so many blessings about being here and so many people that have become forever friends and whom we consider family. It's been so much fun to talk to family and friends in Utah about the future and we know that it will be a blessing. Almost never in our lives have we had to exert so much faith -- And we know although it's uncertain -- it will work out!

Gone fishin'!

Today we took the kids fishin'! It was so much fun!

Carter loved having his own reel!

Kel was into it from the start! She was
also on the lookout for lizards too!

Getting our reels all ready!

Now that's my kind of fishin'!

Aubs just sitting back waiting for a pull!
The kids were so good -- Didn't catch any fish but had
a lot of fun and got some great casting practice in!
You should see these girls cast! WOW!

IT'S A .............!

So today after the Seussical -- We RAN to our ultrasound! Everything looks perfect and all parts are there and accounted for! And we had a great shot of what we're having -- It's a GIRL! We pretty much felt like that's what we were having all along -- with a little help from Carter :) I was just under 3 months along and we still hadn't told the kids we were expecting -- Just waiting til the three month mark rolled by and we felt a bit more comfortable about it.... anyway, One nicht Carter walked right up to me and looked at my liitle pooch and said, "Is that a baby sister in there?" We about died! And the girls of course jumped right on it and were crazy excited -- So, for him to have said that...we really wondered if it could be! It's so amazing what these cute little people really know and makes ya wonder how much more they could tell us! :) Needless to say- we are so excited and so happy to have another sweet little girl join our family!

SEUSSICAL!

Mikelle was a part of Seussical the Musical at her grade school today and did so well! They didn't do the whole musical but really did quite a few songs and boy were they amazing! They had all the actions down and did such a good job! She even has a fun shirt to keep as a momento! I said Kel! That is such a fun thing that everyone gets to keep their cute shirts! And she said, "Ya -- Tax credits!" Made me smile!