Thursday, December 30, 2021
College Kya
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Silver Lining
When Jordan registered for classes this past fall, there was one class she NEEDED to take that was only offered in-person AND on one of her work days! Her teacher was completely inflexible with attendance. After stewing over what to do for weeks...we had an idea:)
I got to watch the kids during Jordan's class on Mondays! What fun it was to have two little cuties visit for a couple hours. Is this what it's going to be like to be a grandma?! I hope so.
UW January 2022
BYUH → Cascadia → UW
Jordan has gone from majoring in Psychology at BYU Hawaii, to studying Business at Cascadia, to majoring in Communications (hopefully) at The University of Washington! It's been a bit of a crazy ride, but we are super excited for Jordan to start at UW in January. She wasn't able to get into the the UW business school (Fosters--it's intensely competitive) and has to take one more class before she can apply for the communications major, but we are pretty confident she will get it!
With everything the world has been going through these past few years (Covid), it's been hard for Jordan to not have the typical college experience. Hopefully things will calm down, and she'll be able to enjoy the next few years. Either way, we are so proud of her and all she has been able to accomplish!
Monday, November 22, 2021
The Story of Duck Dynasty
Down a quiet private drive in suburban America lives a nice normal family. They have 4 well-behaved children, two adorable tabby cats, 4 well maintained (and safely driven) cars, and kind, respectful friends. They bought their brand new home in the spring of 2017. The family shared this private drive with two other houses. In the 4 years since living in their home, the family rarely saw more than 2 of the occupants of the other houses (there were 5 people living in those houses, they were told). One of the houses nobody was ever seen entering or leaving...suspicious to say the least. But there was one man, always watching, always lurking and always angry. The family called him Duck Dynasty (because he looked like that guy from that Duck Dynasty show).
As the family moved into their house, Duck Dynasty put up signs: "No parking" "Speed limit 5mph" "Slow Down" "Private Property" "Do Not Enter."
When the family had company, Duck Dynasty would come out yelling at their friends: "Slow Down" "Don't park there" "Move your car" "Get off my property."
When the family would go outside they would get lectures: "You drive too fast" "You need to tell your kids to slow down" "Your cars are too loud coming down the street at night and it wakes us up" "You need to tell your friends they can't park here" "You're parking is causing the concrete to break down."
As days went by, more signs would appear. Then tree branches, pots, and orange cones were placed to block the family from parking.
When a storm hit the town, a few trees from Duck Dynasty's yard fell down making a huge mess of branches and debris. Nobody cleaned it up. When the Father of the family asked if he could help clean it up, Duck Dynasty replied that he wanted to leave it so the family would stop parking there.
Every time the Mom would drive down that potentially peaceful private drive, she would feel anything but peaceful. She would feel sorrow and sadness, frustration and anger. She avoided Duck Dynasty, afraid that if she was left to confront him, she would lose her cool.
Then one day a sign appeared at the end of the private drive. A sign that was not put there by Duck Dynasty. A sign with a proposed development of Duck Dynasty's property. He was leaving! And, as he made it very clear to the father, he was leaving "because he couldn't stand living next to the family."
Well, the family finally had peace. There was glorious peace for at least 6 months.
Friday, November 19, 2021
16 Just keeps getting younger
Burgers, cake, and his driver's license...what more does a 16 year old boy need?!
Nothing...unless you want to count a worried mom who has no idea how her little baby grew up so fast.
Sunday, November 14, 2021
Fall Favorites
It's always a little sad for me when summer comes to an end.
Thank goodness for fall festivities to keep my spirits lifted!
The Pumpkin Patch is one of my very favorites:) We lucked out with a beautiful sunny day and Dad even got to join us! We were just missing our Kya (and Summer's fingers got closed in the van door when we were getting ready to head home--poor baby).
And not much can compare to the beauty of fall in the Pacific Northwest.
Saturday, October 30, 2021
I am a married woman...and NOW I can prove it!
When you get engaged, traditionally, you get an engagement ring.
When you get married, traditionally, you get a wedding band.
Well, I have been traipsing around town for 21+ years wearing only an engagement ring!!!
Shocking, I know!
But, not anymore!!!!
AND, since I had to wait so long, I got an "anniversary" bad...which means it has diamonds on it;)
Friday, October 1, 2021
The Price for being the littlest
Being born 8.5 years after your closest sibling has it's advantages, but it also definitely has its disadvantages.
Some of Summer's best friends are her siblings friends. They come over and give her attention, and talk to her, and listen to her, and play with her...much more than her siblings do (without being coerced). The only problem is...they grow up and leave...very quickly.
It started a couple years ago, when Jordan graduated and she and her friends started moving away.
Two years later, as Kya graduated, it happened again. Two of Summer's favorite friends (Kya's friends) left...one to college and one on a mission. Luckily she still has two more years with Tyson's friends! I don't know what she'll do when Luke moves away!
Jake is headed to BYU Provo
Max is headed to be a missionary in Russia!



































