Mother's Day

 The kids came in from playing next door and were so excited to give me this beautiful bouquet of flowers they had picked with our neighbor Joe.  I absolutely love it!  And how I love my kiddos!

Mother's Day picture...They're so much more willing to take a picture if they can stick out their tongues. Silly kids!

Boys and Electronics

 One Saturday we heard a crazy loud buzzing noise and at first I thought our washing machine had exploded.  It was actually the transformer  on the powerline in front of our house that was exploding. Bracken watched the sparks flying and smoke pouring off. The buzzing happened twice, and then we lost power for the rest of the day.  We had the firetruck and firemen and electricians come to our house, but we didn't get power back until that evening.  When the power came back on, we realized the surge had broken several of our appliances.  The electric piano, Melissa and Steve's microwave, our laser printer, and all of our surge protectors.  Although that was a huge bummer, Bracken and his friend Mason were extremely excited to be able to take the laser printer apart one afternoon.  

These boys both love science, electronics, and robotics.  It's fun to watch them discover and create together.

Revenge of the "Sixth"

 Bracken, Dallin, Clara and Chandra

Our neighbors the Mehr's throw the best Star Wars party each year. This year it was a Revenge of the "Sixth" party.  Hotdogs, treats, silly string, movies, trampoline fun, light saber fights and lots of running around and playing with friends and neighbors.  Dallin and Clara were able to join us too!

Chandra's 6th Birthday!

Chandra wanted to help make her own cake, the movie "Moana" for a present, and her friends the Mcleary's to come over on her birthday.  All her birthday wishes came true!  We loved celebrating our sweet, creative, beautiful 6 year old!

Most of the Mcleary Family.  We love them all!  They came over to celebrate Chandra's birthday with cake and ice cream and brought lots of laughs and an adorable stuffed puppy with a blue ribbon that Chandra named Belle.  (Mcleary Family: Layne and Tammy, Brinley, Aubrey, Cameron, Kael, and Taylor.)

Then Chandra had a Chef birthday party with a couple of her little friends. (Sadie Wardell, Chandra and Ava Fullmer)

They made Chef hats, looked through cook books, frosted cookies, baked pizzas, and jumped on our neighbor Jan's trampoline.  Such a fun afternoon!

50 Mile Backpacking Adventure

Brian and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary by going on a 50-mile Backpacking Adventure.  The first day we hiked the Subway from the bottom up, then we started the actual backpacking part of the trip at Kolob and went across Hops Valley, Wildcat Canyon, and the Western Rim ending in Zion's National Park.  We went with a group of Brian's fellow med students as they finished up a Wilderness Survival Medicine class.  We had the most incredible views, sunsets, and some intense blisters.  I'm so glad we were able to go together!

 

Brian and Kira on the Subway hike.

Stella Selden, Jake Jacobs, Mike Black, Jake Saunders, Kira, Brian and Sarah Dunham. 

Playing candy poker in the tent at night.  With seven of us hikers packed in one tent, it smelled strongly of feet.   

 Hops Valley

We crossed back and forth over this creek a dozen times, doing our best not to get our feet wet. 

Brian and Kira 

There was SO much sand on our second day.  Not only did it drain our energy, but it filled our shoes.  I felt like I needed to dump the sand out of my shoes every thirty steps of so.  Thanks to miles of this sand I developed some pretty gnarly blisters. 

Such incredible scenery throughout the hike, but the sunset on our last evening was my favorite.

We made it! 

Celebrating with Ice Cream in Springdale.  It was delicious! 

 They called him "Thug Brian" each evening with his beard and hoody pulled low over his eyes.

Primary Presidency and Friends

I have been so blessed to serve with these beautiful ladies the past two years in the Primary Presidency. We have become such good friends and I am so grateful for their examples and love. Sarah Wardell, Betsy Christensen, Kira, Jan Phillips and Tammy McCleary