My Birthday

 For my birthday we started out with a yummy breakfast all prepared for by Cade. Then I requested that we go in the mountains for my birthday and so hiking we went! I love this new spot in Alpine near the Horsetail Falls Hike. It is GORGEOUS. The water was absolutely freeing but 4 girls got all the way in to earn $10. It was hilarious. 

At night, Cade and I went to the first BYU game for our season tickets. 

One thing to know about me if you don't already know. I get headaches a lot and bright light often triggers the headaches. So you will never find me without sunglasses on my head or hanging on my shirt or (like this picture) on my face AND on my head AND hanging on my shirt....I'm the best 😆

Emma LOVES making cards for people and she's really good at it. This year she made me "Birthday Eggs". They were so cute! Each little "egg" box opened up to a scrambled egg with a note on it. So fun. 

Married for 17 Years!

 This year we celebrated at a new Utah temple- the Orem, Utah temple. It was beautiful. We also went up to Silver Lake up AF Canyon and went paddleboarding and had a picnic. I’m not completely sure it’s Cade’s favorite kind of date but it sure if mine!!! I love spending time with him in the good outdoors! 

Here We Go Again! School Starts!

 I can't believe we are here again! Life goes by so fast. We had FIVE girls all at the same school this year! Kindergarten all the way up to 9th Grade- all at Lincoln Academy. Emma will go to a different school next year for high school. 

Our annual "Back to School Dinner" was interrupted by a flood this year. Rain just POURED down while we were eating and it was coming down so hard that we were joking that it would flood our basement. Then one of the girls runs downstairs and yells "It's coming in!" Oh boy. The rain gutter was so full that the water couldn't drain properly and was flooding into the windowsill. We got it taken care of but made for an exciting dinner in a very different way. 

Jane just started Kindergarten and they allowed one HALF day class. I am so glad because Jane and Benson need each other. They are becoming such great buddies. Benson would be SO bored if Jane was gone all day and I like having Jane around for one more year. 

First Backpacking Trip with my Girls

 My FIRST time backpacking!!! I got to go with Emma, Reese and Nora and some of the ward Young Women and leaders/parents. It was so much fun! I want to get some backpacking things for Christmas now (I had to borrow a lot of things). We went up the American Fork Canyon to Primrose trail and there is a meadow half was in to put up tents. Also a spigot for water. I am glad there are people there to teach me about filtering water and boiling water for food, etc. I can't wait to do it again!

Other Random Summer Fun

Going to the Poppy Fields in Alpine with Rachel Bagley.

We went on a hike with Boose Boose to check out this trail for a potential girls camp hike. It ended up being super snowy and not extremely safe but we had a blast! The more sketchy it was getting the more Nora and Reese would say, "this is so fun!!!" "Thanks for taking us Mom!" It was pretty fun and always a good time with Boose Boose. 

Cade and his Dad went on a fishing trip together and had a great time!

We had a few sleepovers in Gma and Gpa Close's treehouse and had a blast!

Strawberry Day's Rodeo. Good times with Gma and Gpa! And also the carnival and parade. We love living in Pleasant Grove. 

My 20 year High School Reunion. TWENTY YEARS!!! Crazy. I can't believe I am that old. It was fun to see some old friends! In the photo is Danelle Turnblom, Brighton Walker, me, Josh Spear and Tiffany Gunderson. So fun to see them. 

Brittany Whiting and Lindsey Smith weren't able to come to the reunion but Lindsey was in town the following week so we got together for brunch and had a great time catching up! Man, sometimes life can be so hard when you get older. Talking with them made me so grateful for Cade and the amazing husband and father he is. 

We got a new Thanksgiving Point pass this year and it's been fun to explore and play again. Benson and Jane haven't really ever gone to these museums and they've been loving it!

Seven mile hike with Boose Boose up Blanch Lake. It was beautiful! My knees (mostly left) was killing by the end because of the elevation climb. Up is always fine. Coming down is reminding me that I am getting older. I love spending time with Boose. LOVE. 

Tea party with Autumn and Rachel Bagley. Poor Benson you could say...but he's just there for the food...and he loves food!

Just some canyon fun. We had Camping planned and paid for and then last min (literally as the van was completely packed and everyone was getting in the van to go) I got an email saying because of a bear sighting all the campgrounds were closed and we would receive a refund. What???!!! I was SOOOOO sad. Our one time to camp. WE went to eat our tin foil dinners I had already cooked and played up the canyon for a couple hours. Boo. 

Cade and the guys all went golfing together. Good times. 

We said goodbye to our friend Spring who moved to Texas to be closer to her parents. 

Emma finished 20 books in just two months in the summer. She LOOOOOOOOOVES reading so much. She could do it all day every day if she didn't have to do anything else in life. 

Reese and Nora making a "bagel" in the kitchen. They like to experiment for fun and leets just say...it was like sugary play-do 😂

Lucy swimming with her friend Catherine in the summer. They were in the same class in 2nd grade but different classes this year. Lucy could swim, like Emma could read. 

Our next door neighbors, the Hydes, moved just a few months ago but before they left they had a musical night in their backyard. It was super fun! It had been years since I have really sung in front of others (outside of church). Kind of sad. But super fun to do it again and listen to lots of neighbors.