Update

I'm having a hard time locating some of the pictures from the summer. Over the summer we went camping, water skiing at Bear Lake, mountain biking in Sun Valley, and the girls went to Yellowstone. If I had more time to look for the pictures they would be posted.
Rylee is now in 3rd grade and is such a great student. I can't go to the library enough to have books for her to read. I'm pretty sure she reads faster than me now. She just finished a season of soccer and loved it. She will also be performing in the Nutcracker with her ballet school in November. It's been time consuming but something she has talked about doing for a few years.
Sophie started preschool at Ms Georgia's and loves it. She loves learning and playing with all the friends. She has also learned to ride her bike without training wheels and is always asking to go outside to ride. She played her 1st season of soccer and had so much fun. She thought it was so fun to have the same soccer coach as Rylee. Some days she would play and other days she just wanted to make sure we were watching her. She also decided to cut her own hair because she wanted bangs. She has a shorter hair cut with bangs and it looks super cute on her.
Paige turned two this month and is starting the lovely tantrums. Jeff and I will fight over snuggling with her. I think we both know the days of little ones snuggling could be over.
As soon as I can find those pics I'll have to take the time to post them. As for now this will do.

Summer

Summer is happening to us. We are staying very busy. More posts to come when school is back in.

The only thing Rylee has wanted for about 2 years is a backpack. Every time we would go to REI she would try on packs and ask when it was her turn to get something she wanted off the "list". For her birthday we were able to get her a sweet kid's backpack and she and Jeff went backpacking overnight in May. It had rained most of the day and she was still excited to go. Jeff had purchased a new tent that day and both of them were itching to get into the mountains. They came home happy and wanting to go again. It was a successful trip and a very good dad/daughter bonding time.



My niece made this nice tiara for Sophie. It is actually the flowers off of a chive plant. It has nice aromas.

I just love this picture of Paige.

Zion National Park

We took a trip to Zion National Park in June.
We hiked Angel's landing because one of the canyons we were going to do was snowed in, yep snowed in, in June. The following day we did a slot canyon with a couple rappels and some swimming. That weekend the weather was unusually cool and the high was about 85 degrees. The swimming holes were freezing cold and we did a little bit of shivering to stay warm. As soon as we got to the car the clouds let loose and started raining. We were glad to be out of the canyon and in a warm car.



This is my sister Ashley and her friend Kat from Germany, after finishing the canyon doing some shivering. She is a physicist and we couldn't help but sing a song from Big Bang theory. Good thing she watches it and likes it. I think we made her weekend by singing to her.



Going through the slot canyon.

Anniversary

Today Jeff and I are celebrating our 11 years of marriage. With the craziness of this week, we'll be able to spend some time together thanks to my sister Ashely. We took our trip to Kauai to celebrate 10 years and that was the best anniversary present I've had next to the Grand America Hotel stay and going to Phantom of the Opera. Today, I was reminising of the Friends episode that Chandler and Monica were celebrating an anniversary and Monica got tickets to Las Vegas. She would say, "Happy Plane-anniversary" or "Happy Anna-vegary". I think that was funny. Happy Anniversary to us.

Baptism Pictures

Baptism

I haven't wanted to take the time to make a post. I'm not very good about loading my pictures on my computer regularly and I should. I've been waiting to blog so I'd have pictures, but there aren't any today. Just imagine in your mind a cute 8 yr old with her dad and family dressed in all white on her baptism day. Do you see the picture in your mind. Almost a month ago Rylee was baptized. What a special day it was for her and our family. We are so glad she made the choice to be baptized and hope that she will use this experience as a stepping stone to further develop her testimony. I know how much the gospel has blessed my life and can't imagine not having the testimony I have. The comfort I've felt, the confidence I've gained, and the experiences I've had to learn the tender mercies of the Lord have each strengthened my testimony.