As I was prepping for this January journal entry I realized that I have flown out of town for the past three January's. I am not planning these trips, they just happen. It is not something I am looking to continue even in the future, but it was a moment of pause. A moment to think back on the celebration of Bri's life, my Gram's life, and now Zipporah and Jackson's story just starting. Zipporah is Craig and Erin's niece. We have adopted Z into the Spung side of the family as a niece as well. We absolutely adore Zipporah and are so excited for her and Jackson to begin their life together. We absolutely love Jackson and he will be such a blessing to add to the family. I was honored that these two love birds would invite me to their sealing in the Payson, UT LDS temple on January 10th. They also gave me the "ok" to be a second shooter for the wedding which I was thrilled about.
I spent a few days in Utah and before I knew it I was headed back home. My quick few days were packed full of family, celebrations, friends, and yummy food. It was a perfect four days!
I got to squeeze on these two right away!! Er and Avery came to pick me up from the airport. Cam came home from school shortly after we got back to Mom and Dads. We played, we laughed, we bonded, it was absolutely everything I needed.
Zipporah and Jackson had such a beautiful wedding. They were beaming and absolutely head over heels for each other. They had so many family and friends to celebrate with them. It was such a perfect way to start their love story. The sealer did an exceptional job. He helped me see eternal marriage in a whole different way. It was a moment that I wished I could have taken notes. Everyone in the room was just listening and hanging on to every word.
The weather was perfect! Especially for a January wedding. The sun was shining and it wasn't too cold at all. We took photos outside the temple and then headed to the luncheon. Delicious soups and sandwiches were served with a hot chocolate dessert bar for the receptions. We danced, we sang, we had a blast! I think it's safe to say that the day went off perfectly for these two.
This view never gets old from Mom and Dad's deck. It is absolutely stunning regardless of season.
I of course carved out a little time for my girls. Seeing Rhiannon, Katie, and Wynnie for a few hours is always a treat. I absolutely adore these ladies and the joy they bring into my life. We will forever be there for each other through it all. We grabbed an early lunch and spent a couple hours catching up on all the things.
We had a dinner at Mom and Dads the Sunday before I left. Haley and Kami were so sweet to come over for it. Jim and Em came down with Violet and Henry as well. It was great seeing everyone and having that time to connect and catch up. I have the coolest family!
I was flying out on Monday afternoon, so we carved sometime for the sisters to get together for brunch. Jim had a meeting and wasn't able to join, boo! He was missed but we totally understood. We all caught up for a couple hours, and then Ang took me to the airport. I have to say that there is nothing like siblings. They are the ones that get you in such a different way than everyone else. They are also your biggest cheerleaders and support. I have incredible sisters and the best brother! It was a beautiful way to end an amazing weekend.
Jack joined volleyball!
Pres and I have been encouraging Jack to try different sports to see if any stick. He is not our sporty kid and that is absolutely ok with us. However, we do see the positives in learning how to work with a team and be part of a team. He actually picked up volleyball really nicely. It was fun to see him connect with the coaches and the team. We chose a seven week program that focused on volleyball basics so he didn't feel behind the rest of the team. It seemed like everyone was just about where Jackson was as far as skill and desire, haha.
We have a bike rider!
Quinn picked up on how to ride a bike so quickly. She killed it! Pres and I have been so late in teaching the kids on how to ride a bike. Most kids are already riding bikes by their age, but ours have never showed interest in it. The boys are still reluctant honestly. We keep telling them that learning how to ride a bike is a life skill. You kind of have to know how to ride a bike, haha. I love the photo of Pres riding along side Quinn. Such a sweet moment between father and daughter. My heart!
Camping at Beals Point by Lake Folsom
Camping at Beals Point by Lake Folsom
What a trip?! This was not our typical easy going, everything went off with a hitch kind of trip. Haha. It started off with me accidentally forgetting the pans to make our dinner. They were kind of needed haha. Luckily we were less than 20 minutes from home so Pres ran back and got them. The kids and I set up camp, lit the fire, and prepped all of the other food while he was gone.
Football while we blow up air mattresses.
Once Pres was back I began cooking dinner while he blew up the two air mattresses we have. Sadly, we popped a hole in both air mattresses. I mean come on! Haha. Could this trip get any worse? We patched them to the best of our ability by using band-aids (true story) for the night. Pres and I debated on just packing everything up and heading home to sleep since we knew the band-aids weren't going to last the night. We forgot to add the patches that came with the air mattresses to the container we bring. The mattresses actually worked great for the first several hours of sleep. Who knew?! However, we all still ended up on the ground by morning, but no one seemed to complain about it. We treated it as a "well that was an adventure" and made our traditional diner breakfast. Despite the pans being forgotten, and the band-aid air mattresses... we really did have a fun time out in nature under the stars. We just made sure to put air mattress patches in our tote and we bought camping pans to stay in there as well... you know as a just in case ;-)
Beckham starts his flag football league!
He was so nervous and excited to meet his team mates and Coach for the season. Within five minutes he was 100% in his element and loving life. Coach Develle had an energy that was contagious. He had so much excitement and the best personality. He brought fun on day one and the boys just loved him right away. He cheered them on, supported them, and helped them through missed passes and catches. You could tell he loved the game, but he also adored the boys.
This kid scored a touchdown and had an interception his first game!! Way to go Beckham!!
Bliss
Quinn is loving gymnastics! She absolutely adores Coach Jessica and seems to be a natural at this new sport. She looks forward to every gymnastics night. The kids also celebrated 100 days of school as the elderly, haha. This killed me! They went all out. When I picked them up from school I was laughing as I watched all of these "old people" walking to their cars to be picked up, haha.
Night night Quinnie girl.
This girl is usually surrounded by her stuffies and most night's I am pulling a book from her hands. I loved the twinkling lights, Grand-Bear (the big bear on the left that we got from my French Great-Grandpa, Grand-Pere), and her head resting in her hand. Love this cute girl.
January is usually our month to slow down and think about the new year. It's a chance to pause, take a breath, and feel the gratitude from the year before. This January felt more celebratory as I went to Utah for a wedding. Plus, Pres and Iwatched the kids start new adventures in ways that we knew could stretch them, help them grow, and that they would enjoy. I'm also back in school which keeps me moving and grooving through the weeks as I finish projects to earn that second degree in Business. To be honest, this month felt like a perfect family centered month. It was beautiful.
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