wedding photo shoot (scrapbook style)

my nephew, jeremy, was married in the temple this summer.  the ceremony in the sealing room was beautiful.  it is always makes me reminisce about my own wedding day with dave.   

it's not everyday all my siblings get to hang out.  i am really blessed to have amazing people for family.  we enjoy each other and help each other and i have felt that amazing support lately.

i loved being with them.

my sister paid sadie (she's trying to earn money for a trip to new york with her tv broadcasting class) to take candid wedding shots, and boy, she enjoyed the job.  so many fun pictures! i picked a few random ones to represent the fun, fun day and because i love how much personality they show.

happy marriage day, jeremy and cassie!  

we love you.

haha!  i just realized max is nowhere to be found!  

he and his cousin ben, keep pretty busy when they are together:)

i'm sure he is SO sad he didn't get his picture taken.

midway madness

family traditions are important.

i believe they strengthen us and give us a sense of stability and belonging.  something to look forward to and memories to treasure.

and so, dave and i started MIDWAY MADNESS.

each summer, dave's family comes for a day and we have a bunch of crazy fun.

this year, we started off with 

sunrise yoga in the yard.

because of the wind, bubble popping bike rides were in the garage, but still pretty awesome.

basketball competitions got pretty heated.

usually we do a gigantic slip-n-slide on our huge hill, but the wind put that to an end pretty quickly.  

these two, though,  kept the mini slip-n-slide active all afternoon.

pool party!

followed by everyone's favorite part of the day

plein air painting with mimi.

dave's mom is a beautiful artist.  

she brings fancy art supplies for each person...

they all find special spots and create!

i love this part of the day and so do all the kids!!  

this year, we ended around the fire pit.  all the returned missionaries shared special experiences from their missions and gave advice to sydney, who left to serve the people in trinidad a few weeks later.  

good family times! 

i love the magic that comes with family traditions:)

taking care

i found these two teenagers with their phone propped on the garbage can, timer 

set, taking pics with their little sis.  

i loved it.

they take good care of her.

...and each other, right abe?!  i've got your back;)

i have felt lately how important families are...it's where it's at.

it's worth my best effort.  

satan tries so hard to discourage, minimize, and distract families.  

i have been hard on myself lately.  i know sadie leaves in one year and what will she remember about her mom?  have i taught her all the important things?!  i fall short all the time! i don't cook well, i hate grocery shopping, but i hope at the end of the day, my kids feel loved and know that i have a strong testimony.  i trust the prophets and am striving hard to follow them completely.  i know by keeping the commandments and making good choices we are blessed and led, because i have had this happen and felt it in our family.   i am grateful that we are put in families to love and support each other-to build each other and use our faith to help each other.  

'GOD GAVE US FAMILIES, TO HELP US BECOME WHAT HE WANTS US TO BE.  THIS IS HOW HE SHARES HIS LOVE.  FOR THE FAMILY IS OF GOD.' 

-one of my favorite primary hymns

do something to take care of your family today.

peace-out.

feels like fall

sunday we drove through guardsman pass.  the leaves were beautiful. 

a few days later, the weather shifted and the cool air brought visions of colorful leaves on my table and pumpkin steamers waiting for the kids as they arrived home from school, with the excitement of the crisp, fall surrounding us.

dave took me on a drive to search for leaves.

it started pouring rain.  dave braved the wet to collect branches with beautiful colors while viv and i warmly waited in the car.

"chop me a green one dada!!"--vivian

the drive was awesome, but once we arrived home, my vision didn't go quite as expected.  one thing led to another and i didn't have time to arrange the leaves, the kids came home and i spilled the steamer all over the kitchen.  

it was a mess!  

later that afternoon, when the chaos had died down, i came into the kitchen 

and dave had arranged the leaves for me. 

 i love them.  and him.

they make my heart happy every time i look at them.

(vivian helping herself to the treat cupboard also makes me smile)

HAPPY FALL!!

it's here, and i'm excited.