{Half a Year}

 We are still here:) Crazy as ever

so hard to believe that

....half a year has gone by since I last wrote anything here.... crazy! But really nobody reads them anymore ....since this instalife we live in has taken over. But I love looking back at what has happened the growth the lessons real life etc etc. So I'll attempt a catch up for myself.  We've had quite the year of fix its and emergencies that required lots of funds ....rather then lives or something major like that so I guess I will be thankful none of it is life altering just to our savings account haha;)  braces boats sewer probs suburban car feels like one thing after another I wanna cry etc etc ....

But that's life keep on moving right! 

There will always be something .....that.... I have learned.

Seriously love this crew!

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SOOO lets see Since february so much has happened we had 

the worlds longest coldest snowiest winter I can ever remember here  

K had great basketball season didn't quite end the way we wanted but a lot of growth throughout the school year for all..... And is back at his early mornings and working all day long at the ranch love this boy! He also just returned last Monday from Moroni's Quest and had an amazing spirit filled weekend that touched his life. Its a beautiful thing to watch your children grow strong and develop strong testimonies and know for themselves the beautiful things that make life whole. 

 L has excelled at band and took an ASL course which she loved, has learned to crochet and found a love for reading:) She took tennis and coached tennis...has good friends been to girls camp already and is growing up way to fast:( ... Its super fun to see her find some hobbies this year #benefitstonoiphone 

annnddd ....She also finally got braces:) so she's pretty excited:)

 {she's missing from a few family pics because she is in marching band and gone for a few}

We went to st george in April for spring break again and loved it we had friends there at the same time and that made it even funner this time! 

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we were able to attend the Jordan river Temple open house to on our way home..

We had D's Grandmas 95th!! birthday party celebration too Love 

this lady she is amazing! 

In April and May I worked at the high school here for a 6 week sub job some of it was really hard. But I loved the association with great people! I really missed it when I was done.... but also drove home the fact that I love a clean house, being home after school and having snacks and time to talk about their days, and dinner ready. I was dead tired and laundry piled up and I lived for weekends;) but I could totally do a part time! We have great teachers and a great high school and kids here.

I did love spending more time with my older two kids but kinda felt like I missed out on things with my younger two kids. But I loved the interaction with others and realized I need something else to help me feel productive and useful in other ways 

then the thankless job at home sometimes, 

you know what I mean right.

But there is a time and season in life for things and my children are only young once and for me I want to cherish that time, not miss it. #ThatbeingsaidIcouldhandleparttime:)

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We've had another anniversary 21 years!! Insane are we really these middle aged people ahhh! 

A couple Kids' birthdays M turned 12 and headed to YM's and got the priesthood he was super ready and super excited:) love that kid! He's been loving roaming again, no school, some tennis camp swim lessons and watching out for littles who love M

....and he's probably my best helper these days!

and this sweetheart of a boy K2 turned 9!! 

Can you even believe that! Was he not just born yesterday! He's been loving swimming and tennis and riding his bike and playing all day long. 

Saturday we saw a dead bird while out on a walk it was dying  and he wanted to see if it was okay the next day well it had died right there feet up.  So he decided we needed a funeral for it so he organized it a song, pray and all the funeral arrangements. We had a few laughs but overall it will be a fun memory for all of us and that sweet boy will be blessed because of it I'm sure! A little kindness never hurts he is such a thoughtful boy! Love that about him! 

In May I went to Time out for women with my mom and sister and friends and awesome weekend full of amazing presenters and fun times:)

We've had Missionaries come and go and visits with rm's in our home and loved every minute of their spirits back in our homes and ♥'s. We have loved serving with them and learning from all of them... we love our sisters änd elders but we just have the sisters in our ward:)  

In April D was released as Bishop after 5 years of so much growing together as a ward and family. He truly was a great Bishop who loved and cared about every single person in it, their struggles became his struggles & their lives and concerns weighed heavily on him. 

Honestly its a super weird feeling when it ends, a ward naturally moves on with the newly called and everything you've put your heart soul and family through is really your own to go through and work out.  That mantle is real and that mantle is gone when released and you profoundly feel its absence.  

I have struggled in the past few months finding my place and who I am and why I did and do things really only to discover that that's who I am, because I have grown up a little become more understanding, compassionate and have became those things even more through this experience. It becomes your life for five years and you grow together so much as a couple its a very unappreciated job unpaid and unnoticed a lot by others, but felt strongly in the home and then suddenly its gone. You spend years basically alone a lot of the time, raising the children, being the support your husband needs through his calling and you get used to it, but support is the greatest thing you can give them and helping things at home run smoothly and helping the children see the value and love in their service. 

You have to have a new mindset and realize that's part of life. The weight on his back so to speak is gone for him, but the adjustment and struggle has been real. Moving on:)

The before and after five years: 

We both got new callings mixed with a little old most sundays haha aka nursery ss and enrichment my favs;) D is working with the YM M's age so back in where he usually is and he's loving it!

We had our beloved prophet President Nelson and his Wife Sister Wendy Nelson who is from Raymond... come to raymond with Elder Rasband {and his wife} of the 12 a truly awesome experience...

We also had the privilege of having Bishop Causse of the presiding bishopric of the church who is over temporal affairs come to the ranch and D his tour guide showing him the Lords Land ha it was fun to have him here and learn from him....

D & I Went to seminar in SLC for D's work another great year full of uplifting talks and presentations and people but only possible because of great friends who watch and love our kids like family:) 

 Felt like I was in paris again it was heavenly can I please go back;) to paris that is:)

We've had sports days and finals 

We've had Canada Day BBQ and parties and end of school and summer fun going strong 

Onto Grades 11/ 9/ 7/ 4 ahh insane!

Swim lessons/ Tennis lesson/ Samba Marching Band for L looking forward to Tally lake time if our stinkin boat gets fixed properly we have had bad luck this year in the vehicle department:( oh and the lift pump $4000 little mishap too:(( 

I wanna cry and  I just need a million dollars is that so much to ask for:)

Reunions and visitors we love

A nephew called to the pennsylvania philadelphia mission in Aug

and a niece leaving for the Berlin Germany mission in Nov

So excited for them both! so weird to see these kids all grown up and onto amazing things! Another nephew returned from the rome italy mission this past year too....... Ahh they grow up so fast! before I know it K will be on his way and I cant even think about that....

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We had our Big family pictures with all of D's siblings and there families 60 of us in total {two of those to be born} but there too:) and Kinsey Holt photography did our whole fam and did a fabulous job on such a big group! She is amazing! Lucky to have such great friends who are so talented!

{{Now I only wish I could get my side or the family to update our pictures♥}}

Love my tribe who helps raise my children through their amazing examples of faith, service and love.

Families Can Be Together Forever 

How very thankful I am for my family all of them on both sides each one teaches us so much about life through example and trials and where we want to go and how we can get there.

I feel blessed. I count my blessings everyday for each of these people in my life especially my own little tribe♥ 

 As for our pictures someone is always making a face its hard to choose which one to use?....

Went to Les Mis in calgary this past week too with my sils and mil fun day:)

....And life carries on can't complain about the heat now after our longest winter ever, but its pretty hot and dry here. Summer is all about not schedules and late bedtimes and here and there though it makes me a little crazy the kids are having fun making memories.

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“Don't limit yourself and don't let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities. 

-President Monson

Make it a good one!