Love is in the Air

It all started in early February with a little Galantine's Party with Hollie and her girl friends.

They made heart shaped pizza's and then watched a chick-flick.

The best part of the night, however, was when one of the boys from their friend group, secretly dropped off a bouquet of roses, plenty for each of the girls to have one.

 His note was a true gem!

Poor Gavin, sure hates being the odd man out.

The Robertson siblings also had a fun dinner - date planned at Mom and Dad's, sans kiddos.

 Gavin ended up babysitting Seth's kids and sure was grateful he didn't have to change a dirty diaper.  I keep telling him that he's going to have to learn eventually. 

For Christmas Beth gifted me tickets to the Regency Ball. 

It was even more fun this year having her and Phillip join us.

Next year, ya'll need to join us next year!

Pictures from Hollie's Sadie's School Dance.

She took Dawson. 

Hannah made the cutest Valentine watercolors on the planet and I need to share the cuteness.

Gah, my heart!

Funny, funny story here.

She's painting mine and her roommates are a little skeptical.

"That's kind of a strange pun, are you sure you mom will like it?"

and Hannah's confident...

Little did she know that our Valentine's would cross path's in the mail.

And unbeknownsed to her, the valentine I sent her  

We had our own little Vday celebration:

 

In other news, Gavin's been working on making a wood boat out of popsicle sticks.

Hannah celebrated her 21st birthday!

    And these Monday evening family prayers are quickly becoming my most favorite thing ever!

 

He's a Wiz like That!

For your viewing pleasure!

 

Shotguns

Its turning into a tradition, this shooting of shotguns in the pasture 

the Saturday after Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Its a running joke amongst my siblings about who will inherit Grandma Hazel's 20 gauge.

I thought I didn't want it because I have my own 20 gauge.

But then I was ready to step up to the line and a realization suddenly hit...

I'd have to wait my turn because well...

Gavin was using it...

And then Hannah wanted a turn...

and so did she (that 12 gauge was too just a tad too big)...

Finally... after the kids had their fill...

I decided I might need to add my name into the bidding hat for Grandma's gun.

Thankful Hyrum's moved onto the 12 gauge.

And everyone else can just borrow Grandma's gun when they come to shoot, right?

But I don't know, the younger cousins are starting to get in on the action.

This year was Jamison's first time shooting.

And Phin is getting to be serious with those googles!

Good times, people.  Good times.

And as long as he is keeps flinging, we'll keep shooting until the skeet runs out.

 PULL!

Color Guard and BOA 2023

I was honestly hoping she wouldn't want to do color guard again this year.

It kind of ruins our summer calendar. 

But... and its a big BUT

 It pushes her and challenges her.. 

And as her mother, I love that she so works hard to master this skill.

After 4 weeks of summer band camps, after school practices, seven straight Saturday's of 12 hour days traveling and performing, plus numerous other performances, she is exhausted.

Her body is trim and her spirits are high...but she is done.

And then comes the Red Rocks competition and BOA in St. George. 

Jotham treated me to a birthday trip to St. George so I could be a band groupie

 and pay exorbitant prices to sit on bleachers for two days and watch her perform.

This is the school's 7th year Winning the State Championship.

And for a non-band loving mom... its still pretty exciting every year!

I also loved having Jotham all to myself for a few days.

In between performances, we went hiking.

We were also offered some tickets to the St. George Temple Open House.

We'd just finished a long day of competitions and it was a nice last minute surprise.

We did a quick change-a-roo in the car and had a lovely visit with the Newswanders.

But my favorite bit was the fact that unbeknownst to us, my sister, Audrey, who also lives several hours away had come to St. George with her in-laws. And out of all the visitors and the places she could have been that evening, guess who we ran into?

It felt a little like a tender mercy and honestly what I imagine heaven will feel like.