South Fork Park Provo Canyon

Every Thursday, some of us from the neighborhood and Church meet up to go on a hike, or in this case, walk in a creek.  We went to South Fork Park and played around in the ice, cold creek there.  There was the tiniest trail there to hike, but not much.  Either way, it was nice to explore a new area with friends.

 

Brigham's 18th Birthday!

 Brigham wanted to go to Lagoon Amusement Park for his birthday.  With David having his own basement company and Levi working for him, they could could take it off during the middle of the week.  The 13th was a very hot day so I was so grateful there was a water park area.  Ruger and I rode 3 rides and went straight to the Lagoon - a - Beach area for the rest of our time there....thank goodness!

Daddy and the older boys stayed in the amusement park area for hours.  I don't know how they did it!

It is weird having 2 sons who are "adults."  But a part of me felt like I was already dealing with that for quite some time.  Brigham is incredibly responsible for his age.  He takes charge immediately when Dad isn't around.  He's wise.  He protects his mother.  I felt his "old soul" even when the Covid-19 vaccinations came out.  Even though he was still a "child" I let him choose.  He choose not to get vaccinated, a part of me regretted letting him choose, but the bigger part of me knows he thought it through.  I would have chosen differently for him but I'm confident he researched it more than I did.  When he was a toddler, he was crazy hyper (you'd never guess that from him now) and would argue EVERYTHING he didn't want to do.  It was sooooo annoying!  One day I was super frustrated with his arguing.  David told me, in complete confidence, that Brigham would grow up to be one of the strongest people we'd know when it comes to convictions.  That he'd rarely let others sway him into believing something he had already thought through.  That forsight was wisdom for sure because that couldn't describe Brigham today any better.  I love that old, wise soul of his so much.

Dripping Rock 2022

I've posted about Dripping Rock in Spanish Fork before but I had to post these pictures because it was just so fun today.  It isn't much of a hike but it is my favorite because you actually get to get in the water!  I didn't take any pictures of us swimming in the dam area.  I just wanted to enjoy it.  And enjoy it, I did!

This is my favorite picture of the day.  He looks so tribal!  And I couldn't help but think of how blessed we are to have Ruger in our tribe.

We had 4 families all together with some added boys that came along.  The water was so cold but the kids did really well in it.

 

June Update...In July

As soon as we were able to start going to the pool, Ruger and I were on it!  Ruger would go everyday, if it were up to him but we typically stick to 3 days a week.  Everytime we go, we bring different friends with us.  A couple of times, Hyrum came and invited his friends as well.  

I'm not a sun person at all but I have always loved the water.  Add a Mom of some of these kids that we bring or invite, and I have a talking partner.  Going to the pool is so good for me as it forces me to get some sunlight and "talk therapy" with my friends.

Levi and Grandma Helen came over for Father's Day.  Earlier, David had went with Brigham and Ruger up one of our canyons to ride their long boards.  He said it was a good relaxing day.  He deserves that!

Brigham got to go shooting with David and some friends of ours a couple times this month.  So far, he's the only boy who really likes going with Dad to shoot guns.  I'm next to positive Ruger will be following in his footsteps soon.

We celebrated Grandma's birthday at Olive Garden.  

I found this ringlet coming out of David's beard and for some weird reason had to take a picture of it.

For the most part, June was really good for all of us.

What do you see?

Charlene Wilhelmsen came to Utah on her way to Idaho so, of course, Brittany Doll and I had to get together with her.  And why wouldn't there be some shenanigans??!

We were talking away when the subject of one of Charlene's daughters came up and her talent in not only drawing but also being able to see cerain things in art.  Just seconds before I had noticed the painting behind Charlene and how a certain part of the picture looked, well...  

Well, what do you see?  After Charlene made the comment about her artistic daughter, of course, I just naturally went into, "Like the picture behind you.  Would she see feet or a butt?"  We laughed but what we really enjoyed was my insisting on taking a picture with the artwork before we left and trying to be sneaky about it.

Ok, so I'll admit that it doesn't take much to entertain me!

But what a wonderfully good time we had today.  The time flew by as we talked, laughed, and even cried a bit.  I will forever be grateful that the Lord placed us together as roommates 25 years ago.  With the Marco Polo app in our lives now, we probably talk to each other 3-6 times a week.  Our conversations are almost like therapy to me.  I needed them 25 years ago, I need them today, and I'm pretty sure I'll need them for the next 25+ years too!

 

Brigham's Graduation Party

Our family got incredibly sick when Brigham was originally supposed to have his graduation party.  So when we had to reschedule and so many people still showed up, it really meant so much to us.  To me personally, it always means so much because we only have Grandma Helen here as family.  So it is up to our friends, neighbors, and ward (church) members to make it a party!  I sure hope Brigham knows just how loved he really is.

 

Time for another update!

 Most of these pictures were taken in May.  I'm kind of going backwards with these pictures but it was a good month of activities, spending time with friends, and catching simple moments here and there.

We were actually REALLY sick on memorial day so we didn't get to do our annual grave decorations for soldiers and children.  It was actually just a few days ago that we finally had a Family Home Evening over the sacrifices soldiers have made for us over the years, the amazing sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and how we can sacrifice things in order to become closer to our Savior.  This year we went to the Orem City Cemetery.  Brigham found these precious baby birds in a nest next to one of the graves.

David puts Ruger to bed every night and stays in there with him until he falls asleep.  On this particular night Seiiki helped Ruger fall asleep.  Having this dog has brought us more joy than I ever expected.

Rachel came over one night and had dinner with us.  Afterwards David, Rachel, and Ruger went up Provo canyon to ride down one of the trails on their longboards and motor bike.

Brigham wasn't the only one who graduated in May.  So did Monica!  So we celebrated her one night with dinner and gifts.  I have no doubt that she has worked hard getting her high school degree as she had to move out of state and switch schools, work a full time job, and have to live without parents in the home her senior year.  She is a strong, amazing girl and I'm so grateful Levi has her in his life.

The Orem mall has a new play area and Ruger was all over it!

This is a picture of us with Elder Seth Williams.  I grew up attending a branch (Church) that his mother, father, and sister attended.  Our families were very well aquainted with each other, did many activitites together, and served together in the Church.  Seth was born after I moved away so I didn't know him as well as the rest of his family but when we found out that this Okie was called to serve a mission in Orem, Utah I was excited!  This was our first time taking him and his campanion out to dinner.  There will be many to follow!

A friend of mine, April Thompson, and her nephew, Jack, wanted to go to the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City so Brigham, Ruger, and I joined them.  I had to take this picture since it made me think of Grandma.

Some Mother's Days are more special than others and this year was one of them.  Three things really stood out to me.  One was at church with David.  That Sunday, the men were taking care of ALL of the callings that the women usually take care of so that we could attend Relief Society and a brunch.  Just before attending the brunch, I hurried to the Primary room to make sure the cabinets were open for the men when I realized I had forgotten my keys at home.  I scrambled through the church trying to track some other keys down.  By the time I got to Primary it was a little chaotic in there.  I tried to put out fires while trying to get those cabinets opened when finally David came up to me, held out his hand, and said, "Give them to me (meaning the keys).  We've got this."  I don't know why that meant so much to me but it did.  The second thing was this picture of a note Brigham had written to me.  It made me cry as I realized that he realized just how much I have been through with him and loved him straight through it all.  The third was having Levi AND Monica come over with gifts for me later that evening and staying for dinner.  I was so grateful that even though he had moved out that Levi would still come over for Mother's day and that Monica would feel close enough to me to celebrate me even though I wasn't her own mother.

David and I got to go to a hockey game and watch the Utah Grizzlies win this part of the play offs with some friends of ours (Will and Amy Pitt).  I'm not a sporty person but I sure do like watching Hockey in person.  I hate fighting.  Like boxing just makes me feel queasy and watching fighting scenes in moves actually really bothers me.  Yet watching hockey players get in a fight (which they are known to do) during a game almost thrills me.  What the heck?!  I'm so weird.

Every few weeks we try to make sure that Hyrum and Leia do something fun together...even if it's just hanging out at the mall!