Family Visitors Weekend for Wade's ordination--can we please press repeat?

Last weekend was one for the memory books.  We were so happy to have family visitors in town for Wade's ordination at church.  Turning 12 is a very big deal--he was excited to become a deacon and receive the Aaronic priesthood!  Other bonuses were having family at his flag football game on Saturday and a friendly audience to watch him participate in his final children's presentation during our congregation's sacrament meeting on Sunday.

We all agreed that the weekend couldn't have gone better.  So much food, fun, and laughter!  Thank you to those who made the trip to be with us--we love you and loved having you here in the desert with us.

What a happy day!  Here we are with Sandi Collins, Grandma Deb and Grandpa Rod, Bishop Washburn, Brother Robins, Grandpa Rich and Grandma Donna, Uncle Brant, Aunt Chris, and Greyson!

Happiness!!!

Enjoying the gorgeous weather on the porch--just right!

Being silly with Grandpa Rich

Selfie time!

The flag football game was so fun!  I personally had a great time introducing our family members to any human who walked by, haha!

With my mommy and daddy

I love this picture of Rhiannon with Grandpa and Grandma!

This picture is a little fuzzy, but I love how it captures the grandparents together.  We are so blessed to have parents who get along well and enjoy each other!!!!

Wade with Grandma Deb and Grandpa Rod

Wade with Grandma Donna and Grandpa Rich

Wade with our dear friend Sandi Collins

We were playing a great game that Wade got for his birthday called 5-Second Rule.  LOTS of fun!!!

It's hard to make a Top "10" list, but I'll try.  In no particular order, here are some of our favorite moments from the weekend:

1.  Food.  Beef stroganoff, Red Vines, Bit-O-Honey candy, cinnamon rolls, donuts, nacho bar, chicken salad, sandwiches, chips, taquitos, etc.

2.  Fun at Wade's flag football game!

3.  Being at church together

4.  Uncle Brant surprising Wade with the tie he was wearing that day, Uncle Brant's favorite.

5.  Playing with Greyson upstairs

6.  5-Second Game, playing with the mini-pool game, tossing the football, shooting guns, hot tubbing, and basketball

7.  Help in the kitchen!

8.  Boys watching football, girls talking girl stuff. :)

9.  Grandma Donna's "black people" comment during the 5-Second game.  Classic.

10.  Watching "Blackish" with Grandma Deb and Grandpa Rod; watching "The Flash" with Grandpa Rich and Grandma Donna

11.  WADE'S ORDINATION!!!!!!!!  So neat!

12.  Hearing Wade narrate the Primary program in his new manly voice

13.  Visiting, laughing, press repeat.


We felt the love!  It was a wonderful weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A gift

Our favorite UVU grads came for a visit this weekend!  We were so excited to have Derrick, Traci, Max, and Maggie here for their Spring Break (and the start of ours).  They spent a day at Huntington Beach, a day at Disneyland, and then they came up to see us for a day and a half!  We managed to pack a lot in going to thrift stores, eating, hot tubbing, watching movies/playing Playstation and Wii, getting pedicures, and playing some soccer outside!

Wade, Rhiannon, and Max hanging out!



Say cheese!  Magnolia was a little doll!




Getting their "Just Dance" on!



Hot tubbing!  It was pretty cold outside while they were here, but the hot tub felt good!

You guys are so brave!

Rhiannon, Traci, and I got pedicures at the Nails Spa here in town.  It was AWESOME! 
We felt like a million bucks afterwards!!!!

The sign of a good vacation!  Max zonked out during "The Sorceror's Apprentice"!

LOVE YOU GUYS!

On Saturday afternoon I was alone in the house with Maggie while Derrick and Traci took the other kids on some errands and Jason went to WalMart.  As I sat in the recliner feeding Maggie a bottle in the super-quiet house, I was overwhelmed with the gift Derrick and Traci had given us with their visit to Ridgecrest.   Unfortunately we don't get to see our extended family as much as we'd like to, and the fact that I got the chance to hold my four-month-old niece and watch my energetic three-year-old nephew, or catch up and spend time with my brother and sister-in-law, well, it suddenly became very precious to me.  Thanks so much for making it up here, D, T, M, & M, and best wishes with these next few crazy months!  WE LOVE YOU!

And then some more special visitors!

So we had a great visit with family over the weekend.  Sunday's first Primary program practice went fairly well, considering we spent half the practice in the chapel and then squished everyone back into the Primary room for a good song practice for almost the entire last hour!  On Monday morning I did my first sub job.  I got home around noon and there were two messages on voice mail from some friends who wanted to come by for a visit.  They're good friends from Virginia who were moving to Monterey, CA for a couple years.   Yes!, I said, come and stay the night with us! 



We had a great time catching up, laughing, and pigging out on tacos for dinner. :)  I loved how well the kids got along!  Now we have a great excuse for a Monterey trip, too!!! :)  Thanks for staying with us!!!

Halloween visitors!!!

We were so spoiled this past weekend!  Thank you, thank you, thank you to Uncle M, Aunt H, S, and T for coming and staying with us!!!  It was a short but very sweet couple of days.

Playing Wii, Nerf guns, masks, swords, and Batman cars were all the rage! :)  So was the cousin sleepover in Rhiannon's room.  I was quite impressed by Sam and Tyler's good imagination--they definitely taught their cousins a thing or two about how to have fun!

On Saturday we walked to the park--it was WINDY but fun to get out of the house for a little while, too!

Halloween rock stars!!!

Dragon, Home Slice, Maid Marian, and Ninja had a pretty good time at our tri-ward trunk or treat!  The parking lot there was PACKED!  My favorite thing there was the giant Darth Vader walking around (I think Sam liked that, too!).   We had to say goodbye after the trunk-or-treat, and it was weird coming home to a too-quiet house! :)

But here is my favorite picture from the weekend--Matt is reading Mo Willems' Knuffle Bunny Free to everyone (the new 3rd book in the series).  Having family in town is always such a sweet treat!  It's awesome to be together and share memories!  We are so grateful to them for coming up and CANNOT WAIT to be with them again in a few short weeks for Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!