Stuff

Pioneer Day was full of foam and fun! Lance had to cover Lehi's 1st annual Foam Day for the Hearld. The Zellers were there too which was fun. Carter decided to give JJ a big foamy hug!

Everybody was hanging out here waiting for them to turn the water on to get cleaned off. The kids had fun but as the foam dried it was kinda itchy so they wanted a bath as soon as we got home.


Foam Angel!
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Later in the evening we shot off fireworks. This was my attempt to get a cute picture of the kids. And yes, JJ does have a popper stuck up his nose.

He doesn't like loud noises.


Hope everyone's Pioneer Day was great. Happy anniversary to my brother Charlie and his wife Mary Ellen! Also my love and prayers go out to my friend Lyndi who lost her 14 month old son last week. She is such a great example of love, patience, humility and forgiveness.

The 4th and other tidbits

Today's blog is chock full of pics, so to those of you who have a slow connection all I can say is "I'm sorry!" Starting with the most current pictures we have some photos of JJ's most recent baseball game. JJ really enjoys baseball and it is fun to see him learn what it means to play as a team and to try and better himself as a player. I took some photos of Hannah and Asher playing at the playground there at the baseball park. I can't believe how big Hannah is looking. All of a sudden she has really long arms and legs! She looks like a teenager all ready! We also have pictures from the 4th! Asher was sitting by me when I was editing these photos and he saw the picture of Mary and announced that he LOVES Mary! He loved playing with her at the picnic up at South Fork. You gotta love it when Charlie shows off his goofy side! He doesn't show this side much but when he does it is always hilarious! Me, Mary Ellen and Carolyn hung out under the umbrellas trying to stave off the heat. It actually felt cool when we first arrived at the park but quickly got blistering hot. In one of the pictures Asher is looking mischievious. No doubt it was taken right after he dumped an entire cup of root beer in my mom's lap (and she was wearing white pants!!!). Charlie brought a new game called Ladder Ball. We got to see who could through the balls most accurately. Don't know who won but they all had a good time! Big congrats go out to Michelle and Brad! You guys make such a cute couple! There are also so pics from a family home evening trip to the Children's Garden at Thanksgiving Point. Asher can be such a love bug when he wants to be. The super closeup pic of Lance and I is JJ's attempt to get a photo of us. Didn't quite work out! There are some more photos from the fireworks at Thanksgiving Point on the 4th. Sorry that the picture are all out of chronological order.
The last pictures are from a trip Asher and I took to the Thanksgiving Point Farm on day when JJ and Hannah were off doing something else. He had great fun seeing the sites at his own pace! He is such a goof ball sometimes!

Small-ish Town Fun

Ok so geographically Lehi isn't such a small town any more but in many ways it has held on to it's small town feel through stuff like Round Up Days. Otherwise known as the week when all Lehi residents can pretend they are rough and tumble cowboys and girls. We've nearly lived here 10 years - really just a drop in the bucket compared to a lot of the folks in our neighborhood and ward but we still feel very much at home here. Lehi isn't perfect but we like it here! One of the great things about the Round up Celebration is how many opportunities there are for the every-day, average citizen to take part in making the celebration great - whether it might be helping with a mini float or serving hot dogs at the rodeo - there is a place for any Lehi-ite to take part. Lance and I have done both those things and I am really glad that someone in our ward stepped up and refused to let the mini float tradition die. The best part of living here in Lehi is feeling a part of a community not just living in a town. Lance was trying to help one of his editors at the paper find people to write a few paragraphs about what freedom means to them and it got me thinking. For me freedom revolves around being part of a community. Freedom is having the ability to make my family's life better. It is feeling safe as I go about my ordinary life. Freedom is about connecting with people not of my faith or background and finding friendship. I have never lived anywhere but here in Utah so I don't have a perfect understanding of what it is like to live without freedom. I know I take it for granted. After visiting China last year I had a tiny glimpse into what it must be like to live in fear and have no way to better yourself. I will always be grateful to the men and women who have enabled me to have such a good life right here in little old Lehi, Utah.JJ and Hannah wanted to just watch the parade on Saturday. So we didn't walk this day. They were pretty excited to catch the candy too.

Asher was Grandma J's little buddy while watching the mini float parade on Friday.

Something catches in my throat when I see the color guard come.

My little cheese-ball!

Three very cute pumpkin -eaters.

JJ and Hannah with our second place winning float.

This is Karen: she refused to let the mini float tradition for the 7th ward die. She got our float entry ready in less than 2 months!