Camping

We spent the weekend camping up at the property.  It was a bit cooler than we had planned, but we still had fun.  Friday a little rain fell on and off, but it brought a beautiful rainbow.  No weather is better than a thunderstorm and a rainbow.  My absolute favorite.  Kylee taught me how to use the panoramic setting on my phone and Owen is already bugged.  It was nice to get away from homework and the idea of moving, graduation, wedding, and everything else going on.  It is definitely a busy time, all good things just really busy.  After freezing Friday night, we decided to go home late Saturday evening instead of spending another night and it's a good thing we did because the zipper on the tent was broken and this morning they woke up to snow.  

A flood and family pictures

 I have been planning family pictures for over a month.  It isn't easy to get everyone together, but my co-worker is a photographer and she was so nice to work with our schedule.  Today was the day, but Mother Nature had a different idea.  Around 2:00 a storm blew in and brought flash flooding and major thunder along with it.  Any other day, I would love such an amazing storm, but not on family picture day (but of course I still went out and played in it).  My friend said let's watch it and see what to do.  At 4:00 the rain finally stopped and we were scheduled for 6:30.  Driving to the location, the rain started again, and I felt so hypocritical for cussing out the rain.  Right up until we got to the field we had planned on, it was raining, then all of a sudden it just stopped.  We had a perfect hour and my friend edited some already and sent them to me.  I love how the pictures are turning out and I can't wait to see the rest.   After we got home it started raining again, and I was totally okay with that.  

That little hill is not normally there.  The rain lifted up the ground and made a big bubble.  

Babysitting

 Rachelle told me they had a dance recital tonight for Millie, so I offered to watch Eli.  She said Blake was already planning on babysitting, so I told her to bring them both up then.  I worked today, but after work, they came over and we took Joey to a park to play and we had dinner.  I was shocked when both boys said they would go with us, it is Saturday night after all.  I was flattered and I'll take a night with all my kids any chance I get.  

They pick on him just like a little sibling. 

Joey is better than me at flying a kite. 

Owen was trying to "bench press" Davis, but he was a little too long and awkward. 

A graduation party

 Congratulations Lulu!!  She is a graduate of the University of Utah.  One day I will be graduating, it feels forever away, but I will.  

I was spoiled

 Today was Mother's Day and my kids spoiled me.  They each made me feel special and appreciated and I am grateful I get to be their mom.  Owen and Kylee went to Milford yesterday, but they were back in time for dinner.  Davis made me breakfast this morning, and Gator waited up until after midnight last night to be able to be the first one to wish me Happy Mother's Day. We went to Layton to my mom's grave.  It has almost been 6 years since she passed away and that is just crazy to me.   I know she loves it when we are all gathered together, that was her favorite place to be, with her family.  After we went to Krissy and PJ's for dinner.  The food was very tasty and the company was awesome.  It was a good Mother's Day.  

I love hummingbirds and Davis thought I needed a prettier feeder than just the cheap plastic one that is hanging up on the porch, he also knows my favorite flower is a Daisy

Gator and I love to play games and she is always wanting a new game to try out.  The card is seriously the sweetest.  

This gift was from the Yeti man himself.  Owen is obsessed with Yeti's and has suggested that I get a Yeti for a couple years now.  Well, he got sick of waiting for me and got one for me.  

We took pictures last year in front of the same pink tree at Krissy's house.  It is so pretty in the springtime, I'll probably do a picture here every year on Mother's Day. 

Yesterday Owen was in Milford and Gator was with some friends so I asked Davis if he wanted to run errands with me.  We don't get to hang out just the two of us very often anymore, and I am so happy that he accepted my offer.  We spent the whole afternoon together picking out flowers for my sisters, going to lunch, getting a drink, and running Gator and her friends to the pool and back. 

Owen and Kylee took Dave and Sheila to a rodeo.  I love that he sent me a picture.  I did have to ask, but he didn't argue.  

New Looks

As I said last week, Davis and Gator inherited my bad eyesight.  Davis has had his new glasses for a couple months, but Gator's just came and I bought a few new pairs of glasses too.  I figured if I can't ever wear contacts again, I wanted to have some cute glasses.  I have a new addiction though because I found a website where they are very inexpensive.  I may or may not have ordered 6 pairs of glasses.  But 2 of them are sunglasses.  

Gator has made her own Instagram page for her business and she is very busy.  It's so fun to see what she makes, and she thinks she is so grown up because we got her her own checking account and Venmo.  She is very responsible with her money and always remembers to pay her tithing first.  

I never had a collection of anything, well besides all my thousands of pictures.  When my mom passed away, we divided up her Willow Tree figures.  My collection has grown quite a bit over the last few years.  Gator gets me one for Christmas every year (the butterfly one was from this last Christmas).  And the boys each just randomly have gotten me a new one as well.  I love my collection, and I display them proudly on the shelf in the kitchen.  I will have to find a new home for them when I move in June, but I will for sure display them and look at them daily.  

Senior Pictures

In a couple of weeks, Davis will graduate high school.  It has been a very different senior year, but he said it's been a good one.  Most of the time, I actually forget Davis is still in high school.  He only has 2 classes that he goes on campus for, the rest is work release.  Still, I know he is ready to say he's graduated and move on to the next phase of his life.  He just needs to figure out what that is.  I don't get much time with Davis, so it was fun to go out the other night just him and me and take some pictures for his graduation announcement.  The serious ones are good pictures, but that smile/dimple though.