Out With The Old

This little black car will no longer be ours tomorrow.  I have to admit it makes me just the tiniest bit sad.  Tyler bought this car while we were dating and it has been good to us.  It has well over 200,000 miles on it now and has served us well.  The dent you see in the front is a memory....forgetting to put on the parking break when building our house and watching it roll into a dumpster.  We laugh about it now!  A boy in our ward will come and drive it away tomorrow and he is so excited to have wheels of his own which makes letting it go a little bit easier.  It will still be around the neighborhood but we have moved on to bigger and better things.  After a year of searching, and I am not kidding when I say that, Tyler finally took the plunge and bought himself another Altima.  Nicer, newer, more reliable - we all love it!  So, out with the old and in with the new...it's about time!

Rain or Shine

This little guy is a major one track mind.  I recall a post I wrote about Nick not too long ago stating that he was a bit sports obsessed also but I am pretty sure Austin tops his older brother.  He eats, sleeps, and breaths everything that involves a ball.  Tonight I went to find him and realized that he was out back with no shoes on playing basketball by himself in the rain....so I let him.  He plays catch with his dad every day and has a better arm then most the kids in our neighborhood.  He attends EVERY baseball practice with Nick and Tyler and could shag balls in right field all day if we would let him.  He is the bat boy at the games and was disappointed when we didn't order him a uniform.  His nightly request is not a bedtime story but  a game of football in the basement with his dad.  Austin might be little but he can tackle hard.  He is sweet and stubborn and sometimes his obsessiveness drives me crazy but I love him for it!

Spring Break or Christmas Vacation?

Thanks to the Brostrom/Hill Families we spent part of our Spring Break in Eden at my aunt and uncle's amazing cabin!  We were a bit confused by the weather...but were grateful for snow to sled on and not just mud to play in.  We ALL had a great time on our short get away.  Our kids do great together which made for a pleasant few days away from home.

 Cute Summer wasn't so sure about her hat!

 The snow bunnies...Nick, Austin, Carter, Kylee and Griffin

 The snow maker, Kyle!

 Summer's idea of sledding...she preferred to be in the sled on the cement.

 Austin took a few tumbles.  You can tell he was happy about it!

 Kylee catching some speed.

 Cute Cole.  If we weren't related I would say Summer was going to marry him.

 The Hill....we shoveled snow onto the driveway to extend their ride.

 The hot tub!  These kids spend hours diving in the snow and then jumping in the hot tub.  All but Austin, of course.  He preferred to just stick his hands in.

 Winding down in front of a movie.  Perfect ending to a fun day!

Summer and Cole created their own trampoline by removing the couch cushions.  They were hilarious!

So EXCITED to be going here...

Aspen Grove Family Camp...I am so excited I can't hardly contain myself!  You have to understand that we grew up going here.  We went with half of the Westview Drive families and it was always a blast.  We stayed in the cozy little cabins, ate in the cafeteria, hiked, swam, played on the big field and made great friends.  I still keep in touch with a few of the people that I met on our adventures there.  So, when the opportunity presented itself to have a "Westview Drive Aspen Grove Reunion" over UEA I jumped at the idea. (Thanks Whitney!)  I am so excited to show my kids part of my childhood and I hope that they love it as much as I did as a kid.  The Westview Drive adults might join us for a day but we will be staying in one of the giant lodges with our own children...just like our parents did all those years ago!  Yeah for family vacations and for happy childhood memories! 

Time Well Spent...

...with my Kylee.

Thanks to my husband, we snagged a few tickets to the Sunday morning session of General Conference.  We were up and out the door bright and early to make the drive (in the snow), find parking, and be in our seats by 9:00 a.m.  If you know me well, you will know that I was ON TIME and actually a tad bit TOO early.  We were in our seats by 8:30 which made for a long morning but it was so much fun to spend a little one on one time with my sweet Kylee.  She asked lots of questions, drew lots of pictures, attempted a nap and visited the bathroom twice but it was a sweet experience to be with my daughter in the same room as our Prophet and listen to the words of our Church leaders.  I loved every talk - there were too many good ones to choose from this time around.  It felt like October!  The blooming trees looked beautiful all covered in snow! 

One of the benefits of the Sunday morning session is the chance to hear the Music and the Spoken Word by the Tabernacle Choir.  AMAZING!  I could listen to them all day.  I think it was one of the best broadcasts ever.  I was touched by a quote they used in that broadcast and it inspired me to be better.

"Think of the people you most admire. Most likely it was not their accomplishments that touched your life but their acts of of kindness, not their beauty but their big hearts, not their successes but their support.  The same is true for all of us.  What will be cherished is the difference we've made in others' lives.  What will be valued is the love and service we've offered."

Service was touched on in a lot of talks and each inspired me to be better, try harder, and improve who I am.  Thank goodness we get to be spiritually fed twice a year because I need it! 

So, an inspirational few days and some time well spent with my daughter.  Now if the weather would warm up this month would almost be perfect.