Noah Turns 5!

Noah turned 5 years old & had been counting down the days until his birthday for weeks. At 5 years old Noah loves to make people laugh, soaks up information like crazy, loves toys like no kid I've ever seen, is always asking, "When's the next holiday, mom?". He is ninja & Lego obsessed & continues to be such a bright spot in our family. He's kind, easy, curious, & so fun. He loves a reason to celebrate so his birthday is especially fun. Noah, you are such a joy & we love you SO much! Happy Birthday!!! 

Here are a few things I want you to remember: 

1. When the root is deep, there is no reason to fear the wind. 

2. There's no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this with so much waiting to be done. 

3. Things are always better in the morning.  

4. Never cut what you can untie. 

Ruby Turns 7!

Ruby turned 7 & seems to be growing up right before my eyes. At 7 years old she loves Barbies, playing with friends, anything sweet, monkey bars, school, & being the center of attention. She's bubbling over with personality & is loud & silly but also sweet & kind. She's a great helper, natural care-giver, & has a strong will. She's definitely a girl who knows who she is & what she wants, & I admire that about her. She appreciates the little things & that's always been one of the reasons that her birthdays are so fun. She soaks up every little part of it & is filled with excitement. Ruby, we adore you & couldn't imagine our life without you! Happy Birthday!!!

Here are a few things I want you to remember: 

1. The kinder you are, the more beautiful you become. 

2. Be a first-rate version of yourself, not a second-rate version of someone else. 

3. Quality is always better than quantity. 

4. Give yourself time - time to grow, time to learn, time to become. 

Back to School

Here are some pictures of the kids' first days of school. Ruby started 1st grade & Noah has another year of Pre-K. Both have great teachers & while back to school is always so bittersweet, so far they both seem to be doing really well. 

Zion National Park

Our last stop was a quick one at Zion National Park. I tried my best to talk the kids out of this one, but in the end, majority ruled. I love Zion & I don't know how we've ever managed to survive there without a/c. It was so hot & thankfully they had hookups for our camper so we were set with all of the amenities. We did our usual hike down the Narrows, played in the water, & got our fill of that gorgeous red rock before heading home the next day. 

"Hey Bekah, I bet you I can pet that deer"

So many fun rock "slides"

And that's a wrap! We survived! 3 weeks in camper & we lived to tell the tale! It was a great trip that we'll always remember. Tyler is already planning our next trip & we've made an agreement that he can't talk to me about camping for at least 6 months...I just need some time to forget...but it was a great experience for our family. Nothing creates stronger bonds quite like nature, close quarters, & hard work. Now somebody give me a trophy or something!

Utah

We spent 2 nights in Utah visiting family & friends - Tyler's aunt is always so good to us & let us stay in her basement & is an amazing cook. There's always family coming in & out so it's fun to be able to see everyone. The first day we got to see Jeremy, Cassie & Roy & had a fun time catching up. I'm so grateful for them & love that we all love each other so much. We've created something really great, & I'm really proud of it. 

Then we celebrated Tyler's Grandpa's birthday & the kids were reunited with their 2nd cousins who they completely adore. I love watching these kids run around & play together & get along so well - they just seem to always pick right up where they left off & it just does my heart good. 

Tyler's grandparents. They are incredible & we were so glad we could be there to celebrate his Grandpa's birthday. My kids adore them & Ruby especially was so excited to see her Grandma Mor Mor again. She had the sweetest conversation with her when she saw her. After Ruby talked to her for a bit & hugged & kissed her she said, "I've been praying for you every day Mor Mor..." Everyone around said, "Awww" & I was so proud of that sweet little girl. And then she followed it up with, "...so you don't die." I did not see that one coming. Mor Mor just smiled & said, "Well, that's nice." as I slowly slinked out of the room pretending it never happened (really solid parenting on my part). This was one of the few times that I was grateful for Grandma Mor Mor's failing memory - all was forgotten in a few minutes & we had a great night!