Pioneers and fun friends we miss..

On Saturday our ward had a fantastic Pioneer celebration- unfortunately I left my camera at home. It got Jane very excited about pioneers so on Sunday Jane and Kate dressed up and took a trek (with a wheelbarrow full of supplies) all around the back yard.

On Tuesday we had dinner with some great friends who have now moved away :( We love you and wish you all the best!

I love this one of Kate!
(Don't mind the unfinished wall in the background)

10 Years Today

I love you!

We're back home with 486 pictures on the camera...

That was so fun! We took a vacation to Utah and Arizona and there are many posts following this highlighting our adventures. They start with the most current and go back from there so you can read from wherever you'd like. Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Damstedt for all we were able to do with you. Thank you to everyone at the Nelson Reunion in Arizona. Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Miller and the fun times we spent with you. We love and and miss you all very much!

Uncle Andy came to be cool...

When we got home there were 2 surprises:

1. My kitchen now looks like this (Brad and Andy took down a wall)
2. Uncle Andrew was here to play for a few days!
We went to the beach

We also went to the science museum to see Leonardo Da Vinci's Machines in Motion Everyone had a fun time! Come back Andrew!

My Sisters!!! (and more friends)

My sister Melissa lives in Texas, before that she lived in Oklahoma. The last time I saw her and gave her a hug was 3 years ago!! (yummy Kazookie)

When I told her I was going to be in Provo she flew up with her little man.

I was so happy to be with my sisters again.
One day we went to BYU to go bowling, visit the candy counter we all worked at, and walk around campus.We had a little ladies night at "The Chocolate"I love my sistersmy nephew Lucasand my brother Jasonand my brother Jeff and Lexi(somehow I missed a picture with Dylan- next time..)

I also got to see some friends I love!!! Karena
My kids and Mathews kidsJessica
Bethany
Kristin and Celeste from Waterford

The kids miss the cows and sheep too..
Sophia and Jane
Kate and Lilly

Mom and dad drove us to the airport- really early
Flying home with 4 kids was a breeze :)

Fun in Provo & and Young Readers Symposium 2011 at BYU

On Tuesday Brad left back home and I headed to Provo with James and Kate. Bruce and Jane stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Damstedt for a few extra days of fun (Bear Lake, more fishing, and Thanksgiving Point.)

Thank you Andrew for driving us to Provo!

While in Provo I got to go to a very wonderful Young Reader's Symposium with my mom and sister Kim
We got to meet and hear from David Weisner and Gennady Spirin
Susan Meddaugh (she wrote and illustrated Martha Speaks)
and more! It was so great to spend all that time with my mom and good books :)
Thanks Joanna for taking my kids.

My Mountains! (and dad's garden)Also while I was there I got to do some yard work and clean out my mom's flower beds:
my roses- when I turned 16 my dad game me 16 rose bushes and I take care of them each year I go home.
Of course we ate lots of:
* Make a silly face
Thank you SOO much to Tonya and family for taking Jane and Bruce to 7-Peaks!

Golden Spike

We drove from Pine Top Arizona to Logan UT in one day (with a brief walk across the Hoover Dam bridge)The scenery was beautiful!!(Grand Canyon in distance)

Once back in Smithfield we had more time to play with Grandma and Grandpa Damstedt(Thank you!)
We took a little trip out to the "Golden Spike" monument where the East and West met.James and the plaque
The train from the West was wood burning and the train from the East was coal.
The show was awesome to see the trains chug chug in.

Mom and dad took us out for more Mexican- yum! We played a few more games and did puzzlesThey even saved a few more fireworks for us: Thank you sooo much for all you did for us- the delicious food, fun times, and amazing scrapbooks!