"All the Buzz"

Last night our Stake Relief Society organized one pretty fantastic event. 

 Everyone met at 5:30 and they had several classes/workshops to choose from. Every hallways in the church was decorated with bees and their flight patterns:

 

 

All of the teachers/ helpers were wearing these adorable aprons: 

 

 At 6:45 was dinner with these totally cute centerpieces:

 place settings:

 

  We also each got a little jar of honey.

 Each person got a cupcake made with segmented and pieced together jelly bellies. 

They had a collected for 3 different agencies in the community and that was a big success.

At 8:00 we all assembled in the chapel to watch the Relief Society Women's broadcast.  It felt great to sit next to my "sisters" since my real sisters and mom are in Utah and Oklahoma. 

I loved the talks that were given and look forward to studying them. 

Earlier in the afternoon one of B's co-workers invited us over to learn how to make Chinese Dumplings from scratch.  Jane made these ones: 

Indigo Girls and BPO

Last night B and I went with some friends to one amazing concert.  

 The Indigo Girls were performing with the Philharmonic Orchestra.  Their voices and the orchestra behind them made beautiful music.  

 I was surprised at how many of their songs I still knew by heart.

Here's all the girls who went: 

  Here is a video for my sister Melissa: 

 "Chicken Man"

For B:

"Galileo"

 For Joanna:

 "Closer to Fine"

Summer Trip Week 1

Tonight B is at How to Train your Dragon LIVE with Jane and Bruce, so I have some time to post some pictures of our trip this summer.

I'm going to break it up in weeks.  I had over 600 pictures on my camera when we got back.
Here we go:

Week 1~ July 11th- 17th:
Wednesday: The kids and I flew into Salt Lake City arriving around 9:30 pm.   

My awesome nephew Andrew met us at the airport and drove us to his home.  As soon as we walked in Dylan and Tonya's home we were greeted with hugs, smiles, a happy-welcoming sign, homemade cookies, and lots of cousins!  We talked for a bit and then went to bed- (2 hour time change does make a difference.)

The next morning, Thursday, Tonya and I left early to drive to Provo, picking up my sister-in-law Kim on the way.  We were all headed to the Young Readers Conference at BYU where we met my mom and sister Joanna- both of whom I love love love and miss so much!  That day we heard from Nic Bishop, Jeanette Ingold, and Tom Lichtenheld.  They were all fantastic.  We had lunch at a new Indian restaurant and then later in the evening we went back to hear Ally Condie.  We also met up with Luana and it was wonderful to see her again. 

      Meanwhile my kids played all day with their cousins and Uncle Dylan.  I know that they had lots of fun, but I'm not sure what they did.

Friday- Again, Tonya and I headed down for day 2 of the conference.  This time we got to hear from Amy Kraus Rosenthal- LOVE her, and Jack Gantos-  he won the Newberry Award this year and was so fun to listen to.  We were laughing the whole time.  I bought a bunch of books and we ate lunch at Spark. We drove back up to NSL to see how the kids were doing.  Today Uncle Dylan and my dad took everyone to the indoor swim park.  They said that 1 of them watched James and the other watched all the other kids- that James is a daring one...

Saturday- We joined D&T and their family on a Saturday hike around Lake Solitude & Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood canyon.  I must have said it a million times while we were there, but I LOVE and miss the mountains so much. They are huge and beautiful.   My soul felt happy to be in them again. 

This is Jane's journal entry up to this point,

" At first when we landed in Utah I thought it was cold, after all it was night.  But, as soon as we stepped off the plane we were melting.  After 2 days at my cousins house it was a particularly cold morning so we went hiking.  Maddy and I went in the convertible.  Now, in the movies your hair blows backward but in real life it goes everywhere!  In your face, whipping your cheeks, too late for a hair tie! Plus it was freezing cold."

Dylan let me take his Pilot for the next 2 weeks- so nice- we drove down to Provo to my parents home that evening.

 My sister Joanna gave these cute kids presents.

Sunday- We went to church with my parents.  My mom was sustained as the new Relief Society President (it's the calling I have here too,) and we got to be with her when she was set apart.  They are SOO lucky to have her- she can do everything :)  For dinner Jason & kids and Jeff &Lexi came down and it was great to see all of them again too.

Monday- My sister Joanna and I decided to relive our BYU days so we took the kids to the Bean Museum to see the animals.  We were so sad to find it was closed and won't open for a year.

  Luckily the Dinosaur museum was a mile away so we went there and looked at all the bones.  After that she took me to this super fun indoor trampoline/ rock climbing 

 

 place and the kids had a blast! 

(Bruce found the bottom of the foam pit- in the other picture: Jane on the trapeze.)

 We got snowcones on the way home (the first of many, many, many snowcones.)

Tuesday- We went with my sister and her sweet 3 girls to the summer dollar movie- "Puss in Boots."  James got a little bored half way through but luckily Joanna had her handy dandy Kindle Fire to keep him entertained with all sorts of games.  The afternoon was spent swimming,
blowing bubbles,
and driving around the backyard.
That evening we all went to "Yogurt Land" and it was delicious.  They just opened up 2 places similar to Yogurt Land out here, but the one in Orem is still my favorite.

Summer Trip- Week 2

Wednesday, July 18th- This morning we drove up to Sandy and met Kim and her beautiful girls at the aquarium.  

It felt fantastic to see all of them again.  The  aquarium is a very cool place and just got otters!

After the aquarium the kids and I drove to Smithfield to see Grandma and Grandpa Damstedt!  When we were getting close to their house Bruce stared counting down from 10-1, he was so excited.  We found them out in the back yard and the kids were SUPER excited to see them, tell them everything at once, and show them everything at once- whew good thing I told them we were staying a few days so they could slow down. 

Thursday- We spent the day hanging out at playgrounds, splashing in the river, playing games and watching movies.  I love vacation!  Bruce and Jane also learned how to play "Killer Bunnies."

The kids were also happy to continue their bedtime tradition of eating vanilla ice cream with chocolate sprinkles.

Friday- Bruce loves games and we played a lot of them.  I'm not sure how many rounds of Harry Potter Uno & Killer Bunnies we all played, but it was a lot. 

  

Grandpa was teaching everyone how to cast a fishing pole. 

We played outside, sat in the swing, read books, and relaxes in the sun- it was great.  I went running for the first time in Utah this morning and I forgot how my lungs have to adapt to the elevation.  It was great to run and look at the mountains again.

(This is how I found Bruce when I got back from running.)

We left around 4:00 so we could drive to Highland for my niece "Bubs" birthday party.  The party was at Kim's sister's home and my kids were in heaven with her tennis court, trampoline, lego sets, and American Girl Doll room.  James got bit by a wasp and didn't like that too much- it was a fun fun party.  That night we slept at D & T's again (Maddy was nice to come to the party with us too.)

Saturday- In Utah on the 24th of July they celebrate Pioneer Day.  Since the day was soon approaching I thought it would be fun to take the kids to "This is the Place Monument" in Salt Lake City. It was really fun.  They had a train that took you to different stops all over the village. We rode horses, did crafts, panned for gold, pet pigs, watched Native American dancing, toured homes and cabins, and even saw a cannon be shot off.  It was a lot better than I remembered.

Sunday- We went to church with D&T.  My sister Melissa had flown in with her sweet family the night before and so she met us at church too.  I loved giving her a BIG hug.  (I'm getting a little teary) I miss my sisters.  I talk to them a lot every week, but I only get to see them and hug them once a year.  We try to spend as much time together while we have it during the summer.  This was the only day when most of my family could be together.  We had a delicious dinner and took pictures.

My parents and silly grand kids

My siblings:

Me

My sister Joanna and my dad                    

 Maddy, Emma, and Andy playing "Vegetable."

                                                                                                  One picture of BBQ..  

 

                                                 Melissa and I

My brother Derik and his beautiful girl.

We took pictures of the cousins in years they were born: 2003-

 2005-

 

2007-

 2009-

 We also got to take the RV on lots of rides:

 I had all the kids write their names on this postcard to send to the 2 cousins who weren't there:

Monday- Grandma and Grandpa Damstedt drove down to NSL to pick up Jane and Bruce and take them to "Grandma Camp!"  They were going to go with 2 cousins that flew in from Washington, and 1 that flew in from California.  It was going to be an awesome week. 

Kate, James, and I drove down to my parents home again to be with them for a week. 

Tuesday- At Grandma Camp the kids went hiking, fishing, and swimming.  In Provo my sisters and I played and played :)

My sister loves it when Kate does her nails.  Melissa has 3 boys and often told Kate she was going to take her home with her.  It made Kate a little nervous..

Week 3 & 4 still to come...