Summer Happenings

I keep thinking I'm going to have more time to document these things, but it likely isn't going to happen, so here is a photo dump of some summer happenings.

(I didn't realize how many things I've been wanting to write about until I started throwing these on here - sorry for the length!)

May Happenings

Picture off of Burke's phone at our Bush reunion in May

Found the most adorable Jane Austin counting primer in the board books at the library - having read "Pride and Prejudice" for the first time in 6th grade, I intend to indoctrinate Daphne as soon as possible. :)

June Happenings

Daphne laughing her head of with Krissy and Grandma Marie at her birthday in June

A double yoke! This was the morning of Daphne's 2nd birthday and I thought it was a sign that I was pregnant.  Alas...no such luck.  

July Happenings

Daphne and Millie holding hands and going for walks around the campground at Co-Op in July.  At one point Lydia was following them to make sure they didn't go too far and she came back giggling as the babies were apparently jabbering nonsense back and forth to each other as if in the midst of a delightful conversation.  These two kill me.

Enjoying a happy day with The Big Dill

August Happenings

A few days before we moved from Mesquite to Cedar, our amazing Trailside neighbors threw us a going away party.  Mary Boyd hosted the party, made amazing homemade pizzas and let all the kids go wild in their beautiful pool while Shannon Hughes had a couple of cakes specially made in our honor.  We were so touched by everyone's kindness.  As I've mentioned several times, our neighbors in Mesquite were absolutely phenomenal.  I truly miss them and feel sad that I am already out of the loop on what's going on in their lives.  It's always hard to leave such good friends.

Top Left: Shannon and I - don't know what I would have done in Mesquite without her.

Bottom Left and Right: Daphne being spoiled to death by all the neighbor kids who loved to make her laugh. (P.S. I just noticed that left-hand picture catching Hudson taking a break from swimming to eat some cake!  What a cutie! ha ha!)

We stayed with Alan and Marie for 4 days before we could move into the house here in Cedar.  It was so much fun just to hang out there without any of the other siblings/grandkids there.  Don't get me wrong, I love it when the family is all together, but it was so peaceful and relaxing with just the 5 of us.  One night we hung up Alan's new movie screen from the playhouse deck and watched a movie outside under the summer stars with Krissy, Nick, Alan and Marie.  Daphne thought it was the coolest thing ever - and so did I!  Another night we stayed up late talking and playing Farkle (Marie's favorite game - probably because she always wins!).  And on another day Daphne, Sadie, Marie and I spent the morning weeding the garden.  There were giant butterflies wending their way through Marie's brightly colored blooms.  Daphne was mesmerized by their fluttering wings and followed them from one plant to the next.

After working in the garden, we had lunch on a blanket under the pear tree where Daphne displayed a new trick - holding Ritz crackers with her toes!  I had never seen her do that before, but now she loves to put things between her toes on a regular basis.

About a week after we moved in, my parents drove through Cedar on their way to Jakie's baptism in Irvine and spent the night with us.  We loved having them here!  Mom had read an article saying "The Pizza Cart" was one of the top five best pizza places to eat at in Utah, so she wanted to check it out.  We'd never heard of it, but went to check it out and I have got to say that was one of the BEST pizzas I have ever eaten - and from a cart in front of Ace Hardware no less!  Daddy kept Daphne enthralled while the pizzas cooked showing her magic tricks with a quarter and spinning it on the table.  It was precious to me to see her sitting next to my Dad on the piano bench that night before bed just like I used to as a little girl - and STILL love to do as an adult!  

P.S. Did I mention Jamie and Robert didn't take their antique piano with them to Montana?!?!  I about died of excitement when Burke told me they would let us keep it if we wanted it!  A piano has been on my dream list since day 1 and I thought it would be another 10 years until we could afford one.  I play it ever day and absolutely adore having it in our home.  What a blessing.