Family 5K and Talents

The Saturday before Mother's Day was so busy but so fun. We ran our first 5K as a family out at Wheeler Farm. We were invited to come by Ben's sister Jana, since it was her work that put it all on. I headed out with the boys and was so surprised at how well they stuck it out and stayed with me while I ran about 80% of the 3 miles.

 After the run we wandered around the farm and of course I made Ben take a selfie with me.

 I loved the cows. This one was especially cute.

But the three baby goats were the kids' favorites. They were so cute bouncing around trying to get at their food.We also saw some horses, a pig, and several sheep with a few lambs. Also a couple large turkeys, chickens, ducks, and geese.

This lilac bush was gorgeous and smelled amazing. It was a slightly cold and dreary morning but these flowers were singing spring.

Later that night was the ward talent show. Ben, Shelby, and Stryder all sang and Soren did some back up dancing. I got some video but no pictures and I failed to get any video of Stryder's performance. He sang 'That's what makes you Beautiful' by One Direction. He practiced and practiced but it had a weird start that he had to count himself into and they were messing with his mic in the beginning so he missed his cue. It freaked him out and ran off the stage. Ben was quick to grab him and really encouraged him to try again. I was so proud of my boy as he got back up there and sang his little heart out. I didn't get any video because I was mouthing the words and cheering him on to encourage him. He did awesome. Shelby sang 'American Girl' by Carrie Underwood and nailed it. No one could believe that she is only 9 years old. We received so many compliments about how amazing our kids are. Soren did back up dancing for Stryder and almost stole the show with his worm and break dance moves. Man he sure was cute up there. Ben sang 'Oh what a Beautiful Morning' from Oklahoma and sounded dreamy, I mean awesome. And he played the guitar and sang 'For Baby' with his brother Steve. Boy my family sure is talented. I just sat back and soaked it all up beaming with pride. 

More of What's Happening

My dad was up here for work again around the end of April. I got to go mystery shopping with him and have some lunch. Then later in the week my mom flew up and I loved the one on one time we had as I picked her up from the airport and drove her out to Lehi. That Saturday we went out to dinner and then headed over to Scheel's to play around. My mom was such a good sport and rode with Shelby and Soren on the ferris wheel. Ben and I rode together and were surprised at how high we got and how uncomfortable we were with it. My dad and Stryder both hate heights and wandered around the store instead. 
 

Stryder and my dad discovered the cool jeep photo spot and the fishing one too. So of course they all had to get in on it and show off their catches.

Soren had a his first grade program. Excuse the grainy phone camera photos but I loved his expression in this one. They sang a few songs and recited poems about the different continents and children all over the world. One of the songs he sang for his kindergarten program and it made us both miss Ms Greenough.

After the program we headed to the park to kill some time till the other kids got out of school and discovered these stickers on the swing. Only in Utah will you find temple stickers as graffiti :)

For FHE one week we ate at Firehouse Subs and then headed to the real firehouse for a tour. But they were out on a call so we played at the cool park behind the station. The kids loved this firetruck.

This picture is horribly blurry but I love the moment it captured. It was lightly drizzling and Ben had told me that it was his favorite weather to play basketball in. Well we didn't have a ball and hoop so we went on a mile run around the neighborhood. We were soaking wet but it was awesome.

And I really love this picture too. "Mom I like your shirt but you are already wonderful with out it." I kind of love this kid lots and lots. He's kind of become a different kid since we moved up here and I'm really grateful for it.

Easter Sunday 2014

Easter was our first holiday in Utah. We had lots of fun but it just wasn't the same not being with my family. But we made the best of it and I was grateful that my kids behaved long enough to snap a few pictures.

The kids didn't have new Easter outfits but I thought they were pretty darn cute anyway and the flowers blooming along with beautiful weather made it all pretty great.

The day before we had our big Egg hunt with the Brown side of the family but my mom had brought up eggs and baskets for my kids so we could still have our own egg hunt like they were having in Henderson. My mom always does the same color or pattern per kid and it makes it super easy for them to find just theirs. 

She also likes to surprise the kids with money inside a couple eggs. I kind of love his face in this shot.

We also decided to hide them like grandpa Day would have hid them. Every year someone has had an egg in the grill so I did that too. Stryder knew exactly where to look when I told him to think about where grandpa would have hid it.

And to end the night we facetimed with the family, mostly my mom and dad. It was my favorite part of the day. Celebrating Easter my have felt a little different but the meaning behind it was still as important as ever. We watched a few videos the next night for FHE about the Savior and I loved hearing my kids express how much Jesus means to them and how grateful we all are for His sacrifice and Resurrection.

Some Randomness

 So I kind of gave up on my project 365. I was struggling to remember to take pictures or even just post the ones I did take. Our life is a bit crazy and the pressure to take a picture and post it everyday was too much. But here's a few of the last ones I did take.

We drive 45 mins to get to school every day. Yes it's crazy, but we've had some really great conversations and laughs and singing at the top of our lungs moments. But have I mentioned we only have 9 days of school left ;)

 The kids had a week of dressing up and naturally, their favorite was 'Favorite Character Day' which is pretty much the same thing as Halloween right?! I love these cute kids.

 Yes, another picture of the snow capped mountains in Eagle Mountain from one of my walks. But I mean, come on, how gorgeous is this view?!?!

 In April, Ben's Uncle Glen died very unexpectedly. It shook the whole family pretty hard as we lost such a great mountain of a man way to soon. I am grateful for my knowledge of the gospel and that we will see all of those people we love again.

Hope of America

As we were planning this move to Utah, I was really concerned with how the kids would adjust and how their new school would be. Dooley set such high standards and I just wasn't sure how the new school would compare. While there are definitely things I miss about Dooley, we have all loved Eagle Valley. One such experience we had was Stryder being able to perform in the Hope of America program. He only had two and a half weeks to learn the songs but I was so grateful they let him perform with all the rest of the fifth graders. So basically, Hope of America is a big program put on at The Marriott Center at BYU. Several schools from Utah County send their fifth grade classes. Stryd's teacher has done it 5 or 6 times now. It was a pain in the butt to find parking and a huge nightmare to get out of and get home but I wouldn't trade the experience and memories for anything. 

Stryder luckily sat next to his cousin Carter. They started out in an upper yellow section but as they were setting all the kids up they had to move kids to fill in gaps. Next thing we knew, they were in red and they loved being part of the flag.

It was so amazing seeing all of these kids all singing and dancing in their seats. The whole program was about America (obviously) and they celebrated military heroes and everyday heroes like police and fire men.

I left their feeling very patriotic and extremely grateful for the timing of our move so that Stryder could participate in this. I know it's not something we will ever forget.

Project Find Joy- {Days 90-102}

Well it's been a month since we moved to Utah. We have had some really great experiences and some struggles. This first month has not been easy but I have seen my family grow and change for the better. We have been so blessed and I'm so grateful to all the family that has helped us out so much already and continue to do so. I can't wait to see where this road takes us.

This picture is from our first morning in Salt Lake. Utah welcomed us with snow and then more snow off and on for about a week. I love the weather but my poor dogs, not so much.

First day of school in Utah. They are Eagles now. When I took this picture and registered them for school, I had no idea the joy they would find in their new classes. Both of my boys are in their cousins' classes and apparently the lunches are awesome.

 Eagle Mountain is this little town west of Lehi kind of out in the middle of no where. It's so beautiful out there with several different trails that I have really enjoyed exploring.

 At the end of the first week at Eagle Valley, Shelby had a third grade performance. They sang a few songs and some of the kids talked about why they love Eagle Mountain. Did I mention that Shelby is like the same height as her teacher?!

 That first weekend in Utah, my parents drove up for their anniversary and to see us. They took us out to dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory. Saying goodbye in Henderson wasn't so hard knowing we'd see them so soon. 

 It was also General Conference weekend that weekend. Sunday morning was my favorite session and I felt like President Uchtdorf was talking right to me when he gave his talk on living a grateful life. When you live in a tiny dark basement 450 miles from home it's so important to find things to be grateful for and to live with an attitude of gratitude.

 The kids had one week of school and then it was Spring Break week. We didn't do much, which was awesome. The kids went out and played in their pajamas and I got to sleep in. 

 We did spend the day with cousins and take a walk to the park. The weather was gorgeous and the kids where happy, always a good combination.

There is this store up here that is so fun to wander around. It's called Scheel's and it's a huge sporting goods store full of stuffed animals and deer heads mounted on walls, plus an indoor ferris wheel, a huge fish tank, and a kids play place. 

Ben's brother made his wife this grow box that is 12x12. Ben and I, with the help of our kids, spent an afternoon churning and tilling the dirt and then carrying and opening 20 bags of soil and spreading it around. We all can't wait to see the vegetables grow.

Project Find Joy {Days 82-89}

 These were taken during our last Sunday dinner with Grandpa Waters and the Gaineys before the big move. My awesome cousin Whitney was so amused by my kids and their crazy eyebrows. I sure do miss them.

 We had a fun night with more cousins, celebrating birthdays and our move.

 I have been so blessed to have so many amazing friends and I'm so grateful for them and the chance I had to visit, laugh, and eat dinner with a few of them. Thanks girls for all of your friendships.

 My last day at the pool. Gotta love the goggle eyes. I have yet to find a pool to swim at up here and it's rough not being in the water as often as I used to be.

 My mom gave me this picture of my boys from when we lived in Utah almost 10 years ago. Stryder isn't even 2 yet in this picture.

 Our last day at Dooley was incredibly difficult. It hurt so bad to say good bye to such wonderful people who have made us feel so special. My kids have some great friends and had some fantastic teachers and I was all sorts of ugly crying as we said our good byes and gave out our little notes. For the teachers I gave them little notes that read "So much of me is made of what I learned from you. You'll be with me like a handprint on my heart". And each of the kids gave their friends little notes with the quote "And now whatever way our story ends, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend". Both quotes are from the song 'For Good' from the Broadway musical Wicked. The song really spoke to me and best expressed how we felt about these amazing people in our lives, "because I knew you I have been changed for good". I've set up an email for my kids to write back and forth with their friends and put that on the note too. So far not many have written but if you would like to write them the email is SBrownkids3@aol.com. Dooley will forever hold a very special place in our hearts, no matter where we end up.

From moving day! We were completely loaded and just about to get in the cars to start the next chapter in our fast paced adventure story. Check back in for more new tales from up north.