please excuse my absence

I've been spending the past week with these people...

Posing in front of the camera and tripod in Jackson, Wyoming


I'll be back to to regular posting next week.

Happy weekend!

this is the place

While my family was here a few weeks ago, we hit up the This is the Place Monument and Heritage Village. For anyone unaware, this is where we Mormons/Utahans celebrate Brigham Young coming into the valley declaring "This is the right place." Exciting stuff. Especially, when one of your great-great something grandpas was with Brigham Young.
Check it out:

I am a direct descendant of Tarleton Lewis, who was in the first group of Saints to come into the Salt Lake valley. Practically famous, I know.

Anyway, we looked at the monument.


Isaac lept.


As usual, Grace attached herself to my little brother Nick.


And then it was off to discover the Heritage Village. Because you know how much we Mormons love our historical village reenactments. While I have certainly been to my share, including this one before, I must say I learned a few new things this time around.

Highlights included: learning about washing, spinning, and weaving; children's games; Nick getting a fake shave; leather making; train rides; and the Native American Village.



And I made sure I had someone snap a picture of me and Asher just to prove that we were there too.


I have returned to the land of my birth and my ancestors.
Once again, Utah is the right place for us.

father's day

We had a really nice Father's Day yesterday. The kids came back to our house about 9:30 and we gave Jared his present which had been previously wrapped and decorated on Thursday night when the kids were over and Jared was at work.

Here they are hard at work.

The kids also each made him a card. Jared's present was a new hammock to be hung in the back yard. Then per Jared's request we had Zoom (a cracked wheat hot cereal) with peaches and vanilla ice cream for breakfast/brunch.

Do these kids look like their dad or what?

We have 1 pm church, so we got all ready and walked down the street to church. I ended up having to leave after Sunday school because Asher had a fever. But Jared was able to stay and go to the primary to see the kids sing for all the dads. He said it was really wonderful. Each of the older kids also made a little book in primary where they filled in their dad's favorite things (or what they thought were his favorite things) and then their favorite things. It was funny to see what they thought.

For dinner I made a Three Bean Dal and Quinoa. Everyone but Isaac loved it, although he did eat it so that he could get cake for dessert.

I also got to talk to my dad on the phone. I have such a wonderful and generous father. I'm an extremely lucky lady. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing father and also such an amazing husband as the father of my children.

Jared is such a fun dad. His kids adore him. I just love seeing him with them. And of course I especially love seeing him with our little Asher. Asher loves his daddy very much. Thank you for all you do, Jared! We love you!

And here's a look at the new hammock which we hung up today. Turns out our trees are little too close together so the hammock is a little saggy, but still gets the job done, is very comfy and lots of fun.

Notice my extremely dirty feet. Didn't realize our yard was still wet from all the rain and hence rather muddy in some parts.

just another testament of the awesomeness of my parents

I need to get back to packing, but I wanted to record just how amazing my parents are. 

Yesterday they drove 9-10 hours from New Mexico to Salt Lake with the Yukon XL filled with all sorts of furniture etc to give to us. Plus they are giving us the Yukon in return for the 4-runner which they gave me 4 years ago. 

Today they are flying from Salt Lake to North Carolina. They departed SLC at 7 am and will arrive here shortly after 4 pm. We will then pick up the moving truck, which my dad reserved, and proceed to load it tonight. We also have more packing to do and cleaning.

Tomorrow we depart on our long drive across the country. We are stopping for the weekend in Zanesville, OH, the town I grew up in that my family moved away from 5 years ago. 

Then it's three-ish more days of driving to get to Salt Lake.

After they help us unload and unpack in our new house in Salt Lake, my parents will drive the 4-runner another 9-10 hours back to New Mexico. 

Is that love or what?

to my mother

Dear Mom,

I've always known I had a great mom. I really have. I know I had a bit of a bratty stage in high school, but I don't think I was really that bad. I never said I hate you or anything, right? I've always felt really lucky that I have you as my mother and that we've always gotten along so well. 

A few of my favorite things about you: 

• Your laugh. Sometimes it's really loud but I like it.
  
• How casual you are. You are very laid back and go with the flow. You've taught me that there is no point getting too stressed out about things.
  
• Your art. I'm so glad I have an artist for a mother. I have learned so much from you about appreciating and creating beauty.
  
• Your willingness to serve. This is something I didn't really appreciate until I became an adult. But you are always so willing to help others. I need to be more like you in this respect.
  
• Your generosity. You have always been very generous with us kids and continue to be. And thank you so much for your generosity and acceptance of Olivia, Isaac, and Grace. 
  
• That you always send packages on holidays. It's so much fun to know I'll get a little something in the mail. 
  
• What a wonderful grandma you are. I love seeing you delight in Asher and all he does.
  
• Your faith in me. You have always been so supportive of everything I do. You have always believed I can do anything.
  

Mom, these are only a few of reasons why you are so wonderful. You have been an example to me in so many ways. I don't have the words to explain the impact you've had on me. I fear everything I say will be a cliche. I wouldn't be alive without you and I wouldn't be the woman, wife, or mother I am without you either. 

Thank you. For everything.

Happy Mother's Day! I wish I could spend my first Mother's Day as a mother with you. I love you.

your first born,

Katrina

happy birthday, lauren!

My little sister is 24 years old today! 

Lauren is an amazing person. 

She is very kind and generous and loving. 

She is also stubborn and cynical and shy.

She has always kept me down to earth.

She is extremely talented and very well read.

She knows all sorts of trivia.

She is interested in the world around her.

She doesn't know how beautiful she is.

She is a wonderful friend and an even better sister.

She lives too far away and I miss her.

I hope she has a wonderful 24th birthday. I wish I could share it with her.

Happy Birthday, Lauren! I love you!

washington, d.c.

I give you DC highlights seen in an afternoon. 

Lincoln

Vietnam

Korean

My offspring with my teenage brother

World War II

Washington x4

Smithsonian

Capitol

Jefferson

Still to come.... my favorite part of being in DC this time of year--Cherry Blossoms! I have tons of pictures so they will get their own post later this week.

williamsburg

While my mom, dad, and little brother Nick were here we drove up to Williamsburg and then DC. When we lived in Ohio we went to DC a lot and visited Williamsburg once too, but Nick, being the youngest, didn't really remember. My thought he needed to see these places and took advantage of our location to do so during Nick's spring break. Unfortunately, Jared couldn't come because he is busy preparing for exams. Actually, he took his Hebrew exam the day we went to Williamsburg. (And passed with flying colors!) So we had to have fun without him. 

As promised, I actually took photos. Here is a sampling. If you want to see more, click on any of the photos and it will take you to my picasa album. 

I love this brick arched bridge we walked under. And the pretty little tree growing out of the creek.

My dad being silly.

View of the hedge maze at the Governor's Mansion.

View of the Mansion from the maze.

Garden gate

Pretty pink tree buds.

Nick's yellow Chuck's

Ash Man in chill baby mode

My wonderful parents

Nick in a "pirate hat"

Colonial photo op

Garden flowers