Summer Traditions

Every year we look forward to July for our extended summer vacation. We spend every July 4th with Devon's family in Provo. Devon's dad has been involved with Provo's Freedom Fest Balloon Event for many years. We love to come enjoy all the good food and watch the balloons. You have to get up very early because the balloons have to take off before it gets too hot but it's always worth it. This year was even more fun because my friends Lauren and Louisa and their families were there. These are girls I have known since elementary and junior high school. They're the kind of friends that you can go long periods of time without seeing or talking to but then when you do reconnect it's like no time has passed. This kind of friendship is not easy to come by and I'm so grateful to have a few. Below are a couple of pictures from that morning.





The night of the 4th my girls got to go to Stadium of Fire at BYU's Cougar Stadium. They were especially excited to go because the performer this year was Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana. I have been told that Jenna spent a fair amount of time during the performance trying to figure out how this could possibly be the real Hannah Montana because she's supposed to be in the TV. Devon's sister, Ali, couldn't for the life of her figure out how to explain the concept to her--me either. They said they had a great time with the exception of being ridiculously hot, which was entirely my fault. In the past when I've attended Stadium of Fire I'm always cold on the walk home. It cools off at night in Utah, and being from Arizona, 65-70 degrees warrants pants and sometimes a jacket. So I dressed my girls in jeans and sent jackets. Well, we had some cloud cover roll in which kept in the heat making it 93 degrees by the time they got home at 11:30. I felt so bad when they walked in with their bright red cheeks and sweaty little bodies. Leave it to the nerd from AZ to dress her kids in jeans in the middle of the summer.

Also in July we get to spend some time in Bear Lake, Idaho with my family. We can't get our fill of the beautiful weather and water. We will be headed there this week so I'll post about our adventures later.

(Just in case anyone in my primary presidency happens to read this--thanks!! My awesome counselors take over for me so I can enjoy a month-long vacation. Quite the luxury for which I am really grateful. I hope they still like me when I get back.)

Some Comic Relief

Devon has the best calling ever. He team teaches the Sunbeams with his good friend Bret. And they are awesome teachers because they're calm and patient and it takes a lot to ruffle their feathers. I visited their class once and I have never laughed so hard at church. Nearly every week Devon comes home with some hysterical story. I thought I would share a few because they're too funny to keep to myself.

This week they had a visitor. They asked her what her parents' names are. She said, "My mom's name is Michelle. My dad is big and fat and sleeps in the same bed as my mom and snores like a big bear." Classic!

They also have this teeny tiny girl who is a major talker. You never know what she'll come up with next. The week I visited their class the lesson was about the Holy Ghost and this little girl proceeded to tell them all about her nightmare about a ghost and then lifted up her dress and said, "Look at my new underwear." She also said to Devon in the middle of class, "What the heck did you do that for?" This week Bret saw her at our ward dinner and said hi. She turned to her dad and said, "We're here to eat, not talk" and stomped off.

I dare you to try and convince me that your calling is more fun.