Gone

September where did you go?
Work took you away from me.

But we did have some fun!
Holland learned what it was like to work a 15 hour day
and went on the road with me to St George
Seeing Little Mermaid, and meeting her! was a much deserved reward.
During intermission she told me that if she can't be Ariel then she wants to be an eel.

Then we were home 2 days and I left for Atlanta.
This time alone.  But since I worked a 20 hour day
I figured a good seat at a Braves game was a much deserved reward.
I do love baseball, especially in the fall, and watching it just up from the dugout
isn't so bad either.

The Little Miss is Seven

Holland loves her birthdays

she talks and plans and counts them down

I love her excitement.

I have loved every stage, every year, every moment with this sweet girl.

Truly, I am a lucky mama.

A blessed mama to be this sweet girl's mama.

A Sunday afternoon, about a month before the big day!

Holland presented me with a carefully laid out birthday plan.

'Mom', said she

'I am going to have a Rapunzel birthday.  This is what we are going to do:

First, ribbons in the trees (check)

Next, everyone will follow a long Rapunzel hair around the yard (check)

For games, we are doing a ring toss and a pie toss...you know like throw it in someones face (check)

and last, Mom, you are going to love this....a Rapunzel cake with her hair all wrapped around it'

Hmmm.  Wasn't sure how to do the cake thing and 

she said it would be 'totally ok if hair gets in the frosting'

With the help of 6 sticks of butter, we figured it out.

And the pie toss?  Turned into a pie fight.

When I kissed her sweet dreams, after a long bath

(who knew whip cream stuck like that?)

she said with a big sigh....'That was the best birthday ever Mom!

Next year can I have a Jasmine party?'

Let the planning begin!

Very Firsts

This is the little Miss
Having our first dinner
in our very own address!

Oh it is so good to have our stuff around us again.
To sleep between our sheets
and rest in our beds
and cook! with kitchen things
and play with our toys
and see all of our photos of the places we have been
......it was like Christmas
but better

I know it is all stuff and things
but it is our stuff and things
it is part of us
and it is a part that really makes me feel like I am home
Finally

Papa and Grandma
Thank you
There is no way any of this would possible
with out your love and support and selflessness and generosity
You have been part of every part in helping us feel like
we are home

Andrea
How would I have survived this move with out your magical arrival?
You seem to do that....show up when it wasn't planned, glide in, and kick butt
(afterall, it was Labor Day weekend, and since everyone else left town :)
it was only fitting that you left your town and came to my town unexpectedly to, well, Labor!)

Cougar

While the cousins were here...

We spent a day at the Farm at Thanksgiving Point

and since we were so close to BYU...

we went there too.

Izzy and Holland immediately spotted the

Baby Cougar print tracks on the bookstore floor

and followed them

around

and

around

(While I ate a bag of chocolate covered cinnamon bears)

and ended up downstairs

They were a little bit excited to make some purchases

Bags were not necessary for they immediately made a wardrobe change

and were happy 'Baby Cougars'

While we drove home, Holland said,

"Mom, when I grow up I want to be a BYU girl"

Fine with me.

Oh Summer

This morning

it was clear

that fall is coming

And it made me miss summer

already.

Truly,

I don't remember a better summer

Maybe because this was the first summer

since I was kid

that I indulged myself

in family....lots and lots of family

and the first summer

in ages

that I actually have a swim suit line

Thank you boat and thank you neighborhood pool

I needed this!

From the annual Garner Gathering....

Lagoon (always) and the Cabin (in Park City this time!)

I just love watching these little cousins interact and love each other

Who wouldn't love

5 teenagers to tease

and

15 littles under 7 to kiss on?

Some things I want to remember....

Breakfast on the patio, lunch on the patio, dinner on the patio...my favorite

Holland saying so many times, 'this is the best summer...ever!"

Eating Ice Cream in Pioneer Village

Dodging the ground chucks on the Park City slides

12 avocados + Head of Garlic + 3 limes=Seriously? How can that much guac be gone in 20 min?

Cheek cramps from listening/watching Jen and Andrea on the tube while Tom tried to dump them.

Mom + Charades + Pamela Anderson=had to be there

Dad in the hot tub with all 11 of the littles, feeding strawberries to whoever could stay under water the longest

Running a 5k with Andrea, Hillary, Michele, Brian, Jaden, McKenna and Cole

Michele, Jaden, McKenna and Cole all taking first place for their age group

Laying on the grass, eating ribs, watching the fire works

Holland asking every day how many more days does she have her cousins for?

The littles playing on the beach, Adam engineering a mud lake, and the babies sitting in it.

Snow cones...a lot of snow cones