Best Big Sister

After graduation, I went to Sam's Club to get stuff to make nachos...

That's what Kaydon requested for his graduation dinner.

While I was there, Mia texted me to ask if it was okay for her to decorate the house.

I about cried.

YESSSSSSSS!

When I got home, she was in full decoration mode.

She made it SO special for him AND bought him so many gifts.

She had the cutest idea to lay the nachos in the middle of the table.

Kaydon loved it.

He loved ALL of it!

She is just the best.

She is so thoughtful and takes so much time to make things just perfect!

We love having her at our house!

 

Kaydon Graduates!

Kaydon graduated from Layton High School yesterday.

We were like two rows from the very top of the Dee Events Center.

Therefore, pretty much everything was watched from the big screen in the middle of the event center.

He was so relieved!

One of his best friends, McKenna, spoke. 
She is darling.

They went to a dance, or two, together.

They read through the hundreds of names as quickly as they could.

 I am so proud of this boy.

With all my children have been through, they impress me infinitely.

Now, a mission.

Then, the rest of his life!

 

Dinner Reservations

Have you ever been to a restaurant where you had to make reservations?
Me either.

Until Friday night.

I felt SO fancy!

We went downtown SLC!

Have you ever really been downtown SLC to do anything besides attend a baseball game?
Me either.

Until Friday night!
I felt SO fancy!

It's a whole 'nother world out there, I discovered.

I had no idea what people do on Friday nights until Friday night.

People watching was in full force with this girl!

I had a taco that came out all decorated and such.

Oh, and french fries that appeared rather safe.

And a Diet Coke that came out in a bottle, with a side cup full of ice.

I asked what I was supposed to do with it.

Apparently, you poor from the bottle into the cup full of ice.

Oh!

There was a band.

Like, a real-life band.

They were really good!

I couldn't find the restroom so I opened all the doors...

Storage, kitchen, more storage, the men's bathroom...

Finally, I found the one I was supposed to go into.

Each stall had wallpaper on it!

Have you ever seen that?
Me either.

Until Friday. 

I felt awkwardly FANCY!

Then it was way past my bedtime so I went home.

 

My Dates

I had an open house on Saturday.

 I handed out 300 fliers and put it all over social media.

Saturday morning was a bit hectic.

I woke up too late and did my personal devotional for a bit too long.

As, as per normal, my boys stepped in and got it set up beautifully, Braxton ran to the store and got my 44 ounce and balloons, and right at 10 am, we were ready to go.

Except not one person showed up.

None.

Zero.

Zip.

So, we cleaned up and headed to BBW to watch the fights.

Except that the fights were on ESPN+ and BBW does not have ESPN+.

So, we ate and laughed and had fun anyways and took Kaydon (who was at work) some food.

I went home and got on my knees and cried.

Except that I wasn't really sad.

Nothing went according to plan, but I was grateful for that.

I had time with my kids...

REAL time.

Talking and laughing.

Supporting.

And, I got to just be with them.

 

Young Love

These two are cute.

And silly.

And trying so hard to be responsible and adult.

Braxton and Mia are two peas in a pod.

They love to be outside.

Date nights are super important to Mia, so they go fishing, walking around Antelope Island, they go hang out with friends, etc.

They have a goal list in their room.

One list for each of them.

They both work super hard.

Braxton has never had such a clean room!

Like, I'm positive that besides the fish in there - there is nothing else living or dead.

Such a peaceful thing that feeling is!

I'm so grateful that Braxton and Mia have both found someone who loves them!

 

Daffodils

I really love daffodils and all wild flowers.

When my boys were little, they'd bring me loads and loads of daffodils.

They were SO sweet.

They wanted so badly to be gentlemen and to bring me gifts.

I loved it.

I would always put them in cups with water.

That made my boys feel so special, that I loved the bunches of half-dead flowers they'd bring me.

On my walk on Sunday, there were meadows of daffodils.

Yes, the meadows were small.

But they brought me such joy!

 

Intentional

Since my stroke, I have been intentional about going to the gym on Sundays.

I have really loved that time because there is never anyone else there. 

I can move my body without distractions.

It is time I have always really craved.

This past Sunday was Stake Conference.

I got up, did my morning personal devotional.

Then, I decided to WALK to the gym.

I put on my bag, my sunglasses, and I walked.

Have you ever noticed the world look so different when we are intentional about looking at it?

Oh my gosh, the flowers!!!

The trees.

The colors.

I literally stopped repeatedly, reached over fences and smelled the blossoms!

While walking, I re-listened to a podcast with Sarah Grace and Brooke Snow.

It is powerful.

I smiled as I saw birds fly over me, land, and then walk with me.

I got to the gym, continuing to listen to this podcast.

Our Stake Conference was on Zoom.

So, before I left the gym, I got myself all kinds of ready to listen and feast upon the words.

Then, I walked a different path home.

I asked some people how to connect to a different trail around Layton Park.

You guys!!!!!

This place is literally within a mile from my house.

I have never been.

Ever.

I walked.

I talked to the ducks.

I listened to the stream.

I read about the ducks and geese.

And, I feasted on the words of our local leaders.

I pulled out my notebook OFTEN to make notes.

I was in Heaven!