It's SUMMER! - June

        This has been a great summer, but SO busy!  We really try to tone things down during the summer and keep everything very low-key.  Despite our best efforts though, this time it just didn't happen. Don't get me wrong - it was wonderful;  just so busy!  I guess having 5 kids at home, taking 2 vacations, getting rear-ended and therefore visiting the chiropractor regularly to get my neck fixed, and having a husband with a busy calling at church just make summer a pretty fast-paced time no matter what you do!  Here's how our summer began:
         In June, one of my old friends, Jen De La Cruz, stopped by for a visit during her family vacation.  I taught her the gospel almost 16 years ago when I was a new missionary serving in Davis, CA.  She is an amazing lady and we shared some wonderful experiences together as she prepared herself for baptism.  She was baptized a week after I got transferred, but teaching her was one of the highlights of my mission. When I returned home and had just barely started dating Brock, I picked her up at the Salt Lake airport and dropped her off at the MTC as she prepared to serve her own mission to Argentina.  I was a supervisor at the MTC at the time, so I even got to see her a bit while she was there!  Five years later, our family took a vacation back to my mission area, and it just so happened that the last day we were there was the same day she was getting married in the Oakland Temple to her sweetheart, Lucio.  Attending her sealing that day was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I still treasure the feelings and memories from that day.
        I was so excited to see her and Lucio again, and this time I got to meet their 3 sweet kids.  They stayed the night and attended church with us and it was a wonderful, though short, reunion. I'm so grateful I got to see them again!

         The day that they left was also Brock's and my 12th anniversary.  I am so absolutely in LOVE with this man!  He amazes me constantly, and I am always in awe that he chose me! Someday I'll have to tell "our story" on this blog, because I think it's pretty amazing, but for now, you'll just have to settle for our anniversary selfie:

        Since our anniversary was on a Sunday and June was full of scout camp, girls camp, and youth conference that Brock or I were helping with, we didn't do much to celebrate on our actual anniversary.  Thankfully, while we were visiting in San Antonio, my amazing sister Megan and her husband Andrew watched all the kids for us so we could go out and spend a wonderful night on the town.  Everyday's a party with this guy by my side, but it was still nice to get to do something a little extra nice.
           Our time in San Antonio was really fun!  My parents recently bought land just a little north of San Antonio in Blanco, where they plan to retire.  The great thing about the land, is it comes with a pool and golf course that my parents already have access to!  So we met my mom and dad, as well as Megan and Andrew, in Marble Falls to have lunch at the famous Blue Bonnet Cafe.  From there we drove to the land and had a fun swim party with everyone.  It was so beautiful and relaxing and we had a great time hanging out.

         The next few days we went to Sea World and had a blast!  We had a great time seeing the  animals up close, and loved riding on the rides.  At Mom and Dad's, we played games with everyone and had a great time relaxing.  I got to go shopping with Megan and to lunch with my mom and some of her friends.  I even tried to take a yoga class with my dad (I know - isn't my dad awesome?), but he got the times mixed up and by the time we showed up they were almost done.  Unfortunately though, I have no pictures of any of these good times.  I am usually not good at taking pictures when we're on vacation, because I just want to enjoy the moment, but then I always regret that I don't have more pictures after the fact.  Oh well!
        But speaking of pictures, this little picture of Flint cracks me up.  I don't remember the specifics, other than that Brock and I were driving somewhere with just Flint.  None of the other kids were in the van, which meant Flint had no one to look at and play with.  He kept turning around in his chair so he could see me, and I just love his little half smile!