Happy Early Birthday Oakley

We celebrated this beautiful girls birthday on Sunday, July 22nd, just before we headed to Salt Lake to take her to the airport for her Monday morning flight to Italy.  I couldn't convince her to stay home with her momma for her 18th birthday. She thought turning 18 somewhere in Italy sounded like a much better deal! 

She got tickets to the Playmill to see Newsies for August after she got back. 

Happy Birthday sweet girl! We love you more than you will ever know! 

Horseback Riding 2018

We loved horseback riding so much last summer we decided to do it again this summer.  We went to the Eagle Ridge Ranch in Island Park again.  We had a great ride. We were even able to get Dallin and JD off of work early enough to come with us.  I was on a horse that didn't like any other horses behind him.  He would actually bite them if they got behind him.  So him and I brought up the end of the trail and I was totally fine with that. We had a fun day together.  After horseback riding we decided to run into West Yellowstone to browse the shops and had some dinner at a Diner there. What a great day together. 

 This is how Oakley treats her sweet cousin Macady for her tattle-tailing about Oakley kissing a boy. Can you see me rolling my eyes?!?! Poor Macady!

Autumn

Baby Autumn isn't much of a camper at 18 months old, and since her mommy lives and breathes camping she got to stay with us a few times this summer.  The kids eat up being able to spoil her when she's alone without her sisters.  We can't get enough of this itty-bitty baby girl. 

Another Summer Favorite

I could follow these two on our bikes just about anywhere! 

We love evening bike rides together! 

Rhett & His Camera

I just can't get enough of following this boy around.  He wanted to take some temple pictures and didn't have to ask me twice. :) Rhett and I loved walking part of the greenbelt enjoying the beauty that's there. The pictures he got of the temple were gorgeous too! Rhett is extremely talented in so many different things. I am so proud of him for stepping out of his comfort zone and finding some of these special gifts. 

Joseph Smith Odyssey

(Picture credit goes to my friend Casie who got to attend as the photographer)

Dallin had the opportunity to go with our youth to the Joseph Smith Odyssey youth conference/camp the stake put on this summer.  I don't know much of what happened there, but I know that he told me he was bawling through testimony meeting which means this boy felt the spirit.  I am so grateful for leaders giving our youth chances to learn, grow and feel the spirit.  If they can just hang onto those feelings and experiences they can get through the difficult days that high school throws at them.  I love this boy. He is strong in so many ways. We have been told several times by the spirit that Dallin is a special son of our Heavenly Father. He blesses our lives!

Tyler's Birthday

 In January the Dolgosh brothers (Michael and Tyler) started coming to our FHE's each week.  We became good friends with them and wanted them to be in our home as much as possible to have learning opportunities and opportunities to feel the spirit. They were living in a very difficult situation (sleeping on cots in a family friends living room...being raised by an uncle....the only members of the church...a house full of cussing, smoking and video games. Not ideal for sure!). On July 22nd was Tyler's birthday. We celebrated a few days early on a Sunday after church because of a trip they were taking. Michael went shopping with us and helped us pick out some things Tyler wanted/needed and we of course got pizza and cupcakes. We are grateful for the part these two boys played in our lives for the short time they lived in Milo. 

Paityn

We love that Paityn chooses to stay with us when her mom goes to girls camp.  We are able to go do some of the fun things that we used to take my kids to do when they were little.  This day we took Memory with us too and hit the library, park and water park.  It was such a fun few hours.  Rhett took his camera and got some great pictures of these two little girls. 

 This first picture of Paityn on the monkeybars is by far our all time favorite picture.  Her little double chin and her little face straining as she uses her muscles to hold her self up. Priceless! 

And of course I have fun fixing her hair.  It's nice to have someone that is little enough to let me fix her hair. My girls aren't super willing to let me do theirs anymore. Stinker girls are growing up on me!