Ten things You Could Be Doing When You Lay the Baby Down for a Nap

What I learned this summer

This summer was different than summers' past. I learned and grew a lot and the end results were fruitful, but the actual doing was quite messy and frustrating to me.

They said

 They said having my kids close together would make them best friends.

First Day

Our little present maker

Cheyenne has a special gift.

Delaney Appreciation Week

July little things

 "Take a picture of me with all my kids"

The Invisible Arms of Prayer

One afternoon, several years ago in Provo, my brother Derek came over. He had just gotten the devastating news that he didn't get a job that he was really hoping to get. Our usually animated conversations turned into one-word questions and responses. We were both sad that this prospect for the future, his hopes and dreams, had been crushed. I listened. We listed all the things that would have been bad about the job (as one is wont to do when things don't go our way!). We tried to 'reframe' his future, trying to think of other, equally exciting opportunities. I convinced him to watch a short clip from Studio C, a sketch comedy group love that we both share, and the laughs helped dissipate some of those hurt feelings. Derek went home feeling lighter, as did I, grateful that I could listen and help in some small way.

Delaney at 5

Delaney turned 5 this month!

Visiting the Gabrielsens

The last stop on our trip was to visit my sister Bethany on the way home (kind of) back to Indiana. Haley came down from from Idaho, and Whitney was still with us. We went on a great sisters walk the morning we were there. Love my sisters!!

A quick pit stop at Mt. Rushmore + Early Morning Driving

When we knew we would be driving to Montana this summer, I thought it would be fun to take a pit stop at Mt. Rushmore since it was pretty much on the way from where we live.