Joslins and Joneses: summer visitors

We LOVE visitors! I get excited whenever we have them. It is great to reconnect with family and let our kids get to know better their Arizona relatives. 

In June the Joslins came for a visit. It was great fun to have them. Sophie (6), Sabrina (2), and Lauren (3 months) were all so cute. We visited some museums on BYU campus and went for a beautiful mountain hike.

Clayton (4), Miles (9), Hailey (7),Sophie (6), Sabrina (2)

Hailey and Sophie. Good friends. 

Dave and Lindsey have a beautiful family.

Soon after the Joslins visit my mom and dad came from AZ to visit. It was fun to see grandma and grandpa!

We went on a fun train ride in Heber for the 4th of July.

It was fun...but it was early.

Here are the kids with grandma and grandpa Jones

Our family on the 4th of July.

We also went up to Park City with my parents to see their time share and go swimming in the pool at the time share. It was a great visit.

Cousins visit

We had fun having John, Cherece, and their kids come and stay for a few days at our house at the beginning of July/very end of June.

Clay and Brayden. 

Megan, Clay, Brayden, Hailey, Kate, Kiersten, Stephanie, Miles

Happy Easter!

The Friend magazine for the last two years has little daily activities the family can do on the days leading up to Easter. We used The Friend again this year and read a scripture about Christ's life each night leading up to the Resurrection (which I assume is tonight's reading).

This year Joey's brother John and his daughter Stephanie came up for a couple of days and we got to celebrate Easter with them. John was attending a funeral of a friend and Joey accompanied him to that. I took the kids to the ward Easter egg hunt, then to the playground, then we dyed Easter eggs. Looks like we'll eat deviled eggs with dinner tonight. :)

I am grateful for my testimony and to celebrate Easter. I love so much about Easter, the simplicity of the holiday compared to other holidays, the deep meaning behind it, and how it is always in the spring--a time of year I cherish.

Happy Easter!

Miles, Clay, Stephanie, Hailey 

Love how they love each other!

Stephanie was a lot of fun to have around

It was such a beautiful day, after the ward activity we went across the street to the playground.

As soon as he hit the playground he became barefoot. 

Hailey, Stephanie

This kid LOVES the playground. He has been known to cry real tears when we drive by and can't stop to play.

Dying eggs. I gave everybody 3 eggs to decorate at first but they talked me into boiling more!

Miles, Hailey, Clay, Joey, Stephanie, John. 

Grandma and Grandpa Jones visit

My parents and youngest brother came to visit us in October for about three days. It was nice to see them. Dad and I made pumpkin pies together. Clay had lots of fun with his grandpa. We are glad they visited. I don't think I took any pictures, but luckily Mom did.  Glad they could come!

Visitors!

Amber and her family came and visited us in July. They stayed overnight and we had a blast together. So glad they came! Love that family! They are moving to Maryland soon. Wishing them and their cute kids the best. I am very grateful to have a sister!

Hailey, Miles, Kallon, Clay, Thomas, and Emily. Who is Kallon? He is our upstairs neighbor who likes to visit Clay. They are buddies. Emily and Thomas are super cute kids. I got to meet cute little Eleanor too.

We're so happy when Grandma and Grandpa visit!

Reed and Sheryl came up for education week at BYU during August. They arrived on Saturday. We were all excited. On Sunday we all attended church together. Monday started education week at BYU. I attended on Monday with Reed and Sheryl and Joey stayed home from work and covered my day shift for me ;). Tuesday through Friday Reed and Sheryl attended classes during the day and we did many fun things at night including a date night while Grandpa babysat, and going out to restaurants with extended family (Uncle Steve and Aunt Deanne and family) and friends (the Morrises). We also took walks, went to the park, went to a nearby campground, and just had fun together.

Right before church

Clay wanted this ice cream cone so badly. Grandpa finally had the green light from mommy and daddy to give him one (there was a box of cones in the freezer). Clay was eating this cone outside. After a few minutes I went to check on him. I will never forget what I found. At first I was a little worried because I couldn't find Clay anywhere. Then I saw little chocolate drips on the pavement. I followed the trail of chocolate drops. There I found my sweet toddler--hat on, drippy ice cream cone in one hand, watering can in the other hand, crouching down watering our potted plants. When he looked up at me with that sweet (literally dripping sweet) face I had to smile.  

More ice cream drops