hailey gets married- personal photos

Last summer 

(almost a whole year ago now?!)

Our Hailey got married!

(Tyson & Hailey engagement photo)

I have to say-

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR KIDS HAS MARRIED SO WELL!

I honestly love each one of them. It's so scary & interesting really, to see who your children choose as a mate for life.
We are thrilled.

We held the wedding ceremony & reception in my dear friend's backyard, same yard as a year earlier where Chloe's wedding reception was held. This is a before picture. It's the perfect yard for a summer wedding. Absolutely dreamy & all shaded. It was a perfect venue & we feel so indebted to Kristal & Jeremy for allowing us to do this and TWICE! 

(another engagement photo)

This is the wedding cake - in the freezer before setting it up and delivering it. I think it's the only snapshot we got- I am so proud of myself because I made it!

It was a white cake with chocolate mousse filling and cream cheese frosting.

To beat the heat we had a late ceremony & reception.

It was too late for dinner so we served lovely - actually an amazing- assortment of appetizers. 

For the reception we served an assortment of cookies & bottles of soda.

Plus- the wedding cake. 

Tyson & Hailey August 27, 2016

I will post some of the professional pictures soon.

It was the perfect day for these two & I can't believe my friends and I pulled off another amazing wedding. Seriously- we've thought about going into business! (not really)

It's been nearly a year & Hailey is working as an ABA Therapist and Tyson has landed his dream job. He is a police officer in their town. 

Are they adorable or what?!

Fall 2014

Fall is really my favorite time of year.

I just have to go back & post a little about last year... before...

it comes again!

During October we made cookies-

and watched the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

Hailey turned 21- she loves all things chicken- and got this funny chicken plate.
Isn't she just the cutest!?

and Charlie turned 5.

He wanted pirate dress up clothes for his birthday.

look at this cute little pirate!

I can't resist posting this picture of Peter.

He is such a sweet baby. 

Lucky me- I made it to Charlie's Preschool Halloween Parade.

LOVED IT

AND- Trent is big enough now to carve his own pumpkins- so fun.

On Halloween night a cowboy Johnny & chocolate covered 50's style Claire dropped in.

The Swat Team took care of a little pumpkin & went trick or treating in their own neighborhood.

Buzz & Woody had the best time- but by the time I took this photo- they were done.

I am still teaching cooking classes for kids at home & at work downtown.

we had a little Halloween lunch party.

As much as I hate summer to come to an end- 

Fall 2015 is just around the corner.

a busy May 2014

Still catching up

In May we were so busy-

Who Isn't?

May & December are the two busiest months of the year for us.

We had our annual YW graduation fireside on the Bountiful Temple Grounds.

I'm so proud & happy for these two friends.

Hailey was in the chalk art festival for the first time!

SERIOUSLY! So fun & so exciting- Hooray for Hailey going way outside her comfort zone & doing something she has always wanted to do.

We went to Baccalaureate with Chloe & friends.

Its such an exciting time. 

Trent has been in a Social Dance class this whole year.

They had their spring recital - dance concert- at the University of Utah.

IT WAS HANDS DOWN AMAZING

We are so grateful for good teachers!

It was a lot of time sitting in a theater for mom- brought back memories.

Chloe flipped over it & was wishing her school had a program like this!

Brett & I celebrated 28 years of marriage!

Chloe & friends graduated from Seminary!

Busy - Busy - Great - Month

a couple of birthdays

We celebrated a couple of birthdays in October~

It's so fun to have everyone together for a family celebration!

Someone turned 4 and someone else turned 20.

Yep- 16 years & one day apart.

It was so fun.

Pasta for dinner & two different desserts.

It just doesn't get any better than that.

It will get better when these 2 cuties can eat cake!

this summer

This past summer 

Trent was just itching to build something!

He decided it would be a house, fort- play house for the nephews- 

nearly every week it changed.

The folks at Home Depot were so awesome- truly!

Brett & Trent ran over there countless days for "supplies." 

When Brett mentioned Trent had Asperger's Syndrome & was building a fort all on his own, they offered him a discount. For the rest of the summer they could get boards from their -not so great- board pile for an excellent price. It was a great learning opportunity for Trent.

Now- fast forward to October & the fort is all taken apart & laying in a pile under the apple tree. Next spring they are going to draw up plans & build a tree house for Trent & all the grandsons. 

Trent is lucky- lucky we are patient & we haven't killed him by now. 

Lucky to have such a great dad.

We saw a couple of movies!

I have remembered how much I love to go to the movies.

For years we didn't go very often if ever- just too much going on with a little one with autism etc.

Hailey & her friend Ryan who have been dating almost a year now!

We saw Disney's Planes

and 

Despicable Me 2

and

The Way Way Back

I loved them all- but I am aware I am not a good movie judge since

 I just like any movie in the theater really...

When Chloe had home visits I tried to make her favorite food.

Like Buttermilk fried chicken!

This picture is of a fire we saw taking her back to the hospital one Sunday night.

A fire started up in the West- wild fires are so scary & devastating- but isn't this picture incredible?

(brett & chloe out to lunch on a day visit)

We had some super fun day visits & family therapy. 

Well, therapy wasn't always what you'd call fun, but it was good.

Here are Brett, Hailey & Chloe 

taking a tour on Segways- one of Chloe's bucket list items.

We ate a lot of peaches & ice cream.

One of my favorite things in late summer & in life in general-

and we had a new back patio poured

and steps put in.

Sadly our deck died. 

It was a good deck- but had to go.

The kind men who we hired to build our new patio & stairs were so nice to let Trent help them.

 It was an adventure.

 All in all it was kind of a tough summer.

But I am glad we had it. I look forward to next summer & hopefully a little family vacation? 

A girl can dream right?

I will acknowledge that God has never left us.

He doesn't leave us alone in our trials. He really doesn't.

It can certainly feel like it at times, oh I know that- 

But in the lowest moments - those moments when I don't feel like I can take it anymore, or hurt any deeper, He has lifted my burdens

and

I am grateful