a thought for July's end

"There is no duty we so much underrate
as the duty of being
H A P P Y."

~~ Robert Louis Stevenson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bugg is the happiest camper that ever there was!
And that makes me happy.
Are you happy?
I hope so!
Have a happy & funderful weekend.
My weekend is starting on Thursday, Hooray!
Can't wait to share it with you next week.
Find some happiness, friends!

I can't believe we got it on video!

After 20 seconds of crying, she said, "All gicky. Clothes off." And then started clapping.

lessons on celebrating life

When you see a lemonade stand,
STOP!

Scrounge up some coins
from your car.

You'll make some kids
pretty happy!

celebrating.....

an outdoor concert with

my 2 gals
and G&G~

The famous Mr. & Mrs. Neilson
joining the audience ~ smack dab
in the middle

I love spending time with
my daughters.
Mama~Daughter Dates are so special.

Celebrating our Bugg getting an invitation
to our neighbor's birthday party.
Gavin specifically wanted Bugg to be at
his Green Lantern party,
is that so dear?!!!

Celebrating cousin Emma's baptism.

a cool new way to play with bubbles!
Our friend showed us how to use
fly swatters to make zillions of teeny bubbles.

Celebrating new hair styles ::: the before....

and after!

My big girl got her ears pierced!

I totally squeezed & hugged her
during the first punch,
GEE! Like I need to explain.

The "I'm-trying-to-be-brave-
but-I-wanna-cry-so-I'll-
laugh-instead" reaction.

Celebrating more time with my girl ~
waterskiing!

All of my young summers
were spent at the lake waterskiing.
Memories on the water,
boarding & skiing, crashing, then up again,
stifled in life jackets,
eating tuna sandwiches with my family
& friends,
tubing our hearts out & getting completely water-logged,
making forts out of sticks on the beach,
driving the boat over waves,
getting fried,
then stopping for an ice cream on the way home......
the best!
It was such a blast to be able to take Mia
and see her catch the thrill of it, too!

sis, Kylee, on the kneeboard

Grandpa & my Dad taught me
how to ski.
It was so sweet to watch her learn,
just like I did,
starting out with the kneeboard.

Yes! I did it!
Bree's still got it on the wakeboard.
It's been a few years since I last tried it.

Grandpa doing a 360 on the
wake skate.
He's in his 70's, by the way.
Rarely is there a day that passes
that he is not out skiing during the summer.

Grandpa treated us all to
an ice cream on the way home.
Celebrate!

Celebrating a girl's getaway!
With mom & sisters to beautiful Midway, UT.

Eating, swimming, shopping,
lounging, talking, & laughing.
We beaded with no interruptions
except to eat brownies & go to the heated pool.

That's me in the Crater

Lovely pic of me
eating spaghetti.

I love & celebrate these girls!
So much!!
We stayed up way too late laughing.
It was perfect.

On the way home,
we saw 17 Miracles.
It was amazing because it is about
true accounts of the pioneers
on their trek to Utah.
Today is Pioneer Day and I've thought a lot about it.
Not just because I live here.
We have always celebrated this day
and I've lived most my life out of Utah.
The pioneers were tremendous in their faith & courage.
To continue on amidst such heart-breaking challenges
& loss.
All for God.
I like to think I'm a pioneer, too.
And maybe I drive a mini & have plenty to eat,
but I continue each day the best I can
to have faith in God that our trials are
to strengthen me & my family,
and bring us closer to Him.
Happy Pioneer Day!