Summer Wedding July 2024

It hardly looks like it. But it was the hottest day of summer 2024, 106 degrees. 

July came in a solid "10"; ten consecutive days of triple digits. 

When the fiery sun slipped into the cloud envelope the evening became much more charming. 

Unfortunately, the bride was indoors kissed with heatstroke and never did come out 

for her grand welcome to marriage. 

Nonetheless, the wedding party oozed summer vibes and celebration. 

Ice cream and gourmet lemonade was on tap to cool the guests.

We were honored host. 

The connection? 

The bride's grandparents were former neighbors and church friends of ours 

and the bride's aunt reached out to us. 

Halloween

Madalyn having a little Halloween get together of her own.

tombstone cupcakes

 Autumn! We love fall around here. 

Bookbags, Buses, & Bye-Byes...

We decided to redshirt Cayleb for a year.

"Redshirting" is some new academic red flag for labeling kids whose parents decided to start them a year later.

And guess what? It has been a long year for this boy so today was extra BIG.

FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN!

Cayleb was absolutely ready last year; academically, socially, and according to the readiness guidlines all the way since he can "remove and replace container lids", "navigates stairs while holding an object", and "distinguishes fantasty and reality" (which with video games these days really is moving up on the list!). Wow! I must be basic. I thought he needed to write his name, count to 100, and know how to slap down his velcro straps.

Fortunately he knows more and is sooo, sooo, sooo ready!

I've never cried when my kids start school.

Neither have they.

Get real!

Mommy is coming back!

BUT....mixed pleasure, relief, anxiety and worry definitely fill my mental spaces.

So we needed to make the last day of unfettered commitment to lifelong learning special.

In other words, take the kids and do something fun before we are locked into the school schedule.

Bounce house, McDonald's playland, lunch, special ice cream treats from the store, and mom playing Wii with him. "This is the best day ever!"

He has lots of best days ever and worst days ever all the time.

The First Day of School

Elder Cayden White - Best One Year of his life so far....awesome mission experience...one down and one to go!

Elder White

Fall 2018 in Connecticut

Nine baptisms in one day! The start of an ongoing process drawing closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

Cleanest mission apartment. Yeah!

Serving with Elder Duvalois at the Boston Temple.

Cambridge, MASS

Elder White has been serving in the Boston, Massachusetts Mission since Dec. 20, 2017 when he reported to the Provo, MTC.

He has LOVED his mission and the opportunity it has given him to serve, learn and grow in the gospel. Currently he is serving in Hartford,Connecticut and enjoys being back in a big city.

He is a zone leader and trainer.

We are grateful for the choice he has made to serve a mission and dedicate two years of his life to learning more about the gospel and inviting others to draw closer to Jesus Christ.

Happy Girl on Way to School

My little Makenzy is pretty happy most days. Big sister Maddy sure has done a great job of being the morning hairdresser - love the curls.

Say "Yes" to the Dress......She's getting married!

When my great-grandmother's dress wasn't going to work I went on a short lived hunt for the "IT" dress twenty two years ago.

And I found it.

It was beautiful. Big train, Sheer insets. Beautiful beading, But whoah, those poofy sleeves. Even Anne of Green Gables would have been over the top impressed with my poof sleeves.

"Anne took the dress and looked at it in reverent silence. Oh, how pretty it was--a lovely soft brown gloria with all the gloss of silk; a skirt with dainty frills and shirrings; a waist elaborately pintucked in the most fashionable way, with a little ruffle of filmy lace at the neck. But the sleeves--they were the crowning glory! ... Look at those sleeves! Oh, it seems to me this must be a happy dream."

Oh yes, the sleeves made the dress. The sleeves themselves could have been made into two more dresses by themselves. I wanted a beautiful dress and I ended up with almost 2 1/2 dresses because of those sleeves.

Tip - do not go dress shopping when you are taking 18 credit hours and don't have the time to really find your style.

And 22 years later those sleeves are exactly why I told my daughter to shop around. A lot.

The dress was great. Luckily the guy was better. But it taught me a lesson. Put a little more effort into wedding dress shopping!

So let the shopping begin!

Makayla has been so pleasant in the dress shopping process.

Makayla in her great, great grandma's wedding dress. It is 95 years old and still looks great!

And yes, it is a process.

My wedding dress. With Miss M #2 in it.