March 2017

I have had the hardest time trying to upload these pictures, and now they aren't in order. Oh well! March was a busy month for us. I went to Europe, the kids had spring break, and we had a great month!

Sporting our Oregon gear for March Madness

BYU Cheer leading outfit a friend from church gave us

The kids read "Ivan the Great" and the school had an art lit night to celebrate finishing school wide reading 

 We made toaster steak and it was DELICIOUS!!!!

 Tillamook Cheese Factory on the last day before they close down this visitors center to build a bigger, better one!

Fort Stevens

 Peter Iredale was a four-masted steel barque sailing vessel that ran ashore October 25, 1906, on the Oregon coast en route to the Columbia River. You can still visit what's left of the wreck.

 driving on the beach

 Outside playing in the hale storm

 Kate's swim lessons

 Seth and the kids stayed the night at Cyndy's one night while we were in Europe.

 Seth always takes the kids on such great adventures. I can barely make it to the grocery store with all four kids, yet he manages to take them on amazing adventures. He is such an amazing husband and father!!! While I was in Europe they went and hiked the Ape Caves. They also managed to slide off the snowy road and get stuck. Luckily a passer-by helped tow them out. 

 We sent a picture of us having waffle fries in Austria, so Seth sent me this. Scott sent one of him and Madie too, but I don't have that one. Silly boys!!!

 The kids (with the help of Seth) made me this sign when picking me up from the airport. I was the mail-order-bride :)

 Raclette maker I brought home from Switzerland

 bus stops hugs happen every morning as the three older kids head off to school.

 trying to get  just one good picture is hard!!! Michigan Vs. Oregon game

 enjoying the beautiful weather

 Joshua woke in the night saying his ear hurt, but he quickly went back to bed. The next morning his ear drum burst, poor kid had a double ear infection and barely even complained about it!

 found this pineapple slicer and I love it!

 Spring break fun. I tried to have a fun activity planned for each day of Spring Break. We sure did have a lot of fun!

Park Day

 family night to get ice cream at Sub Zero

 late night puzzle doing for me, I got this for the girls room

 Wildlife Safari with Aunt Cyndy

We rode camels!!!!

sleepover at Aunt Cyndy's

 Museum

 Family game of baseball, a movie and a friendly game of Mario Kart

 snacking on her favorite granola!

 proof I went to Liechtenstein while in Europe

 more bus stop hugs

 Our newest nephew, Brody Scott, was born on March 24th

 David loves snakes! He asked for weeks to get one, I always said no!!

 Joshua on the 100th day of school 

My last girls camp:(

July 31-August 4, 2017

I spent many years working with the youth of our church, and I loved every second of it! Three years ago I was asked to serve as Stake Girls Camp Assistant Director. Let me tell you, I LOVED IT!!!! I'm not gonna lie, it was hard work. Many people are unaware of how much planning goes into camp. We spend all year working on making that one week a great spiritual experience, and a lot of fun for the girls. When we decided to move, we knew I had to finish out camp. I couldn't leave them to find someone else to replace me, and I really wanted the chance to finish this year with some of the girls. So, Seth moved our stuff, flew home and then I went to camp. I got home from camp on a Friday, and we packed up our Suburban and left for New York the Monday after. Camp was amazing, like always! It was an emotional one for me, knowing I wouldn't get to see these girls anymore. But, I am so grateful for the time I got to spend with them and also for the time I got to spend with the women planning camp. I met some INCREDIBLE women who I will forever love and respect. 

Our theme this year was "You're One In a Billion: Shine On" Everything was centered around a space/stars theme and it all came together great. It is always so fun to see all our planning actually work:) 

There is never a dull moment at camp, and this year was no different. From a fire started on the river, drunk people wandering into our camp, girl drama, and just so many other hilarious and amazing experiences. My time working with girls camp is one I miss every day and one that I will never, ever forget!!!

I knew it was gonna be a good week when I opened this pack of fruit snacks. It was all the good colors!!!

President Oyler talking to the girls

Bishop Tanuvasa talking to the girls in our ward

one of the crafts the girls did. Galaxy journals

You can't tell , but there is a fire on the little island

 Having too much fun when we called the firemen

 Yes, we did build a GIANT lightup YW torch for our spiritual walk

 And we also built a GIANT Shine On sign that we kept lit up outside the main lodge

 They assembled "Birthday Boxes" for families living in shelters

 I was super excited to have ax throwing be one of our activities

 Skit night

 last night at camp, watching the slide show

 Mary, Michelle, Stephanie and Eileen. Some of the greatest women I know!!!

 The girls

Our tshirt design

Girls Trip 3.0 Day 9: Going home

Friday, March 17, 2017

Even though our trip didn't start off exactly as we planned, it finished strong. We had an AMAZING time!!!! We saw so many things, had so many laughs, and just overall had a great time. On the way home we decided to check our luggage so we didn't have to worry about it. Unfortunately the airline broke my brand new carry-on, but oh well. Costco was great enough to refund me my money since the airline was such a pain about it. Our flight home wasn't full, so we each had our own row. I was able to lay down and sleep, which was great! Dave and the girls picked us up at the airport, we stopped to have dinner at Cafe Rio, and then they drove us to another airport where Cyndy and I flew out to L.A. for the night. Then we flew home the next day. What an exhausting, but amazing trip!!!

Zurich in the early morning

the street our hotel was on

 Lindt store in the airport....I spent a lot of money there:)

our last "train" ride

 seats to ourselves

airplane food

last flight from JFK to DC

at the airport:(

saying goodbye :(

Finally back in Oregon

all the goodies I brought back