August

A wrapped French braid was all I got to do this month in Olive's hair.

I love my therapist, Crystal Bowman. I tried out EMDR with her while working on issues from my parents when I was dating Travis. 

Temple trip and Venezias!

Travis was sweet and got me some fancy donuts from a new place for my birthday.

Kids for Kindness!

Poor Weston. Collin drew on his face last night after he had fallen asleep.

We met up with the high school friends for our birthday at my favorite place! TruBowl! I text Collin while we were eating to send me a picture of him and Tate in seminary. I loved that while Jenni and I were together, so were our boys! 

Tanner's first question when he gets home from school is, "Can I go to Noble's house?"

If only I knew how much I would need this quote in a couple months!

Collin's friend, Caiden, got his license and picked him up to go see a movie. And so it begins! It was nerve wracking to think of him off with a new, teenage driver!

The Conners have invited us to the lake multiple times but scheduling never works out. We finally found a day we could all go, including Travis. We went to Canyon lake. Their boat isn't a wakeboarding boat so we do a lot of tubing and and swimming. Oh, and much to my dismay, cliff jumping. Or bridge jumping. My heart. I was not ok having Collin jump off that but Allie's boyfriend apparently always does it so I had to just act like I was ok. They have a grill they make burgers on and do a legit dinner on the water. We really are so lucky to be neighbors with the Connors. They are a great family and Janice is the easiest person in the world to get along with.

I started school!!

I have wanted to get my masters degree for as long as I can remember. I just never knew what I wanted to get it in until the past few years. I am fascinated by human behavior and want to spend all my time reading self-help books. I love learning about cognitive behavioral therapy (the basis for a lot of life coaching type stuff) and feel like people are always coming to me with their problems. A phrase I have heard repeatedly throughout my life is, "I've never told anyone this before in my life, but....". I researched a lot of programs and schools and finally settled on a Master's of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Grand Canyon University. It's a long program. 2 1/2 years of course work and a year internship. It's meant for working professionals or anyone who can't do school full time. Each class is condensed into an 8 week course and you only do one class at a time. It's all online. It was quite a process just applying to be accepted to the program. I had to get recommendation letters and fill out countless forms. I finally got my acceptance letter and officially started on August 8. 

I was giddy excited until the first day. Talk about being fire hosed. The first class was only 4 weeks and it was an Intro to Master's Studies class, which sounds simple but my gosh, it wasn't. I was overwhelmed at the amount of work. I spent all day, every day at my computer, doing assignments. I cried a lot. Then the second class was on Ethics and Legal Considerations and it was 8 weeks. Once again, SO. MUCH. WORK. I was starting to think I was mentally incapable of doing this. Plus, it was scary to have all these incomprehensibly difficult regulations be required of me. I started to wonder why anyone in their right mind would become a therapist. Again, I cried a lot. My friend introduced me to her friend, Sandee, who is almost finished with this exact program and we talked a lot. She was a god-send. I would just sit at my computer and think "I chose this. I didn't have to! I could just be a stay-at-home mom the rest of my life! Why did I CHOSE to do something so horribly difficult?!!" Well, I am now in the last week of my third class on Theories and Models of Counseling and that has been much better. It's actually what I WANT to be learning about! And now I only spend maybe 10-12 hours a week on schoolwork. It's still a very daunting thing and consumes my life. I have 5 small assignments due every week and 1-2 big assignments. Always a paper and sometimes a test. I can't do it all in one day because submissions have to be over the course of 3 days each week. I only get one week off (the week before Christmas) for the entire year. I can't think too far ahead or I get overwhelmed. To think this is my life for the next 2 1/2 years is stressful. I had one week after I was released as Relief Society president before I started school and it was a pretty awesome week. I just did laundry and all my normal "chores" and mom stuff but without feeling like I needed 10 more hours in my day. It was amazing. One week. Sigh. 

I did this to myself. 

Why can't I just sit still? Why do I have to be the way I am?! 

Maybe I'll find out in therapy. ;)

Marcie had her baby!!!!!!!!

I was so scared she'd go into labor while I was at BYU Ed week. Nope. She was so thoughtful and had her early haha! She told me she was having contractions and that they were headed to the hospital and would keep me updated. I fell asleep next to my phone but her text messages didn't wake me up. Austin finally called and that woke me up and I was in a blind panic that I would miss it and drove way faster than I should to the hospital at 2am. Luckily, Banner Gateway is close! She labored without an epidural for a few hours and had her around 5am if I remember correctly. It was Austin, my mom and me in the delivery room and it was SO special to get to be there!!! I felt super honored she invited me and I got to play photographer. Even though she doesn't lose control and scream during labor, I could tell she was in a ton of pain and really struggling. Oh, how I wish I could have taken it for her! Her doctor, Dr. Beck, wasn't able to come because of the time and his health problems so Dr. Layton delivered her. Marcie is seriously a rock star. After birthing her, you could tell it was so traumatic, she couldn't even enjoy holding her right away. And then the stitching up began and I felt such a wave of compassion! Childbirth is freaking HARD. But she was amazing and now they have sweet, baby Jane!! What a doll. 

Travis was so sweet and got them lunch and visited the next day.

Camilla is so very EXTRA when it comes to birthdays and spoils me rotten. She had planned this whole surprise date in Tucson for me but while we were driving there, she got a call and apparently the weather wasn't right for whatever we were supposed to do and they canceled on her. So we went to dinner and had a delicious meal at Wildflower. I can't remember the last time I was in Tucson, but I had no idea this was here and it is a gem of a restaurant! So yummy! Then as we were headed to the next part of the date, she got another call and the lady canceled whatever that was. I guess we had lost track of time and were too late. Camilla felt terrible but I couldn't have cared less! I don't need extravagant outings. Just getting 6 hours of time with her was gift enough! Plus, she also showered me with presents, as she always does. I had never been to U of A and she did her undergrad there so we drove to campus and ate dessert in a pretty garden area there. I love seeing college campuses so that was fun for me. I would still call the evening a success.

I had been wanting a picture with my presidency since I got released but we were never all at church on the same day. Who knew it would be such a difficult task! The stars finally aligned and I got my picture. Adri had joked that we should do it in blazers like the general presidency usually does and that made us all laugh so we made it happen. I love these women so much. They supported me and gave so much of their time and love to the Relief Society. I will be forever grateful for each of them. 

Adri Lee, Melanie Stimpson, me, Alisa Coates. 

It was so fun taking Jane's pictures. I wish I could have had all day to pose and shoot her. I have a lot of respect for newborn photographers! Getting them asleep and it just the right position is tricky. I love this girl so much!!

On my way to Marcie's house I saw this little Mexican stand. Oh no. West Mesa is creeping over!

We had pizzas at Carrie's house for Sunday dinner and the family sang to Olive and Kayda for their birthdays!

It was a birthday year for Miss Olive! She wanted to go to a jump park so we rented a room from Altitude. I got home from BYU Ed week just hours before. She makes friends everywhere she goes and it was hard to narrow it down to 15 girls. Everyone came and it was a great party! 

From left to right (best I can..)

Brynlee, Charlotte Wilstead, Emily Nguyen, Jane Gibb, Charlotte Arnette, Eliza Payne, Betty Blevins, Sloane, Kate Bones, Emerson Owens, Allison Brower, Lindi Goodman and Brynn. 

Lots of presents! "Skin care" as they call it, was a favorite. 

Heatless curls for the perfect look on her actual birthday!

Olive is one of the sweetest girls you'll ever meet. She has the BIGGEST, empathetic heart. Almost to a fault. Anytime she sees someone hurting, even just in a show, she can't handle it. 

But then, there's that 4% of the time. If she's ticked, indignant, whatever. Watch out. No seriously, run. She will unleash her rage. It is usually directed at Weston. It happened more when she was younger, but still occasionally comes out. 

Foot stomping, door slamming, yelling, death looks... liiike she will cut. you. No hiding emotions here. 

She is always her teacher's favorite student. She works hard in school and has always gotten good grades.

She loves pink, sushi, and doing her nails.

Her favorite TV show is Alexa & Katie.

Her best friend is Emerson. 

She is a dancing queen, at the studio 17+ hours a week. 

She is so good at tumbling and can do an aerial, front aerial, back hand spring, round off back tuck, round off back whip. 

She dislikes tofu, peanut butter, jelly beans, pancakes and waffles.

She is sassy and spunky and FULL of personality! 

She plays the piano and violin.

She is an anxious one. It goes up and down but generally her anxiety hits at night when she can't fall asleep. It can turn into a full blown panic attack where she feels like she can't breathe and is completely hysterical. Travis or I will work with her and lay next to her until its passed. 

I wouldn't call her a reader, but we started reading The Land of Stories together and since we don't have much time for it, she's reading it on her own and can't stop talking about it. 

She is not great about making decisions. She is always asking me what she should wear or what she should do. I've had to make a conscious effort to turn it back to her instead of giving my opinion every time. 

Her cousin, Madeline, loves her so much and anytime we show up to a family function, Madeline can be seen tearing around a corner and beelining it to Olive to jump into her arms!

She started wearing makeup this past year. Didn't ask, just started doing it since she has her dance make up. She is looking and acting so grown-up and I just need her to stay my little girl!

This past month (December) we were walking to the church for choir practice and she was telling me the primary will be singing "Christmas Bells" during the Christmas program. I was thinking it was odd that it didn't have a 2nd verse when I remembered it's meant to be sung in a round. I explained that to her then we decided to try it out! She started and I came in second. We were impressed that we pulled it off. So then we tried it with me going first. We also noticed the time and that we were a bit late so we started skipping to go faster, holding hands and singing. It was a for reals Hallmark movie moment. We were laughing and having the best time. Some bikers came up behind us and told us how sweet we looked. Life is usually full of routine and/or stress, problems, arguing. But that day, for just those few moments, it was bliss. I love my Olive.

She chose a burger from Joe's Farm Grill for her birthday lunch and Italian beef sandwiches for dinner.

I don't know what was happening here. 

It has been very slow going, but we are making our way through the Book of Mormon. The routine is to wake the kids up at 6:40am, be reading by 6:45. We go in a round, each reading a verse until 10 min is up. Then we have family prayers. We aren't so great at evening prayers but we are consistent about morning ones. We have a prayer board with a Christmas card on it we rotate every week along with a list of any names of people we know who need prayers. 

Tanner lost his beanie baby dog named Pickles. I think he left him on a vacation. I found these notes that he and Landon made, trying to find him. When I told him I was pretty sure he must have gotten left, he lost it, bawling his eyes out. He's the luckiest kid ever that I found the exact same beanie baby on Amazon. Pickles lives again.

The Goodmans invited us to the lake again! One last lake day before the season is over!

Twins in twinner swim tops!

Posey and Olive have birthdays just days apart so we celebrated by getting acai bowls and then Camilla arranged for a cake decorator to come to her house to teach us the art of cake decorating! It was so fun! Turns out, half the battle is in having a cake stand spinner.