mission prep

Another busy day, courtesy of Ryan. ;-)

First stop was to the orthodontist to get his braces off.

We were worried that having them on for a short period of time (about 10 months) wouldn't be effective, but the the orthodontist was very pleased at how his teeth had straightened out when the braces came off. They also put a permanent retainer on so Ryan won't have to worry about anything while on his mission.

Side note: Ryan didn't want to give me before and after photos, so the above pic of the orhodontist's waiting room is all I could get. Ha!

After the orthodontist, we had a quick lunch at Kneaders, then headed down to Provo. There's a little strip mall there that has several stores that cater to up and coming LDS misionaries that's called the Missionary Mall; we actually visited it awhile back, after Ryan received his mission call, just to see what they had. Ryan ultimately decided this store could help him best:

I thought this slogan was funny. :-)

There was a lot to get, clothing-wise, for a missionary, and so we were grateful for all the help the salespeople gave us. Plus, they have different packages to help you get what you need, so that was really helpful.

I had to laugh to myself because it seemed like roles were reversed; you know how it's usually the men sitting on couches, bored, while the women shop? Well, I was the one on the couch since my fibro was acting up and I couldn't stand for long periods of time. So, Scott jumped in and helped Ryan make some decisions. I really didn't mind considering Scott had served a mission and knew what was needed. I'm glad Ryan had his dad to help him out.

And, this is what we ended up lugging home.

There's about 10 dress shirts, 2 belts, 12 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of shoes, a shoe kit, shoe insoles, 2 pairs of trousers, some garments, and other miscellaneous items. Not pictured is a suit that has to be altered, but will be ready by the end of the week.

Phew! It was a long day, but I'm glad we're getting this done. We still have to buy some other miscellaneous stuff (pens, journals, etc.), and getting his immunizations is next, but the to-do list is getting smaller. He leaves in less than a month!

bear lake 2018

Bear Lake has always been one of our favorite places to go, but life got busy the last few years and we weren't able to do our annual camping trip. With Ryan graduating from high school this year and leaving in August to serve a mission in Mexico, we decided to make it a priority this summer.

Four of his friends were able to join us, and so last Monday, we headed out, cars packed to the brim, and started the two-and-a-half hour drive through a beautiful canyon. I don't know what Ryan and his friends listened to, but "The Greatest Showman" soundtrack blasted from our speakers and kept the younger Crack Monkeys entertained.

And then, it wasn't very long before this greeted us:

We love the campsites at Rendezvous Beach, which is located on the south end of the lake. This is the view of our campsite from the parking lot; the pathway goes straight thru a sort of grove of trees, which we thought was awesome.

Since there were ten of us, we reserved two side-by-side campsites and set up.

Ryan and his friends are really into hammocks at the moment, and brought theirs to hang out in. You can't see it in the picture, but there are 4 of them set up; they were extremely happy that our campsites had trees close enough to hang their hammocks.

And what we love the most is that the beach is right there. You walk a few feet and bam! Beach! Water! Fun!

After camp was set up, we let the kids loose. Jeff immediately went for a swim and managed to convince Vanessa to join him. Ryan and his friends eventually made their way into the water, while the rest of us just hung out and relaxed.

Which meant a few selfies on the beach, lol.

A video of the lake in the evening...

And, another video of our firepit shenanigans...

father's day 2018

I just wanted to take a moment to say Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers and father figures out there who have blessed others with their love, wisdom, and presence. We love and appreciate you!

graduation

It's been a busy last 2 days, and I'm not afraid to admit that I'm glad the weekend is coming! And, wouldn't you know that all of the hoopla centered around Ryan. I guess that's what we get for having him graduate this year. ;-)

Seminary Graduation was up first. It happened on Wednesday (30th), which surprised me, considering it's been on the Sunday before high school graduation in the past. But, Wednesday night it was, and it was an amazing program. I wish I could have gotten a shot at the graduating class, but we're encouraged not to take pictures in the chapel. But, it was a spectacular sight to see how many students there were when our Stake President invited the seniors to stand and be acknowledged.

There was a funny bit that happened during the program: Ryan was 1 of 3 students to have his full name read when the diplomas were passed out. Mind you, I gave all of my kids a Hawaiian middle name so it can make pronunciation a bit difficult. The announcer did his best, but the length of Ryan's name coupled with his middle name made quite a few people chuckle. I still don't know why they read his full name and not the others. Oh, well.

Afterwards, we were able to mingle in the cultural hall and have some ice cream. I practically had to chase Ryan around to get a picture; he was too busy socializing. :-)

I love this picture of Ryan and his friend Ryan. Our families both moved into the neighborhood at roughly the same time, so these two have been friends since they were 5 years old. We call them The Ryans. :-)

I finally cornered him into taking a picture.

And, of course, once they started to gather, the parents took the opportunity to snap a few pics. Here's how the group started...

And then more joined in.

And, even more awesome young men joined in.

And, even more.

I love that these boys have been friends since they were little; they're such awesome young men and I'm so grateful for the influence they've had on Ryan.

The next day was graduation for Ryan's high school. He had to be at the events arena about 2 hours before it started, and we made it about an hour before it all went down.

This is how Vanessa and I felt when we realized they wanted us to stand while all 800 graduating seniors made their way to their seats, lol.

I was able to stand for a small portion of it, but had to sit down because my legs were going numb. It takes awhile to seat 800 students, yikes! But, I did get to see Ryan enter, so that was exciting.

As far as graduation ceremonies go, it was the standard: speakers, speakers, and more speakers. ;-) We were treated to a video by the principal made by Ryan's best friend Isaac; it was Mr. Q's commencement speech in video form because he admitted that he wouldn't be able to keep it together if he did it live. Mr. Q, after performing his magic at Copper Hills, will become the principal at another high school. He is the very definition of what a school educator is and is an amazing person. We wish him the very best in the future!

Afterwards, we had to sit through the awarding of the (800!) diplomas, and then, it was all over. Amazingly, I didn't cry; I thought I would, but I didn't.

We then went outside to try and track Ryan down. He refused to let me make a huge sign for him to be able to find us, and as a result, we couldn't find him in the crowd for awhile. My brother Ben finally found him, so we subjected him to some leis and picture posing, lol.

I made sure to get one of him and Scott since Scott wasn't able to make it to Seminary Graduation (Jeff had soccer tryouts that night, all the way on the other side of the valley).

And, of course I had to get one of all my Crack Monkeys together. The younger 3 were really proud of their older brother even though they had to sit through a long 2 hour ceremony, I promise!

And, he also had to take a picture with his grandparents and aunt and uncle.

Another longtime childhood friend.

Love these boys!

We were hoping that Scott's mom would be able to make it, but she was at Ryan's cousin's graduation up at the U of U. It was earlier than Ryan's, but being that it was a high school graduation, we figured it would run long. We told Ama (Ryan's nickname for Scott's mom) to not worry if she wasn't able to make it, but she said she'd try, considering she wanted to see him.

And, just like that, everything was done. This year was an amazing year for him with student government, and it was fun as his mom to watch him. I know he made it his best year yet and is sad that it's come to an end, but now he has his future laid out in front of him and it sure is bright!

Congratulations, Ryan! We are so proud of everything you've accomplished and for the young man you've become. We love you!

2018 spring dance recital

Last night marked the end of another year of dance for Vanessa. We love Bonnie's Dance School and all of the talented, dedicated, and loving teachers Vanessa has had over the years; dance has been a tremendous help in gaining confidence for our princess.

We had our usual group of fans come and support her, and willing to take pictures:

We sure do love our little dancer! She's made us proud with each year of improvement and we're so glad she wants to continue with dance. We're also proud of Ethan and Jeff for coming along every year to watch their sister, even though I'm pretty sure they'd rather be at home playing video games. I suspect the celebration dinner we have (restaurant of Vanessa's choice) is a big incentive.

Scott's mom also came for Vanessa's performance, but left afterwards due to her ongoing health issues. I didn't get to talk to her, but we're so glad she came to see Vanessa!

Here's a video I made for Vanessa's performance:

This also marks the ending of school soon, which is an extra big deal this year because Ryan is graduating. So many exciting things happening this time of year!

dance pictures

Scott and I had to split up today because of conflicting kid activities: Jeff had a soccer game and Vanessa had dance pictures. I was hoping to go to Jeff's soccer game (he happened to score an amazing corner kick goal that Scott forgot to film for me; why does all the cool stuff happen when I'm not there, Jeff?), but it would end at the time Vanessa needed to be at the studio for pictures, so we had to split up.

I want to note that Vanessa is not into makeup or fashion, so when this time of year rolls around (dance pictures and the actual dance recital), she absolutely dreads it because she has to wear makeup and dress up.

The poor girl also has sensitive eyes, so applying eyeshadow and eyeliner makes her eyes water, so it takes me a bit longer to get her makeup done as I'm no expert at it and am basically fumbling as I try to wing my way through it.

The pictures are done at the dance studio, and although the classes are staggered at different times, it can be chaotic in the waiting area. But, the wait is never long, so we can't complain.

Here's the class picture being done:


And then, individual shots (complete with "touch-ups" by Ms. Bonnie, ha!) :


The photographer is the same each year (she's a good friend of Ms. Bonnie) and she's always so patient and helpful with all of the girls. Here, she's giving Vanessa suggestions for her picture.


While Vanessa was taking this picture, one of the other dance moms turned to me and said, "Vanessa looks so gorgeous!" You can imagine how that made me feel considering I thought I fouled up her makeup. Thanks, Jackie's mom! :-)


We'll get the pictures back in about 3 weeks, so we can't wait to see how they turn out!

senior night

Near the end of lacrosse season, the coaches put together a little program to honor the seniors on the team. It happened tonight, right before the varsity team played; they announcde the player, who is escorted onto the field by their parents, while a short bio is read. Then they're greeted and congratulated by their coaches and high school principal, and given a little swag bag, in addition to these banners that are made for them.

It's really an awesome moment for these senior players and I'm glad that they're given a spotlight for just a moment.

Unfortunately, Ryan wasn't able to play due to an ongoing injury, but he stayed to cheer his teammates on, which they were grateful for. It's amazing how close these boys have become over the course of their high school years; they truly are a family and not just a team.

I did manage to get some pictures with my athlete, although I was surprised when he didn't put up a fight. Pictures don't usually come easy, but I will definitely not complain this time, lol!

I love that he's almost as tall as his dad. Scott likes to joke that everything will be great if his kids just stay shorter than him, ha!

We're so grateful for lacrosse and everything Ryan has experienced. He's grown and learned not only the rules for this sport, but dedication, hard work, and teamwork. Thank you to is coaches and all of the others who've made Ryan's time as a lacrosse player memorable!