how we all spent conference weekend...

The kids were excellent notetakers and sticker-putter-onners (they put stickers on pictures of the things the speakers talked about). The dog was extra cuddly and even Brett was super-reverent. Never made a peep. ;)

2011 Summer Catch Up...in pictures

Our summer was full of fun!

We...

...had a side-splitting time during the Kremin Kampout up at Squirrel Creek.

(Now if only we could have been serious long enough to get a decent picture!)

(so funny one morning to realize that Jack, Kael, and Carson all had on the SAME shirt!)

...had wonderful, highly-anticipated visits from faraway friends,

like the McKinley's from "down under"...

...attended a Diamond Rio concert UP CLOSE...

...celebrated Wyatt's 7th birthday...

...enjoyed a romantic datenight with Josh Groban...

...had a blast in California, first at SeaWorld with our "friends-like-family" the Beebes and then at Disneyland & the beach with our actual "family-we-like-enough-to-call-our-friends, too"...

...celebrated the life and birthday of Grandma B...

...(more pix from Disneyland that Blogger won't let me put with the other)...

...started school....

...(and yet MORE California pix out of order)...

...had fun visits with Grandma @ Heritage Place...

...went camping & hiking near Bicknell with

Grandpa John & Grandma Dixie for a super-fun reunion weekend...

(This photo was taken not long before a literal DOWNPOUR of rain!)

...devoured "delicious" surprise breakfasts made by the kids...

...explored the streets of Spanish Fork with Mom and the Ditders (sisters) and cousins, documenting where Mom had grown up...

...celebrated Halle's 10th birthday with a 'friend party'...

...and sent my baby off to Miss Amy's Foxtales preschool...

All in all it was a fabulous summer, but I'm leaving out one very important event - our construction project! But that's for a different post altogether...

For my "second self, my best earthly companion"...

"I am yours,

and you are mine;

and we shall leave earth,

and make our own heaven yonder."

Do you remember where we were last year at this time?

In the middle of all the urban noise, do you recall

the strange quietness that we found together

as we lay on the grass east of the Bethesda Fountain?

Did you, like me, close your eyes

and wish the moment would last longer?

~

I am yours.

And I'm incredibly humbled, grateful,

and surprised that I can call you mine.

Someday, we will leave this earth

and together make our own heaven yonder.

But in the meantime,

I treasure the heaven we've made together here.

~

Happy anniversary

to the one who has the ability

to make everything and everyone

around us seem still,

until only we exist.

~