Talbie is Engaged!!

Where does the time go?  

When I look at my children, it doesn't usually surprise me that they have 

grown-up so much.  It really hits me when life events like this happen and I will sit

down to write about it and realize that my blog is almost 10 years old and Talbie was just 10

when I started writing it!  Then it blows my mind that she is now getting married!!

Before Talbie left for school in September, we were able to help her buy a used car

that my brother, Cody was selling.  He was the original owner of the 1999 Nissan Sentra and

has taken exceptional care of it.  We bought it the night before she left for school and she

took it with her to Rexburg the next day when we drove her down.

That was such a blessing!  Talbie has always been afraid to drive on the freeway but conquered

her fear as I drove with her to school.  Then, last weekend she drove herself home.  

I guess she just needed some real motivation to conquer her fear of the freeway.  Parker was just

the motivation she needed!

Talbie and Parker met last February/March through Tinder.  It's a social media app that

Maddie talked her in to getting (even though Talbie said she would NEVER do it!)

They talked for a couple of weeks before they had their first date and the rest is history.

They have been talking about getting married for a couple of months and went to pick out a ring

before she left in September.  Talbie didn't know when the ring was going to be ready or what
Parker had planned, but she was really hoping he was going propose last weekend...and he did!

On Friday afternoon they decided to go on a picnic up American Fork canyon.

As they were driving up Talbie said she saw this teepee set up and thought, "Wow,

someone left a teepee up here!"

 As they got closer this is what she saw and she started to get excited!

He gave her this book - a leather bound journal that he had written

and beautiful letter to Talbie in.  Then he got down on one knee and proposed.

(We kind of knew it was going to happen when she was here because

Parker had talked to Dave the Sunday before :)  We didn't let Talbie know though.

We let her stress ;)

 Putting on the ring...

 Inside the journal he gave her, he cut out the center and glued a picture

of the Provo City Center Temple on the back and placed the ring inside.

This is the temple they are getting sealed in on January 14, 2017.

 Luckily Parker let his mom in on his plans because she met them up there

and they reenacted everything so we could have these great pictures!

 It is such a great blessing and answer to prayers when your children find the person

they are supposed to be with.  Dave and I feel so incredibly blessed because Maddie and Talbie have

both met wonderful men who we love as our own children. 

Bronson Turns 18!

This handsome guy turned 18 on the 5th of October.

 

Bronson is such a great boy!  We love him so much. 

He has a great brain on him and he is constantly building, inventing, or researching

a new project.  I'm just so proud of him :)

Dave took Logan with him to shop for his birthday present and he was

able to surprise him with a new laptop that he found.  It was a truly a miracle

because he needed one so badly.  His old one was so outdated that he couldn't do much with it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRONSON!  WE LOVE YOU!!

Other August Happenings

Before September comes to a close I need to post a couple of other 

eventful things that happened in Augusts...

Emmie got her braces off just in time for school to start!

That's always a good thing!

 We took a girls trip to pick Talbie up from school.  She had about a 7 week

break between her semesters at BYUI.  It's always so nice to have her home!

 And...school started on August 22nd.  Emmie started 9th grade

And Bronson started his Senior year!

 And we can't forget Logan and Emmie's first day of picture together.

These cousins have lived as back door neighbors since the day they were each born.

When they become Seniors, I'm going to make a collage of first day of school pictures

starting from age 3 - their first day of preschool :)

(I think they are all in front of this same tree too :)

Living Room Remodel

We have been in our house for 20 years and because of that,

it is necessary to remodel periodically.  If we didn't, I think I'd go crazy :)

The living room was our latest venture.  I tackled this project by myself

because it was mainly just painting.  I hate to bug Dave because he is so incredibly

busy at work.  It felt good to have something I could accomplish without bugging him too much ;)

Before shots of the kitchen and living room before painting...

and the after...

I was thankful for Maddie's help in the hard to reach places :)

I loved this gray color so much that I painted up the stairs too to make it all uniform.

Next project is the banisters and new carpet (hopefully!)

Maddie and Logan's 5 Year Class Reunion

Last month Maddie and Logan had their 5 year class reunion!

I can't believe it's been 5 years.  Time really does fly.  

Bronson is going to be a senior this year - and that really blows my mind!

Here is a cute picture of them from the reunion.

Video of Me on the Rope Swing at Camp :)

Girl's Camp 2016

I have been to Girl's Camp more times as a leader

than I ever did as a youth.  I have to admit that I've enjoyed it

much more as a leader than I ever did as a youth :)

I have been spoiled the last 2 years because I have been the

"Camp Cook" and Dave has been up at camp with me and Emmie

the last 2 years as our Bishopric member.  It sure has made my life easier!!

Our Stake had camp at a ward level this year so we were all alone.

We went to our YW President's family cabin (Andrea Brown ;)

It was in Lava Hot Springs and so fun!

Here is a group of some of the 8 new Beehives that went to camp this year.

We were so glad to have them because they doubled our numbers!

 Our group before we loaded up.  Dave was taking the picture ;)

 Brittany was a trooper!  She went to camp even though she had broken her foot a month before

and was still hobbling along in a big boot!

 The highlight of the cabin was this amazing rope swing!  The girls had so much fun on it

and I was even convinced to go on it.  I was pretty nervous but ended up loving it and did it many times!  Here is Emmie mustering up her courage on her first time!

 Dave - the pro!

 We had secret sisters and mine was Hayley Whitlock this yea!

She gave me some great gifts but my favorite was this picture she gave me of Dave ;)

She got this picture off of either Talbie or my Instagram.  We snapped it one day

of Dave goofing off and it came back to bite him :)

 We canoed on the lake near by.  Another reason it was so great to have Dave there.

He was the muscle and we would have never gotten the canoes do the lake

without him!

 One thing our ward always does is Paper Plate Awards.

Dave's this year was "Big Hunk"

It fit him well!  He was worked to death!

 I got the Miss Hannigan award.  Dave and I slept in a separate bunk house

so we couldn't hear the girls if they were up talking all night.  It didn't bother me when they went to bed but I was the only one with a voice loud enough to yell when it was time for them to calm down and go to bed.  Therefore - I got this award ;)

 The Bishopric came up on our last night.  I think Dave was glad to see

them :)  This Kyle Farley (2nd couns) and Dainon Haggard (exec. secretary)

 Bishop Smith with Dave

 Emmie giving our thought

 Campfire and testimony night