I blinked and it is AUGUST. I’m not sure how it happened! We’ve been in pure bliss mode with cousins to hang out with all the time. We spend so much time at my moms playing around and letting the kids have a great time together. We’ve all been really careful to social distance around others so we keep each other safe.

We’ve fed the ducks and the kids loved laying in the grass, we’ve been having art class where we’ve learned about Jackson Pollock and Van Gogh, we play at my grandparent’s house (Grammy and Grampy to the kids) and that has be SO sweet and fun. And we’ve just loved being all together. And we’ve had game night with the adults complete with the great cookie tasteoff where we ordered SO many cookies and tried them all, which was super delicious and fun.

In the middle of the coronavirus crazy it’s been so great to have time with family. We miss my sister on a mission but we get to facetime her and that’s been super awesome. I’m so glad Graham gets to have such good friendships with all his cousins!

We have been having so much fun with cousins! We masked up and went to meet brand new Bentley (Randy’s brother’s new baby) and he is SO sweet. Graham was SO obsessed with him and kept asking to hold him, talking to him so sweetly. He also loved seeing cousin Charlotte and eating cookies with her!

My brother and his family came to Utah for a few weeks and we’ve also been having a blast hanging out with them. We haven’t seen them in a while and it’s nice to break up our social distancing by spending some time with family! We’re all avoiding other people and trying to stay as smart as possible, and it’s nice to have new people to see and hang out with.

We’ve been staying busy working, trying to make new recipes, doing art lessons (Last week it was pointilism with Seurat,) music class, playing at Cherry Hill (last week Graham was actually begging to go down the Dragon Slide which was a SHOCK because he’s usually so afraid!)

We’re still loving home church, I’m running a ton, and we’re just having a great time.

We potty trained Graham! It’s been insane but also SO good and worthwhile!

We chose to do the method where Graham ran around for 2 days with nothing on – no diaper, no underwear, nothing. It was exhausting but I really think it helped him get the hang of it. We had stickers and M&Ms and the chance for a new toy and some really cool character underwear! Buzz Lightyear to the rescue as always.

We’ve been reading tons and tons of books, playing at Cherry Hill, playing with cousin Mel, seeing uncles while they are still close by, and more.

Graham is getting super into reading lately, he loves having us read books and he loves to pretend to read while we read too. It’s adorable!

He’s super in to singing Mr. Ray’s “Let’s Name The Zones” song from Finding Nemo. He’s been getting so brave at Cherry Hill, actually asking to go down the big slides and I’m so proud of him! Also, I swear it’s because he is singing the Mr. Ray song!!! It’s actually adorable.

We are doing music class online, and together we are doing art class (We’ve learned about Monet and the Lascaux cave), we have a fun scripture hero every week which is so fun and helps him learn. We’re really having a super fun summer even with all the craziness.

Graham is growing up too fast, he’s getting so sweet, and I’m just so grateful he’s mine.

We had such a fun 4th of July! I made homemade biscuits but did too much baking powder so they tasted bitter:/ luckily we had gravy and hash browns and eggs too! And of course watching Hamilton for the 2nd time (Graham is obsessed with it, it’s too cute!)

We spent the day at my mom’s house, playing outside in the pool and sprinklers, swinging, doing parachutes and pop-its, eating burgers and cookies, making popcorn and playing games, and then watching fireworks with two sleepy kids! It was weird not to go to the parade and the big firework show, but it was a great time.

Things are strange with COVID, but it’s nice to take a step back and be spending more time just at home or with family. It makes you grateful for the things you have and the things you miss.

As we celebrate Independence Day this year, I’ve been thinking about all the ideals of our country and how far we have left to go. I’m grateful for all we’ve gone through and for all the sacrifices people have made to get us here. And I’m ready for the work we have ahead and willing to do my part to make this country a place where everyone feels safe and welcome. We have a great tradition in our country to fight and work to make things better. That’s work worth celebrating.

My parents bought an RV! It’s been super awesome, we’ve already gone up camping with them twice! It’s nice to escape and get outdoors. It reminds me so much of camping when I was a kid. I was probably 10 or so when we had our trailer and I loved going camping. We went with my grandparents and cousins. We ate caramel corn and played with special trailer toys (Hamtaro!) and went fishing and hiking. We rode in the back of my grandpa’s truck, rode the 4 wheelers and dirt bikes when my cousins came, and just had so much fun.

We snuck up on Tuesday and I worked in the mountains, Graham loved playing with Melanie in the dirt and throwing rocks. We went up again Sunday-Monday and it was kind of a rough night, two little kids have a hard time sleeping in a new place! But we ate amazing food and had fun being all together. Of course it rained on us (it’s happened to us at Payson Lakes before!) but we saw deer and still had such a blast.

Graham and Mel are such good friends and I love it! It’s so fun to see them play together.

I’m loving the summer and it’s going by too fast. It’s weird because the days feel long with work and COVID keeping us at home for the most part, but they are also flying by too quickly. I can’t believe June is already over! Luckily we’ve had fun camping, playing at Cherry Hill, seeing most of Randy’s brothers often, and spending time outside. Here’s hoping the rest of the summer is just as fun!

We have been having a great summer! Playing in the water at Cherry Hill or our yard, adventuring out into the mountains, and more! Graham has been having music class and he’s obsessed with it! Almost every day he will ask if today is music class day or not. He loves watching Miss Karli on the computer and singing along with her. It’s adorable! We went up Big Cottonwood Canyon and got some courage to go adventure into a cave! It was actually kind of scary but really fun!

Today we are celebrating Father’s Day! We got some Shake Shack over the weekend to celebrate, too, Crumbl Cookies to Randy’s dad and played games, and then had breakfast in bed on Father’s Day and ate delicious food at my parent’s house!

Shout out to my dad – I couldn’t have asked for a better father. He was always there for me, came to every dance recital and took me skiing. He played games with us and taught us about music. He has always supported and loved me unconditionally. He’s an amazing grandpa, gives the best advice, has helped me navigate my career, and more. I’m so lucky to have grown up with him as my father. I LOVE YOU!

Randy is seriously the BEST father. I can’t believe how lucky my kids are to get him as their dad. He is so attentive and absolutely obsessed with being a dad. Right now he’s being a stay-at-home-dad until his job starts and seeing him and Graham together, playing during the day just makes me so happy. It’s the BEST. We LOVE you Dad!

It’s hard that it’s summer and we can’t go on the kind of adventures we might normally. We have gone to Cherry Hill a few times and I am thrilled with the progress Graham has made! He’s getting more comfortable in the water and likes it more every time, which is awesome.

We have been building lots of train tracks, trying new recipes, working working working, doing music class, going on lots of runs, swinging in the back yard with Mel, going on hikes or walks, and trying to enjoy our summer.

Things are still off and strange, but that’s OK. We’re figuring it out one step and one day at a time.

Things have gotten insane in our lives. The brutal murder of George Floyd has instigated outrage in our country. For good reason. It’s an interesting time to be alive as coronavirus and now these spark of riots and protests has swept the nation. I’m working hard to understand my own part in this.

It’s hard to know what to say. I don’t have answers. I have my own mistakes and fumbles and incorrect thinking. But I know that things can’t continue the way they have.
I have had my eyes more opened than ever to the racial inequality that surrounds us and impacts lives constantly. I’m sad it took me so long to see. POC in this country have gone through so much, and I will never understand it all.
There are bad cops and who have done horrific things-they are enabled by a system that has created racism in our country for far too long. There are also amazing cops out there who keep us safe. And I am so grateful for them and their families, and the sacrifices they make for us.
I can be both horrified and disgusted with the death of George Floyd and other black Americans, while also being so grateful for good police officers. I can see the harm in violent looting and rioting while also seeing a need for drastic change in our systems and programs.
I think there are so many amazing things about our country. And one of the best ones is that we are able and encouraged to make change. To stand for what is right.
Police brutality is real. Racism is real. White privilege is real.
We are being asked to stand for what is right. We have the chance to make meaningful change and make this place better for our children.
This isn’t about political parties. This is about human beings and making this country safe for everyone. And we need leaders who encourage us to listen to and love each other, instead of hate and fear each other.
Everyone’s life matters, but this movement and this time is focused on the lives of black people that are greatly in danger. Racism and corrupt systems mean that now more than ever we need to realize and shout out that their lives MATTER.

For me, being silent is being complicit. I want to do the work to understand my own bias, my privilege, and listen to POC who haven’t been heard for so long. I want to teach my son how to be better and different. We can make change if we are willing to do the work and finally listen.

Black lives matter.

We had a wonderful anniversary. Friday night we were able to drop Graham off at my parent’s house (for the first time ever having a sleepover!) We went and picked up some dinner and Randy drove all the way to South Jordan to pick up a cake for me at The Chocolate earlier in the week. We got to watch a movie and stay up late, eating cake. It was the best. And on Saturday we got to sleep in!!!!! Which was a DREAM. And eat more cake. We missed Graham though. We picked him up and then after his nap we went to Cherry Hill to have a great afternoon as a family.

The past five years have been a dream with Randy. Not every day has been perfect—we’ve had fights and issues like every other couple. But every single day with Randy is better than one without him, hands down.

I’ve been super weepy thinking about this anniversary for some reason. 5 years just feels like so much. I watched The Last Five Years and started crying, and I’ve been remembering some of our favorite moments. It’s wonderful to reminisce and think about the happy moments that have made up our marriage.

Randy is the best person I know. And I can’t believe I get to spend my life with him.