Addison is getting closer and closer to teenage-hood, and now he's got the braces to prove it! He'll have them for 18 months to two years. It was rough for the first couple days, but now he wears them like a pro. The morning of. Feeling pretty nervous! Haha. Addison: when you read this in your mid-teens, let the record reflect that I did ask before I put this picture on here. All done! Ain't he cute?  

We had fun looking at all the cool gourds when we went up north to buy apples.  We went to the family history fair. The family history center is really cool! Addison making granola all by himself. Leah was student of the month for her class. Super Add! 0% flattering, 100% true to life. Asa getting ready to take the kids to school. What a nut. A nut with a strong core. Crazy hair day. She's actually asleep like this. This guy spent a whole morning hanging out in our yard. A fun game of scum with the Aarons. Bryn's awesome topographic map of Utah. She made it out of salt dough all on her own! A couple favorite preschools. Bryn got her expander out! WOOHOO! Popcorn for everyone!

Nate and I are officially established, I think, because we now have the pleasure of forking over a decent chunk of change to the orthodontist each month. Bryn started her orthodontic treatment in April. She got spacers first for a couple weeks, and then had an expander put in. The expander has little hooks on the sides that she uses to wear headgear each night to correct an underbite. It's going great, and Bryn, as usual, is very calm and uncomplaining about the whole affair. The night before she got her spacers put in we had a popcorn party. It'll be awhile before she gets to have it again. So glad our orthodontist has a fun playplace for the other kids! Expander. Here you can kind of see the little hooks on the sides. Headgear Bite expanders (the little blue globs on her back teeth.) She had these on for a few months to prevent her back teeth from touching so that we could get her bite jumped. It was hard for her to eat while they were in! ...

I was getting all geared up to do another catch up post, but then decided that I'd much rather just do a life update. So here it is! Nate: Nate is a hard worker. He always has been. But he's gotten to where he gets a lot more done with his hard work these days. Efficiency, I suppose you'd call it. He works his buns off at his job, usually leaving before the kids and I get up in the morning. He's working on a really cool new narrative history of the church that'll be sure to turn a lot of heads when the first volume comes out later this year. Also managing several employees, and editing on the good ol' JSP. At home he is an involved dad to all our little ones, always eager to hear about their lives and spend time with them. He brings the fun into the parenting around here. And he's always game to tackle a house or yard project with me, be it big or small. He runs all the time. I'd say at least three times a week. He's training for Ragnar, which i...