We met up with Kim and her kids a couple months ago to play at our favorite park. It was so nice to be with them! The kids are growing up so much! Shirt twins A couple weeks later, we visited and they taught us how to roll our own sushi. And it was SOO good! I love this sweet lady!  

We've got some sweet neighbors who treat our kids like grandchildren. Back in June they were nice enough to invite us to come along with them and their official grandkids for a day of fun and exploration at the zoo. We jumped at the chance and had a great time!  The meercats were so fun to watch! Emmie got a real kick out of them. We thought the art they had on display was super cool. The artist used garbage she collected from oceans to make huge creatures! They were actually really pretty and also great for I spy. We got to ride the carousel and the train. We had extraordinary luck in the big cat sighting department. Look at the tiger! We'd never seen it before!  The snow leopard was snoozing in a very visible spot. And you will never in a million years believe what happened in the bird show. Our bird-loving Brynny got chosen as a volunteer to hold an actual dove! It was the greatest day of all our lives! Th...

The first time our family met Brother Grove was at Christmas. We went caroling here and there around the ward with the choir, and his house was one of the ones on our list. We went around back, knocked on the basement apartment door, and greeted him with a song. He asked us to sing White Christmas, and then talked for a minute or two, mostly about his recently departed wife, Beverly. He seemed so sad. So Nate and I decided, heck, we have no family close by to visit, so we'd better come back and see this guy sometime. So that's what we did.  We showed up at his door unannounced, with kids in tow one Sunday afternoon, introduced ourselves, and he invited us inside. The first few visits were pretty awkward. But we kept on going back, and he kept on welcoming us. We became good friends. He had the craziest stories about flying the F4U in World War II, meeting his wife on a bus when two jerks took her sandwich, growing up in Kansas, hippies, black panthers, teaching at Weber S...

August 5, 2017 Bryn got baptized. Usually Bryn is pretty shy in front of a crowd, but it was delightful to notice her complete confidence on her baptism day. She wasn't scared at all. Just excited, and sure of herself. We were so glad to have family and dear friends come out for the event. The ordinance and confirmation were perfect. Simple and beautiful. Baptism days are definite paydays for parents. As has become tradition, we invited family and friends to our home when the baptism was over to have dinner. Bryn chose the menu and we had pigs in a blanket, tater tots, fruit kebabs, a veggie tray, and Costco cake. Kim's kids and dad were there, our neighbors Frank and Irene, Gerald, Dottie and Jerry, all Nate's side of the family, and Brianna. Also two members of the primary presidency and our bishop. Several members of my family also sent little notes for Bryn.  It was wonderful to have so much support. ...