50th Golf Trip

Jim turns 50 years old this year! exclamation point.

And since every week of this year is jam packed from here on out, we celebrated in March by going on a golf trip to St. George. 

I didn't golf. Jim and his friends golfed. To be clear. 

Thursday when we got into town we went and visited Sharley and then we visited G and G. 

We looked at all of J Glenn's model trucks/trailers he makes out of POPSICLE STICKS, and looked at his guns. It was fun to have Joe and Lisa hear all the legendary Glenn stories about getting robbed twice while living in Wells NV etc. 

Jim golfed all day with his buds,

like long lost Micah.

Me and Lisa and Whitney hiked to Hellhole. 

Then we went to the new temple. 

We new Laura was working, so we hoped to run into her while were were there. 

I didn't realize how HUGE  this temple is. So immediately I realized we would have to get real lucky to see her.

But right as we were walking up the stairs, there she was standing at a doorway! 

Saturday Jim golfed with is long lost buddy Derick, who is now a fabulous oncologist in St. George. 

Sand Hollow. 

We didn't get sunburned. 

It was so hot and so fun!
Jim golfed 4 days in a row. 

Don't ask me how. 

 

K is for There Would Still Be More

...there would still be more!

and more! 

to be thanKful for.

(that's from a song learned in primary this month).

This year we flew to St. George for Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for easy, free flights to see family.

It was stress free, pretty wide open flights, we all sat together and the flight attendants gave us free snacks. 

They treat us like royalty, and the kids sat together and did their own thing. 

I'm thankful for family to spend the weekend with. 

I'm so thankful for all the dogs - the house full of the sweetest dogs. 

There was Murphy of course, but we were also dog sitting Morgan's dog and Grandma Cook's dog. 

Those two big dogs are the best dogs ever. 

Murphy has such a tender heart. He literally hugs you when you sit/stand by him. He makes each one of us feel special and loved. 

That may seem silly and whatever, but I am positive he feels the sadness that has been in this house for 4 years, and he has become the best therapy dog. He was always a great dog, but this trip specifically he was so attentive to every person. So many hugs and so much love. 

Dogs just know things that are invisible. 

I'm thankful for sunshine and healthy bodies.

Thanksgiving morning Sharley took us to these stairs to get some exercise. 

Jamie and her girls also met us there. I only did three laps, but the other kids and Jim and Sharley did 6 laps. 

I am not kidding when I say we were all hobbling around SORE in the calves from this fun activity. 

I loved it. 

I'm so thankful for good food.

I'm thankful that Sharley has found a special friend (boyfriend!). She is so so happy and is having so much fun, and I am so happy for her. It feels so good to hear her laugh and play and joke. 

I'm so thankful for my kids and their unique personalities. 

It's truly miraculous that each child could come from the same set of genes and be so completely different. 

Avery is so wise,

Evan is so playful,

 Andrew is so quirky. 

Teddy is so playful too. They are a good team. 

I'm so thankful for the Christmas season.

Lights and excitement and traditions. 

My kids are so excited to watch Christmas movies and do all our traditions. It's such a fun and fast month. 

I'm thankful for the memories Jim and I have of our lives in Southern Utah together. 

My college years were some of my favorite and Jim was right there in it. 

I'm thankful for the temple. It's so good. 

I'm thankful for hikes, and SUNSHINE. Did I already mention the sunshine?

Sandstone and views and memories. 

Evan remembered this hike from about 10 years ago. Little Andrew bonked his head on some rock outcropping that day.  

It was a fun, fast trip.

Puzzles, so much food, cousins, dogs, always a full belly, Grandma and Grandpa, rolls, swimming with Damon, shopping with Reese/Sammy.

Larsen Reunion

On the last day of school, all the Larsen family showed up for a reunion! 

Here is the itinerary we came up with for the week. 

Strawberries!

One of the things the boys wanted to do was play some basketball, and out of nowhere there was a basketball hoop and ball at Barbies Berries. It kept the boys busy while us gals picked strawberries and took pictures of cute babies eating the strawberries. 

The tradition of strawberries and Berthusen lives on. 

Then we stopped by the original Edaleen and tried for another remake of this picture. 

Why is it so hard to get the remake right?

Later in the evening we met up at Semiahmoo for the great and terrible activity of family pictures.

Lisa Roxanne and Maddy took them for us. They were so great. 

Braxton and Jess are so brave coming with a 3 week old baby.

Look at that most perfect little baby.

The babies are the same age apart as Evan and Avery - so watching them was so crazy. 

That was us not so long ago.

I told them very sternly: you guys. this goes so so fast. there's no way for you to believe me but I am telling you they will be in high school in a blink. 

They smiled politely the same way I smiled politely at the wackos that tried to warn me. 

Sam wasn't able to come. There is talk of photoshopping him in to the pictures. 

After pictures we had a weenie roast on the beach. 

So many rocks to throw. 

The next morning we went to Point Whitehorn. It was cold! 

We are in the middle of Junuary.

Saturday we spent the day in Bellingham:

Triathlon,

Mountain Bike,

Whatcom Falls,

Pizza at Hovander (I was STARVING so it was the best pizza ever)

Braxton got in the cold water and cliff jumped off the same spot that his dad and Jim jumped last time the Larsens came to visit us:

CLICK HERE to see that lifetime ago. 

It was such a fun first week of summer! 

It's so crazy how so much has changed. 

Cousins are married with babies,

Lance is in a care home,

kids are teenagers,

How does time just never stop.