Covid Car Dates

I just want to remember that Aaron and I have been on a heck-a-lot of car dates in the past year. We have gained some serious skills in balancing our food and sauces in our laps and on the dashboard. We are masters of dipping stuff without getting drips on our shirts. We don't take our food home because our kids are at home, and we are trying to get away from them😀 But we also don't want to sit in a restaurant for an hour and increase our covid exposure. So that's why we hang out in the car and occasionally a park. Good times!

Connor's Wedding

 A bunch of my nephews decided to get married this year. Exciting times! I was able to go to Connor's wedding festivities. It was so nice to see the family and take a little trip. I went by myself. My parents picked me up at the airport. I felt happy at the thought of them waiting there for me. And I knew I could depend on them. My parents are wonderful, steady, devoted people. What a blessing to have them in my life!

I stayed at Felicia's house. She's really the hostess with the mostest as my mom would say. I stayed in Ryan's room, and I took a look at his yearbook. These memes made me laugh. 

I arrived in the evening on Wednesday, and the wedding was on Thursday. Space was very limited in the sealing room, so I didn't make it in there, but I did help Felicia get the flowers on the morning of the wedding, and I waited outside the temple. 

Connor married a wonderful girl named Sundance. They seemed perfect together and so happy and in love. While I was waiting in Felicia's van, I spied them on their way into the temple.

The luncheon was at Magleby's in Springville. The restaurant had a basement that had a lot of natural light and a lovely mural. There was a program with a video and a song by the bride's sister and some speeches by the parents. It was lovely! I got to sit by Jacob and his wife Anika, whom I had never met. It was really fun to talk to them. My nephew Jamie was also there. And Kaylee brought her boyfriend who is an electrical engineer and a mechanic. What a winning combination!

Had to stop by and see our old stomping grounds. What a great house with so many great memories!

The reception was in Alpine and very lovely. It was cold at first, but soon five hundred bodies filled the room and heated up the space. I have never seen so many guests at a reception. Connor and Sundance must be popular folks! Jacob said that when he walks around campus with Connor, everybody seems to know Connor. 

Aunt Kathleen had her covid vaccine as did my parents and my Uncle David and Aunt Marie and my sister Liz. It was an encouraging pandemic moment to be surrounded by people who had been vaccinated! And I also had a lovely chat with Heather and Jason. What awesome people!

You don't get views like this in Texas.

Spencer at the end of the night.

Liz and Aiden and Seth also came down for the reception. It was so nice to see them. I love talking to Liz. And Aiden and I had a nice chat about Minecraft. We took this picture to show Scotty. These eight year old boys love the Minecraft!

Made a stop at the BYU bookstore which was all remodeled and fancified. 

I stayed on Friday and went home Saturday afternoon. As always, it was nice to get away and nice to come home to my favorite people. As you can see, I stocked up on some BYU gear. Bookstore clearance FTW!

My Birthday and Fortlandia

 In between snowstorms, I had a birthday! And it was the most beautiful day we had this winter. It was 70 degrees, and we went on a super fun field trip with our Kid Tribe friends to Fortlandia. I love my birthday in Texas.

The kids mostly liked the trees better than the forts.

The swings were the BEST!!

Build your own fort!

Aaron made an incredible oatmeal cake. Incredible and oatmeal don't usually go in the same sentence, but Aaron was quite the baker. Pecan and coconut frosting...yum!

I told my friend Renata that we have missed her cooking during covid, so she brought us a delicious Brazilian meal on my birthday. It was amazing!

A few years ago, I decided that nobody owed me anything on my birthday. And I have had my best birthdays ever since then. I started really noticing all the kind things people do, and because I'm not expecting someone else to create a happy birthday for me, every nice thing feels like a fun bonus! 

Snovid

 The weather in Texas was crazy this year! We were saying "phew!" to ourselves after making it through 2020 when we got hit by snovid.

On a Sunday in January we had a magical snowfall where everyone busted out their minuscule winter wardrobe and played joyfully in the snow as a family. There was snuggling and hot cocoa and snowmen.Then the next day it melted and went away like proper snow should do. 

Then in mid-February, we got highly improper snow that included ice and that stayed for a whole week. Lots of people lost power and water, and everything shut down. Luckily, we did not lose power or water, but our friends did so they came and stayed with us for three nights. We had a grand time with them, but it was not a fun time for Texas overall. 

One day we were making these adorable cookies, and the next day we were snowed in! I want to remember that Aaron decorated my cookie to look like two people kissing. Haha!

The kids really did have fun surviving together. And they managed to go sledding on their bums on this very icy, treacherous slope. And their mom (my friend) introduced us to Dutch Blitz which has since provided hours of friendly competition (and therapy). 

 Living in Texas, you hate snow because it's cold and wet (and inherently evil) but also because we have no way of dealing with it! That makes it a lot more frustrating. It was a winter to remember! And we were blessed to have made it through as painlessly as we did.