Sk-8 day

Sunny has been begging for months to go skating.

Glad she did because it was TOO much fun!

Gage and Sunny did great for first-timers.

...and I have been sore beyond description

in the two days since! That's the sign of a good time, right?

Sunny makes me laugh.

All the other kids were bundled up in their

snow pants and winter gear.

Not my Sunny though.

Full blown cuteness complete with pink tutu,

tights, jacket, and piggy tails.

Oh, I just LOVE your style!

Season in Review

Apparently I've taken some sort of a blogging hiatus ...

not from reading blogs, mind you, just from posting them.

I'm feeling particularly blessed as I write tonight.

Thankful for my sweet family,

thankful for dear friends,

thankful for this beautiful change of seasons.

The pictures are our commings and goings of the last two months

and are in no particular order.

A Mormon Adventure

Our family vacation was AMAZING.

Tracking our religious heritage was a special experience for all of us.
Steve and I were both impressed at how hard those early saints worked. They sacrificed everything to build a temple and were blessed with incredible visions and revelations. The keys of the kingdom of God on the earth were given back to a living prophet. Wow. Just amazing.
Made me want to give everything I have to the Lord.

Joseph Smith was blessed into a loving family
with support from his parents that sustained him from a very early age.
Made me want to be that kind of a parent.

4 hours to Kirtland, OH...
(and then only)
4 more hours to Palmyra, NY ...

{On our way}
Lansing to Kirtland ... 4hrs.

{Kirtland Temple}

{Historic Kirtland -

Visitor's Center}

{Newel K. Whitney Store}

I had to wonder if Emma Smith ever got after children for playing in these curtains that overlooked such a busy, bustl-y Ohio street.

This table belonged to Joseph Smith himself.

Testing the brakes of the saw mill ... because that's what (almost) 3 year olds do.

(4 hours from Kirtland to Palmyra ...)

{Hill Cumorah}

A first edition of the Book of Mormon.

Racing up the front of Hill Cumorah.

Made it to the top.

"See how far Mom."

Loved this nature trail that led down the hill back to the visitor's center.

{Smith Farm - Sacred Grove}

For some reason this picture takes me right back to 1830.

And this is the sign of a great family vacation.

Dear Pool

Dear Pool,

I did not want you at first.

I did NOT want to worry about my kids falling into you,

or worry about keeping you clean,

or put money toward supporting your chemical addiction.

And truthfully, who thought you'd actually be used??

Come on ... this is Michigan not L.A.!

But let's be honest, you have saved the day

(think hot and muggy Michigan summers)

... more than once.

And now I'm not sure how I'll survive

another summer without you.

Thank you pool.

You are the best!

I'll miss you when we're gone.

Love,

Jean (Gage and Sunny's mom)

PJ Hoffmaster

Horray for Lake Michigan!!

We met some friends at PJ Hoffmaster State Park for

a fun filled,

sun filled,

day at the beach.

Pure Michigan fun!

Exploring the dunes (see the boys waaay up there?)

Running down on the HOT sand ...

... into the cool water below (ahhh).

Sunny and her friends enjoy the "hot tub".