July 2024

Our favorite guy turned 39!! Last year in his 30's. We had a lovely dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's and the kids had fun in the pond. 

When we moved here in 2020, having just quit seminary, a teaching position in the treasure valley opened up, and we anxiously inquired to see if Richie could jump in. They told us that even though he'd just quit within the last month, he'd have to go through the whole hiring process again, which takes about a year with no guarantee of a job at the end. We decided not to risk it.  However, 4 years later, after a roller coaster of a ride trying to land on a job, we decided we'd roll the dice. Richie threw his hat in the ring and applied again to be a seminary teacher. He began prepping that summer, and we were invited to the area summer family party. The kids had a blast on the water slide and little train, and ate all the yummy food. 
 

4th of July! I was so excited to bring my favorite tradition from Riverton to our Nampa ward! We put on a bike parade and pancake breakfast. It was so cool to have a fire truck leading the charge. It's one of my favorite traditions- it's quintessential small town America! 

Richie decided to take a trip to the SLC valley to have a big window washing weekend. He still had lots of people in the valley wanting his services, so he decided he'd go down and knock them all out in a weekend. He chose to take Gwen down to help him and get some one-on-one time. Gwen was such a trooper and worked so hard and she also got some good cousin time. :)  Her perspective really shifted after this trip- she understood first hand how hard her Dad works for our family and appreciated our home life a little more. 

Gwen had an awesome time at Girl's Camp! It was made extra special this year because her friend Jaylee got to come with our ward! 

Other July Notables! Swimming lessons, hanging out with friends, etc. 

June 2024

Miles had some very brave co-op teachers this year who rewarded kids that completed the work with a trip to the Burley area of Idaho so they could camp out, visit the Bruneau Sand Dunes, see the Japanese Internment camp from WW2 there, and bond. So grateful for willing leaders!

The timeline is all blurry now- but I think this was the summer of us just being scrappy and trying to make it job wise. We started boarding dogs as a way to bring in extra cash, Richie was washing windows on his own, I was selling soap at markets and running the basket business. Crazy times. 
 

The high adventure this year for the stake was a 50 mile hike!  The goal was to try and hike 50 miles in a day. Crazy! Miles tried his darndest and made it 32 I think, which is pretty impressive for someone who had probably never walked more than a few miles at a time. Grateful for leaders who doctored his feet, kept him hydrated, and even swapped out their own shoes for his, so he wasn't getting blisters in the same place. 

At this point, this space was still functioning as a chicken coop. Richie put some work into it to spruce it up and put all new compacted gravel inside. 

Kid's Day!! I randomly had some free passes to the trampoline park, we got Dips, and watched movies outside on the tramp. Pretty good day. 

 

We go to Roaring Springs once a year, when we can use the free passes we get through the reading program. In years past, Lauren Fogle and I would brave the waterpark day with all 12 of our kids on our own. Let me tell you, it's so much easier to have Richie there with me! And this year was extra fun because we planned to go with the Petersens. Check! 

17 years of wedded bliss! We spent the morning butchering chickens for a client, and spent the evening at our favorite restaurant, Brick 29. :) 

All the rest of the June pics, full Summer mode: Park play dates with friends, shelling peas, puttering around home, basketball camp for Benson,  etc.