June 2024: Everything Else

It was fun coming back from Florida to full leaves and blooming peonies and roses! 

We also came back to record high temperatures, but the funny thing was that it felt cooler than Florida and the Caribbean because there was no humidity. Michael said that at his football camp, everyone was complaining about the heat, and he kept thinking, oh wow, this feels so nice. Perspective.

We enjoyed being home again. Art projects happened in the basement. 

Brian and I finally fixed our gates one of our gates. This is before: 

We were sad to erase all of our Vacation plans from our rotating calendar. It was such a blast! 

We remembered Grandpa's passing on June 12, and I commemorated it by eating bereavement nachos (which I had to explain to my kids really isn't a kind of nachos. It's just nachos, and you eat them when you are sad.)

On the way home from picking up Gabe from football camp one of the days, our van totally flipped out on my and wouldn't go into gear as I was getting on the freeway. Thankfully, it started up again and I made it to Les Schwab in American Fork. Brian met us there. They couldn't fix the problem, so we ended up taking it somewhere else the next day. 

Brian came to lend moral support, and Gabe read on the lawn while we figured things out. 

We---did whatever this is. 

Brian took a picture of the pins that were in his wrist so that they could be thrown away. 

We went to see Inside Out 2. It was pretty good. 

The glass in one of panes of glass in our garage broke, so we fixed it. We had come home from picking up Gabe and found Chelsea at our house! She supervised the replacement of the glass. 

And she took this picture of Brian and I. 

We had a good visit with Chelsea and didn't just work on house stuff or kissing the whole time. 

I got new shoes. I've had my eye on the Kiziks that you can put on without bending over. Since my hip surgery, shoes are a bit of a struggle. Actually, that's not really 100% true. I can put them on just fine, but I always remember those months when it was impossible, and it still can feel a little weird on my hip to tie my shoes. 

I had to hang with Abe Lincoln on my way out of the store. 

Rachel and Brian put together a puzzle. 

Brian and I helped Shayne with the Parade of Homes by taking tickets at his house that he helped build. This is us on our way out after our shift. 

Shayne gave us tickets for the Parade, and we enjoyed checking out the mansions near us. 

Gabe tried to mow the lawn. Chelsea was visiting, and we were all watching him. Gabe started out really well, but then started getting pretty lazy about it. Matthew could hardly handle watching him missing big sections and ended up finishing the lawn for me, which I really appreciated. 

We played our classic duets on the piano (Heart and Soul and...what are the other two named?")

We also went to the pool, and Brian introduced Chelsea to the magic of the Ninja Creami. Oh! That's what I got Brian for Father's Day! He loves it. 

Michael loved being in his workshop again. I just wish he wouldn't go out there in his church clothes. 

Rachel and Gabe played perfection. Here's proof that they sometimes get along. 

We had dentist appointments for cleanings. This was our first time at this dentist, and Gabe loved that these screens were set up with Nintendos. 

Okay, we finally got to fixing the gate. We took it apart, removed one of the vertical pieces, re-spaced the rest of the vertical pieces out to let more wind through, and put the cross pieces back. We also replaced a piece with a new redwood piece. 

We also watched Harvey for a week or so. 

We enjoyed time in the pool and here's proof that Michael and Gabe also get along sometimes. 

The Parkers came to swim with us. Here's Rachel with Elsie. 

And Gabe with Harvey. 

Michael spent more time in the woodshop. Here he is making a holder for some tools. 

I picked up my neighborhood walks again, and Brian even joined me on some. 

Gracie liked having a buddy to survey her kingdom with. 

I introduced her to a new spot that she'd never been able to look out before: my craft room window. She loved it. Now, she asks permission to hop up there when I'm down working. 

Serene was the Lily in Anastasia again, this time with the Timpanogos Arts Council. She crushed it, yet again. 

Rachel and Gabe got to take their picture with Anastasia. This production was really fun. 

We took Michael to the Draper Temple to do baptisms, and they let Brian and I participate as well. It's such a rare treat to be able to do baptisms for the dead as an endowed member of the Church, so it was extra special. It's always good to be in the temple with our kids.

Afterwards, we got treats at Leatherby's. 

Rachel busted out her foot bath and nail stuff, and Gabe took full advantage. 

Brian and Rachel headed to Provo for the last concert in the park at the end of June. 

Michael made a three legged stool. 

And the case of Gabe's stolen bike made some progress. They had caught the guy who stole it, and in June, they were building a case and wanting to know what the value of the bike was. I still can't believe they were able to catch the guy who stole his bike. I still can't believe the guy stole his bike in the first place, but I hope that this stops him from stealing other things in the future. 

And then it was July.