Shall We Give It a Go?

This is a test of the my return to our family blog.  This is not for show, but for record, for our family.  Too many years are lost.

A day late

Dearest Mindi,

I'm glad that I got to text with you a little last night, sorry that I didn't get on here yesterday! I hope that you had a wonderful Birthday. We are very thankful that we were lucky enough to have you in our family and lucky for Adam to have you too!!! Love you Aunt Jack and Uncle Kev

Happy Birthday Mindi,

 Mindi, I cannot thank you enough for keeping Adam warm and on the straight and narrow!!!

 

This picture is not a mistake. It is symbolic!  99% of the time Mindi is ahead of the game. She blurs past the rest of us leaving in her path a great example of all that is good. We love you!!!

Happy Birthday Mindi!

There are very few people that are as wonderful as our Mindi.  I know that none are as thoughtful.  I remember all those years ago, I knew you were cool because you had that sweet blond streak in your hair.  Now I know that streak was just the cherry on top!  You are such a wonderful example to me.  Your endeavors to continually improve yourself and the lives of those around you is an inspiration I look to continually.  I hope you have an amazing birthday and I hope you know how very much you are loved. 

Mindi

Dearest Mindi of the west. It is with gleeful heart that I write this missive in your honor. Thy life is likened unto a shooting star that thee is to be here inspired. Hence thank you for binding all together as a unified group intrinsic in the plane of our now elusive lives. For in as such the dispersion of that which thou has said we pay homage this day to what? To you! Therefore to thee this day we all thank thee for that which thou didst done. Happy day of birth.

Much love Mindi.

Mindi, girl!!

Mindi, sweet sister! So glad you are part of our family. You continue to amaze me with your goals and desire to be your best self...yet, I see you as already pretty much perfect! I really do. I admire you for what you're able to accomplish in the same 24 hr time period as the rest of us!! Hope your birthday (and half marathon!) is wonderful. We all think THE WORLD of you!!

Love,

Darla

The VA life

Life right now. Can't catch you all up on what you've missed in the months since I've written. We had a nice, very relaxing Spring break right here in Richmond. It's always good to get to know our home state better. Especially when we've been longing for the west coast during our somewhat frigid winter (which is nothing compared to so many others' winters..). We camped in our friends' backyard in Staunton, VA after visiting the incredible Frontier Culture Museum. You learn about all different kinds of farm living history from countries like Scotland, England, early America.., even Africa! The next day we hiked a short, but somewhat strenuous hike up to a point in the Blue Ridges called Humpback Rock. A perfect hike for small and the not-so-small. Cole carried our friends' 20+ pound baby up like a champ. I think backpacking suits him. Now we just need to plan a few for this summer!! I'm determined. 

June lost three teeth right in the front, leaving quite the gap. It's the most adorable thing. Dayne and I took a trip out to CA for my gparents' funeral which was wonderful (see pic of Geof below at our wedding w my Gma Millie--she LOVED Geof). 

It's been nice having Dayne home this year. She's a good girl and doesn't argue when it comes to schooling. She is getting a little spring fever, however. ;) 

The weekend before Spring break I spent with a good girlfriend of mine, Eliza, and a few of her closest friends. We had gone up to celebrate her bday and show her how much we love her...she recently found out her husband has been having an affair for two years. Poor girl has been living in Long Island with her parents and three boys. Came home with much more of an appreciation for my good and faithful Geof. 

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Ellynn!

Ellynn, could you please get on here and post pictures of your amazing Harry Potter bday party?! Thus we can live vicariously through your awesomeness. We love you!

Throwback Tuesday

Camping in 2010

Happy Birthday, Gma Danna!!

I don't remember how this photo came about, a minor disagreement resulting in a group hug I think. I love everyone in the picture and their skills for conflict management. Le Anne, I hope you had/continue to have a most wonderful birthday season! I'm so grateful to you for the children you've raised and the wonderful Matriarch you are. I attribute all of Adam's delightful attributes to you (and his less-than desirable ones are all his own).  We all simply adore you and are looking forward to our next adventure with you!!

Frozen Dead Guy Days

For at least 5 years our family has gone to this kooky little festival in a tiny mountain town celebrating a man who has been cryogenicly frozen.  Three years ago, Adam decided we needed to put together a team for the coffin race. He built a coffin at work with his friends during craft time. Ellynn and Jason drove out from UT to be part of it. Then, it was cancelled due to high winds. The next year we were all set again with a team, but the weather foiled us again with a blizzard. But this year we would not be foiled. We put a team together at the last minute (my aunt and two teenage cousins, a friend from the ward and his son, Sierra and Adam). The weather was perfect, the crowds were unbelievably big. There were many teams with elaborate costumes (some painfully inappropriate even tho they promoted this as "family friendly"). The obstacles were a challenge and poor Sierra was dropped from the coffin three times and our team lost.  Poor competitive Sierra took the loss hard (plus she is pretty bruised up). All in all, we had a blast...but that's prob our last FDGD