Avynlea in Utah

Last year I got Halloween material to make a Halloween bow for Anna, I got material that had pinks and purples in it because I thought it matched her vibe. The pattern was confusing to me and I eventually put it in a bag and put it in the closet. Since then I have found a different pattern that made more since and after making a couple of bows I felt more confident that I knew what I was doing. I made Heather a 4th of July bow for her birthday and I thought I would make Emily a Halloween one for her birthday. I had also wanted to revisit making a bow for Anna but I found some new material that still matched her vibe and that I really liked. So I made a bow with the new material and I also pulled out the previous Halloween bow and got that one finished. While Anna was here I showed her both bows and let her pick which one she wanted and she chose the new material bow. So I wrapped up the other bow and gave it to Avynlea to give to Emily on  her birthday. Avynlea sent me pictures of Emily opening her gift and it looks like she was super excited and loves her gift which makes me very happy!

 

Emily

Abigail, Avynlea and Leona

Wahooz and Anniversary Date

 Thursday night I was all ready for bed when Kenedy suggested us all meeting up with her friends and going for ice cream. I mentioned I was all ready for bed and I got the ok to go as I was and that Kenedy and Anna were also in their pjs. So we all went and met up with Benj, Abby and Kason. I didn't get anything but I did try a little bit of Kefford's. It was good stuff and a good night.

Anna, Ryker, Elizabeth, Kefford, Abby, Kason, Benj and Kenedy

On Saturday Kefford, Anna, Ryker and I went to Wahooz to use some passes we had that Alison gave us for Christmas a couple of years ago. Kenedy was busy that day and not able to go and so the 4 of us went and had a lot of fun riding rides and playing games. Midway through the day we got a text message from Bob that said "We need everybody's prayers. They lost Dylan at the beach". Whitney and her family were vacationing in California and I was immediately worried for Dylan. He had been missing for about an hour by the time we got the text and my mind immediately went to all the awful things that could have happened to him. About 20 minutes later we got the text that he was found and I was so relieved. He thought Laney was missing and went to find her and just kept walking and didn't realize he was the one missing. I am so grateful that he was found and that Heavenly Father was watching over him.

Kefford

Ryker and Anna

Elizabeth and Ryker

Elizabeth

Ryker, Anna, Kefford and Elizabeth

After we got home from Wahooz I changed into something nicer and Kefford and I went out to dinner for our anniversary. Today was our 28th wedding Anniversary and we had a fun day with Ryker and Anna and then going out to dinner just the two of us. After dinner we stopped and got some ice-cream. It was. alowkey anniversary day but we had fun and enjoyed being together and with some of our kids.

Kefford and Elizabeth

Kenedy, Ryker and Anna wanted to sit outside around the fire and so Ryker and Kefford got a fire going. I am not sure what they were finding so funny but I love these pictures of Ryker and Kefford.

Top 10

 We had everyone at church on Sunday except for Rylee, of course, and I wanted to get a picture before we got home and changed out of our church clothes. Kefford had Bishop duties and meetings after church so we got together right after Sacrament meeting to get a picture. 

Ryker, Anna, Avynlea, Kenedy, Elizabeth and Kefford

Elizabeth, Avynlea and Kefford

For a young mens activity a couple of weeks ago they planned to do a Top 10 night. Everyone picks whatever topic they want and has to put together a powerpoint showing their top 10's of that topic. Kefford thought it was a fun idea and put it out in our group chat to do our own Top 10 night. It was tricky trying to find a time to do it because out weekend was pretty jam packed but we were able to find a time after church when Kefford got home from his meetings and before Avynlea had to leave to get back to Provo. Everyone did a really good job and it was fun to see the topics everyone chose to highlight. I let Rylee know what we were doing and I told her if she wanted to come up with a presentation that I would present it for her. She did and she sent it to me, her topic of choice was top 10 messages she has received on her mission. I did mine on Top 10 DisneyLand and California Adventure rides. I did a fake out at the beginning of my presentation and made it look like I was doing a Top 10 family members, I got the laugh I wanted and I was pretty happy with how I did.

Avynlea: Glizzys (Mom) fixations

Anna: Top 10 one liners to use

Ryker: obscure sports

Kenedy: Top 10 Keff Quotes

4th of July

Ally and her husband were in town and invited Avynlea to go with their family to watch fireworks out in Nampa. Avynlea did not want to go by herself and Kenedy did not want to go so I told Avynlea I would go with her. Jeremy and Gwen, Mikayla and Palmer, Ally and Jace and Bailey and Makayla and their kids were all there. It was super chill and casual and I visited a little bit with Jeremy and Gwen and enjoyed being with my Nieces and Nephew and their spouses. After the fireworks Avynlea and I left and Gwen sent me a picture they took with a text telling me she was glad we came and wished she would have thought to have been the one to invite us. I appreciated the thought and made a mental note to myself to also reach out a little bit more.

Ryker and Anna came to town late on the third of July and Avynlea was in town so for the fourth we went to our Wards pancake breakfast and then went out to Nyssa so we could go boating with Whitneys family. We got to Bob and Alisons house at about 10:00 and found everyone downstairs in their basement trying to do disaster cleanup. It had been raining a couple of days earlier and the water table took a while but it finally got too high and it flooded their basement. We spent a couple of hours there so they could keep helping with the cleanup and we didn't get out to the Owyhee Dam until about 2:00. Once we got out there we had fun being in the boat with Dustin and Whitney and their kids and we all tried to wakeboard. Even me! I got up my first time and immediately fell and then could not get myself up again. Kefford did good getting up and lasting a hot minute on the board as well as Ryker. Avynlea, Kenedy and Anna all got up on the boards but didn't last too long. I was impressed and I think everyone had fun.

Kefford also had fun tubing and harassing Whitneys kids and they all loved it especially Dillon, he loves his Uncle Kefford. I also went on the tube with Avynlea and we had fun screaming and hanging on for dear life.

Kefford

Anna

Avynlea

Anna, Kenedy, Avynlea, Ryker, Madi and Kinsley

 

Avynlea

Kenedy

Anna

Ryker

I made a 4th of July cake like I do every year and this year what I had envisioned in my head did not get executed how I wanted it to. I wanted it to be popsicles and fireworks and it looks more like swastikas and tampons. Oh well. Plus I look like a hot mess potato in this picture because it was taken after we spent 6 hours in the boat.

We had a delicious dinner of hamburgers and sides and then we watched fireworks, it was a fun day and night and I love being out at the Farm for the 4th.

Swimming

 Erin called me a couple of weeks ago to let me know that she was diagnosed with having Breast Cancer. I was instantly devastated for her and let her know how much I love her and that whatever she needs from me she just has to ask. She told me that she was dreading upcoming Dr appointments and I told her to treat herself to a doughnut after every appointment to help herself feel better and to give herself something to look forward to. I do it after I have my yearly mammograms and it helps me get through the appointment knowing I will get a treat after. She took my advice, got her doughnut and then sent me a picture. I was super happy to see it!

I was on FaceTime with Heather and she all of a sudden told me to hold still and she took a screenshot. She said she liked how my hair looked with the sun hitting it and wanted me to see it. I don't know that the picture does it justice compared to what she saw but it was a fun and flattering moment.

While Avynlea was in town Kenedy wanted us to go over to the Givens while they were out of town to use their pool. Kefford and I went with them and I got in the Hot Tub while Kefford just sat around on his phone. Kenedy also invited her friend Abby from work and her boyfriend. I had fun hanging with them until I got tired of being there and after taking pictures went home with Kefford.

Elizabeth and Avynlea

Elizabeth, Kenedy and Avynlea

Elizabeth, Abby, Kenedy and Avynlea

Blueberry Picking

It was time to go Blueberry picking with the Petersons again and I was happy that Kenedy was here and willing to go in a little later to work so she could come with me. Between the two of us we picked a good amount that I was able to bring home and freeze. We had fun visiting with Alison, Whitney and Brit and enjoyed being in the sunshine picking blueberries. 

 

Elizabeth and Kenedy

back row: Sadie, Kenedy, Madi, Alison, Asher

middle row: Laney, Kinsley, Caleb, Xander and Tayvia

front: Hazel, Joshua, Dillon, Leah and Garrett

I really wanted to make a patriotic bow for my door and I had an idea in my head as to how I wanted it to look. I was able to find the perfect material and it came out so cute and exactly how I wanted it.

My June Nails by Brynn. I love the colors and the polka dots, so happy and bright

 

My July nails by Brynn

I love these, she did such a good job and it amazes me that she does it all by hand, she is so talented.

Someone ding dong ditched this on our doorstep and I could not figure out who it was. When I talked to Rylee on Monday I told her about it and she said that he companions family were driving through Meridian and wanted to leave this for Kefford. Rylee had her companion make a fathers day card for Kefford using watercolors and it had a pickle on it. Rylee had the idea and her companion was able to execute it. Her companions family thought it was any and since they were driving through Meridian thought it would be funny to leave this.

I made this bow for Emily for her Birthday and had Avynlea deliver it for me. I thought she would really like the colors since they matched the vibe of her house and how she decorates for Holidays

I saw this Block of the Month quilt in the quilt shop and thought it was so cute and decided to sign up to participate. Every month I get the material to make one of the blocks and then after 12 months they will be sewn together and the quilt will be finished. The foxes are the first animals to be done and I thought my first block turned out so cute.

Fathers Day

 Avynlea is in Hawaii with some of her mission friends and she sent me a couple of pictures. She is having the best time and is loving being with her friends and the entire experience. 

Avynlea, Hugo and Marielle

Kefford wanted me to put one of our wedding pictures into chatgpt to have it clean it up and it does look better.

When I was 14 I went to Mexico as an exchange student for 2 weeks. While there I bought gifts for my family. Ashleigh was a little girl at the time and I was so excited to find a beautiful dress that I bought for her and brought home. My Mom didn't have the same opinion of the dress that I did but she had Ashleigh wear it to church. Ashleigh saved that dress and now her little girl wears it to church. She sent me a picture of Abby wearing the dress one Sunday and it made me so happy to see the dress being used again. 14 year old Elizabeth would have been so happy to know that not only did Ashleigh wear the dress she bought for her but that her little girl also wears it.

Not sure why I took a picture of this outfit but it looks cute.

Sunday we celebrated Fathers Day with Kefford. Kenedy and I made him breakfast and then had him go upstairs to see his gift. I had the idea to get him a solo stove because we had talked about getting one a while back and I thought he would appreciate it. I had Avynlea and Ryker chip in whatever they could so it would be a gift from all of us. Kenedy got tickets for the two of them to go see Shinedown, a band they both really like and he was excited about that. 

We hid the stove upstairs in Avynlea's closet and I had told Kefford to not go in there at all leading up to Fathers Day. I could tell by his reaction when he saw the stove that he already knew about it. It turns out he had to go into the closet for some reason and forgot he wasn't supposed to and saw it. Bummer. 

He was happy about it and hopefully we can have some fun times outside by the fire cooking s'mores.

After church we went out to Nyssa for dinner and Bob had got a Ninja Slushy maker for Fathers Day. It takes about an hour to freeze and the grandkids who were there spent the entire time sitting by it and watching it. It was a fun treat and fun for Bob to have.