Dirty feet, lots of sun and plenty of memories...

*~*Playing a little bit of catch up*~*

Summer is in full swing around here. 

Which means dirty feet, lots of sun and plenty of memories.

Method of choice to clean her feet. 

Brynlee's first amusement park experience was a success.

The City of 'Scum' was in SoJo, so, we hit it up with Mimi and Papa and the gang.

She had an absolute blast. So did all of us. 

First roller coaster ride EVER!
She gave us the cheesiest thumbs up coming around the bend and we got a kick out of that.

Ferris wheel ride with Mama!
I was a bit worried about dropping my phone.

Look of pure bliss. Ha.

She used to dread these things.
Now every horse she sees is hers. 

The Gang minus Mimi a.k.a. the photographer.
Oh and Grandma Cookie, she's hiding behind Kingston.

 Little Megs is not so little anymore. 

She's all grown up and 'savin' China'. Haha.

Call me Mushu.

No we really are so excited for her to start this next chapter of her life.

College will be an eye opener and will change life as she knows it....

and I think she will love every bit of it!

Meagan was 12 when I joined the Thomas clan.

She still is so little. 

Seminary Graduation.

Of course you can't be a part of my little family and not have an injury during the summer.

On Father's Day, Brynlee got the biggest sliver I have seen in my whole LIFE!

Any bigger and it would've been a tree branch. 

The picture doesn't do it justice, I had already broken a piece off and pulled part of it out by the time we took this picture. 

It really honest to goodness, takes a village to raise a child. There were 5 of us trying to hold her down to get this thing out of her foot. After it was out she was as happy as a peach.

It was gigantic and I don't know if I would've handled it as well as she did.

That's one big sliver and one tough little girl.

As my birthday passed by this year I have made a new list of 'To Do's' for my 26th year. 

The one from last year was so successful that I think I will make it a tradition. 

I won't list everything that I did on the blog but I will say that I made 46 new recipes, read 12 new books, ate at 14 new restaurants, tried 5 new foreign foods, made lots of new friends, finished a journal, learned how to crochet headbands and I'm definitely including learning how to garden as well. I went on 5 new dates with Ty, went to/did 12 new activities, created 4 new things for my home, stayed in 3 new places and golfed a new golf course. 

With all of this new stuff that I accomplished it was so hard not to focus on the ones I didn't finish. 

It taught me a really great lesson. 

It would be so easy to say that I failed by not completing all that I wanted to do last year but let me say a few things first. 

I used my sewing machine and made curtains for my house! Wow! Stepped out of my comfort zone to go 80's dancing at a CLUB, saw new places, learned a lot about a Prophet of God, rekindled a flame that was almost spent, cooked almost one new recipe every week for a year, gave myself an opportunity for culture in my life (chicken hearts and 6500 year old mummies anyone?), experienced mint limeades from the Farmer's Market and I have grown. 

There is so much in the world and in this life that is worth experiencing. I know I haven't even scratched the surface but I'm trying to branch out and that's what matters to me and makes me feel fulfilled. Out of over a hundred new things I did, I could focus on the 5 things I didn't accomplish but that would defeat the purpose. 

So this new year I slimmed my list down a little bit but it's basically the same. New recipes, new restaurants, books, friends, finish a journal, stay in a new place, and have new experiences. 

It is important for us to be happy and feel fulfilled. Men are that they may have joy. When we are happy our families will feel that and be more content as well. Not any less crazy, I won't lie, but at least they will know that their Mama/wife loves life and all that it has to offer. 

More summer stories are on the way!

I have a bad habit of bombarding the blog all at once so I'll break it up.