Seventh Birthday Letter to Beans

Dear Grant,

This has been a big year for you full of high and lows. You've dealt with some new anxieties and new struggles, but I want you to know that you are the bravest boy I know. You're also still one of the happiest boys I know. You still fill our days up with giggles and smiles and you're very quick to forgive others. You love to be where others are and want to be included in all things. Your teachers describe you as a great friend and I would have to agree. 

You also know exactly what to say to make any adult melt over you and think that you are the cutest kid in the world and I love watching you when you do that because it's adorable, hilarious and pretty close to true. You might have been the favorite among the aunts at our family reunion because you paid them all so many compliments. Anytime anyone tells you that you're so cute you'll turn on your adorable voice and cute puppy dog eyes and reply back "well you're the prettiest lady in the world". Grant I can't even imagine what you'll be like as a teenager because you're already quite the charmer and you know it. In all seriousness though I can't even count the number of times where I might have needed a little encouragement and you've come up to me out of the blue to say "Mom I love you, you're the best mom in the world". I hope to be that same kind of person to you that you need during times where you're feeling scared, lonely or down. I want to be someone you can count on to come find you and cheer you up like you do to so many people. I love you and I want you to know that at nighttime when anxiety seems to be at a high for you I hope you know and feel that I'm just across the hall with a hug that always has your name on it. I love you sweet boy, and I always will no matter what.

Love,

Mom

Little Helper

Sometimes all anyone needs is some special one on one time.
Grant came with me to clean out the van before our vacation coming up and it was so nice to just have it be the two of us. I think he's been needing some extra positive attention lately.
 I love this cute boy so much.

Summer Break

 The kids had their last day of school yesterday and are ready to fully embrace summer.

Also these cute little girls wanted their pictures taken as well and requested that Grant join them.

Rylee in pink, Quinn in white.

They also wanted individual pictures with Grant 😁

Last Day of School

Someone is going to be really happy when she finds out this is the last morning she'll watch some of her best friends get on the bus for school before summer break starts.

Quinn pictured.

(Usually both watch from the door though)

Picture from earlier this week.
Quinn on the left, Rylee on the right.

First Campout

We've been becoming close friends with a family in the first ward who lives in Moorehead, and our kids have just clicked. I first became friends with Rebecca last September through the bunco group. We meet up once a month for a game night. I'm not sure why it took us so long to get our families to meet because even our husbands have a lot in common. Both have their PhDs. Both read the same genre of books, and both are birders. Also our kids are pretty close in age, so really I don't know why it has taken us so long to branch out of the bunco group and actually get together. We finally got together with a family picnic last Sunday, which led to us getting together again four days later on Thursday at a Taylor Swift concert event that Fargo had put together and then the next day Friday we decided to join them camping. I wasn't sure how it was going to go because we've never camped before but I'm glad that we did it. They had mentioned that they were putting on a ward campout but that it was just them and a kid less couple that were going, so they asked if we would come along as well. We didn't even own a tent that would fit us all, so I wasn't sure but then we asked ourselves 'why not?'. Danny has always wanted to go camping as a family and it was me who has been hesitant, so when this opportunity came up to go with a family we get a long with, where the site has already been reserved and breakfast would be provided we felt like it was a great time to start. Plus it doesn't hurt that we had put it on our summer bucket list and this would help us cross that off haha. A month ago I had taken a picture of a tent at Costco that fits ten people. I told them that if I went to Costco and that tent was still available then it would be our sign to go. So Friday morning (yesterday) I headed to Costco and sure enough bought the tent we've been having an eye on anyway, then messaged the Aldrich family that we would be joining them after all. In the span of one week of getting our families to meet, we hung out four of the days with an overnight included. In the end it turned out that they got more support than they originally thought and a good amount of people did show up from their ward so it wasn't just the three families, but that didn't matter because we had a great time and got to know even more people from our stake. Now that we know we can successfully camp I'm sure we'll be putting good use to our tent again soon. 

As we were all walking to the bathroom we stopped to look at this frog for a second. While looking at the frog it suddenly leaped and clung on to Quinn's pajama pants. She did not find that amusing, and might be slightly traumatized because of it.

The air was so smoky. Canada is experiencing some fires right now and the air was so thick from it. 

It's nice that it wasn't around until the morning that we were heading home.

Ryles

Grant and Emma

Quinnie

This half bus was at the campsite right next to us and Grant thought it was the coolest thing.

Group Picture