Summer Ends

My brother Mark left back to Omaha to finish his last year of law school this week, Ashley, Sam & Scout will be going back next.

 Here is Mark playing throw a soft ball at my face with the kids. We are going to miss them!

Gracie had her birthday and her party was as adorable as she is. 

Idaho

My mom and I left Debbie and family in Salt Lake while we rode up with my Aunt & Uncle to their home in Idaho. Here is a picture of their backyard, so many fun memories from my childhood and even young adult years happened here!

I went out to enjoy the yard and my uncle Roger introduced me to Honey Bun, his gosling who comes when he calls. She would eat from me but she would also swing her neck at me, I think she didn't like me getting into her territory. 

I was sitting hoping to get the ducks to come to me, with out any success so Roger tried herding them my way. 

My cousin Sara and her family were there and this little babe had her birthday our first day. My mom got this cake while she was shopping with her sister Earlene and told her it was from both her and I. Which helped me win over the kids after that, thanks mom!

Soon Debbie and her family came up as well. Here they are looking at the ducks.

One evening our cousins showed us how they has used the app face swap to switch faces of the different couples. Some where so wrong I would close my eyes in protest others were so funny I was crying laughing. I wasn't the only one. 

 Here is one Russ did of him and Debbie, like I said they are just wrong, but highly entertaining.

I think Russ was in heaven going out with Roger and helping with the bees. Unfortunately Debbie got stung on the face right when I was getting this picture. I personally feel guilty because she asked if we could get this close and I said yeah we will be fine. Apparently they love Debbie's hair which I did not put into account. 

It was so green and had so many flowers, we really enjoyed ourselves just taking it easy and hanging out with our family. Have you ever played Ticket To Ride? It is a board game our cousins introduced to us and it was a lot of fun.

 Joe just chilling with Roger on the deck.

It was cousin central, going on and we loved every minuet of it.

Found these two darlings swinging like this and had to get a picture. 

Meeting Scout

After we arrived in Phoenix my parents picked us up from the airport in their new Ford Flex. Poor mom stuffed in the back with the luggage, car seat & a wedding dress she was either altering or made.

Then we headed to Debbie's for lunch, cousins and for Debbie to reveal the gender of her baby!

The Pink balloon means a girl in case you needed clarifying. My other sister in law is pregnant with a girl so we were all pretty sure Debbie was having a girl just because that is they way our family rolls.

Then we moved on to holding Scout, funny enough it was Joe who told me to get him a pillow so he could hold her first, that is after Debbie of course.

Then Gracie

Even Grandpa got a turn

Debbie's kids have become obsessed with Michael Jackson and they shared their love with Sam. 

What????

Who's Bad?

Somewhere In Middle America

My brother Mark and his family moved to Omaha Nebraska a couple years ago to go to law school. Saturday I flew out to help them get ready to come back to Arizona for the summer, to meet Scout their new baby girl and to fly back with Ashley to help with Sam (nearly 3) and Scout (1 month).

When driving into Omaha from the airport we saw this mural and this guy reminded me a little of John Krasinski. Or maybe I have just had John Krasinski on the brain lately.

Then we went to a pizza shop downtown that has pizza by the slice. I got apple walnut and brie maybe.

Then I took care of business and held my newest niece Scout.

Sam showed me if funny teeth before we headed for a get together in the park.

Sunday was mothers day and when I got up Mark was downstairs making eggs benedict it is something that Ashley's family does and it was delicious.

At church someone was handing out cupcakes with blue frosting, can you tell who had one.

Gilbert and Mesa are relatively new cities so I love going places that actually has some history and buildings older than myself. 

The weather was so lovely here I am wearing a sweater sitting under a tree. 

Here is the tree I am sitting under

while watching Sam play at the playground.

When we got back from the playground Mark was sitting outside feeding Scout.

I am so proud of my brothers for being such good husbands and fathers. You can see Ashley inside working hard packing up not only for their trip but they are renting their condo for the summer as well.

Monday we went to breakfast at Harold's Cafe where a scene from Jack Nicholson's film About Schmidt was filmed. 

 Then we headed to the University so Mark could scan some stuff and show me around the school a little.

 Sam played Judge in one of the mock courtrooms

Scout slept through most of it. 

 We also drove through one of the fancy neighborhoods and I loved this house and tree.

 Spring was so pretty with all the different trees in bloom.

I spent a lot of time outside playing with Sam, here we are looking a ladybug we found. 

 I just love this face he was giving me.

 I had to bribe him to take a picture with me. But really he was so sweet always saying thank you and telling me I was good at things.

 And oh man I loved holding this little string bean, she was so tiny and yet so long.

The day before we left Rainbow Rowell the author of Attachments & Eleanor & Park tweeted that her local bookstore had signed copies. I thought they made the perfect souvenir.

Here is Sammy on the plan waving goodbye to Omaha and hello to Arizona. Once we got seated Scout slept the whole flight and Sam was so good playing with his truck and reading books we didn't even have to get out the ipad.