If you're here, welcome! We blog for us as our journal, but we are glad to share out lives with you.

Monday, August 15, 2016

Bees Game 2016

As the end of summer is nearing we're feeling the need to cram all of the things that we've wanted to do into these final few weeks. In fact, August is making a play for being our busiest month of the year! (Apparently it's been feeling a little jealous of October, which usually wins this award.) One of the things on our summer bucket list was to go with the kids to a Bees game. We decided to go for FHE and we had such a nice time. I'm glad that we made it happen. 

Parking is atrocious, and even though I'd told David that I was just planning pay for parking (which I hattteee) - we couldn't find a spot and ended up parking for free several blocks away and walking in. It was a little crazy, but once we were in and situated the long walk was all but  forgotten. Plus we used the money that we were going to spend on parking and bought some ice cream that came in a little plastic baseball hat - so I'd say that we definitely came out on top! 

When we bought the tickets, we bought the Monday Night Special - SmithsTix deal that came with hotdogs for everyone and it was super fun. The kids loved the hotdogs and although we didn't watch much baseball - it's just such a fun atmosphere to be in and experience. Most of the time was spent rolling around on the chairs, climbing on and off of the chairs, and talking to the super friendly people in front of us. I'll let you guess who was doing which activity. We did love the songs they'd play between innings!








We left before the game was over, just as it was really starting to get dark. We're always of the opinion that you should leave before the kids are really done and they start crying, because then the exit is worse for everyone. I feel like we timed it just right. We had a great time and will definitely come back again as a family. (We came when Lydia was little, and she actually initiated this trip because she wanted to come and see the Bee. We didn't see much of him, but it ended up being just fine. The kids loved it all.) 

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Elder Walker Comes Home!

My little brother, Elder Jacob Colvin Walker has been serving the Lord in the Edmonton Canada Mission for the past two years. We got to talk to him in May for Mother's Day and we've been counting down the days until his return!  


 We met up at the airport this evening and we were quite the bundle of excitement and nerves! 

And then, just like that - he was home! 



I'm so proud of this little brother of mine. He's always been an example of testimony, of seeking gospel learning by study and by faith, and of loving the Savior. No matter what trials came his way, he's made it a priority to stay close to the Lord and I'm grateful for that example. I know that serving a mission is a hard thing. It's a sacrifice, and an effort every day, and I'm grateful for Jacob showing the example of serving the Lord. And I'm really glad he's home! (And headed to BYU which is going to be awesome because he'll be so close. 

Welcome home Jaker-Baker!

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Insta-Tuesday {7.26.16}

insta-july


{7.3.16}
10 days, 2,000+ miles, 4 states, and so much fun. We're almost home, but I'm still not ready for it to end! #ourkidsarethebestroadtrippersever #theminivanmadeitpossible #boiseandtheoregoncoast2016

{7.4.16}
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸Sweet land of liberty, of thee we sing. Long may our land be bright, with freedoms holy light. Protect us by thy mind, Great God, our king.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Sang these words yesterday while sitting next to the most patriotic person I know... my Grandma Knowles. Such a beautiful way to celebrate this amazing country. My heart burns brightly with love for this country, on this and every day.

{7.4.16}
insta-david
Happy Independence Day!

{7.7.16}
Spent a few hours hanging with these lovely ladies while our kids played at the park. I left wondering how in the world I was blessed with such good friends as these through high school and how lucky I am to still see them occasionally. Cream of the crop, people. They're the best. #bff #ninekidsbetweenus #movebacktoutah @taushamarie! @bekackand I miss you! 


{7.8.16}
Kolaches for breakfast this morning. I wish David got to stay home from work everyyyyyyy day. He's had the week off and it's been A+! #czechtexanbreakfastofchampions

{7.13.16}
Sometimes you drag your kids all over creation running errands then pretend like the whole reason for leaving the house was for a trip to the "donut factory". #winning #krispykreme #ireallylovedonuts

{7.14.16}
My favorite people. (Minus @davidpeaden who we are REALLY missing this week but who just said he was on the 4 o'clock train home to us!) #pajamaday #everyday

{7.15.16}
Half Day Fridays are THE best! #theend


{7.17.16}
Our Saturday morning consisted of organizing and hosting a multi-family yard sale. This morning, the first thing Lydia wanted to do was host her very own pretend yard sale with her Dad and little brother as her main customers. I love this age of playing pretend. It's pretty new territory and it's so much fun.

{7.20.16}
Crying and feeling so so sad because she wants us to paint our new window seat red instead of the white that I told the painters to use. #itshardtobefour #bigemotions

{7.21.16}
@davidpeaden came home from work yesterday carrying this star basket, balloon bouquet, and an award he received at a meeting for being a "Rising Star" at his firm. There are lots of really neat things he will get to do as a part of the award including attending part of the National Partner retreat in October, but more than anything it's just so neat for him to be recognized for all of the time, effort, and dedication he puts into the work he does. I'm so proud of him and so grateful that I'm the one that gets to team up with him on this life journey! #hesalwaysbeenastarinmybook

{7.22.16}
Progress! It's been one setback after another but two weeks after our painting "start date"... We finally have paint! (Although they used masking tape to tape around the wall and when they pulled it off they pulled all the paint with it. So they are supposed to come back and finish that... Sometime in the next week. Ugh.) So excited to see this finally coming together after years of planning! #windowseat

{7.24.16}
insta-david