Inspired by my friend and visiting teacher Angela Walker, I have recommitted to writing a family journal that I hope to update monthly. Here are excerpts from this month’s journal:
JUNE
We celebrated Ben’s 33rd birthday on the 24th. I picked Ben up at work, we parked the car in the garage under his building, and then we walked to Wild Ginger Bellevue … Afterwards, we went to the Cheesecake Factory where we ordered three different cheesecake slices: Strawberry, Apple Strudel, and a Hershey’s Bar. Ben’s favorite was the Apple Strudel. We gave Ben his presents. Emma and I decorated his wrapping paper at home: I drew birds and Emma made scribbles with paint.
Last Saturday we went to the Lindenwood Community Center with James and Brooke. Emma and Maddie had fun playing in the kids’ pool, and Emma tried floating and kicking. Emma loves putting her head in the water and jumping. She’s working on her floating in the bathtub. I canceled my gym membership … so I have to find other pools for Emma and I to go to.
The playgrounds have been ordered for our neighborhood!
I have started trying to identify the birds in our neighborhood. So far I have seen a Sterling’s Jay, a White-Crowned sparrow, a European Starling, a Dark-Eyed Junco, a House Sparrow, and of course the Robin and American Crow. There is another bird that keeps eluding me. I believe they are young Tree Swallows. There is also a pigeon that is flying around here. I think it’s the mourning pigeon but I haven’t had a good look at it. On one of our hikes I spotted an American Goldfinch.
So far Ben and I have kept up our yearly goal of going to the temple once a month. I’m going to try to increase my attendance to twice a month because I feel that I have a little more time and I find that I miss it after a month of not going.
I still love my calling in primary. I think I have a lot to learn still and I think the children and teachers are patient with me for the most part. Ben is secretary for Elder’s Quorum. Choir is on break for the summer.
Ben and I bought Fitbits a little while ago. Our goal is to get to 10,000 steps a day. I try to get in half of my steps before 10:00 a.m. I’m trying to get 30 active minutes three times a week.
We saw the fireworks on the 4th and they were the best that we’ve ever seen. This was a hard week because Ben was DRI, which means that he can’t leave the house or go very far away, but he was able to see the fireworks with us.
I’ve been searching for a dresser that will fit in Emma’s room. I’ve decided to take my search to Craiglist. So far the smallest dresser I can find is from Pottery Barn but I refuse to pay $500+. I’ve looked at Mor’s furniture. They have one that is slightly longer, and I like the style a little more, but theirs is only slightly less than $500 if you count delivery.
We went to the Tiny Tots Concert with Lisa and Linda. They played music from “Parade of the Animals.” Ben and I went to hear the Seattle Symphony play St. Saens Organ Symphony. We also heard two Wagner pieces: Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde; and Overture and Venusberg Music from Tannhäuser
I’m thinking about my cousin Amanda who was born on July 4th and who died almost four years ago.
Emma still has play dates with Annikah. She is good friends with another little boy from primary. At Fieldtrip Friday they followed each other around everywhere. She is learning her letters and the sounds they make. She is counting more. She knows several states: WA, AZ, OR, NC, SC, TX, FL, AL, VA, CA, SD, ND, MT, MA, GA. She knows where Japan is on the map, the United States, Mexico, Chile, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Russia, China, Belgium, Greenland, Australia. Emma is taking gymnastics on Wednesdays and we’re doing a Spanish class on Mondays. Last Friday we started doing “Fieldtrip Fridays,” which consists of going to the park or a beach with friends.
We are very thankful for our Heavenly Father, that we can pray to Him, and that we can receive the comfort of the Spirit. We are thankful for Jesus Christ our Savior, and we feel His influence in our lives as we try to do what it is right.
We got this back from Emma’s photography session with Holli Dunn.
MAY
These are pictures taken from our visit of family in May. Ben’s Nana, her husband, and Ben’s dad came. Jesse was also here for a week, and he brought Emma the doll she is holding above. We took Jesse to the Space Needle, Chihuly Museum, Pikes Place Market, and Jesse gave me a few cooking tutorials.
Here are some pictures from Emma and my trip to Utah in May. My friend Roxanne got married to Rick Shumway. After their wedding, I spent time with my Aunt Leslie and Uncle David and Cousin Ben. My grandma was also visiting them, and I saw several old friends and roommates from BYU. I’m always so inspired and renewed when I go back to BYU and see my friends.
I loved the update. :)
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