Last year of everything....

After 6 years in Young Women's I was released TWO WEEKS before McKennah went in as a little Beehive.  

And now,  here I am, posting pics of her "LAST GIRL'S CAMP EVER"....sad story.  McKennah and mom bonding at girl's camp was just not meant to be.....

McKennah was given the task of handing out awards-- and I heard she did a fantastic job!  She made each girl feel special and loved by her thoughtful remarks and her trying to award each girl with a reward that truly suited them.

The girl's awesome leaders:  Karyn Smith, Maren Skidmore, Stefanie Cisney, Amy Anderson, Shellie Harvey, Dana Craig, Julie Clark, Jen Qualls, Julie Johnson, Tiffany Olson, and Denise Seegmiller

And her new "little sister" Paige our new neighbor's from next door.

SLC Urban Goose Chase....

Team Mighty Gooser's

Curt, Cheryl, Kate, Darren, Me, and Steven

One of the funnest things we have done in a looooonnnggg time.  Cheryl was looking on Groupon one day and came across the Urban Goose Chase.  It's an Amazing Race type of deal.  There was over 200 people participating-- about 30 teams.  Unlike the Amazing Race it is not a checkpoint to checkpoint game.  Here we were just asked to start somewhere downtown.  You were to download a free phone app and when the race began, a list of about 50 tasks downloaded to your phone, with a corresponding point value-- you were to complete them, take a picture as proof, and after the 3 hour allotted time frame the game turned off and whomever had the most points won $300! 

Sweet Kate, had the undaunting task of guiding us and documenting all of our tasks.  She is in only a few of the pics.  Love you, Kate!

Tasks such as....."Captain of the Castle" asking a stranger to help us form a 3 tiered pyramid, complete with a Captain Morgan pose.

Doing a cannonball into a pool....

"Close Quarters"....Team bonding in a tight space.....

"Monkeying Around".....

"Switching Sides".....

"Namaste"....getting 3 strangers to participate with us doing yoga.

"Gilgal"....locating this sculpture garden and finding Joseph Smith's face

"KISS Me".....painting a team members face as a KISS band member

"Up"....finding 10 balloons or more, and acting as if you were flying away

"Cock Fight"....finding two willing and able strangers to have a good 'ol fashioned chicken fight.

"How Low Can You Go".....finding something to limbo under.

"Music to My Ears"....Using anything besides real instruments to form our own street band.

Those were just a few of my favorites.....

And, would you look at that.....WE WON!

I love to win :)  so glad that these folks do too!

Red Rover...

Goodbye Suburban.....happy 40th to me!  Ordered some University of Utah alumni plates, and wanted to personalize them with "REDROVR."  But Darren nixed that idea....I kind of regret it, maybe next year :)

Just like new!

The week after we decided not to pack up and move to Farmington, we started digging for our pool.  I think we had pretty much everyone convinced to move along with us....besides my little Logan.  Logan has found his "happy" place.  Good friends, good neighbors and an awesome ward.  What more could we ask for?  After completion of the pool-- we decided to take the construction to the inside.

I love this crew.  This pic is from almost exactly a year ago today.  My dearest friends at our "Favorite Things" party.  Our 2nd annual to be held next week!  Anyway, I am posting this pic because it is the closest thing I have to a "before" remodel pic.  This is what I called my "Peach Pit".  The near flesh colored peachy walls, matching so close to the kitchen cabinets, the dark cherry wood island, the even darker kitchen table and chairs.  It was quite dreary.......

  

But, VOILA!!!  This new and improved has become MY new "happy" place.  A much needed update, and much brighter place.

Orlando, with Allied Painters spent a good 6 1/2 weeks prepping, plastering, and painting our entire upper floor.  Filled in the knots of our knotty alder cabinets, sanded them down, primed and painted them.  We changed our granite countertops to quartz, installed a subway tile backsplash, changed the hardware, hung some pendant lights and switched out the furniture.  (still waiting on my backordered chandelier :))  

A 4 month mess, but sooooo worth the headache!  A fresh new start to the next 6 years!

Ogden Pioneer Day Rodeo!

 Rodeo time again with these fun folks!  Darren seems to be out of town at this time of year.....EVERY year.  :(  So, once again we went to the rodeo without him.  He is MISSING out!  It is fun, and something the kids and I look forward to doing each year.  Here's hoping for next time!

Cheryl and McKennah dressed as twins!  Love them both.