DISCLAIMER

This blog is where I record a limited depiction of my feelings, family, and faith. My blog was recently under intense scrutiny, and so I feel this disclaimer is necessary. I try to tell my story as openly as I can, but this blog represents a cropped and narrow-viewed version of my story -- like all social media -- it is NOT the full story. Many events happen behind the scenes that are not recorded or written about, due to the sensitive nature of others involved. Life has many layers. Many layers can be shared and many cannot, and this blog is simply a layer of my life that I allow others to view, but it is not an accurate depiction of all the layers of my life.

A Year of Memories

It is time to catch up with the little things. I went back over my pictures and saw that there were many little things that I have not updated here on the blog. I want to take a minute and capture a few of the moments that have happened over this last year. This last year has been an interesting one, with a lot of change and other struggles, but as I look back over the pictures I can very clearly see all of the tender mercies, and magic moments that take place, no matter what we have gone through. 

One thing I have learned is that no day is completely bad. Even really horrible days have precious moments, when we look for them, and find gratitude for the little things. One of the beautiful things about having a camera on hand every moment, is that some of the small things can be captured, and remembered, so we can look back and see that life is good, sweet, and beautiful... even when it stinks. 

This post is just a LOT of pictures (like I hope my blog doesn't crash) of the little moments from this last year.... 

The pictures are not in order... they are all over the place, and I just don't have the time to reorganize them, there are TOO many!  (Somewhere around 300 pictures... yikes!) 

So, let's take a look at the memories -- they are scattered, and random -- just like memories come to mind in real life. 

Little Moments from 2022...

Here we have Daniel coming to Spokane for a visit. Baby Johnathan wanted to be picked up so he could go, "Weeeeeee!"



Daniel went to Nauvoo on his mission, this was him sporting a Kilt the Sunday before he left. 

Going to the temple after returning from his mission, with his friends. 


The smolder. 
Performing in a fun show. 
He made lots of great friends in Nauvoo! 
The missionaries got to perform in the Christmas Light the World concert
Handsome men 
These two were companions and found out they were fourth cousins too! 
He was made for this kind of work 
Such pretty people! 
Smiles! 
Saying a prayer
Daniel being a crazy strong man! 
 Missionary companions! 
Cute boy 
Out in nature 





Rollerskating 
He was made for this kind of outfit 
Singing a solo at the Sunday night concerts 

Sometimes this is how we soak in General Conference. 


The backyard of the house before we moved. 

We went on a little trip to Leavenworth, WA with my parents. It is a really cool place that felt like a Hallmark movie. 

Walking through Leavenworth. 


Lots of fun little shops.

That big blue dumpster helped a lot while we packed up and moved from the house. 

Precious Johnathan being silly. 

The Christmas store in Leavenworth. 



It was a magical place. 

His curls! 


There were some nights this year where this was the only way to make it through.


Lovely people in our ward brought over yummy food to help ease some of the burden of moving. 

The court house in Spokane is a really beautiful building. 

Baby just running around the park. 

Spring flowers 

Just chilling 

The beautiful pond. 

I took the doors off of the front closet and made a little entry area. 



Garden pond 


Hanging out on the hammock 

Love this boy! 



Making house a home...






Love snuggles! 

Some baby pics! 

Looking out the window

Soaking in the rainbows 

Nap time hair 

Night time at the pond. 

Spring flowers 

"Suffer with patience these afflictions" 

Love this face





Out walking in nature with Henry 

I LOVE watching HGTV shows, in fact, it might be an addiction. 



Sunset in a bottle 



Oh man... baby body. SO CUTE! 



Out for a walk with Johnathan. 

Spending time at the temple 

In the backyard of our new home. 

The movers... they were amazing and got it done FAST! Here they are moving the piano, always a nerve-wracking experience! 

Packing up. 

A temple trip with Daniel, in Spokane. 

Just hanging out. 

Brothers. 



Duncan Garden in bloom. 



Back from Nauvoo. 

All the boys after Dan got home from his mission. 

So happy to have Elder van Ormer home! 

Tickle time! 

A gift from Daniel. 

Sammi has been working for a company that does Princess parties. She gets to dress up like Disney princesses. 

Christmas fun! 

Christmas

Brothers being silly, these guys are such good buddies. 

William has been working out and has changed his body so much! It has been very inspiring. 

Christmas Eve 

Roses in the garden 


Beautiful sunset 

Taking a walk in the snow on a warm winter day. 

Baby deer near our home. 

When Daniel came for Christmas Johnathan snuggled right into his shoulder. SO precious. 

I sat with baby and sang him the songs from Frozen 2. He put his hand on my face. 

Hot wheels battle. They have collected them over many years. 

A Christmas FaceTime! 

Eating his vegetables. 

Turkeys. 

The best kind of toys. 

Fields of golden wheat. 

Playing in the snow! 

Up on William's shoulders. 

I painted some walls green in my new home. It has cozied it right up. 

Packing up the plants and accessories. 

A gorgeous summer day. 

Henry has been obsessed with drawing Sonic the Hedgehog... he is GOOD! 


Johnathan is such a charming young boy. 

He does not say many words, but as his mother I speak his language and know what he is saying. 

SNOW! It has snowed SO much this year! 

Summer days 

He is such a pleasant child. 

Christmas 

Sammi being Rapunzel, which means acting like herself. 

Ice fog days 

Princess Aurora 

Ice fog freezing the trees 




Building snowmen 

Happy Snowman 

Olaf playing in the snow

Daniel was in the Light the World concert with the Nauvoo missionaries



We went to the temple and did some work for Charles' family, it was an amazing experience. 



Just finding somewhere to sit 

More family FaceTime 

So precious... I love winter sleepers. 

Twins

I LOVE these streets 

My sanctuary 

The leaves did not fall before the snow came. 

Halloween candy! 

Halloween night! 

Trick or Treating 



The Avenues are SO fun for Trick or Treating 




Santa Baby 

Carving pumpkins 

Tackling the football 



I found this cute heater fireplace to put in my office 


Working on this... 

I attended a special Stake Fireside series on "Strengthening your Relationships," it was really good. I hope they keep doing those kind of educational firesides! Loved it! 

Splash pad at night 

Johnathan loved it



Sammi smooching on Baby 



Putting together my office. This is where I will be doing my college work. I wanted to fill it full of things that are inspiring. 



It is my happy place 

This is my Nan, and my mom. Strong women. Great examples to me. 

I have little quotes around the room... 





From Charles' journal. 



Just hanging out 


Reflections  


Hanging out at the park 

The eyelashes 

Yummy! 



Fall colors 

A walk in the park 

Temple time! 

Watching the new Book of Mormon videos


Art and ice cream with Sammi and Henry 


Building blocks 

God paints the most beautiful sunsets!

Smelling the flowers. 


This was good advice for me. 

A hat I made. 

Making hats 

Sammi drawing with Henry 

Fall colors 


He loves to hold things in his hand 

Soaking in the sunlight 


The eyes 


Sammi and Me 

There was a storm that left behind some Heavenly Cloud formations... 

It was SO dramatic! 



I had never seen anything like it. 

Magnificient clouds 



It was hard to say goodbye to this beautiful place. 

Soaking in some scripture power

Playing in the sun

Cutie-pie! 

Duncan garden entrance 

Going shopping! 

CHEESE! 

Swinging 



Relaxing 

This land fills me with joy. 

This home holds many feelings, and it was time to move forward.

The light and the dark 

These trees are so amazing 

The new swans at Manito pond 

I did a photoshoot with Sammi... I will post the pictures on the blog separately. 

Sammi plucking William's eyebrows

Tulips! 

Happy to be going for a walk! 


Riding up high on William's shoulders 


Sammi playing her music for us. 

Painting with grandma 


The sky and a storm 



The storm was crazy the sunset was phenomenal 

Flying! 


Sleeping baby 

Sammi came to visit our new home. 

It was hard to say goodbye to this old Craftsman house. 

Stormy weather 

Sometimes life leaves you feeling like this

My favorite flower tree

Brothers! 

Flowers... can't wait for Spring to come again! 

The gorgeous gardens

I asked Sammi to send me some of her memories from the year. She is living in Boise and going to college studying Art, and working at the college store, and as a Disney Princess for parties. 

Here are some of her memories... 

Church with the family. 

Reverting back to her younger years. 
Visiting with Tyson. 
Sammi as Cinderella 
Smooching on Nico 
A choir concert with friends 
Choir

Sammi with Nico's family 

Baby Groot from Disneyland 

Reading a book 
Belle! 
Sammi was made for this princess business 
A family gathering 
Just a bunch of Disney Princesses hanging around... and Sven. 
Wearing a mask for a concert. 
Masked up to see Wicked in Spokane 
Sibling love 
Sammi and Rachelle 


Stars! 
Staying in a creepy mobile home in the woods. 
Sammi and Baby Johnathan 
Peek-a-Boo! 
Sammi and Jensine 
Hugs! 
At Lagoon 
Lagoon 
Lagoon 
Yummy foods 
A painting by Sammi 
Anna from Frozen 

Princess Aurora 
Nico playing with Johnathan's toes 
Sammi close up 
The Boise Ballon Festival 
More Belle 
Hiding in the bushes 

Sammi as herself 
So cute! 

Sammi as Elsa. She said sometimes kids are a little afraid of Elsa, so she has to "warm up" the character a little. 
Sammi has to do her own princess makeup... another form of art. 
Halloween 
Pumpkin cheese! 

Sammi is studying Art

Sammi Sunshine 

Sammi wearing her Paddington Bear jacket 
Hugging her squishmallow 
Hiking the foothills 

Cheese! 
Some action pics 
Sammi won
Sammi swinging with the baby 
More Rapunzel... it is REALLY easy for Sammi to be in character for her. 

At the Zoo 
More Balloons! 
Elsa taking a walk 
The Boise Foothills 
Winter in Boise 
Dancing princesses 
Sammi went to her regular job before a Princess Party... she looked like this... 


And then turned into this... 
2022 was a strange year. But there was so much good, too. Most of all, at the end of the day... I LOVE my family SO much! They fill my heart full of joy and love. I am so grateful for my amazing family! 

Interesting, the first and last picture on this post is a sunset. Perhaps that is how I feel about this year; let the sun set on 2022, and bring in the sunrise of 2023. 

I hope that I can always find the beauty that exists, no matter what happens. It is always there. You just have to look for it, every single day. Life is full of precious moments and memories. 


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