It's all good . . .

The Beach and a Temple - A Weekend Getaway

After a very exhausting month (few months), we were heading out on a weekend getaway as a family.  My sister, Wendy, was letting us stay at her beach house for the weekend, and we were planning on going to the McAllen Temple open house as well.  Unfortunately, not only did we have the crazy Memorial Day traffic, but there was some sort of police indecent on the freeway we needed to take, and so we had to go an extra hour out of our way.  Because of that, we definitely didn't get to Port Aransas with enough time to go down to the beach, but it's all good.  The sunset and the smell of the ocean were calling me.

We got all settled into the beautiful beach house for the night, and I was so relieved to be there.  And I didn't bring any teaching stuff with me for the weekend.  What a relief!

Saturday morning, Arthur and I were up early and went on a donut run to Donut Palace, the awesome donut place we found the last time we were in town.  Arthur was the best little buddy, and we sang along to fun music on our way there and back.

Soon after breakfast, we all loaded up into the car to drive a couple hours away to McAllen, Texas, right on the Mexican border, where we visited the beautiful McAllen Temple.  We love getting to take our kids to temple open houses, and this one was fantastic.  It was such a beautiful and unique temple.

I love that it was the second one that Arthur has been two in the past three months, which means that all the wonderful spiritual things that he experienced and learned about were  solidified.  It was definitely worth the long drive there, and we were all so happy we went.

Before we headed back to Port Aransas, we had lunch at a super yummy chicken place in town.  We got the family platter, and it was so yummy, and perfect for our family.

When we got back to Port A, the kids and I immediately changed into our swim suits and headed to the beach.  The weather was perfect, and the kids practically ran the whole way to the ocean.  I did get them to pause a second to pose for a picture though - ha ha!The water was so nice, and the kids played in the waves and boogie boarded, and sometimes just stood/sat in the water and talked.

Arthur's favorite thing was getting to dig in the sand and make sandcastles.  Eventually, his older siblings came out of the water to help him dig in the sand.  Mostly, Arthur wanted to dig a really big hole - ha ha!

I came back from the beach and got cleaned up for date night with Kevin.  (He had been so exhausted after all the driving to Port A and McAllen, that he slept the whole time we were at the beach.)  We went to the yummiest Mexican restaurant for dinner, and had the best time out on the balcony having our dinner.  I love that we make time for date night every week, and I sure love getting to have that time with him.  Plus, our kids love it when we go out on our dates - ha ha!

On Sunday morning, we got up and got ready, and I quickly cleaned up the beach house.  (Wendy keeps it so beautiful, and I always try to make sure that it is just as clean and nice as it was when we arrived.  Before we knew it, we were back on the road so that we could get home in time for church.  It was such a wonderful weekend, even if it was a whirlwind of a trip.  I am so grateful for opportunities to spend time like this with my family.

 

Sick

Something has been going around the school I teach at.  Covid, stomach bug, the flu, or all of the above.  Kids have been dropping like flies.  I had five kids out the other day.  And last weekend, two of the teachers on our team went home sick partway through the day.  I was really hoping to stay healthy, and I had been, until the other day when I woke up feeling off.  Nauseous and a bit weak, but I thought I would be fine.  And I really didn't have the energy to get a sub or plan for one, so I stayed in bed a little longer and prayed that all would be well.

Unfortunately, after a few hours, I started feeling worse.  I was freezing to death, but I was feeling so rotten that it didn't hit me that I had a fever and the chills.  It came on so quickly, and suddenly I could barely stand.  In fact, while the class was in with the counselor, I curled up on my rug on the arm chair pillows and rested.  I even texted the office to see if someone could come and cover my class, as I was feeling like I needed to go home.  

They didn't have anyone that could help, so I tried to power through, but in the middle of a video I was showing my class, the principal walked in to drop something off in my room.  I walked over to talk to him, and immediately had to run for the bathroom, where I proceeded to puke my guts out.  Well, at least Mr. Massey was there to keep an eye on my class.  So embarrassing.

So, I had Lily come and pick me up, since I didn't have the car.  And actually, that was probably a good thing, because I was so weak.  I passed out and slept for a while, but at one point, I woke up, and even though I couldn't even lift up my head, I was able to run the review game I set up so that my class could still do it.  They had a test the next day, and I felt like I was deserting them.

I don't know what I had, but I couldn't even hold down water for 24 hours and I really did have a fever and chills.  I slept on and off, and when I was awake, I attempted to find a sub for Thursday, as well as work on my sub plans.  I could barely type a few words before I would have to rest again, and so eventually, I had Lily come up and type for me while I dictated my plans.  Good times.

By the next morning, my fever had broken and I was no longer throwing up, but thank goodness I had a sub, as I couldn't even move off my bed for most of the day.  Wow - whatever I had really took it out of me.  Thank goodness I am better now, and I sure hope that the rest of my family is okay.  Especially Kevin, since he leaves on a work trip to England in a couple days.

The End of August

August just flew by, and in the end of August, amidst all the back to school adventures, we were able to have a bit of fun.  Arthur seems to be the one who is the best at making fun, which always makes our house a better place to be.  The other day, he created an awesome fort, complete with weapons all over and around it for protection.  He played in it all weekend, and it miraculously didn't fall on him, since the beanbag is super heavy. Ha ha!

Arthur also makes sure that we follow along with all the random "national" food holidays, like National Waffle Day. I can totally get behind that :).

This past week, we also had a little mini concert for Derek's choir.  They did it because they wanted all the parents to come and sign paperwork for choir, and it was seriously the most boring meeting.  They did sing one song though, so there is that.  Ha ha!  Why they just couldn't send the info home or email it, is beyond me.  After they talked to us forever, and the choir sang that one song, we had to rush to the cafeteria and turn in signed paperwork, which meant standing in ten different lines.  It was rather lame, but at least there were three of us, and so we would each stand in a different line, and then just pass the person the checklist to get marked. Good times.

Wednesday, we had a puppet show activity with the girls.  I brought a bunch of puppets, and some of the girls brought their own, and then we broke them in groups and let them create a show, and later perform.  The piano worked as the perfect puppet show theater.  It was chaos and crazy at times, but the girls loved the freedom of creating and just playing.  It was pretty awesome.

Afterward, because Arthur had gotten a ride with his friend, Jack, and I had taken his sister Mary, I had her with me at my house for a bit.  Mary is a sweetheart, but wow, the energy.  Since I was long exhausted from a full day of teaching, as well as the activity with the girls, I decided to harness her energy into something worthwhile - like watering my plants.  She loved it, and I got some yard work done.  Win, win.

 

On Saturday, we decided to get in some family fun.  The San Antonio Zoo had a special where teachers were free and you could get extra tickets for 50% off, so I reserved tickets, and we finally made it to the zoo.  We had a great time - in spite of the ridiculously hot weather.  We saw so many animals! Crocodiles and alligators.  Lots and lots of snakes, which made Lily happy.  (Their collection of snakes was really impressive.)

We got to see big cats, like jaguars and tigers, as well as the bear.  The coolest thing was this enclosed walkway where the jaguar could just walk through the monkey exhibit.  I even got a video, because it was really cool, although in the picture, I don't think you can see it on the path.

There were also plenty of lizards and such, giant tortoises, and even a Komodo Dragon.

There were a bunch of kangaroos, so many birds, and some quintessential animals like monkeys (Kevin's favorite), giraffes, and rhinos.  We didn't stay there past lunch, because it was so hot, but we were actually able to see all the exhibits.  We had such a great time, and we loved experiencing it as a family.

That night, for date night, we went on a hunt for chicken fried steak for Kevin, and found this local place, The Longhorn Cafe, which turned out to be a bit of a cowboy hangout.  Very fun, and the food was good, even if the wait was long.

The highlight of the end of the month, however, was Arthur singing his solo in church.  He sang the song "The Miracle," and as he performed it, it hit me that his brother sang this very song in church in Pennsylvania back when he was ten and in fifth grade.  Pretty cool.  He did such an amazing job, and the spirit was so strong!  And the coolest part, was that his school teachers were able to join the zoom call of the meeting and watch him sing. (They had planned on coming in person, but got sick and couldn't.) It was such an amazing highlight of our year, let alone the month, and really, the perfect way to finish things off.

School's in Session

On Monday, it was the first day of the school year.  It was extra eventful in many ways, but one of the biggest ways it was a big deal, is that our Derek started his senior year of high school!!  What?! How did this adorable little kindergartener grow into a six foot tall handsome twelfth grader?? It went by too fast.  (And his first day of picture is totally in the dark, because I had to take it before I headed to my school at 6:30 am.  Oh well.  Arthur's picture is in the dark as well.)

For Arthur, it is a momentous year as well, as he is in fifth grade and starting his last year of elementary school.  He was so very excited, and even wore his special Legend of Zelda shirt for the occasion.

I am so excited for his teacher this year, Miss Koch.  She is amazing, and I am not just saying that because she is on my team ;).  He loves her already.

She has so many fun ideas and is very experienced, which makes it a great place for him to learn, and a wonderful mentor for me to learn from.

And yes, it was the first day for me as well.  I may have been too busy to take a first day of school picture of myself, so this picture from Meet the Teacher night will have to do ;). It was a great, albeit crazy, first day.  I walked into the classroom only to discover that my clock had fallen off the wall and shattered.  There was glass and broken bits all over the floor.  Oh my goodness.  Luckily, it was the worst thing that happened all day, and other than being completely exhausted, it was a great day.

The week has gone well so far, and my new sign arrived part way through the week.  It is seriously my favorite, and I have it hanging in my room.  Good times, and truer words were never spoken: "If at first you don't succeed, try doing what Mrs. Brown told you to do in the first place." Ha ha!

The first week is over now, and every day is better.  There are times when I feel like I am on a train that is running out of control, but somehow I am hanging on.  My lessons are getting planned, my students are getting taught, and sometimes I actually finish a lesson - ha ha!  But most importantly, I think my students feel loved and that my classroom is a safe and a cozy place to be.  And that is the most important thing - everything else will come.

The Last Bits of Summer

Although I had started back at work the first week of August, it was technically still summer for another couple weeks.  Even in all the craziness, Kevin and I still managed to get in our weekly date night.  Last Saturday, we went to Chris Madrids for their amazing and giant burgers.  Yum! 

After dinner, we went cowboy boot shopping for me, and after sifting through the hundreds of styles, and Kevin continuously suggesting boots like the bright green one, or some covered in sparkles, I found the perfect pair.  Soft brown leather, a beautiful and subtle design, and very comfortable.  Perfection!  They didn't have my size, and so I did have to order it online, but since it is still too hot out to wear boots, its all good.

Speaking of heat, on Friday, our upstairs AC stopped working.  It was so crazy hot, and although we thought we got it working, it  only lasted about thirty minutes before it stopped.  Enough time so that I had told the AC guy not to come. Ugh.  It was so uncomfortable that I went down and slept on the couch downstairs, where blessedly, the AC was still working.  This continued on and off for almost a week, until the culprit was found - a clogged drain line - and it was fixed.  In the mean time, I had began bunking with Lily, and the boys all slept on the floor of the living room.  It really was miserable, especially when the outside temps were 105 and the inside temps were in the mid 90's.

There was some fun to be had though.  Kevin took the kids on Tuesday to Aquatica for one last day to play.  I was stuck at NEISD curriculum day classes, but they had a blast.  And they showed him all the tricks that we learned when we were there a few weeks before.  They loved getting to have another day at the waterpark, and especially loved getting to have the time with their dad.

After Aquatica, he took them to Culvers, which Lily and Derek especially loved, as it brought back memories of years of Scoopie Nights back at Meridian Ranch.  

And because Kevin is awesome, he brought me a milkshake.  It was the perfect treat, as I was so tired after spending all day in classes, and then a few hours working in my classroom.  It was one last bit of summer before the crazy of school begins next week.

 

 

Getting Ready for School

For any of you who have taught before, especially elementary teachers, you understand the craziness and pressure of getting your classroom set up.  There is a very small window of time when you are allowed into your classroom to set things up, and when you are starting fresh, there is an insane amount of work that has to be done.  And so, when I got the go ahead to get into my classroom and get started the last week of July, I was in there early and was leaving late.  But it sure felt great to see my name on my classroom - it made it all feel real.

The first week back after our trip, before I was allowed into the classroom, I was finishing up paperwork with the school district, doing their online training (much of which was mind numbingly boring), and getting my picture taken for my ID badge.  I was also frantically trying to organize all of my supplies and see what I still needed. I was actually overwhelmed, because I had already spent hundreds of dollars on things for my room and other supplies I need, but still had a massive wish list.  It was then that Kevin suggested that I reach out to friends and family to help, and wow, did they ever come through for me.  I started receiving packages every day from Amazon with everything from a desk chair to book shelves, to sharpies and whiteboards.  It brought me to tears more than once.

On Monday, I was finally allowed into my room, and I had Derek come with me to help, as I had boxes, upon boxes of supplies - much of which was stuff that was not yet put together.  We may have had a crazy adventure trying to get the cart that was stacked with everything into the elevator.  It involved unloading half the stuff, lifting the heavy cart to turn it, and then dumping all the stuff out into the hall so we could go back for the rest - ha ha!

Sadly, when we arrived at my room, it had not been touched since last year.  It had not been cleaned, it wasn't set up like the map, and there was even the robotics track still set up on the floor (Which was quite large, so thank goodness I had Derek there to help me take it apart, which took a while.)  He also helped me move some furniture around - some in my room, and some I had to find, as it was missing.  I didn't even have enough desks.  It was as if, since the room was not used last year, they had forgotten it entirely.  Very frustrating.  Luckily, I had brought my small vacuum and some cleaning supplies, so by the end of the first day, the room had been cleaned and I had the proper furniture.

On day two, I was able to get most of my purchased items put together, and mostly figured out where I wanted the desks and things. I also spent a long time just adjusting the heights of the desks so that they were all the same height. But hey, progress was being made.  Thank goodness for that. (And that Catherine, my teaching partner, was working in her room next door, as she was a much needed source of moral support and answers.)

On Thursday, after a day off with my kids to play at Aquatica - and a trip to JoAnn's to buy fabric - I was back and working.  Kevin had helped me out by making me some shelves that were missing in my cupboard, and I borrowed a ladder so that I could start hanging up the felt I had purchased at JoAnn's.  I also had Lily there to help me, as she was huge in working to get all the desks adjusted so they were matching heights, as well as other things.  She also came with me again on Friday, for part of the day, and by the time we left, it was starting to look much more like a classroom.
Sadly, the following week, I was in mandatory training on Tuesday through Thursday, and so I could only come in for a few hours on Monday. (By the way, standing on tall ladders while you are still under the effects of anesthesia is not a wise idea.  I may have forgotten to lock the ladder and had it collapse under me.  Oops.  Luckily, I was fine.)  When I left after spending time there on Friday, it was still a long way from finished, but it was so much closer.

And miraculously, I got my bulletin board in the hall decorated, which was a huge win.  Even if school starts in about a week, and my room is far from ready, but more importantly, I have absolutely no idea what I am going to teach the kids when they come.  Heaven help me.  Hopefully it will come together this week, even with most of my time taken up with campus and district training.

Finishing Summer: Part 2

Ever since we got back from our trip out west, life has been a flurry of activity, and I feel like I barely have time to sit down, let alone have fun with the kids having summer adventures, and so in an effort to be more intentional about things, I took the kids to play at Aquatica on Wednesday.

We got there before the gates opened, and in only about an hour, we had gone on every single slide that we wanted to, which was awesome.  The boys even got to go on their favorite body slides a second time and race - although Derek totally destroyed Arthur, since he weighs more than twice as much.  Ha ha!

At the end, we even had time for Lily and I to float on the lazy river while the boys got to play in the splash park.  It was definitely a successful adventure, and we were done by noon.
Another thing that I made time for, was a visit to the San Antonio Temple with Kevin.  It is always one of my favorite things to do.  Afterwards, we went over to Dirty Dough, the cookie shop, and got the yummiest milkshakes.  Definitely a win.

On Saturday, we were able to sneak in some more family fun, but this time with Kevin as well.  We all went to see the show, "Percy Jackson: The Musical" at the Majik Theater.  It was so much fun!  The kids absolutely loved it, and the fact that we could sit and eat popcorn during the show made it even better.

We finished off the weekend in a less than fun way - for me, at least.  I had to start preparing for my colonoscopy on Monday morning, so on Sunday, all I could have were clear liquids and jello.  It was not fun, but then it was made even worse when I had to start drinking the incredibly nasty stuff that helps clean out your system.  It was so insanely gross, that I had to hold a paper towel over my mouth after each swallow to keep from puking it up.  Luckily, the actual colonoscopy went well, and I am cleared for the next 15 years before I have to go through this torture again.  Hallelujah.

The next week, I was in all sorts of trainings, but we still managed to have some family fun.  On Thursday night, we went out to dinner as a family and then to Seaworld, so we could catch their Summer Spectacular show before it finished for the season.  We got there a few hours early, so that we could enjoy the park before the show.

We got to see the Beluga Whale and Dolphin show, which is always one of my favorite things.  And even though it was meltingly hot (triple digits), we had so much fun!
We were also able to catch the Orca Adventures show, which is also one of my very favorite things.  Arthur is obsessed with the music from the show, and desperately wants to find it to listen to at home.

Right around 9 pm, as the sun was setting, the Hydro Extreme FX began, and wow, was it fun!  It was an 80's rock concert/water sports stunt show, complete with fire and fireworks.  We all absolutely loved it, and it was worth the late night and melting in the heat.  So much fun!!

On Friday, we finished up the fun with Arthur getting to go to a birthday party for his friend's younger sister.  It was Harry Potter themed, and so it was right up his ally.  He was in heaven, wearing his cloak and casting spells at everyone. Ha ha!

I am so glad we had some great adventures in the midst of my preparations for starting the school year.  It made it actually feel like summer.

Finishing Summer: Part 1

When we got back from our vacation, I only had a couple weeks until I was in full-on teacher mode, and so although I was busy with many teacher prep things (online orientation classes with the district, filling out endless paperwork for onboarding, and organizing all the things for my classroom), we still tried to fit in some summer - even if it was just for the kids.

Speaking of summer, it has been an exceptionally dry and hot summer.  I read an article about how our part of Texas was stuck in a "heat dome" that kept the heat in, and didn't allow in the pressure systems that brought rain. So the extreme triple digit heat for months, as well as no rain, has wreaked havoc on my poor garden and trees.  When we got back from our trip, my Redbud had lost almost all of its leaves, which is heartbreaking.

But enough about that, let's get back to the fun.  Arthur was able to go to the birthday party of his friend, Jack, which he loved!  It was an "Among Us" theme, and they got to play and have a blast.

One night, my Activity Girls got to have a pool party at the Kimball's house, and it was so nice to get in the pool.  Let's just say that it was very hot out, and a pool party was the only way to go.I also got to sneak in a temple trip with my sister, Wendy, which meant that I was able to see all four of my sisters within the span of a couple weeks.  So awesome!! (Now I need to figure out how I will ever get to see my brothers . . .) The temple was wonderful, and I love it any time I can spend time with Wendy.

Arthur is trying to learn how to cook, and I am trying to remember to teach him, so the other night, we made waffles together.  It is so much more fun cooking with a buddy.

On Friday, Kevin and I got to spend a lot of extra time together.  First, I met up with he and his team for a lunch at "Chicken and Pickle," where we ate yummy food, and then played Pickle Ball.  It was my first time playing, and it turns out that I am not that bad.  And as usual, as happens when I play sports or games, my competitive side came out.  Ha ha! And yes, we totally beat the other team.  

That night, we had a group date with a bunch of friends at the pizza place where they serve pizzas as big as the table.  IN fact, you have to have extra long plates so the slices can fit on them. So much fun!  My only complaint was that I never had a chance to talk to my friends at the other end of the table.  Afterward, a couple of us stopped for gelato, and so it meant we had the chance to talk to a few more people, which was great.  And the gelato was to die for.
On Saturday, there was a Stake Pioneer Day celebration, with pulled pork sandwiches, games, and other fun food.  The kids really enjoyed it, but it was so hot that we only stayed for about 30 minutes.  We were seriously melting, and since we weren't sitting by anyone but our own family, we decided we could socialize at home in the AC.

At church on Sunday, my friend, Debbie, who is the music leader, had the kids do a special activity with a fake campfire to celebrate Pioneer Day, and it was so cute, I had to snap a picture.  The kids loved it!

After church, Lily had her monthly Zone Conference, which she loved.  Her mission really has been the most amazing experience for her!  It was the perfect way to finish off one of our last weeks of summer.

Western Adventure: Heading Home and the Grand Canyon

On Saturday afternoon, once the Brown Family party had come to a close, we drove down to Orem to visit the Steeles.  Tony and Katie have been wonderful friends of ours since Lily was a baby, and we were so excited that they moved from Georgia to Utah, so that we could visit them when we come through now.  It had been way too long!!  

We, of course, had our priorities, and as soon as we got pizza and fed everyone, the pinochle playing began.  We did take a few moments to show Lily, Derek, and Arthur their incredible video game collection.  They have one of every Nintendo console, as well as every game you can imagine.  Lily's mind was completely blown, and watching her get to play this Mario Dance Revolution game that she had only ever read about, was amazing.  It definitely made Tony and Katie happy to see the kids get so excited about it all.  Each of the kids chose a game to play, and then they took turns.  It was perfect.  And while they were in the basement having a blast, we were upstairs playing pinochle and talking like no time had passed.

Sunday morning came all too fast, and soon we were on the road and heading back to Texas.  

When we were planning this trip, we realized that it would only add an hour to our trip to stop by and see the Grand Canyon.  None of us had ever been, and so we decided to add in a little adventure, and wow, it was worth it.

We only stayed about twenty minutes as we explored the visitor's station we stopped at, and checked it out.

There really are no words, and the pictures don't even come close to doing it justice.  It really is spectacular and grand.

I am so glad we made the time for this quick, but wonderful, family adventure.

After the canyon, we were back on the road to drive as much as we could before stopping for the night.  Arthur was pretty wiped out from all the fun, and so he crashed in the car long before we arrived.

When we did finally stop for the night, Kevin went out and got us milkshakes to celebrate "National Milkshake Day."  They were delicious!

Monday was another long day in the car, but we finally made it.  And we have the piles of suitcases and duffel bags to prove it.  It was a wonderful summer adventure, but it sure is good to be home.

PS. while we were gone, my fabulous friend, Whitney, and her daughter, Harper, had been taking care of my plants.  I was so grateful for their help with watering, since the weather has been extra hot and excessively dry. 

Western Adventure: The Brown Family Party

A while back, Kevin's mom realized that we would have a small window of time after my nephew Payton got home from his mission, where all the kids and grandkids would be available for a family reunion.  It really was a small window of time, but we managed to find a weekend that would work, and so on Thursday, the Brown boys, along with their families, converged on Salt Lake City.

Most of us were staying at Little America in downtown Salt Lake, and since Randy and his kids, along with us, had already gotten checked in, we decided to go for a swim in their wonderful pool. 

After swimming, we started getting ready for the family portraits.  Those of us who made it into town early enough, all went out to dinner at a yummy pizzeria in SLC.  It was the unofficial kickoff of the reunion. (We were only missing Scott and his family.)

The official beginning to the party was getting family portraits taken.  This was what inspired the get together in the first place, as Parker (aka: George), the youngest grandchild, hadn't even been born the last time we all got together.  The kids had the best time catching up and talking, as it had been years since they had seen each other.  Lily and Derek especially loved getting to talk to Conner and Payton, as they have so many hobbies and interests in common.  But they also hung out with the younger generation as well.

The portraits went smoothly and quickly, and I love how they turned out.  Especially the pictures of Dennis and Valerie.

Then there were pictures with the grandkids and with the Brown boys.  The ones with the original boys are always an adventure.  It would have been great to have a video of their conversation as it went on.

I love how our picture turned out.  I sure do love this family of mine!

The pictures of the rest of the families also turned out wonderfully.

The next morning, I was up super early, as always, and I wanted to get in a workout.  I also needed to find a pharmacy, because I felt a cold sore coming on.  I decided to walk down to Temple Square to see the construction, and wow!  It was crazy!!!  The workout was good, and funnily enough, I totally ran into Anna and Shannon also on a walk.  Good to know I wasn't the only person in the group that was up that early.

That morning we met up for breakfast at the Coffee Shop at Little America, and it was so fun - and so delicious!  (Brian's family wasn't with us, because they were staying at his father-in-law's mountain compound.) I had the eggs Benedict, and they were amazing.

After breakfast, Arthur and I went out on an adventure, just the two of us.  We rode the train over to the Family History Center and Church History Museum.  He loved getting to ride the train, even if it was only for a few blocks.

The Family History Center, Family Search, was just as cool as I remembered it being when Lily and I went there a few years ago.  Arthur had a blast checking out all the different stations, like the "Where are you from?" station, where it shows where your anscestors came from.

There were so many cool stations, like "which relative do I look like?", and Arthur discovered that he looked like Grandpa Roy. He was also a 53% match with the scientist Wernher von Braun.

I liked the one about people who share your name.  There are a lot of people that share both my first and my last name.

After visiting Family Search, we headed next door for a super speedy trip through the Church History Museum before we had to get picked up to go bowling.  Arthur thought it was pretty awesome, especially the life sized angel Moroni, which shows how giant it is on the top of the temple.  His favorite part was the kid section where he could build things.

We finished there just in time for Kevin to get us, as it was time for family bowling. Bowling has always been a Brown family activity, and so we had to fit it into the party.  We had so much fun, and at one point, I had the high score of the whole group - even if Randy swooped in at the end and won. (Or was it Brian . . . I can't remember.)  It helped that Kevin's bowling shoes died, and so he was not at his best ;).

At one point, we had all four of the boys line up and bowl a frame at the exact same time.  Pretty fun!  The whole activity was awesome, and we all had a blast.  (It also got us bowling for the first time all summer.  Crazy that we hadn't been.)

After bowling, we headed to the pool to hang out.  I loved getting to catch up with my sister-in-law and watch the kids play.  My favorite part, however, was catching this conversation with all the boys and their dad.  It made my heart happy to see them all together.

After swimming, it was time for an early dinner at the Coffee Shop.  We ate the hot turkey sandwiches (seriously the best) and their amazing rolls.  We were so full afterward.  

After dinner came the best part - the family meeting, where Dennis shared his thoughts and counsel with all of us, and then they had the boys take turns drawing questions out of a hat and answering questions.  There was so much laughter and love.  It was amazing.  (And the stories about their old dog, Gracie, were absolutely hilarious.)
Later that night, Kevin and I walked through Salt lake in search of yummy dessert.  Wow, there were a LOT of homeless people, high on drugs people, etc.  It was so not worth the dessert to have to walk through all the creepiness.  Oh well.  

On Saturday morning, Kevin went out and picked up donuts for everyone.  They were so yummy!  Later on, after checking out of our hotel, Kevin, the kids and I, headed to Orson Gygi, my favorite kitchen store, so that I could stock up on all the awesomeness.  Then we stopped by Uintah Golf for Kevin.  After that, it was time to head to Randy and Kate's house for the end of the party.  They had lunch catered by Olive Garden, which was delicious and made all of Derek's dreams come true.  And while the adults talked and laughed upstairs, the kids played video games in the basement on the big screen TV.  It was the perfect way to finish off the fun.

Yes, it was a bit of a quick reunion and a whirlwind of a get together, but it had all the important and wonderful parts - the being together and sharing laughter, love and great conversation - oh, and really yummy food ;).