Share Goodness Sunday

Sweet Todd has been gone serving his mission for over a year! Today I was thinking of two moments from the year we were at BYU together that prove he was simply the best!

#1: When I Needed a Blessing. I had been feeling pretty poorly and I was going to have my brothers give me a blessing for my sickness, but by the time they had it together enough to come help their poor ailing sister I was feeling better, but I still needed a blessing for other reasons. Ty made Todd give the blessing (for experience because the boy had just been ordained an Elder and he was about to leave on his mission) and he was so nervous. He didn't even know what to say really, but he gave me a blessing anyway. I can't remember what was said in the blessing, but I do know that I loved him for trying so hard and being able to give me that blessing! It was so sweet of both of my brothers! 

#2: When He Found Me Crying on Campus. I was headed to class from the Tanner Building to the Wilk after an incredibly stressful day of working on getting my future together and Todd was headed home to the dorms. It was a freak accident that we saw each other or rather that he saw me: I had been walking with my hair in front of my face and my head down because I was crying out my stress - Toddy pulled me off to the side of the sidewalk and broadened his shoulders to try and make a psuedo-wall so no one would see his poor sister crying and then he said some encouraging things and gave me a pat on the shoulder and maybe a side-hug? He felt so uncomfortable, but he wanted to make sure I was okay. Sweet Todd. I almost started crying again thinking about how great he was! 

I've been blessed with the best brothers! I'm so glad that Todd decided to take all the sweetness and faith and go to Africa to serve a mission to change the lives of the people that he meets there. It's not everyone that decides to go and it's not everyone that sticks it out when it's hard, but sweet Todd is doing his best to do just that and I'm so proud! 

Summer Days Driftin' Away!

I officially went home to Wyoming to see my Grandma and Grandpa as the Grand Marshals of the Cowley's Day parade! The bonus of this trip was seeing all my babies!! I've already put these pictures all over Facebook, but because they are THAT. CUTE. I'm posting them again!

These sweet babies look like they are parade ready. Which they were for the most part, but they were not ready to be robbed of their candy by some older children who kept running in front of them and taking it. So I had to step in and grab the candy first. YES, I stole from children, but then I gave it back to other children. So.. it's not as awful as it sounds? Right?

These girls had to resort to sneakier methods of getting their candy. We would often see sweet Camilla take off down the street following the trail of candy! It was so funny to see her in her own world collecting tootsie rolls (supervised of course) all up and down the gutter!

The whole crew!

Pig Tails!

The Grand Marshals Themselves:

My sweet grandparents did such a great job as the grand marshals! It was so fun to see them honored in this way. The Cowley's Day parade has always been a part of my life - every summer we'd go up to their house and sit on the curb as the best parade I've ever been to (speaking strictly in candy output) passed on by! To have my family members as part of this and recognized at the program, in the program and throughout the day was so fun! These people are quality! 

Picture with some local Celebs!!

After the parade and the program (pioneer themed speeches/talks and choir music baby), there is a lunch and kids races at the park that is just kitty-corner to the Lewis estate! My sweet Camilla was in a foul mood, but we wanted to see Aubrey and Brynny race, so we stayed.  Dawn eventually had to take Baby Henry home, so I stayed with foul-tempered Camilla. (Side story: someone asked me if Camilla and Brynn were mine. My immediate response: horror and "OH NO! Not at all!") As we waited for the races to start, I let all my sweet niecey's run pieces of pine needles through my hair and over my nails, playing beauty parlor. Our quick game of beauty parlor turned Camilla's attitude right around and she was suddenly willing to race! It was so sweet! All the babies in the race Camilla was in won a dime: She's so proud!

Winner winner!

After our sloppy joe lunch, I EXPERIENCED SUMMER for the first time all summer!  We played badminton and kubb. It was amazing. I love being outside. I love playing games. I love my family. I love babies. I love heat that doesn't oppress you! I love yard games! I just love love loved this day. See how fun it was:

the boys.

A Carefree Camilla! My favorite picture from my trip!

Great moms: Both of them!

It's a keeper!

Another great picture!

More to come...