Elise is off to College!

I probably should have written this post last Monday when I was still excited about helping her move into her new dorm!  It was so fun getting everything organized and moved in.  Its sure cute!  We bought some twin sized bedding back in February when Taylor moved in and was temporarily in Soren's room so she wouldn't have to use the truck bedding.  We knew that we could use it for Elise's dorm room in another 6 months.  Now Monet switched to Elise's room, Taylor to Monet's room, and Soren back into his room.  So it was a big week of switching 4 kids rooms!

She has a cute big map on the wall now too.  We had to wait for it!

These shelves will probably change a lot once she gets all her school books!

Even though I've seen her practically everyday the weekend arrived and I really miss her!  I just am really going to miss sitting in her room and catching up on everything.  Now I call to catch up but she's always with people so she can't really talk.

At least she works close and I can visit her at work!  We were planning to go to lunch on Saturday before she worked but then I got hit with another Meniere's episode!  I was able to go to Monet's race but when I got home I was so exhausted.  I felt like I'd just ran a half marathon.  Its the strangest thing.  It's not just vertigo.  Its the nausea, exhaustion and brain fog.  I especially hate getting it on a Saturday! I was bummed.

I knew I was going to miss her.   When my older sister Michelle moved out and it was an adjustment!  But I guess I'll just have to cut the cord and get over it.  I AM so excited for the adventures she's going to have in college.

We went boating Friday with her friends.  The girls are all going to be with her at BYU except for Hanah who is heading straight out on her mission in October.  And the boys are mostly waiting to leave.  Such a crazy time for all of them!  They call themselves the "leftovers" because so many have already gone.  Lots of changes!

And 4 months goes by just like that

Well, 4 months of no blogging!

Heres what I've been up to and hopefully will catch up with the important stuff:

Jared coaching girls high school lacrosse
Me being the parent rep for our three youth girls teams
Becoming foster parents and lots of paperwork and appointments in relation to that for our cute niece Taylor
Miles had a crazy end of school year and it was funny and also kinda sad but he's good now
Monet's cute friend Cole passed away in a bridge jumping accident and somehow writing a sentence about this is just not doing it justice, this was really hard and so heartbreaking.
Track!  Monet and Taylor had the most amazing season, and their team took state!
Lacrosse playoffs, they made it to the semifinals!  Lost by 1.  Elise All Region award.
All three girls had injuries this season!  Monet sprained ankle, Elise stress reaction and Taylor shin splints--lots of dr appts trying to figure it all out
Elise Graduated!  Senior Pictures, senior everything
Monet turned 16 and started driving
Miles is almost 6 ft tall!
Activity Days Leader, got released in May from teaching Sunday School
Jared is Elders Quorum Pres.
Spring Break in California and Las Vegas
Prom for three girls
Simone worked hard all summer and bought an electric longboard
Monet worked at Fizz all summer
Elise works at Mago
Taylor Lifeguarding
Miles doing curbs and also saving for an electric longboard
Elise's friends heading out on missions
Annie had 8 puppies and we spent the summer staring at them they are so cute
Lake Powell 2X Once with the Atkins and once with the Siris
Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora with Roger and Teresa Harding and Elise got to tag along!
We swam WITH humpback whales!
In July my Meniere's Disease came back with a vengeance and I felt like crap for July
Simone's trying out for the climbing team
Miles went to Alaska with Jared and his dad and bros
Miles went to Chicago with Nick and Ethan
Simone went to Cali for the 10 year old cousins trip with Nana and Papa
Elise had Originations and traveled to church history sites and big cities back East
Monet and Taylor had girls camp
Taylor went to the Pacific Northwest with her friend Sara
Mom came to visit and cleaned all my closets and pantry!  Thank you mom!
Our grass had serious issues this year and our yard needs some TLC
Soren started first grade!  All kids in school all day really helps with my productivity
Getting Elise all ready to move into her dorm tomorrow
Figuring out scholarship crap (had to appeal Elise's because of a mistake on the transcript)
And registering for college and getting room assignments!  Its so high tech now.
Jordans Wedding
Braydens Wedding
Bryces Farewell
Gramps Funeral


Last summer we gardened, painted and decorated and this summer it was all about the puppies!

Bora Bora

This was the coolest place on Earth!  Its the cover of the Costco Travel catalog and I think I've been dreaming of going to Bora Bora for years.  Bora Bora is an island surrounded by a blue lagoon and barrier reef.  The resort was actually located on the reef.  So on one side of this little strip of land you have a beautiful Lagoon, and on the other side is the ocean with waves.  You are pretty much at the resort the whole time.  It was sooo beautiful and serene, I really didn't want to be anywhere else!  We thought about going to the main island and shopping for souvenirs but we decided to just relax and enjoy the resort.

The only thing I wished I had done differently is bringing a bunch of snacks.  At the least granola bars, protein powder and some dried mangoes or something.

I didn't know we were going to Bora Bora until a couple days before our trip.  And when I saw this beautiful resort I was so excited!  It is insanely beautiful everywhere you look.

Room with a view!  I loved the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lagoon.  I would just lay in bed in the morning and stare out the window!  It was so beautiful!

 The morning after we arrived in Bora Bora we took a boat to the main island and went to a place called "The Farm" where you can dive for pearls!  This was so fun.  It is a really cute colorful place.  They have a lot of information about how pearls are cultivated.  The oysters hand on these ropes.  You dive down and untie a string of oysters.  Next you choose which oyster you want to pick to get a pearl out of.  They open it for you and you get the one that is inside.  Jared got a huge perfect, gem grade pearl.  Elise's was also very large and super pretty.  I got a really unique natural pearl.  It was fun!  I loved how cute the Farm was and it was fun to pick the pearls.

This is the same mountain that you can see from our resort but from a different angle.  Its peaks are so cool!

Such a beautiful pool!

This was lunch!  My kind of lunch!

Each day at 1:30 the stingrays arrive for some snacks!  They are never late. 

This was as delicious as it looks!

dinner on the beach!

The back of our little bungalow

The water is just the most incredible color!

Rainy Kayaking!

I'm better at working out on vacation without all the things I need to do at home!  I had to drag Jared along.  :)

anytime a boat arrives or departs this guy blows the conch shell horn.  It was really fun!

Our resort is the wishbone shaped bungalows