Neighbors

We came from the best neighbors in the world.  If I could have pre-planned or hand picked my neighbors or neighborhood I could not have done a better job.  On the Saturday before we left we had a last minute (literally) swim party in my backyard.

 

These are all the kids of the neighborhood.

Wes, Logan, Noah, Brock, Megan, Jillian, Madison, Brooklyn, Ivy, Olivia, Whitney 

 

The boys

Wes, Logan, Noah, Brock

 

The little girls

Megan, Jill, Maddie, Brooklyn

 

The big girls

 Ivy, Olivia, Whitney

 

And the mom's (taken later that night)

Natalie, Me, and Amy

 

The value of having an everyday friend is unmeasurable - at least for me - and I am not much of a social person.  These two got me through some of my toughest parenting days, and we have been together through the best.  I love them dearly and will miss them more than they will ever really know.  Just knowing that they are still hanging out in the circle on the benches with out me while all the kids play makes my heart ache.

 

The other family that made for the best neighbors were my actual neighbors to the west - the Wildes.  When we moved in they had a 9 year old boy and a 13 year old girl - DREAM ages for a young mom with young kids.  Devin became like an older brother to my boys.  He is like a rock star in their eyes.  He came out and played with them almost everyday.  Honestly if Jason and I died right now I would wish that I could just leave my children to Paige - even though she is just 17.  She knows my children, their schedule, and everything better than anyone.  Their parents, Brent and Kendra were like a mom and dad to me.  I had plans of getting pictures with them and a couple family shots before we left - but sadly Brent was is the hospital (he is battling cancer) during the week that we left.  THAT made us leaving so much more emotional.  The kids were sad not to get to say bye to them - AND I just felt sick about leaving West Jordan with Brent being in the hospital.  I went and visited him and said thanks and bye and everything - but still... I wanted him HOME.  Thankfully about an hour before I left the house I heard he was on his way home.  Next time we go to Utah I am going to take all the pictures I had planned and will blog about it all then.  But basically I had the best neighbors in the world.  Denver has a lot to live up too!! 

Summer days

I always end up with a bunch of random summer pictures at the end of the summer.  Things that show are every day lives.

 

We spent most of our days in swimming suits in our back yard.

 

Or in some sort of dress-up attire.  The girls actually really got into dress up this summer - I am sad I didn't get a picture.  The dress-up thing happened because they got introduced to Cinderella and every shoe became a "glass slipper" and they always had to hurry and go to the ball.

 

Noah learned to ride a 2 wheeler - so the boys rode their bikes like crazy.  The moment the door was opened they were on their bikes.  One thing about me:  I let my kids ride their bikes in the streets and I don't make them where helmets - gasp!!  The street thing is situation dependent.  In West Jordan we could go all morning/early afternoon with out a single car going by our house - so the rule became that if I was outside actually WATCHING you (not gardening or doing some other distractible thing) and it was before 4:00 pm you could ride in the street.  But other than that they had to stay on the side walk (from 4-6:30 our street became busy with dad's coming home from work).  And as for the helmet thing... for that I am just a bad mom.  They probably should wear helmets.  I remember helmets being super annoying and uncomfortable and never fit right.  I find if you make a kid wear a helmet they, more often and not, choose not to ride their bike - and most of our kids are fat these days - so I choose to ignore the helmet advice.  If/when we start taking long/dangerous rides I will probably revisit my helmet theory.  

 

These girls play together really well 95% of the time.  They kill me they are so cute!

Our summer schedule.  This hung in our front room.  It saved my life.

 

This was one sad sad reason to leave West Jordan.  These three girls are all just a few months apart and loved each other. 

Brooklyn, Jillian, Madison

Family Reunion

We have a Peherson Family Reunion every summer.  None of us are really sure why.  We all pretty much live in the Salt Lake Valley and see each other at least 4 (or more) times a year.  My ancestors came into the Salt Lake Valley with Brigham Young and never left... really.  I can count on one hand the number of people who have moved out of Utah and two hands the number of people out of Salt Lake County.  But we love each other and the spirit is strong when we are together.  In fact I remember being 12 years old at my great Aunt Pat's house at someones wedding shower and feeling the spirit really strong.  I was young and unsure why I was feeling that way - especially outside of church.  I remember watching the women who were around me and understanding for the first time the strong heritage I have and what an amazing matriarchal line I come from.  We are strong women, full of faith, love, nurturing, and some pretty awesome homemaking skills.  I will miss the random wedding and baby showers and I hope my girls will know they come from a strong line - even though they will not be around it the way I was.

This is my Grandma with her sisters (my great-aunts)

Ruth, Pat, Janet (my grandma), Karen-sue

 

Some of my favorite first-cousin's once removed - Tiffany and Ali

 

My great-aunt Pat, my grandpa, my great-uncle Dave (he sealed me and Jason), and my aunt Jen

 

My other great aunt and uncle, Gloria and David, were in charge of the games.  They had the kids running races and doing parachute games. 

What I'll be Missing

Our dear dear backyard.  This brings me to tears every time I think about it.  Because unlike friends and family and places - we will NEVER have this again.  A lot of money, blood, sweat, and tears went into this back yard and we loved it so so much.  My memories are endless of countless mornings, afternoons and evenings in this back yard.  Swimming, soccer, pop flies, freeze tag, red light green light, red rover, hose in the sand box, climbing trees, reading books in the shade of the trees, water balloons, playing in the "tree house", hand weeding the entire yard every week, jumping in leaves, just laying in the grass... etc, etc.  Jason and I took GREAT pride in our back yard being flat and green and weed free, we loved to just look at it.  After my first night of house hunting in Denver and coming to the realization that I was going to HAVE to give up on the dream of having a nice big yard - I had dreams of playing freeze tag in our back yard.  I still have those dreams.  We will miss you yard - you were good to us.

Saying good bye

I had planned on taking pictures of everyone when we said good bye to them.  The goal didn't make it past a few days.  Sorry every one else.

Jason with his best friends: Rob and Troy

 

Brock's first grade class.

And his friend Carson

These girls

For reasons I don't feel like I have to explain to anyone - I have not (nor intend on) taken Megan's binkey away.  She ONLY gets it when she is sleeping; same with Madison.  Lately they have been sneaking them for each other and I find them hiding places, always together, and always with their binkeys.  It is funny, they will never just get their own and have it - they always steal the others and go give it to them.  I can't help but laugh.

Temple Square

I have said it a million times but Temple Square is for sure our/my favorite place to go.  It was one place we had to go before we left.  We were there for a long time too - almost 3 1/2 hours - which is a looong outing for us.  We hit it all... conference center, river in front of conference center, reflecting pool, back huge fountain and rivers on the side, visitor centers, Christus, actual temple, tabernacle, and organ recital.  We saw them putting up Christmas lights are reality set in for all of us that we would not get to see it at Christmas - I hope the Denver temple does something.

 

Anyways - I always do a picture overload at temple square... how could you not?

 

Noah wanted one of him jumping off the wall.

Madison refused to be in the picture.

 

This is Noah's favorite fountain - he will tell you every time he sees it - he wanted a picture by it.

 

 

 

I tried to get an updated picture of this (scroll way down).  It didn't work as well.

 

 

 

Megan actually took a picture of me from her view on the sit and stand stroller.  I am cheap at park at the top of the hill behind the conference center (it is free).  By the end of the trip all the kids are always tired and usually 3 if not 4 children are on the stroller and I am treading up that blasted hill in 100 degree heat.  I am way surprised I managed to smile for her.

 

Some of my favorite and sweetest memories of Utah with my young children will be from temple square (in competition with Wheeler Farm and our own house/apartment).