Wow..it's been awhile. We have had quite a summer. Right after my graduation from BYU we made the big move to Iowa. That was quite an adventure in and of itself. We bought an old truck to bring everything to Iowa with the intent of selling it after we got here. Another option presented itself and we ended up selling the truck about a week later for a small gain and used ABF to move our stuff. We still used the awesome truck (did I mention that no key was required to start it?) to take our stuff to Salt Lake City to load onto the semi. We lost one box on that relatively short drive and we couldn't go very fast at all. That's when we realized someone was surely looking out for us in providing another option. I can't even imagine how miserable it would have been to drive that truck through the mountains of Wyoming!! Luckily we didn't have to and we made it to Iowa (and so did all our stuff).
So we packed thinking it would just take a couple of weeks to find a place and move in and then we would have access to everything. Well it didn't quite work out that way...We started talking to my sister and her husband about the program they went through to get a house and thought it might be a good option for us. So we started the process of applying for that program. It is quite an application let me tell you! Then we had to wait to get word that we were approved. And then we got to start looking for a house!! But I found that when I know I'm not just renting, but actually BUYING, that that house is going to be MINE, including any problems it has, that I'm a lot more picky!!! So the house shopping took awhile too. Needless to say I think we have probably overstayed our welcome here at my parents' house (they are far too good to us). And we have started to need things we packed away in their garage knowing we could live without them for a couple of weeks, not a couple of months. But last week we finalized negotiations on a house and the closing date is August 18th. We are so excited!!
But now to our summer. A picture tells a thousand words, right?? So I'll tell you about our summer so far with pictures (and a few words).
First we got to go to the circus!! Yep, the circus came to town. And look at that amazing acrobat.
My sister Mara came to visit during a break she had from PA school. It was so fun to spend time with her. She is pregnant with a little girl, due in September so we got to throw her a baby shower. It was so fun to plan it with my mom! Check out that poopy diaper.
And there's the woman of the hour herself. Haha, great picture...please don't kill me Mara. :)
Macy, the little acrobat from the circus, had a birthday! I actually think that might have come before the baby shower...who knows. I can't believe Macy is 6 though. And I can't believe she convinced me to dress up like that for her carnival party.
Brennan and I got to go to Adventureland with my family in June. It was his first time and I think he had fun. I was just so sad that the Falling Star (or is it Shooting Star? I can NEVER remember) wasn't working that day.
Macy, Rich, and Brennan on the Silly Silo. Makes me sick just watching it. And it kind of looks like they all wet their pants...I guess it was a little scary for them.
Caden and Brennan on the Ferris Wheel. It was beautiful night.
Brennan and I celebrated our anniversary! I cannot believe it's already been a year. It sure has been a good one. I'm one lucky girl. Unfortunately, all our ambitions for a weekend getaway or something didn't come to fruition. We are road tripping to North Carolina next month for my friend's wedding, I guess that will have to do. We did get to celebrate though with a picnic in the park and playing some catch to break-in Brennan's new glove.
See how lucky I am? What a gem! How can I help but be in love? :)
My nephew, Caden, has had several video game sleepovers with Brennan, where they get to stay up as late as they want playing the Wii.
I got to go to a Justin Bieber concert with Kelbie. Her parents got her tickets for her 12th birthday. I can't believe I have a 12 year old niece!!! There she is with Justin himself.
I must say I think I might have contracted a slight case of Bieber Fever at this concert. :) It was a blast. Thanks for inviting me Kelbie!
On the 4th of July it poured....so we played in the rain. And by 'we' I mean Brennan and the kids. It was fun to watch though. haha.
I got to star in a parade this summer. Haha. My hometown has a little carnival/fair every summer which includes a parade. Somehow (still not sure how it happened) I got roped into being an old fashioned nurse (to go along with the Traveling Through Time theme of the parade) on the float for the doctors office where my mom works. It was hot. And slightly embarrassing. But still fun.
We got to go and watch trains on the train bridge in town. It's the craziest feeling ever when the trains go right underneath you. Brennan had been promising to take the kids and show them how the train will smash coins. He did not disappoint. There is a very funny story to go along with all of this, but I will have to do a post about it another day.
And finally, we participated in the Amazing Race. That's right folks. Brennan and I made it on the Amazing Race. The one that never leaves the towns of Mount Vernon and Lisbon. Kelbie has done the Amazing Race on bikes for five birthdays now and we got to be team leaders again. Brennan's team got second and mine got second to last. Not a great showing by the Hardings, but we had a blast!
Here are both of our teams at the stop where we had to eat TONS of cookies in order to find the quarters hidden in them. Thanks Crystal!! Sheesh, how cruel. :)
There's our summer in a nutshell. A very large nutshell. It really has been a fun couple of months. And it looks like it will only continue. We head for Utah today for a family reunion and lots of fun. Then North Carolina after that. And then our new house!
So we packed thinking it would just take a couple of weeks to find a place and move in and then we would have access to everything. Well it didn't quite work out that way...We started talking to my sister and her husband about the program they went through to get a house and thought it might be a good option for us. So we started the process of applying for that program. It is quite an application let me tell you! Then we had to wait to get word that we were approved. And then we got to start looking for a house!! But I found that when I know I'm not just renting, but actually BUYING, that that house is going to be MINE, including any problems it has, that I'm a lot more picky!!! So the house shopping took awhile too. Needless to say I think we have probably overstayed our welcome here at my parents' house (they are far too good to us). And we have started to need things we packed away in their garage knowing we could live without them for a couple of weeks, not a couple of months. But last week we finalized negotiations on a house and the closing date is August 18th. We are so excited!!
But now to our summer. A picture tells a thousand words, right?? So I'll tell you about our summer so far with pictures (and a few words).
First we got to go to the circus!! Yep, the circus came to town. And look at that amazing acrobat.
My sister Mara came to visit during a break she had from PA school. It was so fun to spend time with her. She is pregnant with a little girl, due in September so we got to throw her a baby shower. It was so fun to plan it with my mom! Check out that poopy diaper.
And there's the woman of the hour herself. Haha, great picture...please don't kill me Mara. :)
Macy, the little acrobat from the circus, had a birthday! I actually think that might have come before the baby shower...who knows. I can't believe Macy is 6 though. And I can't believe she convinced me to dress up like that for her carnival party.
Brennan and I got to go to Adventureland with my family in June. It was his first time and I think he had fun. I was just so sad that the Falling Star (or is it Shooting Star? I can NEVER remember) wasn't working that day.
Macy, Rich, and Brennan on the Silly Silo. Makes me sick just watching it. And it kind of looks like they all wet their pants...I guess it was a little scary for them.Caden and Brennan on the Ferris Wheel. It was beautiful night.
Brennan and I celebrated our anniversary! I cannot believe it's already been a year. It sure has been a good one. I'm one lucky girl. Unfortunately, all our ambitions for a weekend getaway or something didn't come to fruition. We are road tripping to North Carolina next month for my friend's wedding, I guess that will have to do. We did get to celebrate though with a picnic in the park and playing some catch to break-in Brennan's new glove.
See how lucky I am? What a gem! How can I help but be in love? :)
My nephew, Caden, has had several video game sleepovers with Brennan, where they get to stay up as late as they want playing the Wii.
I got to go to a Justin Bieber concert with Kelbie. Her parents got her tickets for her 12th birthday. I can't believe I have a 12 year old niece!!! There she is with Justin himself.
I must say I think I might have contracted a slight case of Bieber Fever at this concert. :) It was a blast. Thanks for inviting me Kelbie!
On the 4th of July it poured....so we played in the rain. And by 'we' I mean Brennan and the kids. It was fun to watch though. haha.
I got to star in a parade this summer. Haha. My hometown has a little carnival/fair every summer which includes a parade. Somehow (still not sure how it happened) I got roped into being an old fashioned nurse (to go along with the Traveling Through Time theme of the parade) on the float for the doctors office where my mom works. It was hot. And slightly embarrassing. But still fun.
We got to go and watch trains on the train bridge in town. It's the craziest feeling ever when the trains go right underneath you. Brennan had been promising to take the kids and show them how the train will smash coins. He did not disappoint. There is a very funny story to go along with all of this, but I will have to do a post about it another day.
And finally, we participated in the Amazing Race. That's right folks. Brennan and I made it on the Amazing Race. The one that never leaves the towns of Mount Vernon and Lisbon. Kelbie has done the Amazing Race on bikes for five birthdays now and we got to be team leaders again. Brennan's team got second and mine got second to last. Not a great showing by the Hardings, but we had a blast!
Here are both of our teams at the stop where we had to eat TONS of cookies in order to find the quarters hidden in them. Thanks Crystal!! Sheesh, how cruel. :)
There's our summer in a nutshell. A very large nutshell. It really has been a fun couple of months. And it looks like it will only continue. We head for Utah today for a family reunion and lots of fun. Then North Carolina after that. And then our new house!