New release

For the first time ever tonight, we paid $30 to see a new release movie in our home. Usually we like going to the theater but since Todd isn't feeling well, we decided to see the movie at home. It was actually cheaper than paying for all of us to see it in the theater (unless we went on $5 Tuesday- then it's about the same). How was the movie? Pretty good. I actually would've been ok to wait until it comes out on Disney+ for free but that's ok. It was a fun first for us.

Summer squash

I love this time of year when our garden starts to produce delicious vegetables.
I steamed these up for dinner tonight with a little butter and some parmesan cheese.
Sooooo good!

Tremonton

Our first trailer adventure this summer was to Aspen Grove RV park in Tremonton, Utah. It was tricky to find someplace that was close enough for Todd to drive to and from work everyday. It doesn't really matter where we are, we love being together in the trailer. Sadly we had to cut our trip short by one night because Todd wasn't feeling well but we had a great time while we were there.

Bananagrams was Luke's favorite game. He couldn't get enough of it!

Corn hole was a favorite game this trip. The only thing that would've made the RV park better was if they had a pool. It was HOT!

Since fires weren't allowed at our campsite, Mary roasted a marshmallow over the stove to make a s'more.

Luke loves the couch bed but his feet hang off the end if he wiggles too far down.

A beautiful sunrise before our hike.

Dinner outside.

More banana grams for Luke during breakfast.

Most of us had never played Gaga ball. Sara and Luke learned how to play in elementary school. Sara was so excited to see the Gaga ball fence at the RV park. Sara taught us to play and it was a lot of fun.

One evening after Todd returned from work, we went to Crystal Hot Springs. Lovely.

I took the kids on a hike to the Logan Wind Caves. 4 miles. 11,752 steps. Elevation gain of 1,030 feet.

The sky was amazing and the views were spectacular.

I am amazed at the beauty that surrounds us.

The kids all got new hiking Keens. They were so glad to have them on this hike.

Luke getting dirt out of Ben's new shoes.

We stopped for ice cream at the Aggie Creamery. Delicious! True Aggie (vanilla with raspberry and dark chocolate chunks) and Space Debris (huckleberry with white and dark chocolate chunks) were our favorite flavors.

Sara's haircut

In March 2020, Sara decided to have bangs cut. For a while now she has been looking forward to not having bangs anymore. This week she had 6 inches cut off of her hair and now her bangs are the same length as her hair. She looks darling with any hair style.

 

Come Follow Me lesson

Last Sunday we had a wonderful Come Follow Me lesson on Doctrine and Covenants section 84. 

It was great to have a discussion with our kids about the covenant path.

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and my prayer is that our kids will always strive to stay on that path.

I pray that I will do my part as a parent to help them every way I can.

Helping with King kids

 My sister Michelle has 5 grandchildren under the age of 3. She babysits 3 of them 3 times each week and 2 of them live in her basement. Whenever our girls and I need a baby fix, we volunteer to help with the King kids. It is so fun! Mary and I love to hold the twins and baby Owen and Sara is great with the toddlers.

First time ever- highlights

I've always liked the natural highlights in my hair. In fact, I've never touched the color of my hair until about 1 week ago. I had a few grey hairs so I decided to get some blonde highlights in my hair to help hide the grey. I'm still deciding how I feel about it. I think I like it but I haven't decided for sure ;) 

Good-bye expander

For a while Luke has had braces and an expander. We're happy to say that the expander has been removed and now he just has the braces. Lookin good Luke!

Drivers Ed

Mary has been working hard at Drivers Ed this summer. She went to classes 2 hours a day for 9 days. She completed three 2-hour road drives and two 2-hour driving observations. Mary is a great driver and she can't wait to get her drivers license in a couple of months.

New bike

It happened. Ben was finally able to get a new bike for his senior year mountain biking season. We felt so fortunate that a college student/bike mechanic was selling his bike at just the right time. Ben couldn't be happier with all the extras and amazing features of his new bike. We can't wait to see what he can do in his races this fall.

Cousins

 Sweet Brooklyn is one month younger than Sara. Sara and Brooklyn FaceTime often and they are best buddies. It was a real treat when Brooklyn was able to sleep over at our house for a few nights when her family visited Utah. The girls had pre-planned their hair and outfits for most of their time together.

Brooklyn was so excited to see the puppies in person. She had watched them grow over FaceTime but playing with them in-person is much better.

Cousins playing pool together.

Kent and Sam with Lady.

The reason for the Stepan's visit was to welcome Joe home from his mission.

It was great that Michael was able to talk to him at the end of his p-day and the beginning of our family party.

The welcome home party was supposed to be in our back yard but an unexpected rain storm made us move the party to the church gym.

We can't believe how the family is growing! (and this isn't even all of us!)

It was so fun to be together.

After dinner, we played corn hole, basketball, and pickle ball.

The Stepan guys minus Michael.

I look up to Wendy a lot. She was so happy to have Joe home. 

It was so fun to think about the fact that I will be in her shoes next summer when Michael gets home!

We were able to watch Joe's homecoming talk in California. He was an excellent missionary. We are so glad he is home safe and doing well. 

Float and parade

 In 2019 our stake was assigned to make a float for the July 2020 Days of '47 parade. Todd was the stake presidency member in charge of this project. Todd and I went to a few planning meetings for the float in 2019. Then COVID-19 happened and the Days of '47 parade was canceled in 2020. Our stake was asked to create our float for the 2021 parade instead. The original float planners were released and Ed and Lindsey (our backyard neighbors) were asked to complete the float. Ed and Todd placed a ladder over our fence and Todd went to their backyard many evenings after work to help with the float.

The globe in the center of the float was made out of a giant beachball.

It is estimated that this float took over 600 volunteer hours over 6 weeks.

Mary and her young women friends made the flowers out of plastic tablecloths.

It was a slow process but we were all relieved when the float was moved in-doors to the Expo center- out of the extreme heat and rain that came pouring down the night after the float was moved.

It was so fun to see our float among the other amazing floats at the Expo center. So much work goes into these floats. It was amazing to be part of this!

Todd, Ben, Mary and I walked with the float in the parade. Two parade rules that made us sad; 1. Parade participants had to be 14+ years old to participate 2. No passing out candy :(

Thankfully my parents brought Luke and Sara to watch the parade. It was so fun to see them along the route.

Todd wrote the information about our float. We heard it repeated several times along the parade route as our float passed;

Stake: South Jordan Midas Creek Stake 

Float Theme: Pioneer Spirit Around the World 

This float represents the pioneer spirit in each of us. The Nauvoo Temple represents the faith, dedication, testimony and commitment of the early Saints of the church; while the Rome temple demonstrates the same for all of us today. The two temples are connected by a path that signifies the legacy of faith that connects all of God’s children throughout all generations of time. The huge world in the center is dedicated to all of the pioneers of the church as a token of gratitude for their faith. The flags on the world mark the location of all temples worldwide. 

This float was lovingly designed and constructed by the members of the South Jordan Midas Creek stake. There are roughly 400 flowers that decorate the base of the float and the globe is made from the largest beach ball they could find on the internet! 

Todd also wrote these words to the youth that walked with us in the parade;

Brothers and Sister and Youth,

From the very bottom of my heart, I wanted to thank you for being with us today during the Parade. Your kids are amazing. It was hot, and even quite boring at some spots. Thank you for getting up early to arrive on time and thanks for contributing to this great event.

I know our Heavenly Father will bless you for your sacrifice and service.

Much love,

President Stepan