May + New Job

- Father & Sons landed right on Mother's Day Saturday this year - there are pros and cons, but I'd really like my whole Mother's Day Saturday back.  :)  I did really appreciate Brandon taking Carson this year and they had a great, dirty time.

- Brandon left Vivint Solar after getting an offer to be General Counsel for Clyde Companies.  They pursued him, since he hadn't actually been looking for a job.  We will miss his co-workers at VSLR, since they are good friends.  They sent him off looking the part at his new "construction job".  He will also look the part with his new truck!

- Calm down, Carson wasn't really reading People magazine - Kacie just shared her stash with us!

- For Ellie's birthday, we went to the Tulip Festival in our matching Ellie shirts and had cupcakes.

- Date night to Top Golf with the Bennions and Allreds was super fun!

- We got a new a/c unit and furnace - woo hoo! 

- Brandon has been enjoying smoking meat and we've been enjoying his brisket!

- More fun with Grandma Nancy and cousins!

- Andrew participated in the 2nd grade play at Barratt Elementary.  We have had great teachers this year - Andrew, Mrs. Young / Kendall, Mrs. Searle / Rachel, Ms. Nielsen

- Kendall's journal from school, "I used to have a dog." Not sure if I should laugh or cry!!  But look at us having Kipper and Milo over at the same time!  See, I am kind of dog friendly!

- Carson and I went to the dance festival dress rehearsal at the school and it was much colder than I thought.  I didn't want to run home, but I did have a friend's daughter's jacket in the car that we needed to return, so we borrowed that and he looked like a girl for the morning.  

- Lots of pictures of Carson in his carseat the last few months - that's because he spends a lot of time there running all the big kids around!  

- Carson finally loves going to Cookie Cutters to get a haircut - how could he not with that set up!

- Soccer season for Andrew with Coach Bennion is always a good time for him and his ward buddies.

- Kendall had a super embarrassing moment at school this month in Kindergarten.  She was taking off her hoodie over her head in class after recess and didn't realize that her shirt also came all the way off until it was to late.  She hurried and covered herself as soon as she realized and ran to the bathroom that's in her classroom.  She took it in stride, but I could tell she felt super embarrassed!  Poor girl.

May - Rachel

Rachel decided to be a 5th grader and leave for a night to Clear Creek!  How is she so old?!  She had the best time and was bunk bed buddies with Milli.  

Softball has started and she is on a team with friends from school and her cousin, Kennedy - softball is not my favorite, but we are being good supporters!

Rachel had a gymnastics showcase at Patterson's and did a wonderful job - she is so toned and strong after working so hard doing so much conditioning at gym twice a week.

We went and saw Matilda at the Hale Centre Theater with Leslie and Allie and it was such a fun girls night!  Allie and Rachel are birthday buddies since they are only a couple weeks apart in age.

Small Town Memorial Day

We went to Ephraim/Mount Pleasant/Spring City for Memorial Day weekend and enjoyed Scandinavian Days.  We especially enjoyed the parade (so much candy!) and the firework show.  It was fun exploring the small towns and slowing down for a minute.  We were also able to stop by our ward's girls camp location, Camp Haven (Fairview), for next week and realized that we would need a plan B since there was still snow everywhere - it would have been so muddy, cold and gross.

On Memorial Day, we ran the Run of Remembrance in American Fork - it is an annual tradition to make the kids run a one mile race and they always do a great job.

Lagoon

We decided last minute to go to Lagoon on a rainy Saturday in May because we were hoping to miss some crowds due to weather and end of school craziness and you know what, it worked!  It was a little cold and rainy at some points, but there was also some clear moments and we all had a great time!  Rachel and Brandon were able to go on Cannibal, Colossus and the White Roller Coaster a bunch of times without long lines while I took the little kids on all the baby rides.  

I was really impressed with Lagoon, all except the train ride through their animal zoo/cages that looked like it was horrible conditions for the animals.  Our family does like amusement parks, but we do not do well in crowds, so we have figured out that it is best when we are the first ones there and try to go during off-peak times.