The Most Special New Year's

This year I did something I have been dreaming of for 7 years...

We watched family home movies.

And not just any home movies. Ones that I have spent days and days creating.

I took our whole 2014 and edited small clips into monthly videos with music.

By the end, we were all wishing there were 20 more.

Patrick and I were both crying...especially since we ended by watching our Ranch vacation.

There really aren't words to describe the magic I felt in my heart as I watched my whole world on the big screen...it left me awestruck of just how perfect my life really is.

And next year, I hope to have not only 2015 chronicled in family movies, but 2008 as well.

It may not be much, but to me, this represents a gigantic part of the legacy I want to leave for my family...a compilation of all our memories, traditions, and small and simple moments.

Friday's Surprise...

During after-lunch story time on Friday afternoon, there was a knock at the door.  When I looked through the keyhole, I was so surprised and excited to see Gram and Pop!!  I didn't tell Tate who it was but had him open the door and see for himself.

And so we spent the afternoon, cuddling, playing, reading stories, and eating prunes...

{Tate asked Gram and Pop to bring him "a basket" of prunes a few days before. His wish was granted}

Gram and Pop,

We just want you to know that we treasure the time we had to spend with you over those three years of graduate school.  The only way I survived being cooped up in a basement apartment was driving over to your house nearly every morning so the boys could run around your beautiful yard and we could pick tomatoes, apples, peas, prunes, currants, and raspberries...

We really miss those days.

I hold them so close to my heart and tear up every time I think about the precious memories we made.

You've both shaped our two little boys more than you will ever know.  And they still talk about you every day.

It broke my heart back when we lived in Honeyville and Tate would ask every single day if we could drive over to your house.  It had been our daily ritual for three whole years--his whole life, and he just didn't understand that we were too far away...

I hope you know how much we miss living two miles away from your cozy red brick house.

When we moved away, we left a piece of our hearts with you, and that void in our lives will never ever be filled.

We love you so much more than words could ever express.

Thank you for sharing your lives and your hearts with us.

Love,

all of us

{Jamie, Patrick, Easton, Tate, & Maylie}

Summer Was...

Practicing new hairstyles on the little Danish princess.

Making lots of Raspberry Jam...

Sunsets.

Swings and parks...

...and plenty of picnics.

Walks in our hills.

Completing the parking strip and lots and lots of backbreaking yard work.

Dresses and curls and nursery for the first time.

And a family anniversary celebration.

Our first sidewalk chalk on our very own driveway.

And lots of green, delicious apples.

Lagoon.

And the sweetest Anniversary trip. (until next year of course)

Playing in pools. (And Downata too, but I failed to get any pictures there)

Playing with my Young Women.

 A Happy Birthday.

The birth of a gentle rhythm and ponderings at the creek.

A stupendously perfect family vacation to the cabin.

 A Family Home Evening Lesson about unity and harmony in our family.  (Each person in our family was an ingredient to making Homemade Peanut Butter Treats...you can guess who you think each ingredient was)....

And a lot of time for reflection.  About life.  And my precious family.  About change and seasons.  About introspection, letting go, living well, loving, feeling, and trusting ourselves and our Father above.

Goodbye sweet Summer of 2013.

Thank you for all of your gloriousness.