Team "Awesome"- Barrett Reunion 2012

 July 21st-27th was the Barrett Family (my side) reunion up at Aspen Grove.  Aspen Grove is a family camp located in the mountains above Sundance ski resort, just 30 minutes from our house.  It is for Brigham Young University Alumni and their families.  It is in a beautiful setting and was one of the best things we have ever done.

Admittedly I was a little concerned about how 26 family members would all get along, or not get along for 6 days of all day togetherness.  Thanks to great accommodations with each family basically with their own suite in the cabin we all got along great.  Aspen grove is all about activities that bring the family together.  Our cabin was situated right near the above "cowboy village".  The kids loved that little place.  There was a bank, a church, a school, a jail, barber shop, tee-pee, train etc.  Any spare moment we had, and there weren't many, that's where they wanted to be.  

Anna a top the bank in cowboy village

 The kids were divided up into groups by age and most of them had a cousin or 2 in their group which made it nice.  The kids would stay with their age group doing arts and crafts, swimming, hiking, archery, rock climbing from 9:15-12, and then 1:30-4pm.  That made the trip so nice because they kids were busy having fun doing all sorts of fun activities, while the adults had "free" time to do a plethora of their own activities.  The things we participated in were mini golf, a lecture on marriage and relationships, rifle shooting, archery, a high ropes course, I took a water color class with my Mom, basketball 3 on 3 tournament, naps, and so on.   The kids were so busy during the day that they were really worn out by night which made putting them to bed pretty easy.

Jane riding her horse

A cheesy jane driving the train

Cousin Luke and miss Jane after a rather chilly swim one evening

Ethan caught a fish in a little pond and then...

They cooked it up for him to eat for breakfast.  He was enjoying it until he realized it still had his eyeballs.  That and he was extremely upset that he had "killed" something.  

Rand and Jane in their reunion shirts

Jane with her hello kitty back pack heading off to her class.  She was really exciting to go until  she actually got there...

Mom and Julie doing their rifle practice.  Mom was a surpringly good shot

One of the gorgeous views.  Ok, Utah is prettier than I remembered

 On Tuesday night in celebration of July 24th and pioneer day when the pioneers entered the Utah Valley.  That night they had a night of games and prizes and treats in cowboy village.  They had a dunk machine, hatchet throw, popping balloons with a whip (my personal favorite ;), a train ride, face painting etc.  Ethan played in a game of Boffers with a bunch of other people for about 3 hours straight.  He loved every minute of it and was exhausted afterwards.

Jane loved her horse.  This may have to be a gift for Christmas...

The Mr. and Mrs. :)

Squaw Anna

 One afternoon they had games for all the families doing different things at different stations.  They asked us to come up with a team name and our was  "Team Awesome".  Nuff said.

 This was during frontier night, panning for gold, and to prove I was on the vacation

 One night a family next to us was doing these "hot air balloons".  They had made them out of tissue paper with a wire hanger holding it open around the bottom.  They just had a pipe on top of a propane stove and put the "balloon" over it until the hot air filled it, and it just lifted off and went into the air.  It. was. amazing!  I loved it.  I want to do that for my birthday or something grand.

 This was Anna during her rock wall climb.  We encouraged the kids to try everything and that they could do "hard things"  Anna got pretty far with some encouraging from me.  This is about where she got scared and was done.

 Randall and my brothers Mark and Nate participated in a 3 on 3 ball tournament and made it to the finals but lost out to an awesome team.  They had a good time despite my brother Mark spraining both of his ankles-whoops.

 BYU has pretty great ice cream so we had to try it of course.  Ethan is looking pretty tired here, and a bit sunburned.

 And of course we had our reunion t-shirts.  It said at the top "Got Roots?"  and then had a tree and Barrett  reunion at the bottom.  My Mom is above, my dad below.  Thanks to them the trip was possible, and it was truly amazing.

 The last night they had closing ceremonies and each age group had practiced a song to perform representing different countries like the olympics.  Ethan's was Mexico, can you tell?  A handsome amigo.

 My brother Jeff's family with 2 of their kids

 Anna and her group from China performing "Kung Fu Fighters"

The trip couldn't have been better thought out, organized, fun etc.  The food was served buffet style in a nice cafeteria and was really very good, and not just good for cafeteria food.  We even had church on Sunday with Sacrament meeting held outside.  It was a beautiful morning and it was a trip we will always remember.  My family hadn't all been together my parents me and my 3 brothers and families for 2 years.  It was so nice to be together.  It was actually emotional leaving knowing what amazing memories we made and not knowing when the next time we will all be together again.  Way to go "Team Awesome"!

Sewing up a Storm

I recently was feeling like I needed something to think about and do.  Not that we haven't been busy, because we certainly have been.  I was just feeling the need to do something creative.  I have been wanting to make a fabric birthday banner for some time so I finally bought the supplies and Anna and I made one!  Then we made a Halloween one, and now we have the fabric all cut out to make a Halloween quilt!  We're like a machine. (get it? :)  Anyway, Anna is loving helping me and it it's cute to watch her sew and say aloud over and over, "I"m a pro! I'm a pro".

Sewing has been something that has always been frustrating for me, because I think sewing clothes and following a pattern is hard,  but I've decided that quilting is right up my alley.  It's symmetrical and exact and creative, all things I like.  I love it!  Now even Ethan wants in on the action.

Moving and Miracles

We are here!  Before I get to all the details of our move in and how we are transitioning to life here, I want to quickly document moving day.

Tuesday June 19th, was the big day.  A day we had been thinking of and planning for for weeks.  I awakened that morning about 4:50 am to the birds chirping outside as usual and with quite a  bad headache.  You can imagine that headache or not with all that was on the "to do" list, I couldn't go back to sleep.  I got up soon after, showered and got ready for the day.  The headache persisted but I pushed along with the many things I still had left to complete before leaving to the airport at 3:30 that afternoon.  By 9:30 I was laying on the bare floor in the girls bedroom feeling like I was going to die.  Randall and my Dad had left to pick up the moving truck and I was home with the little girls finishing up the last bits of packing to do.

My head and neck hurt horribly by then.  I also had chills like I had a fever and was very sick to my stomach.  You can imagine my panic knowing all that was left to do with the house and needing to board a plane with 3 little girls alone in a matter of hours.  I didn't feel well enough to get off the floor let alone do any of the other things.  I called Randall and told him to please pick up some Excedrine while he was out and that I needed a priesthood blessing.  I was trying to keep it together but just wanted to cry not knowing what I was going to do.

It wasn't long after I spoke to Randall that I did actually throw up.  Almost as soon as I had flushed the toilet the doorbell rang.  I wanted to die wondering who was at my door and how I was going to answer it.  I went to the door to find that it was Heidi, the president of the women's organization called "Relief Society" from our church.  I didn't know whether to try to put on a happy face like all was well or tell her I was sick.  I opened the door and she told me she was there to help.  I was so embarrassed at the predicament I was in but so incredibly grateful that she was there to help me.  Thankfully the night before we had worked late into the night getting things ready.  I had told Randall that I would sleep better knowing that there was very little still left to be done.  I was too sick to "fake it' so told Heidi I was so sick and desperately needed her help.

Heidi stepped right in and did anything I asked her to do.  It wasn't long after that, that Randall came home.  I took the medicine and Randall and my Dad gave me a priesthood blessing.  The blessing was fairly short and I don't remember the details exactly, only that the outcome was dependent upon my faith.  Soon after the blessing I threw up again.  I tried to keep working but had to sit down for a minute to just to compose myself.

I would say that in about 20 minutes I was feeling much better.  within an hour I felt fine.  I couldn't eat anything but I was no longer sick to my stomach or vomiting, and my headache was gone, even though I had most likely thrown up the Excedrin.

Heidi worked with me for an hour or so until we had all the last minute details packed and ready to go. When she left our home I was overcome with gratitude that she had come at the perfect time, and that by some miracle I was able to feel well enough to pick up the kids at school, have our travel bags packed and get to the airport in time.  I felt well through the whole flight even though I sometimes get queasy flying on any normal day.

I'm so grateful that my Heavenly Father heard my prayers that day.  It was just one more tender mercy to let me know he was aware of me on such a difficult day.  I cried, ok, sobbed most of the way to the airport.  It was one of the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  I knew I was closing an incredibly hard, and amazing chapter of our life there.  I was saying goodbye to so many that I have grown to love.

The good news is we have been in our home 8 days today, and are completely unpacked and have even hung some things on the walls.  Do we feel settled? No...I think that will take some time despite everything being familiar here.  I can say that we have been welcomed in the warmest way.  When I first  got to our home on move in day, my friends had decorated our door with a welcome sign and had a balloon bouquet flying from out lamp post.  Another good friend brought us dinner that first Sunday, which was life saver still being in a huge mess of boxes.  Two other families of friends came by that night to visit and bring a treat. Someone else from church came the next night with home made bread, jam and cookies.  It has been fun to catch up with family and friends, and I'm looking forward to this next chapter, but I continue to miss my loved ones back "home".

Hotdogs and Watermelon

 While some say Memorial Day is all about hot dogs and watermelon, I know it's much more than that.  It's remembering and celebrating those who have given their lives in military service so that we can continue to enjoy our many, many freedoms.

 Today I also can't help but think of others that we knew well in this life and have passed on, and there are many.  Friends, grandparents, uncles, cousins, children of friends.  It's certainly a day of tender feelings, and I'm grateful for a special day to remember them.

 Today our ward hosted a BBQ as they traditionally do each year.  It was held at Soldier's Memorial Field in Summit.  Rather fitting I think.  We started off having our Cub Scouts do a flag ceremony.  There is Ethan above taking his duty very seriously.  It was a sweet thing to watch those boys parade around the crowd, flags waving to music in the background before posting the colors.  We then recited the pledge of Allegiance, and then sang together with hands over hearts "The Star Spangled Banner".  I'm a sucker for all things patriotic and it's almost impossible for me not to have tears in my eyes at the beginning of every parade as the flag comes down the route or we sing the Star Spangled Banner.  My friend Michelle and I sang that song at Randall's MBA graduation and I will never forget that.  The flag ceremony was a nice addition to the day.

 There was also a Bake Sale put on by our YW and a lemonade stand run by our Cub Scouts to raise funds for their various camps this Summer.  Of course we took good advantage of both.  Thankfully this cupcake just had whip cream on top, and not a huge chunk of frosting.

 Jane licked about half of it off and then was done with it altogether.

Anna and Jane holding hands, so cute

 The woman in blue and expecting (Jill) and the other woman in Orange (Heidi) are the counselor and president I have been serving with in the Relief Society here.  I love them dearly and my heart aches to be released from this calling.  I have learned a lot from both of them.  Heidi is an extremely kind and charitable person.  She is also very hands off and initially that scared me to death.  I thought "what do I do?"  She just had confidence I could do it and that I would and so I did. She didn't know me at all when I was called, but felt inspired to do so, and I'm so glad she did.  It has been a wonderful blessing to serve here.

 Kate heard in Primary yesterday that there would be a water fight today.  She was counting down the hours to "get wet" and that's exactly what she did, although I think only by her own doing.  She would fill cup after cup and pour it on her self until she was dripping and happy as can be.

Some ward members

Jane tired and hungry (and cute I might add)

Kate, pre "water-fight"

The rest of our day was not at all restful.  We took everything off the walls, washed speckled and  painted. We packed up all the "decor", and then just a few other boxes of misc things we knew we wouldn't need before the move.  There is so much going on the last week or so of school that I feel like I need to do things that I can or I will suddenly being panicked.

As we took the things off the walls, it hit me that this move is for real.  I'm getting more and more excited,  about being near family and our 4th of July traditions of the hot air balloon launch, breakfast out,  the parade (if we can get a seat!) BBQ's with family, and watching the fireworks.  The end of July we have a Barrett family reunion with all my siblings and their children at Aspen Grove and I've heard it's an amazing.  I just can't help but feel sad as we close this short but big chapter of our lives.  New Jersey has molded us and changed us for good, and for bad.  I'm more impatient than ever but I'm also a stronger more confident person. I guess when we get back to Utah we will just build upon that.  I can't wait to see what that chapter holds.