Dear Taylor

Dear Taylor,

I miss you. I keep sniffing around in your room and I don't understand where you went. Please come home and visit me soon.

Love,
Hudson

The Bathroom

The girls have always shared a bathroom. It has always been a total mess. They blamed each other.

Now that Taylor is gone to school I think I have figured out a few things. It is clear that Taylor was responsible for most of the messiness in the bathroom itself because it now routinely looks like this:

It is, however, obvious that Cami was indeed the culprit of the toothpaste squeeze that drove Taylor crazy because the tube always looks like this:

Also, clean rooms are not all they are cracked up to be. They are kind of lonely.

She's a Gem

That Cami is such a Gem. That's what her brother always says about her and he's totally right. I ordered mums and cabbages from a neighbor kid for a fundraiser and the day after they arrived I had to work all day. So what did Cami do? She planted them for me. All of them. I'm telling you... she's a gem.

First Scrimmage BYU Lacrosse

Taylor had her first scrimmage. She was a starting defender and played most of the game. They lost, but she said they really started to figure out how to play together by the end of the game. She loves being part of this team.

Timberland Boots

Taylor called and asked me to send "her" hiking boots. It made me totally laugh because "her" hiking boots are actually the Timberlands I bought when I was a student at BYU over 20 years ago! You literally cannot wear out these boots. I remember being stressed about spending so much money on one pair of shoes, but my feet were freezing walking around campus in the cold, so I made the investment. I think its fair to say that I got my money's worth. I should send these pictures to Timberland for some sort of commercial!

Washington DC

Ed had to be in Washington DC for the day, so I decided to go with him. We happened to be there the day the Pope arrived and actually got to see the presidential motorcade drive by after they picked up the Pope from the airport. There were helicopters and secret service and everything. Very cool.

John and Justin Visit

My brother and nephew came to visit for the weekend. John and Justin went on an epic road trip all over the eastern United States. They hit every major city on their crazy 10 days tour. We were glad they stayed with us for Philly and NYC. Justin is leaving on his mission to Russia the first week in November, so I'm glad we got to see him. Good luck Justin!

BYU Lacrosse

I'm so proud of this girl for making the BYU Women's Lacrosse team! She never ceases to amaze me with her work ethic, determination, and fearlessness. I can't wait to fly out and watch her play this spring! One more time... Go Cougars!!!

BYU - Boise State

Ed, Jim, and Walt have a tradition of going out to the BYU v Boise State game each year. It is so fun for the kids to have their dads in town and to go to the game together. This year was an amazing-last-second-hail-Mary-go-down-in-history finish. It was euphoria for the BYU fans... not so much for Jim and Valerie. Sorry guys.

They had a great time going to a cook-out at the Sheffield's house and to a volleyball game the night before. I'm super jealous, but glad they have this tradition. I have a feeling Cami and I are going to make up our own tradition soon so that we can fly out with our friends for the weekend ;)

Cookie Wednesday

I got to participate in Cookie Wednesday at the temple site. Someone has delivered cookies to the workers EVERY Wednesday for the last 2 years. They are always homemade and wards in the entire temple district take turns with the assignment. We are so appreciative of all the hard work that is going into this sacred building and we want everyone to know we are grateful. It's fun.

Freshman Festivities at BYU

No one can seize the day like Taylor. She has done so many fun things in such a short period of time that I can't believe she is still standing. Dance parties in the quad, tubing down the Provo river, concerts in the streets of downtown, hiking in the mountains, meeting a million new people, going boating... oh and starting classes too.

I knew she would have fun. I'm so glad she is loving life.

Now What?

What do you do after your college kid leaves, your high schooler goes back to school, and your husband is at work? Destroy your kitchen to organize it, of course!