Last days of Summer

I have 10 minutes before I need to start working on dinner. Alex is asleep on the floor and Lily is chewing on Duplo blocks next to him. Everyone is content for now, so I will try to summarize the final weeks of summer quickly.

We took a trip back to Utah for 2 weeks and had a fun time. We rented a van instead of flying and enjoyed being together as a family. Here are some pictures from the trip. Enjoy.

Driving there...







Trip up Cottonwood Canyon

I reached my goal.

I set a goal for myself after Lily was born to run a 5k 6 months later. I have been running 3-4 times a week. I wanted to finish in under 40 minutes. I am a very slow runner, but I kept at it and yesterday I DID IT! I finished in 39 minutes.

Here are some pictures from the race.




Next years goal is to run a 5k in under 34 minutes since I will be 34 years old. Anyone want to join me?

This is where we live...

We have had a lot of rain recently and it is so beautiful and green. My garden is overflowing and Quarry Hill is overflowing with wildflowers. It made for some very beautiful pictures. I love where we live. It is a little piece of heaven.

My Craft of the Day

Daudi and Vanice's Wedding

Yesterday we went to our friend Daudi's wedding. It was probably one of the best weddings I have been too. His ceremony was on a golf course overlooking a beautiful lake and rolling hills. Daudi is from Kenya and when the ceremony was over they danced down the isle into a 1920's Rolls Royce that was waiting for them.

After the ceremony we attended the reception and were fed Kenyan food. The appetizers were my favorite part. They were stuffed bread with meat and onions that was really spicy and delicious.

The best part of the night though was when the bride and groom pulled up to the door of the reception and they asked all of the women to come and greet them. I went along with all of the other women to be polite. The next thing I know they began chanting and clapping and dancing. I asked one of the women next to me what they were saying and she said it meant "now they become one". I didn't want to be uptight so I joined in off to the side. The bride and groom circled around and then I was suddenly in the middle dancing with lots of African women. I am sure I stuck out terribly, but it was so fun that I really didn't care. I have never felt so much unity. It really was beautiful and I was caught up in the moment.

I am very happy for Daudi. He is a good person that loves God and will be a great husband. His wife Vanice is beautiful too. I hope they will have a wonderful life together.



Sarah and Lily all dressed up and ready for the wedding.

5 states, 3 kids, 2 houses, and 3 fish...

and it all adds up to our 11th anniversary. I was lucky enough to marry my best friend 11 years ago. Dave is such a patient person he always supports me in my crazy projects and ideas. I love him so much. But hopefully you all already knew that. So I will spare you the details and not gush. But just say it has been a really good 11 years.

We were married in the Salt Lake Temple and will get to go there together in a few weeks which will really be our anniversary present. We haven't been able to go together to the temple in a LONG time. Usually one goes and the other watches the kids. I guess that is what you get when you move away from Omas and Grandmas.

Here a few highlights of our 11 years! Enjoy.


On our Wedding Day


Just the Two of Us


We added the Queenie.


We added the Little Man.


and we added "Wooley". (Alex named her) :)

This is what I saw this morning while feeding Lily...

I wish our camera could take a better picture. It is an American Gold Finch. It was sitting like a little star on my favorite tree. We have had wonderful weather here. It has been the coolest July on record in a decade and it feels wonderful. The hottest it got was 82 degrees. I knew there was a reason for surviving the winter.