Happy Father's Day!

Ok, we're at it again. It's Father's Day, and we're both writing what we love about our dads.

What do I love about my dad? My dad has seemingly always been in a calling that has required a whole lot of his time. In the last 10 years or so, he's gone from being in the Stake Presidency to being a bishop to back in the stake Presidency. But he has not once complained about somehow keeping on top of that with raising 6 kids and having a very busy career. AND he was one of our sports coaches every year. He's taught us the importance of frugality, and the concept that we don't always get what we want. I remember once Christmas Austin wanted an iPod (this was when the first iPods came out, and they were COOL). My dad went to some electronics store, or grocery store or wherever, and bought Austin the CHEAPEST mp3 player ever. And you know what? It worked! And I don't think Austin complained too much about it... we all got a good laugh later.
While my dad has taught us the importance of keeping a good public figure out there, he's also not afraid to have fun. Case and point? Alyse and my wedding receptions. For Alyse's wedding, he sang his own version of "Don't Stop Believin" about Alyse and Tommy's courtship. And for my wedding reception, of course, he reenacted the infamous "walk" where he and Brandon talked about if Brandon could marry me. Now, I don't THINK Brandon danced around and sang Bruno Mars, but my dad sure did. And every time I hear that song it makes me think of my dad now. So Dad, that's why I shared that video on Facebook today. It was either that or something from Zoolander, but I figured Bruno Mars would be more acceptable.
I love my father-in-law. I know that it's important to see how your father-in-law acts to see how your husband will act later in life, and it's good to know that Brandon already acts like him (in the best ways possible of course). They CRACK each other up, which is pretty funny. But the lesson I'm most grateful for is the lessons that he taught Brandon. He has emphasized the concept of being self sufficient, and help shape Brandon into the hard worker that he is. Brandon had to pay for his own schooling, which meant that he got good grades because he didn't WANT to pay for school. And he didn't! It's been so wonderful to have them open their house up to me. Thank you for everything!


And from Brandon:  Dad I know how much you love Taco Bell so here is some nacho cheese for you.  The more experience I get in life the more I understand just how much you have worked and sacrificed for me and our family.  You have been a great teacher and mentor throughout my life.  I very distinctly remember a day on my mission sitting at my study desk and thinking about you.  The thought entered my mind, "Wow, everything that my Dad has told me and taught me was to help me be happy and to be better."  Even though I did not realize it as a teenager, I was truly watched over and protected by a great Father who cared.  I have so many great memories with you from camping, fishing, playing basketball and football out in the yard, going to priesthood sessions of conference, family dinners, games (especially scum!), and road tripping from New Hampshire to Idaho (eating chex mix with no pretzels haha).  You have been a great example of putting in effort to obtain a testimony and treasuring it.  I remember many late nights and early mornings finding you on the couch reading your scriptures and conference talks.  You have been a great example to me of how to treat a wife with love and respect.  You may be the purest man I know.  You are an extremely talented and intelligent person.  If only you had worked a little harder in your trumpet class in college you could have been straight A student haha. One thing that I really admire about you is that you are constantly reading and learning.  Well my main squeeze you are truly one of a kind and I am eternally in debt to a Heavenly Father that placed us here together.

My father-in-law, Blake.  I literally have to look up to you.  There are so many qualities that you possess it makes it hard to pick and choose.  One thing that I most admire about Blake is his genuine care for other people.  He does so much to help so many people around him.  I know that there are many things that he does that go unseen.  As I have spent time with Blake I have noticed just how much he loves his family.  He is very busy, but he has shown me a great example of making time for family and people.  He is such a great teacher.  I am grateful to him for how he taught and guided my wife through the first couple of decades of her life.  I have really enjoyed spending time with him at family reunions.  Especially, playing in the sports tournaments.  He may be a grandpa but hasn't lost a step!  He still has a 40' inch vertical!  I couldn't ask for a better father-in-law.  Thanks for the great example!

Scenic River Classic 10k

I just had the chance to run in my 3rd 10k. It was cheap, and profited a developmental workshop so I was all over that. I got Rachel to do it with me, which was awesome because we haven't run a race together for a while.

It was H-O-T. Luckily it wasn't just me, because I felt bad that I hadn't trained too much and felt like I wanted to die at some points. But the course was BEAUTIFUL. We were running down the river in Idaho Falls, and I just had to look around at the scenery as I ran by.

The good news is that I ran my 10k in only 5 minutes more than my last one. I trained a whole lot less for this one, so I am ok with that. Plus it was fun to spend a morning with Rachel while our husbands did more "manly" things.

Team Ruby, or the Power of Family.

Well, the demon of brain injuries reared its big ugly head again on my mom's side of the family, this time with this little munchkin:

Seriously, how cute is she. 

A few weeks ago, she fell off the steps leading up to my grandparents' trampoline. She cried, but seemed ok. The next morning they took her to the hospital, and found out she had fractured her skull and would probably require intensive physical therapy to regain her use of balance and motor skills. But lo and behold, once they took her home to her 5 older siblings, she miraculously recovered. How sweet is that? The power of siblings, and what happens when you have a harmonious home. We love little Ruby and her whole family, and we're grateful for her progress. And Aunt Amy just had #7!! Phew.

This whole situation caused me to think of how blessed our family has been, all things considered. We miss Julie dearly, but her death reaffirmed the Plan of Salvation in my heart like nothing else. We're grateful for Wes' rockstar attitude towards his many brain surgeries, and we're also grateful that Ruby hasn't had to have any.

Kindergarten.

For summer school, I've worked in a kindergarten class. It has been THE BEST. There are quite a few different needs there than I'm used to with working in mainly upper elementary school ages, but it's way fun.

I've  never really understood the phrase "herding cats" until I tried to help them walk down the hall.

SOMEONE GET ME INTO ONE OF THOSE FOR NEXT YEAR STAT!

Road Trip Map

We've been in hardcore "sell everything to move" mode. We've already sold our dresser, nightstands, coffee table, and barstools. So if we have company over in the next 6 weeks, we'll have to eat on the floor. We're just being cultural, I guess.

But in addition to posting our moving blog on all these sale websites, I've been planning our roadtrip. Now, I don't know if Brandon doesn't really care about how we get there, or if he just knows that type A personalities like to be indulged, but either way I've been able to plan where we go. I've asked him what he thinks, don't worry.

Here's a map of our route:

What's funny is Brandon didn't want to go to Albuquerque, but when I suggested Four Corners we didn't even think of that. Whoops. He's a trooper.

We're starting to get sad to leave, it's going to be weird to drive down the 15 freeway for the last time in who knows how long. But I'm SO excited to hit those Southern cities! We've already planned a lot of good food to go eat. And Graceland in Memphis woot woot!

Goodbye, MJ :(

Today we finally turned over the Jeep to Brandon's brother, Taylor. We sold it to his parents a few weeks ago, but they were nice enough to let us keep it until school ended.

Man, it's sad to get rid of that car! We had our "DTR" in that car, where we decided to be boyfriend and girlfriend. That car is where Brandon taught me how to drive in the snow. It was in that car that Brandon proposed to me, out in the rain. It's taken Brandon to and from New Hampshire 3 times, and to Utah, California, Nevada, Wyoming, and Montana. We drove home in the middle of the night in December in this car, and weren't even afraid because we knew that car would keep us on the road. Plus, Brandon bought that car from his grandma after his grandpa passed away, so it's extra special. Which is why giving it to Taylor felt like a good idea.
So farewell, MJ. We loved driving you, and if your gas mileage was about double we would have kept you in a heartbeat.