{Days Go By}

The last couple months have been busy. Lots of happenings.  Lots of learning and fun activities at school for Lauren.  Busy things for Dean at work and church.  A lot of come and go for him.  Kylee is getting older and smarter, learning her ABC's and 123's.  Spending a lot of time with her Mommy, wishing her big sister was home to play with her.  Bailey is growing, getting teeth, rolling, rolling and rolling! Me. I'm here. And there. Wishing I got more sleep!  Trying to stay on top of it, and  finish the millions of projects I've started/dreamed up.

 
Lauren had another Spirit Week at school.  Our favorite was "decade day."  She wore her 50's dress from her dress-up costumes.  She had fun with it and looked cute.

 We celebrated a lot of birthdays this month including cousin Gabe:

 

And Cousin Ryan:

Other Quarterly Highlights include:

• Dean attended Wood Badge
• Family dinners and lots of play dates. 
• A missed trip to the beach, thanks to the flu.  
• Big girls gave talks in primary.
• A temple trip to San Diego for Mom and Dad.
• Too much money spent on car repairs.
• Lauren's first field trip {to the fire station}
• The doctor visits have dwindled down.  Mom is feeling better. A definite blessing.
• Lauren turned 6 and Kylee had her half-birthday {try explaining that to a 3.5 year old!} 
• Enjoyed watching the solar eclipse- always amazed at the wonders of this world!
• Dean celebrated his 11 year work anniversary {he wouldn't let me buy him flowers}
• The start of swimming lessons and summer movie fun.  
• Bailey is rolling and rolling and rolling. {Did I mention that?}

A busy life is a good life.  Keeps us well rounded and out of trouble.  {Although it makes for more stress and chaos than I care for!}  Things are working together.  We're trying.  Trying to grow a good, strong family.  Trying to do what the Lord would have us do.  Some days I find I have failed completely. Luckily {so far} I wake up the next morning and try again.  However, I still feel its all slipping by too quickly.  Perhaps it is my "mid-life" panic I am experiencing as I realize I am at the end of my 20's {What happened to the last 10 years?}. Time is flying and I have a lack of pictures to prove it! But I know there is no good in focusing on the quickly passing time, or moments missed. Just for finding joy in this great journey. {Even if it leads me to my 30's!} I love and often think of this encouragement given by President Monson:

"If you have children who are grown and gone, in all likelihood you have occasionally felt pangs of loss and the recognition that you didn’t appreciate that time of life as much as you should have. Of course, there is no going back, but only forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.

My sincere prayer is that we may adapt to the changes in our lives, that we may realize what is most important, that we may express our gratitude always and thus find joy in the journey." -President Thomas S. Monson*

*{read full article here: Finding Joy in the Journey}