freedom festival 3x3 soccer tourney

We are spending the week here in Utah hanging with our families. Today was a goody. It consisted of feeding ducks at Sugar House Park with cousin Cash, watching Matthias' 3 soccer games, and Hawaiian shaved ice down at BYU. A super hot day, but lots of fun!

Matthias' team, the Red Glare, won all 3 games today and are heading to the semifinal tomorrow on the fourth of July. He's pretty pumped. Note, Matthias chose the name from the Star Spangled Banner. Would be very fitting if they pulled out a final win on Independence Day.

meeting Real Salt Lake

One day out in Utah, Emily had a genius idea to take the kids to go watch the RSL team practice. Matthias was busy taking the UT bar, so he couldn't join us, (much to his disappointment). We got there and sat on the sidelines. I felt a bit sheepish sitting there as close as we were watching them all play... it brought me back to my high school days. The boys loved it of course, which was really the reason we went. When they were running ladders at the end, Ty ran with them on the sideline. It was fun being able to spot the players we knew. I didn't dare ask them for pictures, so I left it to Emily and she & Ty were brave enough to walk right up to them take shots when practice was over. How could they not?? Thanks for the good time Auntie Em. GOOOOOOOO RSL!

Ty & Nick Rimando

Ty & Beckham with Chris Wingert & Tony Beltran

Ty with Nat Borchers & Robbie Russell

rsl

We went with the Sayer's to see RSL play while we were in town. They lost. But we still loved it.

temple square

The night Matthias finished the bar exam, we went out to dinner and visited Temple Square. We did a little tour of the conference center because Ty wanted to see where the prophet speaks during conference. I loved going out on the roof and seeing the gardens.  After, we walked around the temple grounds. It was pretty. We also went to see the visitor center and the statue of Christ.

While I was waiting for Matthias to finish the Utah Bar, I took the boys over to Gateway to play in the splash fountain and to do a little school shopping. Ty kept trying to catch water on his back, and Bex kept hitting the big drops like they were baseballs and his arms were the bat. We've had such a fun summer, and Utah was the highlight of our trip! 

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filling in the gap

Between Indiana and Sheridan, Ty, Bex and I lived with my parents in Utah while Matthias was working and seeking employment in DC. Although it was a very challenging time, actually, probably the hardest experience we as a family have ever gone through, being with family in Utah made it a little more bearable. My parents and Matthias' parents were our greatest supporters and really helped us get through those months of being apart. Spending time with cousins lifted the boys spirits. 

One day the boys begged to take a bubble in Nana's jet tub. After she filled the tub with the right bubble/water ratio, she turned the jets on and the bubbles grew, grew, and grew!  The boys loved it! She had to turn the jets off to keep the bubbles from overflowing.

We were in Utah for Ty's 6th birthday. Luckily, Matthias came to town for his birthday. We had a family party at classic skating where all the cousins came and both grandparents had little parties with a cake and candles. He loved celebrating his birthday with cousins! 

We went to a climbing gym while we were there, and Ty went to a climbing class. We weren't there long enough to get into it, but Ty was hooked. We went another time with a friend of mine who competed internationally in climbing and she showed us a great time. Ty really is a great climber. He got all the way to the top - I couldn't even do that! 

We love our families for so many reasons - thank you for taking care of us those 3 months in Utah!