September 2021

Labor day weekend we finally decided to Hike the Y.  I've been wanting to do this for a while with the kids but wasn't sure if it would be too hard.  They like to complain on uphill hikes a lot.  So I told them this was my birthday present to myself and whoever could join and not complain could come with me and if they came and didn't complain I would buy them ice cream afterwards.  Well it totally worked.  We had such a fun time.  The hike was hard but I like how the have it all marked out with signs at every switch back offering encouragement and we knew exactly how much further we had.  We ate some snacks at the top and then hiked down which for my knees was 10xs harder than the way up.  My knees were killing me.  We then stopped by the Creamery for some yummy ice cream.  The kids are already asking when they can hike it again.

On Labor Day we took the family up to the Uintahs.  We made a few stops and had a fun day.  Our first stop was at this fairy trail I had read about.  You can't add anymore fairies to it but it was fun to see all the fairy houses around.

Next we stopped at Mirror lake and walked around it and ate lunch.

The last stop was Provo Falls.  The kids loved Provo Falls.  They had so much fun bouldering over the rocks and crossing back and forth over the river.  It was such a fun day. 

The day after Labor Day was my birthday.  It was one of the not so favorite birthdays.  Siena and I both got colds on Labor Day and after being paranoid about Covid, we decided to go get tested that morning.  So I spend my morning in line getting tested.  We were both negative thankfully and it was fun to spend some one and one time with Siena.  We both recovered a couple days later and were fine.  Luckily Shane took me out to dinner the Saturday before so we were still able to celebrate.

The kids did a couple of fun primary activity days this month.  The girls did a service project pulling weeds for Maddi and family next door with triplets and Jaron and his group had a fun nerf gun war at the park.  Such a fun group of kids and leaders.

Shane and I were finally able to go back to the temple for an endowment session.  It was so good to be back and hopefully we never go this long not going to the temple again.  It's nice that we both work from home and can get daytime appointments to go as it's a lot easier to get in during the day and you need an appointment to go.

The girls made their Utah cakes that everyone in 4th grade does each year.  Siena decided to make a large rice krispy 'cake' and Aria make a chocolate cake with white frosting.  They then took all the stuff to decorate with with rivers, mountains and major Utah national parks and sites.  They were excited to be able to eat it when they were done.

We took our annual drive up canyon for fall leaves.  It was crowded as it always is each year at this time but so pretty.  We pulled over and walked up this little random path for a while and it was fun to get out in nature.

Jaron is playing on a AA soccer team this year.  His team is new and they have had a pretty rough season.  2 great things happened this month.  They won their first game (and would be their only win on the season) and his coaches invited the team and took them to a REAL Salt Lake soccer game.  They are the major league soccer team in Salt Lake.  The team wore their jersey's and were able to walk onto the field with a bunch of other teams and get announced on the field.  They had such a fun time. and although Jaron wishes they would win more, he loves playing soccer so much that the losses don't even bother him that much.  He just loves to play.

Golden Birthdays for my Girls

Siena and Aria turned 10 on September 10 this year.  That means it was their golden birthday!  Golden birthday, a decade old, double digits!

The were a bit sad they had to to go to school on their birthday but we still had a fun day.  They of course slept in the same room together and I woke them up early so we could have breakfast, open presents and get Aria to her orchestra practice at school in time.  Their class celebrated and we brought treats.

After school we didn't have much time until their party started.  I usually don't do their party on their actual birthday but this was about the only day we were able to make it work.  All the girls came to our house and we had pizza and opened presents.  Then we loaded into the car and went to Airborne trampoline park.  They were thrilled they got to go somewhere for their party instead of just doing a party at home.  It was a fun time and actually a super easy birthday.

That Sunday we had our family birthday celebrations at my parents house.

I love the girls that Siena and Aria are turning into to.  They both love to read and read a lot.  In fact we've started letting them read in bed at night and they both read way longer than they should and stay up way too late.  As much as I don't want them tired in the morning, I love that they love to read. They both love their guinea pigs Chip and Ozzie and even though Shane and I wish we could give them away, they burst into tears at the very thought of it.  It's a chore to get them to clean their cage but they do love playing with them and making things for them, like Halloween costumes, stockings and thanksgiving feasts.

Siena is all about technology right now.  She has started making games and escape rooms on her scratch account on her computer and is always looking for escape rooms online that she can complete. She also loves to make little games and things for the family to complete.  She'll make up a scavenger hunt, escape room and even started a Halloween 'You've been Booed' game.  Siena takes piano and actually enjoys it.  I love listening to her play.  Siena is often the ring leader of the family, for good and bad sometimes.  She has a lot of energy and is loud and crazy but has the cutest laugh.  She's inquisitive and never stops talking during movies or tv shows, usually asking questions about what we're watching.  For her birthday Siena wanted her ears pierced so the next day after her birthday we went and go her ears pierced.  Siena is deathly afraid of shots so I thought she might chicken out but she sat still and didn't flinch at all.  She has been really good about keeping her ears cleaned and can change out her earring by herself.

Aria is all about horses.  She almost always has a horse book checked out from the library, reads her horse encyclopedia book, draws horses, watches horse tv shows and movies and is always talking about when can we buy her a horse.  She has stated writing nightly notes to Shane and I about getting a horse, taking horse lessons and how good she will be if we will just get her a horse.  She will even pay all the money she has towards it.  It's so cute and makes me sad that we aren't in a situation/house, etc to buy her a horse.  It's a very strong dream of hers.  Aria takes violin lessons and is in orchestra.  She loves to play but has a hard time with the perfectionist piece of what it takes to play the violin just right.  She loves to go to her and play by herself from time to time, and is always carrying around some (like 10) stuffed animals, even in the car when we go places.  For her birthday we gave Aria a trail ride with her horse instructor.  She was so so excited and had a great time riding a horse out in the open.

August 2021

Since I took the girls to a rodeo earlier this summer, Shane took Jaron to a Real Monarchs soccer game.  Little did I know we got tickets for the same night as Pups at the Pitch.  Haha, Shane was thrilled to be around all the dogs.  They still had a good time and it was Jaron's first time to a real soccer game.

The kids did a bake sale/lemonade stand.  We made rice krispy treats, chocolate chip cookies, bottled water and lemonade.  They had a window cleaning business drive by and buy some cookies and then at the end came back and bought the rest of the chocolate chip cookies they had left.  They must have really liked them.  The kids ask to do bake sales all summer long and I always put it off as so many kids do them in our neighborhood but they always have fun and people are always willing to stop by and buy stuff.

We had back to school open house to meet their teachers.  Jarons' teacher had Covid and wasn't there but the girl's I think will like Miss Moody.  She has a twin sister so she can relate to them which I think they liked hearing.  After that we took them for snow cones to an official end of summer, welcome back to school.

The day before school started I took the day off of work and took the kids to the Children's museum and a bounce house place.  The kids always love the children's museum and as much as I always think this is the year they won't like it as much, they still do and spend a long time there.  I of course made Siena and Aria re-create their horse picture they took when they were little.

First day of school.  No masks, which is a little nerve wracking but mostly all excitement here to get back, see friends and start a new year.  I'm always excited to get my house organized and picked up and be able to work without interruption and feeling guilty.  School is different this year instead of starting school at 8:00am they don't start until 9:15 which means they don't get out until 3:30!  This has been quite the adjustment for us getting home so late.  We try to get things done in the morning which has helped but with soccer, music lessons and wanting to play with friends it has been harder for us than in past years.

Cousin Lilly got to come spend the night with us since Michelle was out of town and Aaron had a mountain bike race with the other kids.  We had so much fun with Lilly and they had a slumber party and movie night in the basement and then Lilly went to Jaron's baptism with us the next day.

The kids decided they wanted to use their money they have earned and saved from birthdays and buy hoverboards.  It was quite the shipping nightmare to get them here but they were excited and love riding them around the house.

And a last summer swim for the year before we get so crazy busy and then the pool closes.

Jaron gets Baptized!

Jaron was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on August 21, 2021 with his 2 cousins Landon Edwards and Owen Goold or as we like to call them the J-Lo's.  We were happy we were able to coordinate them getting baptized together since they are just 2 weeks apart and they were baptized in Riverton with my brother Jeff conducting.

Jaron did a musical number 'When I am Baptized' on the piano that he practiced quite a bit the weeks leading up to it.  He did such a good job as there were a lot of people there.  Shane baptized and confirmed him and Siena and Aria got to be witnesses.

Christy and some of the Brian's were able to watch via zoom...which is a nice addition that has happened since Covid.  She got some pictures of my dad giving the talk.  He had all the mom's come up here and put their arms around the boys and compared that to the feeling and guidance the Holy Ghost will give them.  I thought it was a cute analogy.

It was a special day and one that I know Jaron has been preparing for a looking forward to for a long time.  For the year before he kept asking me if I was still going to be the primary president when he got baptized.  He really wanted me to so the 'primary president' could come visit him and tell him all about being baptized.  Grandma and Grandpa Goold gave Jaron their traditional embroidered towel in red of course for his favorite color.

After the baptism we went to Whitney's parent's home for lunch and some swimming and it was a fun afternoon just being all together (even though not everyone could be there.)

I took some pictures of Jaron at the Mount Timpanogos temple a couple weeks before and I made a cute invitation to his baptism from the pictures.  They turned out cute....and some silly ones too of course.

Jaron is such a light and joy to our family and we are so happy to celebrate this special day with him.