Our 4th of July

 This year during the 4th of July weekend it was a little more relaxed. Curtis, Garrett and I went and helped sell fireworks in the morning on Sat the 3rd for a fundraiser for the Skyview High marching band. Yep, here we go with the fun things that come with having a child in marching band. I actually only found out about the fundraiser because I reached out to Joy Stevens who I knew has a son in band. I was able to get her to go sell fireworks on Sat with us as well. Not even she had done it before and her son will be a junior. It was hot but it was fun. Garrett and I had also done it on Wednesday a few days before but it was a lot less busy that day. Saturday was almost constantly busy with customers. Our shifts were 4 hours so it helped pass the time when we were busy. And yes, we bought more fireworks this year than ever before. I felt better about doing it since our marching band benefits from it. We get 20% of the profits. It should be the only fundraiser they have to do this year. The money is used for buying props for the show and food for the band members at competitions. It looks like there will be 4 competitions. I'm excited to watch the marching band this year especially with Garrett in it!

Anyway, we relaxed and showered after getting home from that and then my parents came over to play some games with us and to meet Alex, at Nikki's request. They think he's a nice boy and were happy to meet him. We had a good time playing and then before mom and dad left Curtis invited them to come over again the next day for the 4th of July and fireworks. They came with grandma this time and showed up around 6pm or so. We played games for several hours before going outside to light our own fireworks and enjoy the neighbor's fireworks all around us. We were out there for 3 hours! It was a great 4th of July and we were glad to be able to sleep in the next day. Curtis had the day off on Monday since the 4th was on Sunday.

Waiting for it to get dark enough for fireworks. Sipping on some soda pop in the meantime.

Nikki was begging to watch fireworks from the roof this year with Alex. I can't blame her. It would be a good spot to view from with fireworks going off all around us.

Nikki Gets Her Driver's License...Finally!

 Last week we were able to get Nikki in to take her written driving test at the DMV and she passed the first time. She had scheduled that one a couple weeks prior. We had no idea how soon she'd be able to do the skills driving test. As it turns out the first teacher we tried was Wally Lester and he wasn't available until after July 17th. He was a teacher at NHS when Curtis and I were in high school. The next person we tried was John Gregory. He too was a former teacher at NHS and one of my basketball coaches. His availability was much sooner, getting her in only two days after the written test. Mr. Gregory had us meet him at Burger King. Then he and Nikki got in our van and took the skills test while I waited at the restaurant. She did get marked on a few things but was able to pass! 

The very next morning we tried going to the DMV to get her license. We got there and there was a sign that said if we didn't have an appointment that we needed to come back after 1:00pm because many of the workers were gone to a funeral. This is where an appointment would have come in very handy but no we didn't have an appointment since we had no idea when she would be able to do the driving skills test. We tried going back around 2:00 that same day and were told that it was a two hour wait. We couldn't do that since Nikki had to work at 4:00pm. We got online after that to look for available appointments and there weren't any for two weeks! She did not want to wait that long and either did I.  We finally decided that we would wake up early Tuesday the 6th of July (since they were closed on Monday) and get over there before they even opened. Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing because even at 7:40am there was a line of about 20-30 people in front of us. By the time we got inside to get a ticket number they told us the limit was reached for people inside so we had to wait outside. Nikki was really hungry and wanting breakfast since she hadn't eaten. She wanted me to leave and go get food. I was worried that they would text my number to come inside while I was gone. I finally conceded and left the paperwork with her while I drove over to Jack in the Box. Sure enough, as soon as I was driving down Caldwell Blvd they texted me. I had to call and tell Nikki to go ahead and get inside. The line was a lot shorter when I got back in and they let me go in where Nikki was. It was a good thing I made it back because there was one form I had to sign since she is a minor. Total we were only at the DMV for 1 hour so it wasn't bad. It helped that it was morning time too so it wasn't near as hot.

But yay! We finally got her license! Well, a paper copy for now until the real thing comes in the mail but she's finally official to drive without a parent. She has been enjoying driving around with her friends this week. It's nice not having to drive to Caldwell if she wants to spend time with her boyfriend Alex.  I was still pretty nervous letting her go the first time but she's been fine so I have relaxed a little.

Nikki in the room at the DMV taking her written test.

We celebrated her passing the written test with a blizzard treat at DQ.

The same day we got her license (July 6th) she drove for the first time without me. She drove to Caldwell to get Alex and spent the day going different places with him and had lots of fun. And was SAFE! Whew! 

I promised Nikki that after she got her driver's license that I would take her to get ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery because she had never been there before. We didn't get over there until two days later. Both of us ordered way too much and had to race home to put our ice cream in the freezer and save it for the next day.

Wow, I have a daughter that can drive on her own now and will be entering her senior year of high school this next year. I can't believe how fast time flies! My mama heart is so proud of her in accomplishing this new milestone. 

Softball and T-ball in the Heat

 Charlotte and Alice are having fun playing softball and t-ball this summer, even in the heat! My friend Ashlie found Charlotte her own purple and black bat and glove at a yard sale last month. Just yesterday I also found a pink bat and two t-ball stands for Alice. The two stands were being sold together so I just took them both. I figured the girls could both use one at the same time this way if Charlotte doesn't have anyone to pitch for her. That's been a struggle for her this year is learning how to hit the ball from a pitch instead of off the tee. The mother inside me feels like crying for her whenever she tries and tries but ends up striking out, even after like 20 pitches. The nice thing about this league is that they aren't keeping score. They are just trying to teach the kids the game and have fun. So that's why she had so many pitches during a game. The coach really wanted her to be able to hit it. Thankfully it doesn't bother her too much, at least not that I can tell. Charlotte is loving playing softball. Alice I think likes it but is not quite as excited as Charlotte. I just wish it wasn't so hot for them to play in. Fortunately we are finding ways to get shade. A couple of times they moved our game to a different field that had shade where the first one didn't so that was nice. 

I had a small dilemma of deciding what to do for the girls professional team pictures this year because Charlotte's team decided they didn't want to hassle with it and that the coach knew someone that could take pictures for their team. I didn't want to purchase professional for one and not the other so I took my own pictures of Alice and her team. Charlotte's team hasn't done their pictures yet but they better hurry because next week is the last week. I actually LOVE how this picture of Alice turned out. I think it's better than what the professional would have gotten. I was basically using the same background since the professional was just down a little ways doing individuals for the rest of the team. I was able to get some shots of the team as well but unfortunately they were all looking at the professional photographer, not me. Oh well. I am happy to at least have this really cute shot.

Alice's team

Here are some pictures of the girls in action. They have been playing games every Monday and Wednesday for the past 3 weeks. Next week will be their last week of games. It has been fun to watch them. I just hope the weather is cooler next year if they decide to do it again. 

Colby and Cindy's Sealing

Curtis and I had the opportunity to go down to Utah for my brother Colby's sealing to his new wife Cindy in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple the last weekend of June. We left the kids at home with Nikki in charge since Nikki had just gotten home from girl's camp the day we left. I knew she would be too tired and not have time to get ready for a trip so we decided it would be easiest to leave the kids at home with Grandma Butterfield coming to check in on them every day. We even had my Aunt Cori and Uncle Ken help take our girls to church while we were gone and the boys got a ride from some friends in the ward. 

We travelled down with Tamara and Katelynn and straight to the airport to pick up Stillman and Michelle. 

After picking Stillman and Michelle up at the airport we headed to the hotel to check in and get unpacked. It was fun sharing a hotel suite with everyone. There were two bedrooms that the couple slept in and then Tamara and Katie slept in the main room on the hide a bed and a rollaway bed. However, the 2nd night Katie wanted a roll away bed for herself because the hide a bed was not comfortable. We went then proceeded to go to dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  Then back to the hotel to relax. 

The next morning we were able to sleep in and then had time to go play a round of bowling at a nearby bowling alley. It was about 12:00pm when we got there and there was only one other lane being used. We pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. Unfortunately we only had time for one game before we needed to go eat and head over to the temple for the sealing.

I played my best game ever! I think I'll stick with the 10lb ball that I decided to try. I usually use an 8 or a 6lb ball.

Anyway, we rushed over to the temple after getting some smoothies at Jamba Juice and food at Wendy's. We arrived just in time but after everyone went in to the temple we had to wait a long time for Colby and Cindy to get ready. It was nice to be able to sit inside a temple again. It's been about 1 1/2 years since I had been to the temple because of Covid. It was quiet and peaceful and just a wonderful place to be. It was a nice sealing and I was happy to be able to sit by my mom in the temple as well, with my sister Tamara on the other side. Unfortunately my other sister Melissa was not feeling well enough to make the trip.

On our way out of the temple I was asked to help carry bags for Cindy and Colby after they changed and went outside so that they would be free to get pictures taken after coming out. It was kind of fun being the bag lady. I had left my phone and purse in the van so I wouldn't have to carry them so I had to get some pictures off of Facebook.

Married for time and now for eternity. They're so cute!

Many of us were just sitting here visiting so we decided that we needed a picture. Me, Grandma Norton, cousin Alivia, Aunt Deb, Aunt Diane, Laverne, sister Tamara, my mom (Marsha), sister in law Michelle, niece Katelynn, and Aunt Karen. It was great to have everyone there. That was most of the ladies that were there. We didn't get my cousin Danae in there.

We were all invited to a dinner at Cindy's sister's new house. Our group decided to go back to the hotel to change our clothes first. My brother Derek and his wife Rachel were there with two of their boys. It was great to see and visit with them. The house that we were at was huge. They had a built in gymnasium in their house with a slide and stairs to get down to it. We're pretty sure there's an inside pool as well but we weren't certain. It was a big and beautiful house and I was so busy eating and then visiting that I didn't get any pictures. Oops! It was a nice time visiting though. We dropped by Walmart on the way back to our hotel to get some snack items, bottled water, and other things. Then we played a card game called Golf while watching a movie called The Terminal. We paused our movie though to take a dip in the pool before it closed. Then finished the movie afterwards. The next morning we had to wake up somewhat early to pack up, eat and drive Stillman and Michelle to the airport before heading back home. We made it back home around 2:30pm Sunday afternoon and were able to relax the rest of the day with the kids. I'm grateful that we made the trip and were able to be a part of Colby and Cindy's beginning of forever.