summer has officially begun!

Our school year came to an end yesterday. I can't believe that I will soon have one child in 2nd grade who will be getting baptized in 9 months, another child in 1st grade, and a toddler and new baby at home! Crazy!

Abbie at Kindergarten Graduation

In any case, I'm excited for this summer. We have already left town for some much need family time. I picked the kids up from school yesterday and drove straight to Grand Junction where Jon was working. We met up and headed out for Richfield, Utah. I'll admit it's not the most exciting travel desination, but for us it is a meaningful one. Both of Jon's parents grew up here and they still have a lot of family in the area. Every Memorial Day the family converges on the area to spend time together and visit the various cemeteries where ancestors are buried. We decorate gravesites and hear stories about loved ones gone before. And we do a lot of eating, usually following a specific pattern of restaurants on specific days! For my husband, Memorial Day weekend in Richfield is like a second Christmas every year. He LOVES it. And, we have spent at least a portion of this weekend here every year since we got married, except for one. If I'm counting correctly, that would be 8 times for us, not including all his years here before we got married. What I love most is seeing my kids participating in a tradition that helps strengthen their ties to family. Here are some pictures from 2004. In looking back over the last couple years, I seem to have forgotten to take cemetary pictures in favor of carnival and swimming pool shots. I don't know what I was thinking! Not this year. My new camera will be in hand all day Saturday and Sunday to capture every bit of this tradition.