Fly-fishing in My Dad's Back Yard

So one morning Bryce and his brother Ryan decided to go fly-fishing.  Well, what better place than in your own backyard?  Okay, it wasn't our backyard, it was by dad's, close enough.  They weren't successful at catching anything, but I think they still had a good time.

Zermatt

We went up one weekend to my dad's condo at Zermatt with John and Tara.  It was a great relaxing weekend with lots of swimming, some shopping, and golf for the guys.  Everything was great except for Chase getting sick one night with asthma.  The closest 24 hr. walgreens was in Salt Lake while the breathing machine we needed was in Provo.  Bryce had to drive down to Provo to get the nebulizer while John drove to Salt Lake to pick up the prescription.  Thank goodness the poor little guy was feeling better by the next day.  Thanks to John and Tara for being such wonderful friends!

Nash's first experience in a swimming pool and John splashes him to make him cry.

Moving

Well, we did it!  We have made the move from St. Louis to Iowa.  It was a VERY long week, but we all survived.  Thanks to Bryce's parents and my dad things went fairly smoothly.  My dad flew home with the boys all by himself so that we could pack up the truck and do the move without them.  Without Bryce's parents and his little brother Josh I don't thing we would have ever even made it!  They were so wonderful and helpful with all of the packing.  We managed to al least take them one afternoon to see the arch.  It really is so much bigger than you think when you get up to it.  Thankyou to all!

Dr. Bryce Haslem M.D.

It's official!  Bryce graduated from the St. Louis University School of Medicine today.  I got to watched him take the Hippocratic Oath with all of his classmates and I am so proud of him!  These last four years have not been easy and he worked so hard to get where he is today.  

CONGRATULATIONS!!!  You deserve it!

Don't my boys look so handsome and so well-behaved!

Bryce's class reciting the Hippocratic Oath                                    Bryce and the proud parents

                                           

My dad came too                                                                   John and Tara

                                                                                              (We didn't see everyone together to

                                                                                                 get a group shot)

The Happy Family!

                                                         

Bitter Sweet

I can't even tell you how much I am going to miss St. Louis. It's not even St. Louis itself so much as the people I have met during my time here. I have met and become friends with some really amazing people who have impacted my life forever. Most of these people do not share my religion or my age group, but we all had one thing in common that brought us together, the gym. I started working out, and I mean just started, at the community YMCA and decided to join one of their classes called "Bootcamp". It was a combination of running, spinning, and strength training, none of which I was very experienced at. I signed up with two of my friends from church and had heard that it was really tough and there was somewhat of a following for the instructor who organized the class. All the women in the class knew one another. I have to admit that I didn't go to the first two classes purely because of fear and intimidation, I didn't think I could hack it. After I finally got up the courage to go I was hooked. I had never been so sore in my entire life, but had never worked so hard either. Over time as I began to get to know these women better it eventually came up that I was 25, had two kids, and got married when I was 19. Elizabeth, the bootcamp instructor, was blown away by this. She couldn't believe it and finally asked me if I was only 19 when I got married, than was I able to drink at my reception? When I told her my husband and I didn't drink she finally put all of the pieces together. Our friendship just grew from there. Since I met these ladies I run, spin, and do all sorts of crazy things on a regular basis and I have a blast doing it, purely because I am with them. I love them all and don't know if it's possible to replace them. Thank you everyone from Bootcamp for all that you taught and showed me. Especially a huge shout-out to Elizabeth and Julie. They both are amazing athletes and took me under their wings and taught me so much about so many things. I love you guys!

Just before the "farewell" spin for Jamie and I

Elizabeth did an awesome job during the spin. The music was the best!

She played this song about Iowa in my honor,

it was hillarious!

I wish I could have put it on my playlist, but I couldn't find it.

That night they threw us a going away party

Top row from left to right:

Marsha, me, Jen, Aixa, Elizabeth, Jamie, Norene

Bottom row from Left to right:

Kim, Gayna, Kathy, Suzy, Julie (Boston marathon in 3:39), Nancy (3:14 marathon)

I will respect them and not tell you how old they really are,

Let's just say AMAZING GIRLS!

Luz, Michelle, Lisa, Megan, Ashley, Suzy, Christy, Kim

More of us at "Amigos", Megan's new restaurant,

Very good food!

Powder Valley

Landon's Class did a field trip to a local environmental conservation Park.  It's called Powder Valley and I have taken my kids there many times before.  We love to go and walk the trails and I have taken pictures of them there in the past.  This particular time they learned about insects during their field trip.  They did a field study in the pond and got to see the mosquitos that hadn't matured yet that we will all soon be enjoying during the summer.  Than they learned about insects and got to experience how insects see with some cool glasses that everyone loved.  I have absolutely loved Landon's teacher, Mrs. Lillick, this year.  She has been so good with the kids and taught Landon so much.  He had a great year here in St. Louis at Tillman and will miss all of the great friends he made here (especially Tessa).

That is another story for another time.

 

For those of you who know the history behind Landon and Tessa,

She is the little girl in the jeans and light blue shirt with short dark hair, cute!