November= Lots of Birthday Boys

Before all of the birthdays, the girls were in the Gilbert Days Parade!

We were prepared for cold, but the jackets got ditched pretty early on. 

Tatum sent me this picture.

They have been tutoring Lanes mission companion so they got to visit with him for a bit!

I cant remember what the bribery was for, but here she is reaping her reward!

The biggest size of Snickers chocolate milk at Dutch Bros.

They will do anything for a trip there. 

Sending off Lanes birthday package.

I originally told him I would just put money on his debit card

to use how he wanted.

I could sense he needed a tangible gift sent from home. 
I get that.

I remember loving getting physical letters in the mail when 
I was attending BYUH.

I package of his favorite treats and requested things like teeth whitening strips, hair

products, a backpack, and a tongue scraper, lol!

Val put together a girls night of crafts and seeing the movie Wicked!

SWEET 16 for RUSTY!!!

While the girls and I were at Valeries, Casey was at home 

running his "party".

He invited a bunch of friends over for food, 9 square and games.

Unfortunately I have zero pictures.

 

Rusty getting spoiled by Grandma for his birthday.
She lucked out and got to visit with Lane.

Sadie was in town from college for Thanksgiving, and

dying to talk to Lane on the phone.
So so sweetly asked if she could come over.

Rusty requested Rodizio Grill.

He had never been before and we drive by it all of the time!

Lindi had a softball game that night, then we headed to dinner straight after!

Happenings...

            

 

Long story, but I am officially a very under qualified English tutor!

I started feeling the guilt after 2 emails from Lanes mission president, and text from
the English Connect director.

Luckily I was paired with the BEST missionary who knew very good English!

Elder Gutierrez is the sweetest and I enjoy our weekly lessons!
He is from Hermosillo, Mexico.

The best part is that I get to be more involved with the elders in Lanes mission.
I feel more connected as I also get to visit with his companions who know and love Lane.

I also learned of his miracle story!
He had to go home half way through his mission for medical reasons.
He started having foot pain, that persisted and eventually got worse and worse.

An X-ray showed some concern where he needed more advanced help.
Once he arrived home, he learned the devastating news it was a cancerous tumor.

He was scheduled for surgery.
However, once in the operating room the doctor could not find any 
signs of a tumor or cancer!

He knows without a doubt it was the power of the priesthood and Heavenly Father
who made this happen!

He was able to return to Xalapa soon after to complete his mission.

I feel blessed to be able to help serve in a small capacity with these amazing 
servants of the Lord! 

Lindi moved on to the next season of sports at Jr. High, softball!

She was pumped that they combined with 8th grade and gets to play

with her cousin, Claire!

It is fun running into Lanes friends while out to eat!

It had been years since the Udall side had a big gathering.

Most everybody showed up!

It was super casual on a Sunday evening.

Bring a chair and treat and enjoy chatting.

Crazy how this was me growing up not that long ago it seems!

Della played volleyball with her friend Scarlett!

Lane gets to talk to us in the funniest situations sometimes!

Grandparents day at school.

It seems to be always on a Thursday, which is Grammy's temple

shift day. Hopefully that can change before she graduates elementary school!

It was Veterans Day with no school.

We had no plans, so last minute I said lets go to the downtown parade!

It was just the 3 of us, and ended up being fun!

We sat right by another one of Lanes friends, Mia!

I love the nights we play hooky and eat out.
I think Lindi was slightly mortified to go straight from her game, but oh well!

Della had her first dance competition for her tap trio.

Apple Tree is the CUTEST!!!!
I never got sick of watching them perform it.

Her teacher, Taani, is so talented.
They won a top award right off the bat.
 Spoiler alert, they won every competition they competed in!

Austin turned the big 4-0

We helped plan a surprise "party".
It turned out perfect, and was most definitely surprised to see us 
float in to the dock while he was eating his pb&j  watching the sunset, lol!

A Rusty Catch-up post

 

It has been fun letting Rusty be the oldest at home!
I hope he never felt overlooked by his brother.
Especially since he seems to have followed in Lanes footsteps in multiple ways:
Golf, baseball...

In fact, he was nicknamed "Little Lane" his first day as a freshman!

They have a birthday a week from each other, so in some ways they
do feel like twins, only 3 year apart!

I can't remember why, but somehow Casey and I ended up in
the 3rd row while he drove the family somewhere. 

He still had his permit, and I'm pretty sure the girls were
nervous wrecks about this, lol!

We were all at Sunday dinner at my parents house when we heard

the kids SCREAMING!

They were rushing up the stairs saying Rusty got hurt!!

Next thing I see is Rusty with blood GUSHING down his face and arms.

He was holding his face so I thought his mouth got bashed in.

There was so much blood I couldn't think of what else it could be?!

We learned that a cousin, who I wont name (but wasn't surprised, ha), threw a block

and Rusty's head got in the way!

It was not intentional, and he felt so bad.

But man the carnage!

There was a trail of blood from the basement all the way to the kitchen, so much so that

my mom had to have her carpets and couches cleaned!

Luckily Dr. Evans assessed the wound and determined no stitches were necessary!

Weston holding the said block in the back.

Of course videoing the whole thing for content!

We got a good laugh a few months later when Katie sent this in

the family text thread.

She was looking through Bentleys school work and discovered that
this incident had quite the impact on him!

The details of the drawing is what gets me...hysterical!

The golf season started and he loved being able to play in the matches this year!

It was the first year of coach Figueroa taking over.

We already knew him from being the baseball coach for Lane.

I loved seeing his improvement from last year!

Even though golf is in the Fall season, it sure felt like the worst part of Summer!

I don't know how these boys do it!

I think this is my favorite golf course.

They seem to have the greenest grass and spectacular view of the Superstition Mountains.

My sweet Rusty boy:)

Last hole with the pinkest sunset!

Halloween 2025

It felt wrong putting up Fall stuff right after Hawaii.

And Im sure Casey was loving how immature I can get, tee-he-he.

Pumpkin carving at Grammy's!

It is nearly impossible these days to have a night where everyone is free
for gatherings.

 

Unfortunately only Rusty could make Marcie's Halloween party.
He was even late from golf.

But pulled together a gangster fit lickity split!.

Lindi has entered her teenage era of

parties and friends!

And just HAD to have overalls!! 

Which I knew she would never wear again after swearing she would.

Oi!

I made the mistake of opening the lid to HUNDREDS of gnats flying in my

face!!

Should have known to not keep it outside. 

Arizona heat basically turned it bad overnight. 

I helped with the Fall party at the school.

It is kind of nice not having to split myself between multiple kids classrooms!

We invited the Figs to trick or treat with us Halloween night!

With pizza to fuel us for a long haul, of course!

I loved their costumes this year.

Rusty off with friends. 

I was walking around with kids and came back to Lane on the phone!

His mission president allows them to call home on holidays.

Marcie videotaping Lane, ha!

I love his smile so much!