Seattle

Charlotte and I got to take a girls’ trip to Seattle. It was Charlotte’s last flight before she turns two, and she was a wonderful traveler.

She got to sit in the empty seat next to me on the way there, which she thought was pretty fancy. We went to the doctor’s office with Emma and Mandy, and she got to pick out a sticker. Of all the options, she liked Chewbacca.

Charlotte and Emma had lots of fun playing together.

We saw the garter snake that hangs out in Mandy’s yard and sometimes garage.

We went on a walk and visited a few parks.

We picked blackberries in the backyard, and both girls chowed down on those.

Baby Henry was finally born the day before we had to come home, and Charlotte was particularly overjoyed to see and hold him.

And then we had to come home because school starts back up this week. And also, we kind of missed the boys back home.

Anderson Family Reunion

We were lucky to have TWO family reunions this summer and a chance to see lots of family on both sides. The most recent reunion was an Anderson extended family event, organized by my grandma and her kids for all their progeny who could attend.

First we went to Provo. We visited with Sarah and Teresa, saw the City Center temple, shopped, and rested up.

We met up with lots of extended family in Heber City for a long weekend. There were 38 of us there in total. We all stayed in one big house where we enjoyed playing games, talking, swimming, and watching the local wildlife. Deer and bunnies came right into the yard.

Some traits of the Anderson family:

1. We love nature. Some people went sightseeing, fishing, took pictures of wildlife, and it wasn’t just the kids who liked to see the animals in the yard.

2. We are a little nerdy (in a fun way!). We rode on the Wizard Train/Heber Creeper as a family one night. My generous and talented Uncle Ryan let each of us choose a handcrafted wand he had made. His wands are amazing!

3. We are night owls. Every night found large numbers of people talking, reading, and playing cards or other games.

4. We love to laugh!

We had a variety show one night that featured acting, singing, comedy, and juggling.

5. We sure love Grandma Anderson.

We had a celebration for her at the park, and local friends and family were invited to come if they could. There were 60 or 70 people there to see her, and some came from out of state. I hope she knows how special she is!

We had a wonderful visit and are so grateful to everyone who worked hard to put it together so we could enjoy time together.