life lately

Life Lately: It's been busy, but good. I still teach about 12 violin students during Mason's naptimes. I'm also back with the Orchestra at Temple Square again! YAA!! How I have missed that! Nate took his LSAT on Saturday so we'll be patient about hearing his score, then on to applying to Law Schools. Pray for us!!

 

 I'm not advertising my hair cutting skills here, because clearly they are not great - but I had to share these pictures of my nephew Andrew (the before and after) because he is so dang cute! Thirty minutes into cutting his hair after he had been SO patient...he said "Aunt Joanna, are you done yet, because I feel like my hair is all gone". I love him!!

 

 

Here is my niece Abbey graduating from Paul Mitchell Beauty School. I am SO proud of her! She is a beautiful example of going with your gut and making important decisions on your own with the help of the Lord. She also has great parents. She just got called to Serve in Sydney Australia. I am SO excited for her!!!

 

This is a party up the Canyon that Nate and I crashed. Shirley and Steve were nice enough to let us come along. Seriously love all of those people!!!

 

Mason so excited about the snow fall we had last week. Don't you just love those facial expressions!?

 

Dad picking grapes. He probably picked like 25 bushels, and bottled about 250 quarts and he is almost 70. The man is a Pioneer!!! He can outwork me about 20/1.

 

Playing football with Daddy before the Priesthood session of Conference. Or is this Nate begging Mason to play football with him? Pretty sweet. I love those two!

Raspberry picking at the McBride's Briar Patch

Kim (one of my cousins), Shirley, and I had a FUN time picking raspberries together at the McBride Briar Patch in Mapleton. When we arrived, Mr. McBride was there (an older Grandpa), and just helped us have the best time. He showed us how to pick the raspberries, told us we cold eat as many as we wanted along the way, charged us under what he said he would, and told us to pick flowers on the way out. It was such a beautiful day, and for me a perfect day to get out and spend time with two of  my best friends. Mason and Will mostly hung out in the sandbox together, but Kim and Shirley and I had a great time talking. I highly recommend this place to anybody. Thanks Kim for getting us together!!!

 

 

Mason, clearly wishing he had raspberries like his cousin

caught red handed

that's all I picked in an hour

 

Preschool with Grandma

Mason has been LOVING his preschool with Grandma and cousins. They sing songs, recite poems, march around with flags and sing about our Country, and learn about shapes, colors, numbers, hearts, brains, and tummies. I love that he gets this special time with Grandma. They also explore outside animals (fortunate to live on a farm where our cousins own animals), colors, and shapes, and if they are really good get a snack at the end. It's interesting trying to keep Mason still long enough to learn, or willing to share with others - but I think it's all part of the process. I'm so grateful he gets to spend this special time with his Grandma. I'm mostly keeping track so that he doesn't forget how lucky he is! I'm sure it will help him prepare for more rigorous academic learning in the future :).

 

his little preschool group, along with a couple of extra older kids for moral support

Learning about circles by looking at tires on trucks....brilliant idea Dad!

observing the ducks/swans/geese - wish I were smart enough to know what those are

Mason and the little colt, bonding

swinging with Grandma? What could be better?

Love these beautiful apples my Dad grows

fall in Utah

Mason and I went on a little excursion last night to see some of the beautiful fall colors with my brother's family. I was blown away by some of the beautiful sights I saw. There is no place like fall in the beautiful Utah Mountains! Man I love this place! 

peach season

Peach season is always the best! Not only do we get to eat these beauties, we get to bottle them as well. I love the taste of fresh peaches. Storing peaches for the winter can also be a fun process - enjoying the process together as family. It's the perfect time to talk, to listen to music, and to enjoy sneaking in a few bites of those delicious peaches! Here are some pics of our yearly canning event. 

1. Collect the peaches

2. Wash them

3. Place them in bottles

Bear Lake: Jacob Family Reunion 2013

Every year as siblings we take turns planning our family's reunion. This year it was my turn with my sister Emily. We planned a retreat to Bear Lake at a beautiful cabin that could actually fit my ENTIRE family there! And if you don't believe me, try finding a place that can fit 70 people into one space! For us it was a miracle to find this place :). We had a great time together boating, hot-tubbing, eating, talking, hiking, biking, and playing games. My sister and I planned it without a lot of structure so we could just relax and have fun. In the end I think I wish we had planned things with a little more structure...because with a family our size, no structure equals chaos. I think people still had fun though - and it was just great to be together. The air was a bit chilly, but it was just warm enough to go out on the boat. The water was still fairly warm fortunately. Next time I think I'll add a few things like: planning it at a warmer time of the year (unfortunately by the time we got our assignment a year ago, this was all we could find), music video, reunion theme music, and other fun things. Here are some of my favorite pics from the event. Wish I had taken my camera on the boat. I was worried of course about it getting wet :). Nate was kind enough with his studies to join us for half of the reunion. Mason and I were so happy when he arrived! That man amazes me with how much he gets done every day!

My sweet Dad, helping out with breakfast

Shirley with her self-built crepe. The smile was merited. They were delicious!

Mason just wanted the crepe I think, in spite of my best efforts to get him to each a variety of food :). It looks like green drinks are still the way to go for him at this point.

My sister Ramona with Adam on her lap - obviously not  a big fan of whatever he was eating

Mason's favorite part of course besides being with cousins, was being outside.

bear lake in fall

They loved the pussy willows...is that what those things are called?

Breakfast I made - baked french toast. Everyone seemed to love it :). ...except my niece in this picture :). JK. pretty sure she was just tired.

LOVING the swings!

meal preparations equals time to talk

Labor Day 2013

 Salt Lake City. It was fun to be back on our old stomping grounds. I love this city where Nate and I started out our life together and where Mason was born! We checked out the new exhibit, 101 Inventions that Changed the World, at the Leonardo Museum. It was interesting and fun. Mason loved the escalators :). It's fun to watch his little brain work and get excited by things. I love watching him! It's almost like reliving my childhood over again. Perhaps even more enjoyable. For lunch we went to Pizza Limone! Yummy! Of course we had to stop by Trader Joe's to buy cookie butter. Later in the afternoon Nate and I had fun with my parents and brother's family cutting up peaches and pears to freeze and jar while Mason took a nap. I love being around people I admire and love, and who teach me.

It was such a memorable day: laboring, and celebrating the labors of others. I feel grateful for inspired minds who worked with dedication to make our lives better. The challenge for us is wisdom. So blessed to have an entire day with my little family!

After learning about so many inventions, we had a chance to be creative

I shouldn't have asked Nate to compete with us :)

One of Mason's favorite inventions

relaxing on some of their cushions. LOVE that handsome boy!

Of all of the inventions, I think this is Mason's favorite

@ Pizza Limone with my tired little buddy. So glad he slept the drive home!

What are Mormons?

Hawaii

Wonderful to have a change in pace, enjoy the sunshine, and spend some quality time with Nate. It was both of our first time there. Here's a review of each day:

Day 1:

Arrive at the Airport

Pali Lookout

Diamond Head

Ono's

Leonard's Bakery

Lanikai Beach

Drive to North shore

Day 2:

Watch the Sunrise over Turtle Bay

Tedd's Bakery

Surfing Lesson

Shrimp Shack

Giovanni's for shaved ice

Snorkeling at Shark's cove

Temple night at Laie Hawaii Temple

Day 3:

Kualoa Ranch

Kahuku Grill

Waimea Valley

Polynesian Culture Center

Day 4:

Lighthouse Lookout

Hanauma Bay

shopping

Day 5:

World Surf Championship pipeline beach

Pearl Harbor

One night stay at Marriot Ko Olina Resort

Day 6:

Fly home to Vegas

Stay at Grandma and Grandpa Freeman's house that night

Day 7:

Arrive back in Springville to pick up Mason and take him home.