Farewell 2015

It seems like it was just yesterday that we were opening presents and connecting with loved ones.

Ward's first Christmas

The 2014 holidays began by celebrating our anniversary as a family - this time with a full house. To celebrate we got a membership to the Children's Museum. Our first visit we checked everything out and then settled down on a couch to read.

                                     

We had an extremely warm winter. Here the kids are playing on the slides at the neighborhood school in the middle of December. We love having the school and its playground so close by.

Bret often took the kids on morning walks before going to work.

And on days when we were stuck inside, we managed to find ways to entertain ourselves.

                                      

In January, for her mother's birthday, Sarah's family took a Disney Cruise to the Caribbean. Babies and cruises aren't the best combination, but we caught some stunning early morning sun rises.

For Easter the kids received hoola hoops and sidewalk chalk.

In the spring we celebrated Ward's first birthday by going to the Children's Museum (again).

The vacuum may have been his favorite thing to play with.

Around that time we decided to get a membership to This is the Place Heritage Park. We spent many days going back to ride the horses and trains. It wasn't long before Joyce participated in family prayers by insisting on mentioning the horses (by name) and trains every time.

                                   

Before Joyce turned two we decided to make another trip by plane (save on airfare), this time to see Sarah's sister Risa. The kids loved playing with their cousins. The flight home was completely packed, but luckily, a large crowd of Chinese tourists who were enamored with Joyce wound up entertaining her the whole way home.

Here is Joyce at Temple Square, again making friends with Chinese tourists.

Our summer was filled with walks around the neighborhood, play dates with friends, visiting the park, visiting the park, blowing bubbles in the backyard, visits with grandparents, story time (a.k.a. bubble time) at the library, and hanging out at the school playground.

In the summer we also celebrated Joyce's second birthday and attended a family reunion on Bret's side. Celebrating with many friends and family meant lots of birthday parties, or as the kids call it, "Happy Do Do!" They still look at any lit candle and shout with glee, "Happy Do Do!"

Sharing candles and cake with a cousin and grandpa.

Playing a game of chess at the reunion.

The fall brought another family membership, this time to the aquarium. 

 A trip to our favorite canyon destination: Silver Lake.

A cousin's wedding, and a rare opportunity for a family photo.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins. The kids really love pointing out all pumpkins.

A new community playgroup/preschool, where the kids get to do some crafting. This was their first opportunity to paint. I love that I don't have to clean up the mess.

Bret continues to serve as Bishop in our ward, but our stake recently absorbed a few wards from a neighboring stake that was dissolved. Since our ward is the youngest (almost 80 years "young") it will be dissolved at the first of the year and he will be released as we will be absorbed into a different, pre-existing ward. Who knows what our future will hold! As he has served, Sarah has been blessed with the help of various ward members during Sacrament Meeting, and the chance to serve in Nursery. It's a small group as evidenced below, so it wasn't a big deal to have Ward in there while he was still underaged.

Big hugs to you all as we say farewell for one more year!