Sunny February

It has been the most beautifully warm winter since we've come back to idaho!  The last few weeks we've had several days in the 50's!  We are taking care to enjoy it in case it doesn't last.  

We were watching Jordan Heath and she needed to go to school.  It was so beautiful outside so I loaded them up in the bike trailer and packed them there.  There was a lot of little girl giggling going on back there!

On the way home we stopped at a park, the girls loved it so much!

Eloise was beside herself with joy and ran from one toy to the next.  She even told me, "mom, you're my best mom ever, really, you are."

That made my day, I'm glad that we stopped.  When I first thought of stopping I pushed the thought aside, thinking of all the things I needed to do at home, but I just felt like we needed to.  Eloise was on cloud nine and the great outdoors filled and fed her soul.

Guys Trip

Zac got to go on his yearly boys weekend trip with his dad and brothers and had so much fun.  He always comes back so happy and stress free.  He loves to have a stress free weekend filled with food, meat to be exact, and sports!

This was at a BBQ joint where they had a ton of deliciously cooked meat. They also ate at Zac's favorite, Tuccanos, which is a Brazilian grill.

They had amazing seats to watch BYU play!  And I have no idea who won, whoops.

Zac came home with cute sporty outfits for all the kids from Scheel's, he is definitely the cool parent!

Grandma Laree

Heaven Gained a fabulous woman a few weeks ago.  Zac's Grandma Laree (his mom's mom) had a heart attack and passed away at the hospital.  It was such a huge shock to all of us.  The doctors were able to bring her back a couple times, but we all decided that once she got to heaven and her pains and aches were gone and she was able to see her 9 siblings and parents, she wasn't interested in being brought back.  We will miss her so much, but are happy that she gets to live pain free now.

I was able to put together a slide show for her funeral services and it was really great to see her life through pictures.  One day we'll have to search her house for more pictures from her early life.  She really was an incredible woman.  She was involved at her school, on her and grandpa Reed's farm, with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Here she is fresh from high school and engaged to grandpa Reed.

Here they are on a big family trip to Disney Land.  (Sheena, Shaylee, Adam, Zac, Stacy, Grandma)

At Zac's Baptism.  (Grandma Laree, Aunt Stacy, Zac, Grandpa Reed)

Zac's high school graduation.

Zac's mission farwell.  (Cousin Sara, Grandpa Reed, Aunt Stacy, Zac, Grandma Laree).

 Here are grandma and Stacy with baby Teagan.

And again with Eloise, they sure love these babies.

 I was so sad and disappointed that I was never able to get a picture of grandma with Adeline.  They weren't at the hospital and by the time we were on the cruise Adeline wasn't too keen on being held.

 This was on the cruise as Grandma and Grandpa Casper celebrated their 60th anniversary.

The funeral was bittersweet for me.  It was sad to have to say goodbye, I can't imagine that part ever being easy, but I loved listening to Grandma Laree's life sketch and the memories from her grandchildren.  I learned so much about her.  She was amazing.  I realized that I wished I had heard those stories from her, personally.  We still have 3 living grandparents and we've decided to commit to making them a bigger part of our lives.  To visit more often and ask about their past, to hear about their lives from their own mouths.

First order of business was getting a picture of Adeline with her Great-Grandpa Reed.  I may be biased, but I think he has a soft spot for her.  She seems to be his favorite.  :)

 Here were most of the Casper cousins at the funeral.  (Eloise, Taylin (Adam), Ridge (Sara), Adeline, Ryker(Sara), Teagan, Zoey (Adam), and Cole (Shaylene).  They have so much fun together.

I'm so grateful that we have the knowledge that life doesn't end with death.  It makes saying goodbye easier, knowing that we will see grandma again.  

Valentines Day

Valentines Day was on a Saturday and we made the most of it.  We made special cards for each kid and the big kids got their favorite cereal.  There were lots of love notes written on sticky notes hidden throughout the house too.  It's fun having a day to love each other!

The longer we are married, the better Zac gets to know me.  He made me a treasure hunt, which I totally LOVED, and at the end was a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, how did I get so lucky?

That night Zac and I went on a date.  There was a church hosting a Valentines Day dance that was free so we decided to try it out!

There were a group there, Swing Junction, teaching us all how to swing dance.  Zac and I had so much fun and loved dancing, although it was exhausting!

It was really fun because we went with other couples.  This is Jared and Courtney Heath.  We love to hang out with them, they are always up for adventure!

Brian and Elise came too!  Technically, they are the ones who told us about the dance so they get all the credit.  They've been going to the dances quite a bit and were really good.  They are always fun to be around!

 We handed off the camera to get a picture, and then we danced and moved around so much that they were all blurry.

I love dancing and I love that Zac humored me and went along for the ride!  We really had a great time.  Happy Valentines Day to everyone.