The Despains: Summer vacation

Brandon took Josh and Emma to his parents house in Casper for a few days. He sold snowcones at the Wyoming State Track Meet all day everyday while the kids had a blast with Grandma Janet, Aunt Becky and their cousins Levi and Ruth.

I flew with Baby Jack to my parents in Iowa to be there for Gwen's high school graduation. Brandon then drove with Josh and Emma to my parents house to spend a couple days. Then Brandon flew back to Provo with Jack while I stayed at my parents with Josh and Emma. The last weekend we were there Amanda, Ben, and Polly came and surprised Gwen and Blair! Then Polly drove back to Provo with us. It was such a fun summer vacation.

Crazy to think that it was a little over a year ago when Jack went on his first airplane trip to Utah for Amanda and Ben's wedding when he was only a few weeks old!

Being there at the end of the school year we got to see a lot of Gwen and Blair's end-of-year concerts and events which was so fun.

Late night Walmart run with my homegirl. Blair is just the coolest. She has an old soul and we just connect. She gets it. She is smart beyond her years. She's so loving and accepting. She's a helper, she speaks her mind, she's considerate, fun, and she enlightened me on some deep "Hamilton" song/character insights which you know is a way to my heart :-). We had some great heart-to-hearts where I learned so much from her. She is so real and sincere. Her willingness to share meaningful inspiring things with me is something I will always cherish.

Working on Gwen's grad party sign, it was definitely a team effort haha. We were so tired, it was so late, we were cutting letters backward and needed each other to pull it off :-)

Grad Party time!

We got to go see Blair's dress rehearsal for her dance concert.

We went to a splash pad downtown.

Catching fireflies was so magical

We power washed the back deck and sidewalks, etc. and I wanted to dig to find the cement slab we made when we first moved to that house 13 years ago and found it! All our cute little handprints and names.

We got to celebrate my mom's birthday while we were there! She is such a rock star. She did so much so effortlessly with all the graduation stuff and end-of-year stuff going on, it's amazing to see her do it all with so much calmness and love. I learn so much from her and can't fathom the love she has for her kids and the sacrifices she makes to show that love to us.

Josh, Emma, and I rode scooters to Brucemore mansion and explored there.

Amanda, Ben, and Polly surprised Gwen and came to visit just in time for her commencement!

Another splash pad!

Swedish pancakes! My dad is such a fun grandpa to my kids. He's seriously the best. I loved catching up with him in person, I always feel so grateful to have his friendship, wisdom, influence, support, humor, and love in my life.

Roasting 'mallows

I love these moments when we are just hangin and talking. I love my family.

I helped Polly, Gwen, and Blair finish the last bit of their music video they'd been working on. So fun.

Gwen's commencement ceremony

Gwen is an incredible person, so talented, so confident, sooooo hilarious and clever, such a hard worker, so real, positive, warm, sweet, loving, and I cannot WAIT for her to come to Provo in a few months to go to BYU! I love that every time I talk to her we pick up right where we left off, we trust in the sincere love and concern we have for each other, we believe it, and we show it without reservation.