Big Day in the Mitchell Family

Nathaniel's graduation fell on Sarah's 16th birthday.

So that she didn't feel forgotten I put up this little 8 x 2 ft sign:

Sarah also got her driver's license that day.

Graduation was held at UVU

 That yellow cord is for graduation with high honors. 

We are very proud parents:)

 Nathaniel & Nancy

 Cute siblings!

 Grandpa Nat and Grandma Penny

Nathaniel chose Goodwood BBQ for dinner. 

Aaron's destroying those ribs!

(It wasn't allergies)

(Email correspondence between John's teacher and I)

Me: Just so you know we don't know what the deal is with John's face. I know it was an allergic reaction of some sort but we have no idea to what. Anyway, he was outside for some period of time yesterday and later last night after his bath his face started looking red and hot right there. We noticed it before it even started hurting. Then it looked like it was getting blistered and it hurt and burned. Definitely a reaction to something. 

Just so you know no one punched him in the face-- at least that we know:)

Teacher: Thanks for the info. He originally told me that he got out of the bath and his face was red but he didn't know why. But later in the day today,  he said 'well I didn't want to tell anyone but I took a sponge and scrubbed my face really hard'. I thought hives for a while too but it turned so scabby.

Me: Ha! That makes sense! I saw a sponge with a scrubber in the bathroom and wondered why it was there! 

I also got a call from the principal. 

Aaron & the girls at Colorfest 2014

Together again

Aaron, Jay & I do sealings at the Provo Temple

I don't think we've all been together since before Aaron's mission!

I talk Jay into riding the tandem bike. 

I let him drive and he was still a nervous wreck!

Nathaniel's Mission Call!

May 15th Nathaniel opened his mission call.  

I was really hoping for South America 
(and we were all hoping for Spanish!)

The Guesses:

Guatemala-- April, Nancy & Grandpa Johnson (popular place!)

Charlotte, North Carolina--Travis

Brazil--Rebecca

Toronto, Canada-- Hank

Rainbowland-John

Sri Lanka-- Mason

Oodnadatta, Australia-- Sarah

Texas-- Ginny

South Africa-- Scott

Phillippines--?

Mexico--Nathaniel

Santiago, Chile-- Aaron

The Call!

He's going to the Lima, Peru South Mission-- 
leaving Aug 27th for the MTC in Mexico City.
So, so exciting!! Watch video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcffldohGSA&feature=youtu.be

Easter and John's 10th birthday

 John's birthday fell on Easter this year. 

Below are pictures of some neighborhood kids getting together for the Easter egg hunt. 

Went to the local nickel arcade for the birthday. 
John was sooo wound up this day I don't have a lot of things to say about it except I'm kind of glad to be done with it for another year. Hope that doesn't make me a bad mom for saying that:(

Spring Break

Last month I decided spending the week of spring break with bored kids didn't sound so good so I took three of the kids, one friend, and my brother Aaron and we went to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. How I ended up choosing this place is a longish story but they have the world's largest hot springs so what better reason than that? 

Doc Holiday's grave

Hanging Lake

This is the lake we hiked to, which was the most insane hike I've ever done. Not because of the distance (about a mile up) or the steep climb, but because it went from dry to muddy to packed down solid ice. No where was safe to step. There was actually people wearing crampons! I was in terror I'd fall and brake something again (and I did fall and get a nice baseball size bruise on my hip.) The true hero was Aaron who carried Will on his shoulders almost the entire time. I have no earthly idea how he did it.

      

This bridge we were supposed to somehow cross is a good example of the whole trail. 
Note that the snow comes up to the railings.

Here is Rebecca's friend Alicia that came with us. She actually got down on the ground and just slid down part of the trail on her butt. I would have done the same thing but I didn't know what would be more dangerous.

Something is exciting Will here

On the way home I kept wondering when we were going to be hitting Price as the gas was getting pretty low. Turned out we had missed an exit. Once we figured out what we had done it was too late and after some silent prayers and a little white-knuckling we rolled on fumes into a lovely town in the middle of nowhere that happens to rhyme with a certain part of the female anatomy. As they are so conveniently located to NOTHING their two gallon gas cans sold for $20! (We know this because someone came in looking for one. I bet they get that multiple times a day.)
Good news is though we went a while out of the way we made it back home safe and sound. For six people staying three nights in a room with two queen beds (at a hotel that just so happened to be filming a show called "Hotel Impossible" for the Discovery Channel and hence had camera people everywhere) I think the trip went pretty well. Blessings upon Aaron for coming with me.