Floral bookends

Travel with me back to September - 

My dad spoiled me with flowers in the fall. Having fresh flowers around is always such a beautiful treat. I’d love a big beautiful yard and gardens and wildflowers. That’s in the version of my life though where I’m a gardener, which is not my current reality. 

In September I found some pictures from 4th grade. 

I must have been looking at Remind or Class Dojo and found pictures I hadn’t seen. Ms. Knauer was a good teacher, both Frankie and Delaney had her, and now I’m 90% sure she’s gonna have a baby of her own. When I saw her the other day I was pretty sure, and then Delaney was pretty sure, but not sure enough to ask when she’s due. Cause you have to be real sure to ask that.  

Chelsea had worked with Matt to plan a double date as a late birthday gift for me. I had the fewest of details, but I’m an easy date so i was excited. Matt had a Navy weekend the next day, so we drove to the base early and set up a tent for him (now he’s used his one man tent twice!) and then on to National Harbor.

We had a dinner reservation, but we were both super hungry, so we looked around for a snack and came upon The Furlough Cheesecake and decided yes please. We got 2 different flavors to share and they were delish!

We still had some time to kill and it was a beautiful day. We walked around, hung out on some Adirondack chairs overlooking the harbor, and had the best time. 

We went to dinner at a fun Asian fusion place and then to see the Piano Guys! I didn’t know a lot about them and would never have bought tickets, but it was such a fun concert! I love a date night gift!

It was held in a hotel with this beautiful lobby. 

Steve and I are birthday buddies! 7/31 represents!

I love this fun display. 

One day the girls and I put on pink tops and purple bottoms and went for a run to #Finish Eliza’s Run. Eliza Fletcher was abducted and killed while out running early one morning. I know this is super rare, but I can’t run in secluded places by myself, and I don’t even like to run in my neighborhood when it’s dark. Running is vulnerable, I’m always listening to something, I’m alone, and with no way to really fight back, it just makes me so nervous. It was sweet to talk to the girls and do something hard together. 

We were able to spend a few days in Norfolk with Matt early in the summer, and since right before that trip I hadn’t been able to find my wedding ring. I’d had it on my finger, but not all the way because it was hot, my hands were swollen, and we were packing our last few things to leave. I realized it was gone right before we left and we looked all around, we even went through the kitchen garbage bag in case it fell in there when I took the trash out. After 3 months I was finally feeling like it was really gone and wasn’t going to turn up. And then one day Adi was getting out our gift bag bin and said “what does your wedding ring look like?” She’d found it! And I’d gotten a gift bag out just that week, it was the weirdest thing! I cried I was so happy!

One day Alexis and Ellie came over and the girls had a dance party. 

They are very cool. 

I was the beneficiary of some Amy crafting. She had thought maybe she’d sell these cute pumpkins, and then realized her craft fair self is not part of her current life. Her craft fair self is hanging with my gardener self in another realm. 

Speaking of Amy, she also sent “lady” packs to these cute girls. These are such a good size to tuck into a purse of backpack. 

Eating gummies one day Delaney found a whole row that hadn’t been cut! We always get excited about weird food finds. 

And to end where we began, the RSP in Bowie always gives flowers when we visit for Ward Conference. I never thought to do that when stake people visited, she is so thoughtful. And fresh flowers! ♥️