Goodbye Abi

We said goodbye to Abi this morning. She's off to the Mexico MTC for a few weeks and then to Panama in October if her visa comes. One last group pic at the airport.

Last night she said she's like for us to be in the cars around 6:20. I woke up around 5:15am. Lily and Sophi were already up getting ready for school. I went downstairs to see if Abi was awake. She was still in bed, but answered me when I called down the stairs. I told her to stay there while I took a pic of the "last sleepover" with Abi. 

Daniel and Peter joined Abi and Katharine on Tuesday night and loved the cool temps in the basement, so they joined them again last night. Lucky Abi to have 3 little friends sharing a bed with her, haha not really! She snuck away and got ready. Her bags were all packed from last night. Other kids got ready for school. We picked up DPK straight from the bed and carried them to the cars around 6:20. Teens will have another chance for a hug, but Abi got a few in the garage. 

Hyrum drove his car and dropped it off near Skyline, Lily followed him in the van, then picked him up. He drove the van with LSNO. Corey, Wes, Abi, DPK and I were in Corey's car. We got to the airport first to help Abi get checked in, but her luggage was in the van, so we didn't save any time. Mel and Christian slept over last night and followed in their car. Finally the van arrived with her luggage. Checking her baggage -

They had offered an early check in for baggage last night cause the flight this morning is overbooked. They said we could bring it between 6-9pm and they'd put it on an earlier flight and get it to Mexico. Corey took her luggage around 7:30 last night, but she stayed to visit with her siblings, and then he called us and said they wouldn't accept it without Abi and her passport, which we figured, so that didn't work. Corey said we could try to get it there for an 11pm flight, but instead of driving back out last night, we just figured we'd do it this morning. So now she runs a risk of the plane being full and her baggage arriving on a later flight/being a day behind her but she'll be ok.

\

Corey helping Abi check it in.

Then it was time to walk over to security. This is where we say goodbye!

Hugs and tears - 

It's always a tender moment. 

Last hugs were me and Corey, and he handed her a bag with some Paris Baguette treats in it (we weren't able to fit that "last" in last night) then we walked her over closer to the security check in walkway. 

Katharine is Abi's Peter, and Abi is Katharine's Wes. They are gonna miss each other. 

Corey came over and said bye again. We waved a few times as she walked away. 

Then Corey said "I guess I could have given her another hug..." and then he ran in to find her for one more embrazo, and the rest of us got ready to head to the cars. Katharine staring into the distance on the drive home, with her cute little fat lip from hitting it yesterday as she jumped on Abi's bed. In a daze and wondering what will life be like without her Abi??  

Haha she might just be tired. I was an early morning. Katharine has been sleeping with Abi at night for atleast two years. Most nights Kat is kind of a floater and she'll go sleep with different siblings or on our floor, but Abi's been her preferred bedmate and has definitely been a second mother to her. It's been so cute to see these two sisters love each other. We've been here before as a family, and we'll be here again. It's sad to say goodbye, but we know she'll be back home before we know it. Besides, Corey and I had it worse! We said goodbye for 3 1/2 years! This is just 18 months, easy peasy. 

Here is a little missionary compilation of goodbyes and returns - 

Goodbye to Joseph (June 2018) and home early with the covid worldwide shutdown March 2020.

Mel (Oct 2020) and return March 2022.

Ethan (Aug 2020) and return June 2022. 

Hyrum (Sept 2021) and return Aug 2023.

Wes (Jan 2024) and welcome home Dec 2025. 

After we got home, I saw that Abi had left some notes on our bed, I read them all, cause I can do what I want, and they were super sweet. I'll share here what she wrote to Corey and I, so it won't be lost in my box of physical notes and cards: "Mama y Papa - Hey Mom and Dad. I am terrifyed terrified? Sad to leave you guys and Katharine and everyone else, but mostly because I don't know what I'm doing whatsoever. I'm just hoping I do some good. Thank you for all you've invested in me financially and spiritually and educationally. I'm so thankful to have already some experience in Latin American and traveling solo. I'm gonna miss you guys the most. That moment in the temple today when we said a prayer together in the celestial room felt so personal and absolutely the most sacred experience I've had in the temple so far. I feel like I don't cry that often but I have a lot today and I've noticed it's almost always when someone is showing love or support toward me. I'm feeling all the feels. Te quiero mis padres. (heart) Hermana Wride"

Abi and I had talked about her giving Katharine a lego set (I have three that I bought in anticipation of school starting next week when it's just the two of us at home) and so I took the liberty of writing another note in Abi's behalf for her younger sister - I sent his pic to Abi, hoping it was ok for me to write this on her behalf:

"Mom got me this present for my birthday. I want you to open it! Take care of it while I'm gone and I'll play it with you when I come back! Love Hermana Wride" I put it on my bed with the notes she left for Mel and Christian, Ethan and Bella, and Wes and Hyrum (they get to be a couple).

I called to Peter and Katharine. I told them to clean one of their bedrooms, and then I had a surprise. They chose Katharine and Natalie's room cause it was less messy. They cleaned it up quick then followed me into my room. Peter read the note (most of it, he couldn't read my cursive).

Then they opened it, wow!!! 

They are excited.

And it kept them busy most of the day. I decided to give it to K now instead of Monday, so that Peter could help her build it (he'll be in school starting Monday). Ready to work on it in a clean area.

Having fun!

Showing me their progress after an hour - 

I took a short nap while they played, then spent the day doing dishes, cleaning the kitchen, and prepping dinner. Also on my new school schedule is to exercise in the afternoons after the kids get home. So I was ready for a ride when Lily got back at 3 and I was able to enjoy a lovely bike ride to the ruins. I listened to part 1 of Steven Sharp Nelson on Follow Him. It was really fun to listen to. The smell in the canyon was amazing again, it's been a little damp the past few days, and I was glad to get in a ride before we got an absolute downpour tonight. Corey got home for dinner at 6, then I took Daniel to soccer practice at 6:15. The coach said to stay close by in case a thunderstorm started, and it did at 7. I entered soccer games into the calendar on my phone while I waited. The rain came pretty quickly, a total downpour. There was a river coming down our street. The place where Daniel had practice, the Aspen Meadows Park, was flooded within 10 minutes. Corey said the skies were mourning Abi's departure "Sandy is weeping violently without Abigail Wride".  

Lily and Sophi have been doing great getting up on their own, Lily said "well, it's only the second day of school..." haha, yeah I know, but I think they're doing great. We had scriptures early and now it's 10 and we're all heading to bed. Since we got up so early today, NOPK all  fell asleep during scriptures. After some discussion about Job, Lily shared with us that she was on live television today via Fox 13 at some school supplies fundraiser thing, Corey shared this screen shot with the college kids. 

Hyrum "She must be a pretty big deal!" haha. Before I went on my ride, I got potatoes ready for dinner tonight. LSN and I have decided to each take a M-Th dinner night, tonight was Natalie and we did a potato bar. She did a great job getting the rest of it ready while I was on my ride. I hope we are able to take life up a notch this next year. Things will be a little more chill with "only" 7 kids at home. I won't have a car most days, and that's ok. Corey's taking carpool everyday, and tonight, as is part of my new schedule, is to get his Dr Alex approved veggie breakfast ready as we clean up dinner. I have a lot of alarms on my phone to remember all these routine things we're trying to do. 

Park City Begins

We are approaching the end of summer break, which means we are once again up at Park City with Corey's family. Children, resume your positions!

Yes, there they are living their best lives, lol. This was tonight, sitting on the couch watching some funny Daily Dose videos. When I was a kid and we'd watch American's Funniest Videos together on Sunday evenings. Good times. They aren't laughing in that pic, but we were all laughing. 

So day 1 is done. We were ON TIME this year for probably the first time ever! We got here at 3:50, right before the 4pm check in, which meant that we had to wait a bit cause no one in our group was  already checked in (which is how it usually is when we arrive at 6 or later), and there were a lot of  other guest there checking in. Wayne arrived the same time as us so I walked in with him. Wayne's a pro at this, so he had his paper with our 5 units and the guest in each unit. He got checked into his unit first, then they checked in Ethan and Bella and us, then we were in the garage and able to start to unload. The usual potato bar dinner was at 6, kids explored and played some board games at the Mine, and they are looking forward to swimming tomorrow. Two things I brought up this year that are new: the card game Flip 7 and a Dowdle "Park City Summer" puzzle. Natalie is a puzzle queen and she got it out and did the bulk of it tonight, then Wesley, who is also a puzzle master, came in and finished it up. It was too easy for him. 

Oh, from those this photo above, you may have noticed that Wesley's hair is gone. Yes, it is. Yesterday he shared an AI photo of him buzzed and his siblings replied "AI!" with a "You can't fool us" tone, and then when I went to pick him up at the airport (he was flying in after two weeks at FSY in Moscow Idaho), I saw that his hair was actually buzzed! He said it's been on his bucket list for a while, so might as well. He also let his FSY kids do it as their reward they all memorized their company verse of scriptures. He also didn't mind cause it was his last week as a FSY counselor, so might as well go out with a bang. He does not plan to do it again. He feels fine and normal when he's walking around, but jump scares himself a bit each time he sees his reflection. The past day, when Corey walks past him, he'll pause, look at him, then stick out his hand to shake his as he says "Thank you for your service." haha. 

We usually bring a LOT of stuff up here, but I think  we have less stuff than previous years. I was more organized with all the food too. I guess something that helps with that is that the married kids have taken both of our dinner nights, yay. I got the food for our family's assignments for the potato bar tonight, the bbq friday, and the Saturday brunch. And stuff for our breakfasts and lunches. I made 8 loaves of sourdough yesterday and today. Yesterday, I left Lily in charge of cooking the bread while I went to pick up Wes at the airport and then to the SL Costco and got the stuff we'd need for Park City this week. 

(I guessed $550, Wes guessed $600+, it was $670 bucks, so he won.) When I got back, I saw that the oven was still on and cooking (the 4 loaves I had left for her should have been finished by then) and the two loaves that were out of the oven were overdone/burnt. That was a little sad, though I guess I've burnt sourdough before too, so I shouldn't point fingers. Last night I had to take a quick break, cause after the burnt break, I also saw that Natalie shot a nerf gun bullet at the light switch in the front room and broke it, ugh, and the straw that broke my back was the freaking washer and dryer that were driving me NUTS, so I went for a walk to the mountains to breath. I told everyone to just bring up their dirty laundry instead of trying to wash the stuff before they pack, cause it will take less time to wash it up here, since the washer and dryer up here actually WORK. So, this has been my one of my many nemesis' this past year. The washer will do a "Ub" code several times a day when it tries to spin, which means "unbalanced". I'm really starting to hate it, cause if I don't catch it (like I didn't when I was picking up Wes and at Costco) then it will repeat the rinse and spin cycle several times, so you'll go up thinking the wash is done but it's still going, so then I'll stop it and just do the "spin" which should be a 21 minute cycle, but at minute 18 it usually freaks out and does a big thunder sounding rattle that shakes throughout the house and will flash "Ub" and I have to run up and catch it before it tries to fill up with water and repeat the whole stupid process again. Anyway, it's stupid. And the Dryer is doing the 3C code (going on 2 years with that...) but right now it does have heat if I press start, it just won't turn off, so a times 60 min cycle will go all night if I don't stop it myself. I'm hoping we don't get a housefire from using faulty appliances. Ok, sorry for that tangent. I said that cause I'm excited to wash and dry up here at Park City with a washer and dryer that actually work and will finish the job promptly! 

This morning at church, Abi did her LAST musical number at church, which she's grateful to finally check off. Maybe she'll play for people in Panama, but Utah ward musical numbers are done for a while. 

The past few days of Home MTC have gone well. She'll be continuing Home MTC up here this week. It helps that she has her own lock off unit, 7340. Yesterday - Corey helping her with Spanish for an hour, explaining verb conjugations -  

We ordered her the red Spanish Verb book that we both got at the MTC as missionaries. Then she and I went shoe shopping at several stores but didn't find what she needed (closed toed KEEN sandals, we're ordering them online instead) and then Corey took her to Tara's so she could go with Tara to a wedding reception for their seminary teacher. After this week at Park City, we'll come home Saturday and try to quickly get this place presentable before Sunday, when she is having giving farewell remarks at church and then people will probably come over for visiting and some food. I didn't buy food for that today - we'll take care of that crisis this weekend. While I gone shopping for PC food yesterday, Corey made an AI of Kat the ballerina.

Which (yes) he also turned into a coloring page. Becoming a prima ballerina doesn't happen that quickly in real life, but hopefully this counterfeit AI won't make her think she's already achieved her dreams. You still have work to do, Kat!

Across the Creek

Yesterday morning, I went up the canyon and piddled around for a while doing nothing important but having fun doing it. I was moving rocks to try and make a spot where I could cross the creek, but it was futile. I needed bigger rocks, but I can't lift the bigger rocks. So after 20 minutes I gave up and wandered some more - I came to the spot where Daniel wanted to cross the creek on a fallen tree last week, and I tried that, and I made it across! 

And that's when I discovered that, without a path or trail, you have access to a whole lot of nothing. It's just fallen trees and impassible space. So I need to come up with a hoe, shovel, and saw or something to try and give myself access to spaces. ...not sure if that's legal? But I did find one place along some rocks where I was able to go down to a soft spot close to the creek behind some bushes. Secluded - check. Can hear the water - check. Spot to lay down - check. I unzipped my little backpack and got out the toddler blanket that I have been bringing along on my wanderings, and made myself comfy.

I read my scriptures up there and did a little stretching, it was fun. This morning Corey and I took a ride to ruins, I got 3 women local legends. I turned around at one point cause we passed Jill and I thought maybe I'd ride up with her again, so I started to try and catch up to her, then I decided I didn't want to do that again haha. 11.39 miles. At home today, Katharine colored Bluey pictures while I registered LSNO for school. 

You're so good at coloring, huh Katharine! School will be shortly upon us and then it will just be Katharine and I playing all day. School registration for the elementary opens on Monday.

For our date night to tonight, after going out to eat at Aubergine and before going to water my sister's garden, I asked Corey if I could show him my new spot. So we went up to Lisa, walked along Techy, then took a right to the creek and found the log - hiked across the creek, and then we wandered a little bit and found another creek, actually a fork - Hogum Fork - and I wanted to cross that, so Corey worked at it with me. He got across without getting his feet wet, impressive. Then he found a fallen log, grabbed it with his belt to pull it toward him...

and that moved the other end toward me and I was able to grab it. We each held an end (it's not a wide fork) and we placed it across the fork and secured it with a few rocks and a few other logs and sticks and I got a stick to be my hiking stick to help me balance and soon I made it across, yay! It was fun. We found a lean to on the other side of the fork, where someone has cut logs and nailed them to two trees to kinda build a wall, not sure who has been working up there or if that is legal... We didn't see any signs that pointed to 2026 life. I might take photos of it so I can see if it changes so I'll know if it's currently being worked on or if it was just some guy's project from a few years back. Walking back to the creek and looking over our dominion.

It would be fun to forge a path up to the ruins on the south side of the creek. Something to work on. I want to bring the boys up here, I bet we'd have a lot of fun playing "minecraft". For Corey and I, I joked that it was like we were Adam and Eve, the first two people in this world, surrounded by nature, sent out from the bliss and protection of the Garden, now trying to figure out what we were going to do with ourselves and how to build a home or where we are going to sleep at night. But in reality, those things are figured out. We have a home, we have cars, kids have school, we have a life. So after playing pretend for a bit we headed back home. I went to water my sister's garden. She has a cute little garden. I'd like a garden someday. I tried it before here, but the deer ate it, so before I try again some year, we need to figure out how to secure our yard. I did see this video the other day about "air layering technique", amazing! I'd love to see if I can do that with a pink lady apple tree!

Mission Day One

Corey and I took a ride to the ruins today. We got back and went to wash off our bikes, and found a missionary in our back yard!

I think that is a great spot for her. She'll be safe from the noise in the house, and if kiddos do come out, she can direct them to the trampoline (which has gone from a kid sized hole to the whole thing being ripped in half yesterday, but they think it's really fun to jump across the gulf now!) So I guess this is her new work station as long as it doesn't get too hot. 

Today the high is only 90 but it's been in high 90s and even over 100 the past while. It's going to be 101 on Saturday, no fun! It was 107 this past Sunday, that's as bad as Las Vegas!

After we got home, we washed our bikes and locked them up, then I took out the trash, and on my way back in I saw a package on the front step - it was a package that I could tell was a knock off lego we ordered. I knew Owen would be awake, and he was, and I knew that he's be very excited to see this. Yes, Owen, it has come!

It's an ATAT set! I ordered this for his birthday last week. Hyrum has some connections and had his friend order this for us and it was only $60 bucks, compared to $160+. Owen is very very excited "let's go!!!"I liked how each of these photos captures his excited smile.

We were originally told it would not be here until next week, but then Hyrum's friend said it could get here as early as Tuesday (but I didn't tell Owen that) so this is really good. He's excited!

He got working on it right away.

Owen is our early riser and has gotten up regularly all summer long like at 7am. I'm glad that he'll have a companion in the mornings for the next two weeks since Abi will be getting up early too!

Hyrum came over from Wayne's house, looking for something that he left here before his mission, but he couldn't find it (a camoflauge jacket). I think I remember Abi wearing it to monster mash once. I'm guessing his sisters used it for a bit, then when they were done they put it in the donation pile, which happens often with clothes of mine that they borrow. After Hyrum gave up looking for it, he worked with Owen on the ATAT.

Now it's 7pm and Owen has been working on it all day, except for breaks for food (I hope?) not sure though... I've only seen him in the front room today.

It's 8:45 now. Corey is working late. Abi and I just got back from taking something to her friend in West Jordan who is leaving for college in Wyoming tomorrow. I brought her mom some starter. We took Peter and Katharine with us. LSN are back from YW now. They made little cakes. Natalie eating hers -

One of the leaders I talked to say Natalie was being super silly - she took this bite above and then put lips on the hole she made, and eyes, and ate it more, making it look like she was kissing her cake. Then she dropped her cake I heard but she still kept it to eat cause she's not wasting all that good dessert! She's funny, a little crazy, and has a major sweet tooth! 

Daniel left some blankets in the backyard yesterday when they were jumping through the trampoline. I was grateful that the sprinklers didn't come on last night and soak them. But I didn't bring them in and then it rained this evening, so now they are all soaked. Yay. 

I made sourdough last night, got up at 5:30 before our ride to shape them. 3 loaves were 500 grams of flour, one was 1 extra large, 750 gramps, that I split in half and I made two adorable mini loaves to give to ladies that Kathy and I visited today. The bread was so cute, it made me happy. Very pretty loaves too, all of them. The 3 loaves for us were eaten for lunch, snack, and dinner today. K, it's almost 9, gonna go help kids get ready for bed and we'll all go to bed early with our missionary. Owen's done with his ATAT

Showing us the features.

10:30 is lights out time!

Abi Set Apart

Last night Abi went up the canyon to get some mission photos taken, because the hour of her mission is here!

She arranged all by herself to get these photos taken by a friend and with some friends. AND bought her own Panama flag somewhere!

I guess it was an event for her and her friends last night - one last time to take photos together. 

Well, they also had a "last" swim party today from 1-5. They probably took more pics there. I'll see if she sends me some of those. 

Looks like she took two different outfits to wear. This one looks very Maria Von Trapp to me. Abi is off to be a governess!

Abi and her bestie Tara.

Tara is assigned to Samoa & American Samoa for her mission. 

Friends saying goodbye - soon there will be an ocean between them.

So they are cute, good job getting cute photos taken Abi.

Ok, so there are all the pics that she sent me. Then after their swim party today, Corey picked her up (I dropped her off to get a ride with Tara so I could have the car and go to the rec center to swim). Abi came home to be set apart as a missionary at 7pm. The stake President gave some counsel and advice. 

Then she was set apart. I did voice to text for that, I haven't read it yet but I sent it to Abi if she wants it for her mission journal and personal records. Shaking hands with the men in the circle - Pres Salisbury, Corey, Corey's dad and my dad, Hyrum and Christian. 

Something cute - as the men were standing up before the blessing to set apart, Daniel stood up too and was stepping toward the circle to participate. You'll be there soon enough, but not yet Daniel. He smiled and sat back down. After Pres Salisbury left, we all ate some sourdough and visited. Crazy that the exciting day is finally here. So Abi will be doing Home MTC here (not at Wayne's, cause Hyrum is staying there. The plan is to be here unless it gets a bit impossible to work with interruptions from siblings, we'll see how it goes) and then she flies to Mexico on August 14 to attend the Mexico MTC and finish her training there for 6 - 8 weeks. Here are the entries of when the other kids were set apart: Joseph, Melodie, Ethan, Hyrum, and Wesley. 

So today we cleaned up so the house would be presentable for the stake president, and that was about it, other than me spending too much recreating. Sauna for 30 min, swim for 60 and some LeoMoves stuff. Oh, this morning Corey and I both went to the temple too. He went to Draper for a session at 7. I'm trying to get prepped for the school year, so I did 5am initiatories at Jordan River and then was going to go swim, but came home cause I grabbed my swim bag but my swimsuit wasn't in it. Then, instead of going to the gym, I drove up the canyon and went on a little hike up to the ruins where I spent an hour+ puttering around. I crossed the bridge and went to the top of the ridge there south of the ruins. It was steep. 

It was very pretty from the top, but I was a little nervous I'd come across some wild animals (moose, bear, or mountain lion) that thought they were safe from humans in that back valley, so I just looked and then turned around to come back down. It was fun. I'm working on making little piles of stones so I can cross the creek in an easier spot rather than climbing across the logs by the ruins. That's my little fun project up there that I worked on yesterday and today instead of resting and meditating at my secret spot. I'm moving rocks for no good reason, just playing. I guess I've got the same play in me that my dad has. Maybe kinda pointless, but it's fun and probably good for our souls to have some childlike play. I did have the thought that if my kids were up here working on making a path across the river, I'd think that was a great activity. So yeah, I'm just up there being a kid in my adult way.