Where is Quincy?

Quincy is right in the middle of Washington, in case you ever wondered. Like right in the middle. It's a small farming community, 2 hours southwest of Spokane, and is where Robby grew up and where Emily is buried. We took the kids to get doughnuts and across the street to the cemetery to eat them with Emily. Try explaining that to a 2 year old!

Robby's sister Kathie moved and the same day left to drive to Washington from Colorado. Robby was the welcome party.

The kids loved playing on the slip n'slide, and we all enjoyed the nice, soft grass. I couldn't bring myself to wear shoes whenever I walked in it. It was wonderful! I was so shocked when I moved to Texas-I had no idea not all grass was pretty and soft! It's really one of the things I dislike the very most about Texas-no soft grass.

Lily and Lance would chase this cat everywhere. As you can see, the cat loved it.

My nieces built this teepee and then we took the kids out to play in it.

We had a Hammond family reunion at Moses Lake. This is C.J., Torrie, and Lily behind. Lily got so filthy dirty, but she played for hours at the lake.

Here are some of the Hammond grandkids and great-grandkids, with Great-Grandpa Hammond, and Robby's dad and Aunt Venice.

On Sunday night we had a rousing game of kickball-boys against girls. Lily and I are protecting first base.

This is Thomas, who is only 3 months older than Lance, but obviously much bigger! They had a good time chasing around, playing together as much as kids that age do. The gazebo behind in the picture was an elevator, that Lily spent hours playing and eating in.

Those are potato fields in the background. My family used to tease me growing up, that I'd marry a potato farmer from Washington who threw rocks for fun, because I never thought that central Washington was pretty. I have since changed my tune, and if we could end up in the Tri-Cities or Wenatchee we would be very, very happy!

Atkins grocery store in Quincy has the best doughnuts I've ever had. Much better than Tim Horten's or Krispy Creme. Lily had never really had doughnuts before, but loved them!

Torrie is 9 months older than Lily-they'll be in the same grade at school. I think out of all Lily's cousins her age, she and Torrie are the most alike. Which was a lot of fun for both of them, though there were many tears spilt over who got to say prayers first, and who got to play with the pink purse.

Manny and Kyle with Lily. Manny just turned 8 and Kyle turns 8 in November. He and Emily would have been in the same grade.

Why would anyone NOT live here?

Growing up this was my thought. How could anyone not want to live in the Northwest? And I have to say, I still think that, though I do understand that some people don't like the cold, and people do need jobs other places! Like us! My sister and I painted this swingset for one of our birthdays. 6th maybe? I did purple, and Janica pink. My dad had found it behind our garage and pulled it up-it was all rusted-and got paint and put the swing on it and tied a rope to it, and it used to have a bar in the middle. We'd play Indiana Jones with the rope-there was a snake pit underneath, in case you wondered.

Out at Semiahmoo. Robby and I got engaged on this beach.

Dad would read to Lily every night.

Steve and Lily getting in a workout.

This was Lily's smile to say cheese.

We got to go on the ferry to San Juan Island. There were better pictures of me and the kids, but this one is pretty typical.

We actually saw whales! It was one of the highlights of my trip.

Lance loved seeing the water. He just wanted to be outside the whole time.

Lily had fun on her bike, and so I gave Lance a ride, too.

Steve built this bell tower while we were home, and finished it our last night there. Mom rang it and said "Time for bed" so that's what Lily would say any time she rang it. In this bell sounding monotone voice.

Reid Rules

We had our first ever Reid summer reunion since everyone's gotten married and had kids, up at my parents condo in Solitude, UT. It was so wonderful to be out of the awful Texas heat and enjoy some mountain air. I'd run up the mountain every day, which was a challenge, but a welcome break from the nasty humidity and heat here.

Here Lily and I are at Silver Lake at Brighton. This is the same place we went to church (Brighton) where a lady decided to share her testimony of what she believed through song, and asked the congregation to join in on the 4th song! We all laughed so hard. It was quite the patriotic mix of This Land is My Land, etc. The 4th song was God Bless America.

My little cowboy.

On Sunday we had Thanksgiving dinner, since my dad was home from Afghanistan, and that's what he requested. Our friends Jason and Laura came up with their cute baby, and while they were there Lily locked herself in the bedroom and pooped her pants. We could see it all through the window on the deck. And then she refused to open the door because she thought we'd be mad. I don't remember how we finally got her to open it. But it was very frustrating watching your child poop and not be able to stop them! Though I was also laughing pretty hard at the time.

I drove home from Utah to Washington with Mom and Dad, and we got to stop at my favorite person's house in the world! I haven't been to Grandma Chlarson's house since I moved from Utah, over 6 years ago. It was so nice to be back!

My mom had a Cowboy Birthday Party for the grandkids. They loved it. The best part was watching Kacey ride around on his horse to show the kids how to barrel race. Of course it was one of those horses that's a head on a stick.

We walked around this pond a lot! It was the perfect length for the kids to walk around and throw rocks in. There was still snow; you can see in the background, which is a bit crazy for July!

This is The Casa, where Robby lived after his mission until we got married. Good memories of this place. I'll leave it at that.

Lily really enjoyed being with her cousins. This is Ryan and McKinnley.

We kind of had to force Lily to go down the slide. Her favorite part was the "little pool" (hot tub). I will say, the weather was about 30-40 degrees cooler than what we're used to swimming in, so even though the pool was heated, the hot tub was nice!

Emily's Birthday

Yesterday was Em's 7th birthday. We did our usual traditions-watched videos, looked at pictures, rolled on the floor, and got a new book and released balloons. Here's Lily opening the book.

Each year I get a Caldacott Award book for them on her birthday. This year I got My Friend Rabbit. It's pretty simple and on their level!

Lily was so excited to release the balloons for Emily. Lance couldn't figure out why we'd give him a balloon and then make him let go, poor guy!

My mom got me these balloons for both Lily and my birthday, since mine was today.

The kids playing with the balloons before we let them go. I forgot to give them rides in the wheelchair this year. They were so exhausted and being such stinkers that we put them to bed right after we released the balloons, and totally forgot the wheelchair ride. Oh well; they ride in it quite a bit.

All in all it was a pretty good day. I'd had my cry on Saturday, so I was okay yesterday. And it was really fun looking through pictures with Lily and having her get so excited about the things she had done like Emily. Like go on a ferry ride, go to the beach, play with Hoover the cat at Robby's house, and the toys and clothes that used to be Em's that are now Lily's. They both know who Emily is, and that she's their sister, so I'm grateful for that.

Freedom Award

We just got back from an almost 3 week long trip divided into 3 parts, Utah for a Reid Family Reunion (my family), Washington state to my house with just myself, Mom, Dad, the kids and Steve, and a Hammond Family Reunion at Robby's house in Quincy. We were in Utah to see my dad receive the Freedom Award that the city of Provo gives. The banquet was at BYU in the Wilkinson Center Ballroom.

Sarah, who's so beautiful at 20, and Janica and I, who turn 30 on Friday!

It was really great to see my dad get his award, for the work he's done in Afghansitan. I was very proud of him. He had lots of people there to support him-I think around 40, so that was neat to see, too.

Steven, Parker, me, Sarah, Mom, Dad, Janica and John

My mom is holding her shoes, because she had forgotten hers and had Janica go shopping to buy her some. It caused quite the commotion before the dinner started. So she's showing everyone her new shoes.

Everyone with their spouses

Kacey is so much taller than anyone else!

It was really fun to see BYU again-I haven't been back since Robby graduated and we moved to Texas, over 6 years ago. It was fun to be in the Wilkinson Center again-I remember going to EFY dances in that ballroom. And having ballroom dance class, and working for BYU catering having events in there, and being in charge of a Jon Shmit concert in there. So many different things! I sure enjoyed my time at BYU.