Washington fun!

We decided to take advantage of Alivia flying free one last time and go out to Washington for Labor Day weekend. Abram had always wanted to go to the Puyallup Fair. His family goes every year and every year we lived in Utah he was in school and couldn't get away for it. We spent the week hanging out and spending time with family.

We flew in to Seattle and Abram's parents and Amalie picked us up. They took us to Pike Place. (I'm awesome and didn't take pictures). 

Hiking the streets of Seattle

I really love Washington! It's so beautiful!

Enjoying yummy ice cream in Leavenworth

Grammy and Livi...and yes that is her second ice cream.

Livi loved playing outside with Aunt Amalie!

Grammy took us to a petty zoo and fun little store.

There was very little petting that happened. This is the closest she would get to the animals.

Abram made some progress on his truck while we were there. 

The past year or two I've gotten really into doing family history. I have been mostly working on Abram's Grandma Clay's side of the family. She worked really hard at trying to find her ancestors while she was alive and put binders of information together. Grandpa Clay was nice enough to answer some of the questions that I had and let me take some of the information with me to work on for the week. Thanks to Abram's mom for helping me sort it out and enter the information we found!

Family pictures with Grandpa Clay

4 generations

Picture of everyone in the room! Thanks Aunt Karol for taking them!

At the end of the week we were off to the fair. Most of Abram's Dad's siblings were there and it was fun to hang out with them for the day!

I love this girl!!

And this one too! The second picture is us dancing to some music at the fair!

We ended the week going to a family reunion of Grandma Clay's siblings and cousins. It was fun to meet some of the people that we had been entering information for all week and to connect with some family that might have some more answers! It never feels like the trip is long enough and it's hard getting back to real life! 

Everyone has trials

In the last month or two we had a lesson at church on trials. The teacher asked us to write down trials that we had in our lives. I ended up sitting there and thinking for a long time and not writing anything down. What did I honestly have to complain about. Yes, I felt like I had trials in my life. Dealing with a toddler is exhausting and I get frustrated way too easily. But when it came down to it, I felt that my trials were too small to complain about when I knew that most of the people in the room we're dealing with the same thing. There are people out there dealing with a death of a loved one, unemployment, sicknesses and the list could go on and on. And what do I have to complain about? That Alivia is throwing crayons all over the playroom or says mom a million times in a row when I am trying to eat my dinner because she needs me to take the empty plate off her tray right that second? (Yes, these examples of some things that annoyed me today). When it comes down to it though Abram has a good job, we just bought a house, and we have a healthy, very active little girl!

After being married for 7 years I guess it was time for a trial. Three weeks ago we went to the doctor expecting to see the first ultrasound of baby number 2. The appointment didn't go exactly as planned. The doctor told us that the baby had stopped growing a couple of weeks before that and they couldn't find a heartbeat. I was having a miscarriage. 

The next couple of days were a whirlwind of emotions. I would be fine one minute and crying the next. I couldn't pray without crying. It didn't matter if it was a prayer before Alivia's lunch or our family prayers before bed. I didn't feel like it was because I was angry at God or felt like he didn't care. It was because I have a hard time asking for help. For the first time in my life I really felt like I needed help and strength.

I am lucky to have amazing friends and family that gave words of encouragement and advice. They sent me notes in the mail, took me out to dinner, listened to me complain, offered to bring in meals or watch Livi, and brought me care packages. I have awesome in-laws who took care of Livi so I could rest most of our trip in Washington. And I'm lucky to have an amazing husband who is always there for me, even in the middle of the night when I couldn't stop crying.

I know that everything happens for a reason. I still have hard days but I'm working on finding how this can strengthen our family and not dwell on the unfairness, anger and all of the other negative feelings I could see so easily taking over me.

One of the biggest things that I have learned from this is that everyone has trials. It doesn't matter how big or small they are. Don't let yourself think that your trials are too small to have anyone care about. You don't have to go through it alone.

Prescott Family Reunion!

At the end of July my mom's family had a family reunion. We were happy to be able to see all of the family for a few days and make some fun memories! We stayed in Eden and had fun playing games, going to the lake, and going to Ogden!

Playing football with Grandma

Livi loves playing with any kind of ball (current favorite is kicking soccer balls though)

Flying kites is fun too!

I need to invest in a little one like this so she can run around at home!

Livi with Great Grandma and Grandpa Prescott. Someday she will smile in the picture.

Livi's cousin Calvin is 3 weeks older and is super cute! He just wanted to be Livi's friend and as you can see she has a major attitude!

Loved being able to see my cousin's family!

Alivia loves anything that has to do with water but she cried every time we took her out of the "boat".

One day we went to Ogden and went to the Railroad Museum.

Alivia loved the play room where she could play with the train set.

And do one of her other favorites...playing with tools.

I love these two!!

4 generations

All of the Prescott family minus Mike, Wilma, and Emily!

(photo credit to Kim!)

It was fun to be able to see so much family this summer! We miss seeing everyone more often. 

24th in Enterprise!

This summer we were lucky enough to see both sides of the family in one trip out to Utah! My mom's family had a family reunion in Northern Utah at the end of July and I wanted to take that opportunity to let Abram and Alivia experience the 24th of July in Enterprise! One advantage to being married into a family that has two daughters-in-law from the same place is that when we both fly in from Texas it isn't hard to convince them that we should all get together while we are closer!

Both of our families made it easy for us by all hanging out together for the 24th. We started off the morning with the 5k that most of the Clays ran or walked in. Then went to the pancake breakfast, watched the parade, and went to the rodeo that night!

The runners before the race

Clay Family after the race (minus Cade and Wyatt)

Abram and Rogan both placed in the top 3 for their age groups.

Waiting for the parade to start! Wyatt was over having pictures taken!

Livi waving to all of the people with Grandma!

The stars of the family! Bryce, Ashla, Lydia, and Sophie!

How many Clay boys does it take to teach Alivia to get her own candy?

Our cute nephew Dylan mostly enjoyed the ice cream wrapper during the parade.

The "kids" had a blast picking up all of the candy!

Papa with Sophie and Dylan

And some proof that Livi has awesome Aunts and Uncles:

Aunt Lynsey with Alivia and Kinsley

Rogan holding all but the baby niece and nephew!

Good thing Aunt Ashla is there to give Alivia a ride on a horse!