Young Womens

I have already been several callings in this new ward including 10 year old primary teacher with Ethan, Compassionate Service Leader, and most recently Beehive advisor.
I have really enjoyed my callings so far for different reason. I loved the ease of working with Ethan in primary and how laid back we could be, but I kind of didn't love going to primary. I love Compassionate Service leader because it really helped me get to know and be aware of all the needs in the ward. The hard part about that calling was finding the balance between just acting and giving people their space. It was also sometimes hard to find the balance between informing people so that they could, but also creating a trust with certain people in certain situations. No one wants to feel like the charity case, but everyone wants to help and you can't help unless you know. I was only in that position for about 4 months, but I was able to help with 3 babies, 1 surgery, and 10 moves (it was a crazy summer for our ward)
I am now in beehives. Not gonna lie, it came as a complete surprise because I hadn't been in my recently calling very long. This is the not the first time I have been in YW, but this is the first time I have worked with the Beehives and I am just terrified. I am terrified to treat them old enough but also remember that they are still young. I am terrified because I am not the stereotypical YW leader and I don't want to be a disappointment for the girls. That being said, I do not believe that you have to be a certain way to be a good leader and teacher, I just don't want the girls to ever be disappointed that they are not with someone a little more peppy. I am not really into handouts and treats and think that by the time you are 12 there are certain responsibilities that should be handled by the girls and not me. Its just finding that balance. I'd hate to ever come across as mad or upset or something like that when in reality I'm just not "HEY!! MY NAME IS SISTER WING!!!"" the girls really are amazing girls and I am so excited to be able to learn how to teach beehives. they are so sweet and already have tried to get to know me as I have tried to get know them which gives me a lot of hope.
I'm also excited about working in YW at this particular time because Mary Field is the president and  talk about a rock star! She is so kind and generous, but expects so much from the girls. She wants to run a tight ship but wants to do so with love. She is always incorporating the gospel into her life and more than that, sharing and teaching how we can help the world around us do the same. She is so focused on spreading goodness in and out of the church that you just can't help but want to get out there and get your hands dirty. She is so amazing and I am so happy to be able to work with her. I personally work with Trish Brown who in one word is just fun. She is so solid in her testimony and belief that she is who she is how she is. She is always finding a way to have hwolesome fun taht pushes boundaries and tries new things and helps her learn new skills. I love being around Trish.
I don't work with the Mia Maids as much but Shellee is in there as well as Brooklyn Holden and Ashley Collett. We have a great group of leaders and I'm really looking forward to getting to know them even better than I already do.

Seattle List 2017

Whenever I move somewhere new, I try to be as touristy as I can that first year/year and a half. I make big long lists and try to knock them out so that I get a good feel as to what people immediately love about their area. Obviously the more you live somewhere the more you get to know it and find those hidden gems, but this has always been a good place to start. Our list still has some work and is certainly not comprehensive to the things we have done, but its so fun to see all the things we have done in that past 12 months.

Woodland Park Zoo
Botanical Gardens
Alik Beach
Chihuly Glass Museum
Conservatory
Gas Works Park
Discovery Park
Twin Falls Hike
SUP
Volunteer Park
Poo Poo Point
Rattlesnake Ledge
Franklin Falls
Portland
Mt St Helens
Vancouver
Olympic Pen
San Juan
Seattle Japanese Garden
Seattle Arboretum
Vivo 53
Portage Bay
High Point Trail
Carkeek Park
Greenlake Park
Golden Gardens
Richmond Beach
Luther Burbank Park
Henry Aquatic Center
Chism Beach Park
Idylwood Beach
Pretzel Hike
Denny Creek Rock Slides
Spokane
State Fair 
Two Brothers/ Oxbow Farm Pumpkins

Summer Highlights

I was going to call this June highlights, but considering August starts next week, I decided to call it summer highlights instead. Ps, the fact that August starts next week makes me want to just weep. Summer just arrived here. Please don't leave!! PLEASE!!!



I've blogged about the major events in the summer, so here are just so snippets of other fun things we have done.

We have gone strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry picking

 

She just woke up. It is like my favorite picture of Madison

We got to tour Kelsey's school. I almost cried and it was just a tour!!!

She is moving about as fast as this picture. It is literally the cutest thing I have ever watched

We try to get to the beach around 3 times a week. Enatai is our favorite

She was trying to make me laugh. It worked. Madison can find humor in anything. Such a gift

Maybe the worst burn I have had since I was 15. It was excruciating and lasted for days. I felt like such an idiot for getting so burned. 

I love watching the girls act girly

This is not the best picture, but it has all of Kelsey's dearest friends in it. She always looks this happy when she is with her friends. Kelsey has the happiest smile.

Amazon had "Bring your kid to work day." We all got a lunch box and HUGE buffet of food and got to walk from building to building doing activities. "Dad's work is so much fun! I wish I could work here too" :)

On one of our babysitting swaps with the Salmons, Ethan and I went on a hike up Rattlesnake Ridge. MY pregnant behind was not ready for the mile up hill, but it was so worth the view.

One of my dearest friends has to move to Germany. My heart is already breaking. She leaves in about a month. Luckily we accidentally twinned at beach day so we can always have this picture. I am going to miss her so much

She wanted to "snuggle" with dad. Aka "pone" please!

You can't really see it, but there is a slug as long as our map. GROSS!!

Father's Day

A gardener was trimming flowers and let us take them home

Ever since we bought our paddle board, this is how we have spent about 3 nights a week. Sometimes its colder than others, but its always perfect. I'm trying really hard to ignore the fact that winter comes back.

When Ethan gets super bored, he sends up selfies that make us laugh

Our friends are super awesome and have a zip line in their backyard

Amazon Picnic

One major perk about living and working in Seattle, are all the Amazon parties that we get to go to. They have one about every 6 months but only in the corporate offices.

Their summer party was at Century Link Field again but this time we got to take the whole family. There were activities and food EVERYWHERE!!! I can not express how much I mean EVERYWHERE!!!! Every kiosk, people walking around, tables with buffets, trolley carts, and beverage bins. Food EVERYWHERE!! And it was all fun food too like cotton candy, fries, hot dogs, ice cream, funnel cakes, nachos, pizza, dip an dots, popcorn, chicken nuggets, and on and on and on.   I seriously don't even want to think about what our family consumed that day.

They divided the party out between two days so lines weren't too terrible. It was still a lot of people, but I've heard in years past it was just unmanageable. Balloon art, blow up slides, petting zoos, fishing, face painting, crafts, Disney characters and so much more. We got to the party around 10 and didn't leave until 4! time just flew by. The girls were awesome and we just had the best time.
The girls enjoyed meeting Moana, I enjoyed getting our family caricature, and Ethan enjoyed kicking a filed goal down on the field. Everyone walked away with a pair of sunglasses, a picnic blanket, full tummies, and a highlight of the day. Great party Amazon

 

Madison is surprisingly not pouting. She asked if she could get on the floor for the picture. This was towards the end of the day so I think the sugar high was starting to wear off. Don't worry, right after this we grabbed a snow cone so she was good to go for about another hour 

 

I absolutely HATE me in this picture and think  Ethan looks like a creepy Ken doll, but the girls are just so so CUTE!!!

Madison not only got near the animals but touche them too!!! I was a Christmas miracle! I'm not sure if she had "fun" doing it, but she totally did it!!! And Kelsey, well, Kelsey gave them all a hug and kiss before we could leave. Her favorites were the baby bunnies and the baby pigs.