The last few days of Great Grandpa Berg's life were spent in a nursing home. It was much safer for him to be in a place where they could monitor him and take care of him throughout the night. Great Grandma Berg got to be there every day, even with Covid, and although we weren't allowed to go inside, we were allowed to go to his windows and sing to him. Grandma held his hands while we did, and the kids were happy to see him resting so peacefully.
The next day that we were planning to go, we found out that he had passed. The kids had spent the morning painting him pictures to brighten up his room. They were still painting when we found out. It made for a sad morning, but then they had pictures to give to Great Grandma instead. They were mostly cookies, and rainbows, and lots of other happy things.
Although Dale was Paul's Grandpa, I loved him just the same. I'm so grateful for his kindness, and love, and devotion. He was a good example of a hard worker, and a jokester, and such a generous person. We were all so sad to see him go, but really grateful to be able to be here for the last few months of his life. What a sweet mercy we were given in that. The kids all have pictures of him in their room and talk about him all the time. We love you Great Grandpa Berg!
One of my favorite memories of him was when he took us to Idaho in 2013. He was a great tour guide and showed us tons of things around his home town, and neighboring cities. It was good to see where he was from.
Steph, Stacey, and I joined the in-town sons of Dale's with Della to help plan the funeral and services. It was a lot of work, and harder than I thought, but everyone was very loving and thoughtful of each others feelings. I was grateful to be able to help.
Hawken helped me make the cookies for the lunch after the funeral. Grandpa Berg was a bit of a cookie monster, so we made sure to have all kinds of cookies there. He would have loved it!
And some extra cookies for the kids to snack on too.
Krystal and I planned the food and luncheon part, so we got to spend some extra time together, which is always nice, but hardly ever happens.
Lots of baby snuggles at the funeral, they were a welcomed distraction. Funerals are always hard.
Our kids didn't go to the funeral. They stayed with the Hunts. It was somber, but what a lovely tribute to a lovely human. I'm glad we moved to Utah if only for this moment, and the precious moments we had with him before he died. We would not have been able to be with him as much as we were had we not moved back to the mainland. I'm so glad we did. We miss you all the time Great Grandpa Berg, until we meet again.
At the beginning of September we went on a rafting trip on the Weber River with some of Paul's childhood friends and their families. It was so nice going with experienced raft guides! Amber is a pro!
We played musical boats most of the time and the kids all had fun with each other. There were very few rapids, and when we did get there, we knew just what to do.
When we got to this low bridge, we were supposed to get out and hike around with the raft, BUT the water levels were lo enough that we decided to chance it and float under! It was a TIGHT fit, but we made it through, barely! We had to all lay down inside the raft and use our hands to push along the bottom of the bridge so we wouldn't get stuck.
Here's our whole group, so much fun!
Then the moms all jumped in the one car we had at the bottom of the river and drove back to get the rest of the vehicles. It was perfect.
Here are the dads. Rarely is Paul the short one in the group, so you can guess how tall these other two are! Then to a park for a picnic dinner together.
Date day, it started getting winter cold on some days in September. Not every day, but I was glad I got a coat.
New friend from school, Macey, is so much fun for Lullaby. Macey is an only girl too.
Miss Lullaby turns 9!!!! How can this be?! She got a skateboard from her dad and brothers for her birthday.
Making meringue cookies for the princess baby's birthday tea party, and I made a HUGE mess. The whole kitchen was coated in a thin layer of sugar.
Selfie found later on my phone. I love this little man.
Double date with the Harmers. This was much more my speed after our previous double date of a steep mountain bike ride. The movie theaters opened and you could go with a group of less than 10, as long as everyone was masked in the lobby. Yay!
Macey came to Lullaby's party early to help her set up. We did her party WITH Matix's this year. It worked great for the family who came, since they had a long drive.
Lullaby's part of the party was tea party themed and mostly inside the meditation room. Matix's party was "just a PARTY party" and there were games, and Nintendo battles, and lots of food, and he and his friends were mostly outside or in the basement. Before the party Matix and Hawken built this 4-square court in the street with tape and it was such a hit! We kept it up for months and everyone in the neighborhood loved it!
Lullaby opened gifts in her room and was spoiled rotten by her amazing friends.
Meanwhile, Matix and friends were battling it out in MarioKart.
Back at the tea party, friends were putting on fake nails, and doing their makeup. So fancy.
Matix opened presents in the basement and was thrilled with all the thoughtful gifts and cards. He made some really nice friends here.
Then outside for some minute to win it games with friends before they left.
We love living close to family now, and having cousins and aunties and uncles come to the party was a cherry on top! Also, Mason wasn't in pain, he was just being silly for the camera. :)
After everyone left, we had fun looking back through some of their favorites.
Videos of the special day!
Even days later they were still getting cards in the mail, which made their birthdays last even longer, so fun!
In a package from Grandpa Chuck, nit only did her send all the birthday things, he sent extra Lego finds from Auntie Heather. So fun!
Our 12 year old! Such a sweet thing. His actual birthday day was a few days after the party, so we had to take some pictures that day to commemorate. Matix is an awesome kid.
Another play date with Macey. She's always here.
Solace tried to ride Hawk's bike pegs all the way to school for the first time. It didn't happen easily this first time, but now they are pros and do it more.
Loving how my hair looks with this color in a five stranded braid, even if it is at the end of the day and getting wispy.
Book character day, and they all decided on Dog Man characters. While Hawk was Dog Man himself (peep his dog face mask), the other kids were members of the police force. They loved it.
I tried out a really dark lipstick, and loved it with the blue hair. I think it makes me look more intense than I really am, but that's fun to try.
More of me loving my blue hair. Braids look especially fun with colorful hair.
Church hair for Lullaby.
Bed head for Paul at church. We started going every other week, so half of the ward would be at home.
Pictures with my girl after church. She did matching makeup with me.
Why is it that whenever I lay down or sit down for too long, these kittens think its a perfect time to make a bed on me.
Hawk found a cat at school and thought we should keep it. Here he is begging. We didn't keep it, but it sure was sweet.
Auntie Jolie mailed us this HUGE teddy bear suit for Hawk to wear at Halloween. He had been begging for this for more than a year, and she made his dream come true. He LOVED it!
I made a new friend who also moved into our neighborhood recently. She and I went shopping for things for our houses, and it was so much fun.
I got this new green velvet blanket for my bed and love it!
Having a doctor in the house isn't just good for my own kids, it's good for the neighborhood kids too.
We took the kids to a bike park in Draper and they loved it! Even Lullaby and Solace were into it!
Paul's cousin Ryan and his wife Megan brought baby Cora, so I got to cuddle with her some too. Isn't she a doll baby?!
Hawken joined the Math Club at school and attended virtual math class after regular school was finished. He loved it.
This is my husband, the doctor, dumpster diving for free wood near all the construction sites in our area. He's thrifty, that's for sure!
Sully and I made some rice crispy treats dipped in chocolate. He ate more than we made for the family, but we had a good time doing it.
At home church with pets is so silly. How on earth do other families concentrate?
5 stranded braid for this princess baby.
We got to go to an at home baby blessing, for baby Cora. It was so sweet.
Out for another adventure. This time we went to Lake Powell, and rented a speed boat. We took a wrong way on the way there and added several hours to our trip by accident. But we eventually got there and it was a blast!
On the first day, we boated and tubed and knee boarded and played in the sand and cliff jumped and went back to our little trailer TIRED!
They really are beach kids. We stopped here for a little while and they just went to town digging, and building, and having a blast, as usual.
Our popup tent trailer was perfect for the occasion and we stayed at Lone Rock Beach Park.
The next day was more of the same, but we also rescued another boat and Paul really honed his knee boarding skills. He's made for the water.
Paul ripped open his shorts, good thing he had on underwear that didn't rip!
Back on the dock we fed the fish some crumbs while we filled up our boat and returned it. Then out to eat then back to camp for s'mores, goodnight!
Early morning walks on the beach, and we did a little beach clean up and games, then we went to see the petroglyphs at the Fremont Indian State Park before heading home.
It was a short trip to see the Fremont Indian State Park, but really cool to see. We saw a little in the small nature center about the area, and then did a few short hikes around to see the different petroglyphs.
Swishy was being looked after by the Hunt family, but he refused to eat the entire time we were gone. So we cut our vacation a little short, but as soon as we got to him, he ate lots. Such a stinker. Now when we go places, he has to stay at home and they have to come to see him, or he won't eat.
Becca got her first job at Subway, so we of course went to eat there to see her. So fun!
