Speaking Larsen

This year at the fair, we gorged ourselves on good food and made sure to do all the things we wanted, because the farm is slated to be sold in December. The kids have worked so hard to help break the heifers to lead. We drove out to the farm twice a day for weeks and weeks to teach Mel B, Hazelnut, Cocoa, Paige Turner, Red Pepper, Dancer, and Lil Red to lead to water. We had extra help at the fair, too. Alex Chandler, a return missionary who served here in Idaho Falls, came back to the area to go to school but she had exactly two weeks where she we never was free to help us on the dairy and at the fair.

Well, on the morning of April 8th, a beautiful Saturday, we woke up and got all dressed up for Brooklyn's Baptism. I'm sad to report that I didn't take a lot of photos of the after party, but I can you some of the fun details of the day. ► Brooklyn was one of twelve kids being baptized that morning. ►She ended up being thee very last one to be baptized. ►Because of this, she was asked to "swim down to the bottom" and pull the plug to drain the font. ►Because of this, the drain whistled and gurgled quite loudly while she was surrounded by the priesthood holder who were conferring the Holy Ghost upon her. ►She opened a golden birthday gift immediately after getting home, as it was a black and gold outfit from us for her to wear for the rest of the day. ►Grandma and Grandpa Larsen gave Brooklyn her first set of scriptures, and an adorable stuffed animal. ► Grandpa and Grandma Pack gave Brooklyn her heirloom baptism Barbie doll. ► The Park...

While the boys are at the General Priesthood Session, we girls snuck in a photo of ourselves and spent the evening at Grandma Pack's. I milked the cows while they watched MOANA. And as I look at these girls, my heart overflows with a million smiles that are like bright stars, full of hope and promise. There is a weight I cannot describe that comes with it, too. I love being their mom and am grateful, every day, for their enduring strength, their positive attitudes, their sass, and their friendship. They're ridiculously beautiful, inside and out. In 20 years, I hope they're still my dearest friends and will snuggle me like they do now, because if this keeps up, they'll still be beautiful, inside and out, and I'll be beside myself on what a lucky woman I am to have them.

Landon's growing up and up on us. And I mean literally. His long legs kill me. He's ready to attend his first General Priesthood Session with his Grandpa Lynn, and Kyle. He's growing. UP.

It's almost this sweet girl's birthday. She'll be turning 8 on April 8th, and getting baptized on this golden day. Our hearts are full, and we are so excited to celebrate her!

If you can't tell Brooklyn's flying through the Post-it notes. I found these ones, at the bottom of her school bag. So I took them into the school, handed them to her teacher to read and giggle at, and then told her to have Brooklyn deliver these kind messages to her classmates. This girl is single-handedly going to keep the Post It note company in business, and bring the art of passing handwritten notes back into style.

This girl's has got to stop growing up on us! She loves the ukulele and so we got her a purple one! She's kind and thoughtful and turning into the kind of young lady we've prayed for. She loves to babysit and be dramatic and silly. Right now, she's gearing up for a musical and we can't wait to watch her perform! She sure love the stage. She's hoping to take Drivers Ed soon, but we're happy to wait. Maybe a few more practice lessons out on the farm are in her future, though. We had a low key day (Sunday) and ate her favorite--Fruited Chicken Salad, a homemade dish created by Grandma Cindy. We had the Pack family over to open gifts, because she'd spent all of Saturday night at the Larsen's swimming in her new suit--thanks Grandpa and Grandma Larsen--and watching Moana, with a bunch of her friends. She is excited to be on Instagram, looking forward to summer, and pushing 5 foot 7. The stinker.