We are counting our blessings tonight!!!

See this smile on my face?

Yep, despite the snow and almost running out of gas today, I have a smile on my face. I am grateful for family and friends that love us, blessings from above, people who have big hearts, and a Heavenly Father that cares about the details in our lives. We are blessed.

Idaho State Fair and Rodney Atkins!

We went to the fair Saturday and LOVED it!

We looked at all of the animals. We love all the 4-H exhibits and think it is so fun that kids learn how to raise everything. We walked through the horse barn and found a whole row of horses that belonged to 3 different families in our ward. So fun to see them!

We ate and ate and ate some more.

It started with a tiger ear.

Then frozen lemonade.

Next was a funnel cake made from the stand that some of the girls from our ward were working.

Then we saw a sign for cheese curds.

Now remember: I am from Minnesota. Minnesota cheese curds are deep fried melty goodness from heaven. Daren goes to pay for the cheese curds and comes back with IDAHO CHEESE CURDS: cold squeaky cheese. Whoops.

Then we got an indian taco, carmel apple, cinnimon almonds, and some homemade bread from the bread barn, because "if you haven't been to the bread barn, you haven't been to the fair!"

We were stuffed silly.

Then we saw Daren's Cousin Davin and his sweet little family! They just moved back from Oregon and it was so good to see their little boys. They are so cute! Hopefully we get to see them a little more now that they are back in Idaho.

THEN

We went to our show!

RODNEY ATKINS!!!

It is hard to believe, but this was Daren's first concert outside of BYU-I.

We were in the Grand Stand, but they were really perfect seats because they were right in the middle.

Rodney was sooo entertaining! He has the best songs because it is all about real life with a sense of humor.

Do you think Daren had a good time? I think his favorite song was "Best Things".

LOVED IT!

Love him!

Then we went to the Midway.

The midway games are always pretty entertaining to watch. The prizes are all pretty lame, but this one takes the cake. I mean what kid wouldn't want a life size Homer who is wearing a speedo and missing a flipflop?

I married a stud.

And he took me on the ferris wheel :)

He also let me ride my all time favorite ride-- The SWINGS!

I totally love the feeling of flying and then the silly dizziness afterward!

We had such a good time! We can't wait until next year!!!

The whirlwind called Augtember

Augtember. Yes I just made up a new month and it is called Augtember and it is going by so fast that it is really hard to remember what has happened, but I will try!

Back to school: I officially went back to work August 17th, but I had been in and out all month trying to get my new classroom set up. This is my THIRD room in the last 3 years, but hopefully now I will be in here for ever. I am pretty much planning on either retiring from there or dying there in about 37 years after all of the work I did to get moved.

My students showed up on August 20th. I have 23 students, which for first grade is a little big. 20 is ideal and anything less is heaven. At least they seem to be a really REALLY nice group of kids this year. After we get through the "Teacher! Teacher! Can you {Blank} for me?" stage, it will be a lot easier. They are really cute and they seem very smart. They catch on to procedures really well and are so fun to joke around with. I love my Job!

Anniversary: August 20th was the first day of school and also Daren's and my FOURTH anniversary! I can't believe how fast it goes. Because of how busy things were we weren't exactly sure what we were going to do to celebrate. We both went to work unsure of what our plans were.

While Daren was at work he pumped some gas for the owner of Craigo's. He got to talking with her and told her that it was our anniversary and that we actually met at Craigo's. She said "Oh that's neat!" She started to write on a paper and told him, "Here is a free meal for two, get dressed up and we will get a photographer and hang your picture on the wall!" So we did. And it was fun. It is hard to believe that some pizza and friends were what brought us together over seven years ago. Time flies when you are having fun!

Family: The week before our anniversary, Daren got to go watch Allen & Gerb's kids while they went off for a weekend anniversary get away. He had so much fun and I wish I could have gone but I had stuff to deal with here : (

This week my Mom and Matt brought Trevor out for school @ BYU-Idaho. The third of the Clayton Clan has arrived to continue the legacy! Daren got Trevor a job at Ray's and he started on Tuesday. He finally got his apartment situation squared away and I think he can move in on Monday. School starts up for him on Thursday. Mom and Matt only got to stay for a few days, but we enjoyed hanging out and playing around the 'burg. Mom LOVES Porter's & Baijo and we made sure we got to both. We all sat around watching The Office and laughed so hard. I got to spend time with Mom just visiting and relaxing-- or chillaxing as Matt calls it. They left Thursday and I miss them already! I am already looking forward to Christmas!!!

Grad School: My master's program started back up on the 25th. My literacy specialist class seems like it is going to be pretty easy, but I am horrified of my behavioral statistics class. Our professor is intense and just lectures the whole time and I am about ready to cry. I think this is a class that getting less than an A is going to have to be totally acceptable. Any closet statistics lovers out there? I may need to come knocking on your door.

The next few weeks:Harvesting apples & tomatoes. Rodney Atkins. So excited. Friday, September 11th. Eastern Idaho State fair. Need I say more? I will on September 12th.

I hope you all had a good Augtember!

Hardy Reunion

I guess I was having too much fun because we hardly took any pictures. We watched the kids play, held babies, watched a funny skit, roasted marshmallows, won a brand new dehydrator in the auction, and listened to some beautiful testimonies from this awesome family.

I think Heavenly Father knew I needed a little blessing this weekend because He sent me Jennifer. Jennifer is Daren’s cousin Kenny’s wife, and the mother of two adorable ADOPTED kids. Daren and I had no idea that our kids would have cousins that are adopted too. I am so excited! We talked forever and she was such a huge comfort to me.

In all honesty, the last few weeks were kind of hard as much as they were wonderful too. My nieces and nephews are so cute! There are defineately Black family traits. They all have GORGEOUS eyes. They are all so cleaver and cute. They all look like their parents. I got caught off guard for a second thinking about what Daren’s and my genes would look like mixed together. This was the first subconsious bio thought I had in a few months. I have been so focused on adoption the last little bit that this thought really surprised me. Then, regrettably enough, it made me sad. Sad that we will probably never get to see our genes in action.

But Jen strengthened me. And those two little kids of hers; they strengthened me too. They had the most beautiful skin, adorable wavy curls, and these melt in your heart smiles.  That’s when it hit me. It’s not so important that our children are created in our image, but in the image of our Heavenly Father. All children are beautiful because all children are delivered straight from heaven. I can’t wait to hold those little angel babies for the first time.

I also found out that our sister in law Gerb has nieces and nephews that are adopted! We keep getting touched by adoption and I keep feeling more and more blessed. I love this way we have chosen to build our forever family.

Loving this Forever Family: It's good to be Black.

Daren & I were in charge of the Black Family Reunion this year. Can I just say that I love this family??? We are so blessed. This year 56 out of 74 were able to get together. We hope that we will all get together again soon! Next week we are headed to the Hardy Reunion (Daren's Cousins) Here are some highlights. FYI- I loaded all of these pictures backwards without thinking about it. If you want to see them chronologically start from the end of this post. 

This is the Black family minus 4 Brothers & co. It is hard to imagine squeezing 23 more people in this shot, but we hope it happens soon! Don't we look fabulous when you consider how none of us had showered in 4 days? It is a good thing cameras don't capture smells. Seriously though, this family is so great!

After spending 3 days camping, we spent our last day on Mom Black's farm in Star Valley, Wyoming. The farm has changed over the last 80 years, but it was sure fun to hear stories from the glory days. What a neat place to grow up!

The kids loved every inch of this exciting place.

Can you say CUTE?!?

The big one is pretty cute too... You may think I am biased, but it is the truth.

We enjoyed independence day together! Families are the backbone of our country. I think we would all do well to remember that.

I can't get enough of all my nephews and nieces. 

The mountains with my hubbster and our cute family are my heaven on earth.

I seriously can not wait until Daren is in this picture with munchkin. 

Teton Canyon is so pretty! Especially with Becky & Audrey!!!

Marshmallows & Jiffy Pop! Yum!

My SIL Michelle brought this cool pinata for the kids to decorate. She is so creative and the kids did a fab-o job! 

Could this weekend have been any better? I think not. I love this family.

You have to be a lucky one to gain a Bffsil.

 

I was just thinking I am lucky. I mean seriously, I totally am. Wednesday I called and scheduled an appointment with Bob for the 19th. That gave me like a week and a half to get our birthparent letter and collage done. As big as a time crunch as it was, I figured we would buckle down and get it done some how. Thursday afternoon the secretary calls to confirm our appointment for the 12th. 

{cue shannon freak out moment.}

"Yes. We can be there at  4:00. Sure we will bring the rest of our paper work. Buh-bye!--click!"

Some how with all of our other craziness, they got done. Especially with the help of emails to my mommy and my BffSil {Sarise} to help. Mom was a typo guru and Sarise gave me some perspective and a whole lot of BffSill encouragement on our letter and WHALA! It came together. prayers answered. 

And to think this all comes full circle. I help her get a husband who helps her have baby Jake. She helps me and husband write our BPL which helps us get Baby Munchkey. 

For those of you that don't know the whole full circle of things... Sarise was my BF in High school. We went off to separate colleges but still kept in touch and would spend many sunday nights burning up our cell phones. When Daren and I got engaged there was no doubt who my MOH would be... The beautiful & talented SARISE! 

Now Daren is only 11 months apart from his brother Boyd. They are practically twins. There was no doubt who his Best Man would be... His handsome and intelligent (future law school material) brother BOYD! 

Now in half jest, half seriousness, I told Sarise that these two would have to seriously consider marrying each other before they even met. How perfect would that be to not just have a bf, but a bffsil???

{Best Friend Forever Sister-In-Law}

The wedding days came. The two beautiful people met. And the rest is history. 

MOH marries BM.

Modern day fairy tale.

I am one lucky girl indeed.

:)

The adventures of Daren and Boyd

Daren and his Irish twin Boyd (they are only 11 months apart) took an amazing trip this weekend to the Subway of Zion. Boyd is heading off this fall to law school and as happy as we are for him and his family, we are sad they are leaving the west! Boyd just happens to be married to my bff Sarise and daddy to our super cute nephew Jake. I hope they come and visit lots! 

This hike has lots of waterfalls and fun picture opportunities. Too bad the wives couldn't come.
The subway is a slot canyon in Zion National Park. To hike this you need to have someone who knows the canyon, repelling gear, and a reservation. The park only lets 50 people through a day.
Check out those guns!

We will miss you Boyd!