A Tribute to Wymount

We have finally left our first Wymount home for good! It is a bitter-sweet time for me to be moving on from Provo, especially when I think back on all of the wonderful memories that we have from our time there. When I first signed up for South Wymount I actually cried because I felt like I could make anywhere a cozy home or Charles and I.... Anywhere, EXCEPT cinderblocks! . We moved in after class on the first day of winter semester. We had to borrow a truck that night to pick up a mattress (which sat on the floor until nine months ago.) Our first week we didn't have any furniture. We ate on a package of paper towels.

We borrowed a table from my brother and a card table and chairs from my parents. A few weeks later my Grandma Tigger heard about some couches that were in good condition that some neighbors from my parents neighborhood were giving away. She told them that we needed some!

The funny thing about these couches was that we hadn't even talked about what we were going to do about getting furniture, and we had been married for a month! Apparently we were too young and in love to think about such mundane things!
Now fast forward exactly two years and add couch covers, a rug, a diploma, an internship in Texas and a four week old baby. We moved back into our same quad after four months in Houston. We brought our little Henri back to a beautiful winter in Utah.

Four months of hard work later Charles graduated and we both walked.

Then we went back to Houston for the summer. Then back to Wymount, Quad 2! That's right..I went from crying because of cinderblock walls to only wanting to move back to Wymount! Now, nine months later we have moved back to Houston for good. Here are some of the things I love so much about Wymount:

• The huge windows
• The views
• The playground in the quad
• Tuesday night volleyball
• Our wonderful ward
• Only having to have one car
• The beautiful nature all around us
• The aquamarine and gold speckled countertops (seriously, I don't miss them, but I kinda started to like them)
• The friends

The Friends: I can't really express how much I love and appreciate the girls in Wymount! There have been so many large and small acts of service that I have received. There are girls there that love my Henri, that have listened to me worry about him and have given me advice, that have just been my friend! I have loved our time in Wymount and I will always treasure the wonderful memories that we have made there!

Time Flies

Wow! Life has been so busy since Charles graduated! First, we went to Idaho City where we:

went hiking

played in the forest

had fun in daddy's go-cart

hung out with Grandmaman, Grandpapa and Tante Annabelle

and basically looked cute.

Two days after we got home we drove to California for our first vacation with just our family.

On the way there we stopped at Hoover Dam to see the huge bridge there. It was really cool.

We also saw this cool statue. We touched its feet for good luck.

In California we watched the fountain

played in the courtyard

chased "birdies"

hung out at the beach

cuddled up in a beach towel

surfed

pulled all of the beach accessories in the wagon

(Henri was my favorite beach accessory)

worked hard pushing the wagon on our shell hunting walks

gave hugs

watched sunsets

and looked cute.

We love Huntington Beach! Thanks to both grandparents for these fun trips!

Here is one of my favorite stories from this last month and a half: Driving to and from Huntington Beach we stopped overnight to stay at The Mulberry House in St. George. This house belongs to y Grandma Tigger and we love it there. The last time Henri and I were there was in January while Charles was at a conference. When we arrived there again Henri went into the room where I had slept and went over to a crib that he could barely see into and said "tckie tckie" (tickle tickle) and pointed into the crib. Then I remembered that there was Raggity Anne doll that was in that crib that Henri and I took out to tickle back in January! I couldn't believe it! Then he started saying "quack quack" and wanted to go and play with the ducks that my Grandpa Gipper had carved. That was special to me because I feel like Henri has a special connection with Grandpa Gipper, who passed away 12 years ago. Also, when we were on our way home from California and stopped there again it was late at night so we carried a sleeping Henri up to his room. When he were about to put him down he started saying "quack quack" in such a persistent voice. It was so cute! So, here is Henri with Grandpa Gipper's ducks.

Henri and the birds - by Charles

While at the beach, Henri found a new hobby, to chase seagulls. Henri spent the majority of his time slowly walking through the sand in hopes to come close to a seagull. Though the seagulls are acquainted with humans, they were not so sure about this little mischievous creature lurking after them. After chasing two or three seagulls at a time, Henri suddenly discovered a massive group of seagulls in the distance. The following three shots are of him getting closer and closer to the seagulls, until...

Mothers - by Charles

5) They make us cakes for our birthdays

My mom makes a rich chocolate cake for everyone's birthday without fail every year, yummy.

4) They make cute babies

Have you seen Henri and I? Well, I admit that I am long past the cute stage, but take a look at Henri!

3) They are patient with us and our hobbies

I don't know a mother who doesn't dedicate their lives to going to their children's sporting events, or cancel their plans to stay at home then their little ones are sick. As we grow older, we pay our mothers and wives back by taking up ridiculous hobbies, like RC planes and fishing (said with sarcasm)...I guess that is why we need a day dedicated to mothers--to remind us to open the "thank your mothers" box.

2) They can change dirty diapers without gagging.

Enough said

1) They encompass the meaning of love

Mothers sure have a way of showing love. I have witnessed the love of a mother from the perspective of a parent for the past year and a half of Henri's life, and cannot describe to you the profoundness of their love, neither the extent to which mothers will go to ensure the well being of their children. I have learned much of love, and see that I have yet much to learn. We love you mothers!

Congratulations Charles!

I am so proud of Charles. He graduated with his Masters of Science in Civil Engineering on April 22. He is one of the hardest workers that I know and I am so grateful for him!

During the festivities Henri was interested the interesting new "at."

I was feeling a quite reminiscent of our time at BYU. We have had so many wonderful experiences here.

When we move to Texas we are really going to miss views like this!

Thanks BYU for all of the great memories!

Four Generations

This last week Grandma and Grandpa Hope came to visit. We also had a special treat to be able to spend a few hours with Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Hope and Aunt Sylvia. We took this opportunity to take a picture of Four Generations of Hopes.

Great Grandpa Bob, Great Grandma Marion and Aunt Sylvia

Henri had fun playing as well as showing off.

We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family and so grateful for Henri to be able to have such wonderful examples surrounding him!

While the Cat's Away...(in Moab)

...the mice will play! Yes, that is a Wendy's bag on his head!

He jumped right in!

My little monkey

And while these guys were having tons of fun I was running my first race: the Canyonlands Five Mile Race. I ran the whole way and finished in just under an hour. I have asthma so I don't think that I will ever get much faster, but I do think that I can go longer. I was training for the half marathon, but got injured while training, so I still have that unfinished goal to achieve one day.

Jane, Megan, me,Melissa, Becky and Jennifer. Jennifer also got injured while training so she ran the five miles too. The rest of these awesome girls finished the half.

After the race we headed off to a beautiful hike called Island in the Sky.

Me and Jane, our sister-in-law Becky and her sisters: Melissa and Jennifer

We had such a fun girls weekend. It was great to spend time with these amazing women!