What would we do without family or friends?

(12 July 2010) We had so many people come to help us get our stuff STUFFED into the moving truck and our apartment clean! And it took everyone's help. I wasn't able to get pictures of many of the people who came---because I was too stressed trying to figure out what needed to go and what needed to stay---but thank you to EVERYONE who came! (Not to mention Dad (Graden) buying us pizzas to divy out, Mom & Dad (Sheets) baking it, Trent & Natalie handing it out to everyone, Mom making sure to keep people hydrated, ETC.)









Ben & Dad were our masterminds behind getting an incredible amount of stuff into a smaller-than-we-had-anticipated space. Thank you.

Thanks, KPMG.

As a thank you for working hard during busy season, all the employees at KMPG received a big package from OMAHA STEAKS in the mail! Thank you, KPMG :0)

Thanks for grilling, Pops! :0)

(They sent a nice variety pack of meat. Yum!)

We decided to save the meat until the last Sheets/Graden Family BBQ of the year (11 July). With Bryan's birthday coming up we also had a little celebration. Em made a CUTE and yummy chocolate cake and we had rootbeer floats.

Cute crocheted kitchen cloths made by Beth...
for "Sarah's Happy Helper" :0)

Bryan's siblings ordered him a webcam for his birthday. VIDEO SKYPE!

For whatever reason, they were trying to make "mean faces". Nice try guys :0)

The weather was pleasant and we all had a nice time eating and visiting with each other. What a fun evening and closing of this chapter with both of our families close. We sure love you all!

While the guys are away...

...the girls & kids play :0)

Bry, his Dad, brother and brothers-in-law all headed out for a backpacking trip (9 July), so us girls headed to Julie's for a GNO! (Afterwards we mentioned doing this annually...I'm ALL for it!) Sometimes it's just good for the guys to go rough it and for the girls to get together, ya know? :0)

We had dinner, watched the old "Parent Trap", ate brownies & ice cream and had a sleepover. So fun!

The next morning we played with the kids, worked on fleece blankets and had our last Recipe Swap----FRUIT! Everything was SO yummy. Once I have the recipes, I'll post them on the Sweet & Savory Recipe Swappers Blog.

(click image to enlarge...may make your mouth water :0))

Jocelyn (and Beth & Julie) making a fleece blanket.

Brie with her Nana Julz.

Julie reading to Isaac.

Before getting home to our husbands, Liz, Jessica and I ran to the Dollar Tree to buy a few additions for a Newly-Wed-Survival-Kit wedding present:

I think it turned out great (Nice collaboration Liz & Julie)
and would have loved to have gotten such a gift for my wedding.

Have you ever tasted?...

...real Belgian waffles and fries? YUM! C'est délicieux.

Back in Winter 2004, when I was in Binche, Belgium for Mardi Gras, I tried them for the first time. Les Gauffres (The waffles) = AMAZING :0) And I loved that they had a variety of sauces for the fries.


So when I heard about Les Bruges (in SLC), I had to check it out before leaving! I ended up getting together some sister missionaries from my mission for a little reunion before I moved (7 July 2010)...

Christina (Sister Jones) Evans, Meghan (Sister Alexander) Beutler, Meghan (Sister Walker) Staples, and Amy (Sister Nuffer) Cannon.

Les Frites.

Une Gauffre.

Friends + French + Food = Fun times :0)

7 weeks apart.

For those of you who don't know...My mentor teacher for student teaching, (Madame) Rachel McFarland, was also pregnant and just 7 weeks ahead of me. Just imagine the two of us waddling around the classroom, trying not to bump into each other :0)

The anticipation of her leaving for 6 weeks maternity leave and me taking over all 6 of her classes was definitely overwhelming, BUT the Lord was with me through it all. Almost nine months pregnant, I was blessed with stamina every day...my feet never even got tired from being on them for hours at a time. I was somehow not self-conscious of my ever-growing belly, even in front of my classes of high school students :0) Aside from that, Rachel was an exceptional mentor teacher and I felt SO blessed to have been under her tutelage.

Since student teaching we have stayed in touch a bit. A week or so before moving (6 July 2010) she brought her kids over for a picnic.


Here's her CUTE Gwen who is about 7 weeks older than Brie...

(Look at those sweet rosie cheeks :0))

It was fun seeing these two together :0)