cali day two: l'anniversaire

our fifteenth wedding anniversary:

reflecting on some of the most amazing things we've done together: 

while visiting the san diego temple:

and then! on to newport beach (a family favorite destination) 

to absolutely gorge ourselves on frozen bananas and hippo cookies:

cheers to the best fifteen years. and may they only get better from here.

beach better have my sunny

guys, let's be honest here, can you really even say you've been on a beach if you don't immediately jump for joy--looking a little bit like you just stepped on a jellyfish and are still reeling from the fear and pain (#forthegram!)--when you get there? 

also, uh, what might it mean in terms of one's "social standing" when everyone else refuses to jump for joy with you? 

(asking for a friend.)

anyway! day one in so cal had us lazing around in the sun, sand, and surf of coronado beach. (relive our last family trip to this gem, circa may 2009, here.)

#dunkbrothers

main street, usa

wheeler spring break 2019 was a non-stop california sand and sunshine soiree.

first off, yes, bryan did part with a piece of his soul and subject himself to two (and a half) days at disneyland. but don't you worry, he survived. and he ate as many tigger tails as his little heart desired.

secondly, he earned that soul sliver right back (phew!) spending the rest of our time beaching, boogie boarding, and bouldering (joshua tree national park: the sleeper hit of our trip).

pics (and pics and more pics) to come!

ski school

brothers edition:

summer and afton took a brief hiatus from ski lessons this year, as they are committed to a performance choir that practices every saturday morning. 

cue: the boys.

it's finally their turn to shred down the mountain. 

and shred they did.

with only one knock-down, drag-out, brotherly ski-entanglement, rolling-in-the-snow fight to speak of.

success!

talent show

as part of their year-long farewell to elementary school, summer and lydia finally participated in the school talent show. 

they sang a beautiful rendition of "rip tide" by vance joy, complete with sweet choreography (of their own design) and a killer backup track (put together by bryan). 

if you were there that night, you totally know they weren't standing this close together. and that's on me. i gave them a note during one of their practices that they were standing too close together and then, well, they were too far apart. i fixed it in post, though. computers, amiright?

pinch-cheek flashback: lydia and summer circa july 2012

clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

snowga

so i woke up this morning and thought it would be a good idea to head outside and do some sunrise yoga in the snow.

#forthegram

let me clarify by saying that it was definitely *not* a good idea for me to do yoga in two feet of freshly fallen snow this morning (it’s almost like everything on instagram is not as easy as it looks or something?). 

and yes, my impetuous shenanigans did cost me a toenail (i kept both my eyes, though, so i'm ahead, right?).

BUT as we’ve now reached the eighth or ninth or one-thousandth day of being snowed in—who’s even keeping track anymore?—all rational and reasonable thought has gone out the window. 

we’re BORED, people!

anyway.

namaste.

are you guys tired of all the snow pictures yet?

well, on this, our third official snow day off from school, let us fondly remember how we felt on day one (you know, back when we were having fun!):

fingers crossed for a triumphant return to school tomorrow!

piano performer

summer performed her first piano solo in sacrament meeting this past sunday. she played a lovely arrangement of "I Feel My Savior's Love." for it being her first truly public performance, she was amazingly at ease and comfortable and deliberate with her instrument. she played beautifully. 

as a special bonus, her daddy spoke in church on sunday as well (a totally unplanned coincidence). i would pay good money to hear bryan speak about practically anything, so we're lucky around these parts that he gives us the what's what for free.

so, so proud of your hard work, summer girl!