June - All the best

June was no doubt one of our busiest months.  We got back from Austin, TX on Tuesday and Friday afternoon we pulled the kids out of school early so we could go to Walla Walla.  I was asked at the beginning of the year to sing for Opening Night for the Walla Walla Sweets baseball game.  It was an honor.  This was my second time singing the National Anthems for their opening night.  Darion was crying but you can hear some of what Dan was able to record here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XacYHOjzsPA

They did a great job setting things up for the kids to be entertained during the game

 As it was opening night, they had fireworks

The next day we took the kids to the water park

June was a big month for our Brie.  She was old enough to get baptized and she proudly wore the dress her sister wore, only after some convincing.  She asked if she could change it up a bit so we got online and got her a shrug to change it up.

 She also had a piano recital the night before her baptism

I communicated to a few members of my family the wrong weekend of her baptism so it got spread around a bit wrong.  A few including my sister thought that she would be able to make it when her husband runs the Rock n' Roll marathon but it was the week after. 

Luckily we had a few friends from the Ward and some cousins that were able to make it to her baptism.  Nama played the piano for us.  Reena played the flute and I sang.  The talks were well prepared by the Stakes presidency and we were the only Stake baptism that day so we went at our own pace.  It was a very spiritual experience.  Papa closed the meeting with tears and brought everyone to feel that special spirit he felt.

  After the baptism we had nice bbq in the backyard with friends and cousins

Then at night we took Nama and Papa to cousin Matt's barber shop concert.  Reena was the babysitter but then she got sick so Debrie turned out to be the babysitter.  She also got sick, a bit feverish the day after so she actually got recognized the week after.

 The week after Brie's baptism my sister and her husband came into town.  Her husband Alex has a sister living in Seattle who got him a Christmas gift last year to run in the Seattle Rock n Roll marathon with him

 While she was here I got booked to work for Zulily again and I asked if she could be in one of the shoots with me.  We had a lot of fun that day

We harvested so much strawberries I lost track of how many times a bowl is filled up.  We had friends and friends of friends come and picked, too

 The garden looked so good after all the rain we got this winter.  The strawberries and peonies were especially good this year making it fun to watch and they were great gifts for the neighbors

 My sisters and I met up in Spokane, WA and Coeur d'alene

 We went bowling, shopping, ate out.  It was so much fun

 The kids had an awesome time playing together and going to the Children's museum.  The hotel had a nice pool and kids play area and one of the best breakfasts

We had some Greek food and parted our ways after celebrating my sister Thao's birthday.  Everyone enjoyed each other's company.  Dan and Alan will be working together, that's the cool part about it all.

Highlands Garage Sale - I used to hate the idea of a community Garage sale because of competition, but I love the idea now.  It brings lots of people.  People are more willing to come to a garage sale when there is a community one and not just a single garage sale.

 Darion was the cutest and probably most memorable.  He was sitting and waving hello to all of our customers.

  Another big event in June was Reena's 5th grade graduation.  Boy she has just grown so much in the last year.  She is now taller than me by an inch!

June was so busy for us.  Dan spent most of his free days in between jobs working on the Spanish Fork house.  He missed her graduation.  I was struggling to find babysitting and ended up missing most of the graduation.  I only got to see some near the end but the important part was I was there to celebrate with her at the end.

These three were inseparable this whole year.  Mariah, Reena, Hope.

Reena and her teacher Ms. Ketner

After the graduation ceremony her whole class of 2017 went to Lucky Strike, a really really big bowling place for bowling, pizzas, and more celebration

Our ward had a YW/YM fundraiser so Dan and the kids ran to help donate.  Brie is a fast runner.  Both Dan and Brie came third in their group.

Things we're going to miss by going abroad:
1.  Cousins (The kids regularly had sleepovers with the cousins - They had a sleepover after school got out)

 2. Beautiful parks and serene living community that is the Highlands

 3.  Teaching music at my favorite schools - Kindo Mundo, Kinder Cabin, and Casa Spanish

 4.  Flute lessons with one of the best and kindest teacher

5.  Going to church in a church building!

6.    
Going to miss my clubs.  Open Mic and Toddler Group
Brie had an end of the year celebration with her 2nd grade class.  Already she expressed how much she would miss her friends but she is excited about the flexibility of doing online/home schooling and going at her own pace

7.  And our Australian neighbors and friends on 24th Ave

With every adventure there is crazy preparations and planning.  But we love CRAZY. And now the words from Frozen just came into my mind.  If you don't know, search for "Love is an Open Door"

Chao (Vietnamese for bye)