Our trips to Provo.

I'm not going to lie. I love Provo. My favorite part about Hugh coaching BYU soccer, is packing the kids up and heading down to games. Nostalgia stirs like crazy when I'm in Provo, and I can't help but think about all the growth I went through as a college co-ed and then a married student at BYU. Provo has been good to me...and for that, it will always have a special place in my heart.

When we go to games we drop Hugh off early to attend to his coaching duties, then the kids and I find things to do to kill time. Our favorites: devouring a j-dawg (yes, both my kids can throw down a hot dog like no one's business...definitely my kids), feeding the ducks at the pond, and coloring in the car while Hank sleeps. These BYU games have become a family tradition....Ruby loves it! Her favorite part is running across the field to find Hugh at the end of the game (and for some reason going to the bathroom in the indoor practice facility, before heading home).

This particular day while we waited for the game to start, I remember how content Ruby was just sitting next to me in the car, coloring away. When I looked over at her, I realized how grown-up she is becoming. I had a distinct feeling of not wanting to forget this moment....Ruby with her big girl pigtails, the bows she had to pick out herself, and the outfit she also picked out, and working on her workbook reciting all her letters and numbers. In that moment I felt pure joy and happiness. 

Hanging with dad and some ducks.

Ruby yelling "Go fetch" to the ducks as she tosses them bread....too funny!

Love these faces. 

Back to School. Back to BYU.

{Hugh in his Glory days on the BYU soccer team. 2007.}

I loved going back to school when I was young. There is nothing better than a new outfit, a backpack stocked with school supplies, and the smell of fall in the air. By the end of the summer, I was more than ready to get back into the grind of school. Sometimes I miss getting ready to go back to school. I guess this is one reason why fall is still my most favorite season...it symbolizes new beginnings for me (much more than New Years does, I might add).

This goes without saying that I am a little jealous of Hugh...he gets to go back to school this year. In fact, his first real day was yesterday. He's back at BYU to work on his Master's of Public Administration degree. And although we both are a little bummed he won't be able to grow out his hair and beard...we are both excited for this opportunity to be back at BYU. BYU has been good to us. It's a little adventure for the whole family. I feel I get to live a little vicariously through Hugh and "go back to school" with him. It should be fun and I'm sure hard and challenging as well. I'm excited! Back to being starving students...good thing we still live in my dad's basement ;).