Jake's Farewell

We headed to Utah again this last weekend, for my brother Jake's mission farewell.  I really wished we could have stayed for the setting apart and dropping him off at the MTC, but it was just too hard to get so many days off during the second-to-last week of the school year. I'm just glad we were at least able to make it home for the farewell and to spend some good quality time with him.  It was a lot harder saying good-bye than I thought it was going to be, but I'm so happy and excited for him to begin this chapter of his life.  Here's a look at what our weekend was like:

Friday:
Went for a bike ride on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail with mom and Jake.  The scenery was beautiful.

Spent the afternoon with Brittney and the kids.  We took a spin in their new mini van, visited Brody's grandma and dropped off early birthday presents to his mom, dad and their spouses, got lunch at McDonald's and Brittney painted my fingernails.

I made these "cakes" for our dads out some of their favorite snacks.

 That night, back at my parents house, the Bundy's came over for dinner, games and s'mores.  We were supposed to have a BBQ outside, but we got rained out, so we made things work indoors instead, even the s'mores! (Indoor s'more makers are the most awesome invention!)

S'mores with a slice of strawberry and a reeses cup instead of a hershey's bar is my new favorite thing.
It's amazing!

The Bundy girls were loving on Sal the whole night.

Emma pretended like she was a dog for a while and
Lydia kept trying to give him hugs.

Later that night everyone in my immediate family went to see Star Trek.  I actually quite liked it.

Saturday:
In the morning, I went to the gym with my mom and then to a local grocery store where they were having a huge sale on fruit and oreos (and other things too, but we went for the fruit and oreos).  They even went to the trouble of setting up this darling display. People are so creative!

Pineapple for the tree trunk and kiwis for the mini coconuts
The other ones are pretty self explanatory
Oh except this one: the "sand" is brown sugar

 After that, we spent most of the rest of the day preparing for the farewell party the next day.

In between rainstorms, Brody and Bundy helped my dad finish the deck they built just off the patio, me & Emma & Lydia wiped down chairs and my mom swept the patio

That night, my cousin Syd, her husband Adam and their little boy Rafe came for a visit.  It was SO good to see them.

Sunday:
Then the big day came.  Jake was pretty nervous, but he did really good and he looked very handsome!  It was fun to visit with tons of family members afterwards and we had PLENTY of food leftover!

Jake and Cam - brothers and best friends
They won't see each other for 3 years because their missions will overlap,
so their goodbye was extra hard.

Jake and the proud parents

Me and my beautiful, awesome, talented mother

Me and Jake the missionary

Monday:
We had a big breakfast in the morning, and played all of Jake's favorite card games until mom had to go to work and Brody and I had to pack up and head home.  He left for the MTC two days later.  Goodbye little brother.  I love you and miss you lots.  I know you will do great things.  We'll see you in 2 years!  {not that he'll read that, but I'm just sending those thoughts his way... :)}