At the end of August I’m taking my new bride Jamie and heading across the Pacific back to Japan. This will be my 4th visit to the Land of the Rising Sun. My previous adventures there were 1998-2000 as a missionary, and then a visit in 2007, and 2017.
I’ll be there for a week and will spend my time between Tokyo, Kyoto, and a day-stop in Nagoya to visit a ward I was a missionary in 24 years before. I’m so excited! Joining me will be Jamie, and good friend Jethro.
Each night before going to bed I’m going to send out a simple newsletter of what we did with some (hopefully) fun stories and (hopefully) lovely photos. If you’d like to be a part of it, fill out the form below and I’ll add you to the list!
This will run from ~August 26th to ~September 4th.
When you decide to marry someone, you also decide to marry in to their family. Which I love! In-laws are great. Jamie’s family is from Logan and they have some fantastic land up a canyon up there that they love to camp on. This weekend we spent a few nights up there with everyone having a fantastic time! I love camping, and I really enjoyed getting to know everyone a lot better. I’m excited to have this become something we do regularly.
There’s plenty of space to play all kinds of games. From Tug of Rope to Ghost in the Graveyard, there was always something going on.Odin is such a good baby, he just chills in his bouncer all day. As long as he’s included with everyone sitting down he’s happy as can be!Well hello there, beautiful. Emmett would talk trucks and trailers with Grandpa all day long!This was a fun game called… Ninja Destruction. Never heard of it but Elle and Emily really had a blast with it. Thanks Uncle Justin for teaching us!Always fun playing with cousins!Hyrum, where Jamie grew up. I grew up in Alpine which was once a lot smaller than it is now. Hyrum feels like Alpine used to. I love it.
I haven’t been very open about my divorce on here, but it happened. I’ve been divorced officially since October 2023, but separated since August 2021. Most of that time was spent working and being with the kids, making a new life together from the fracture. Buying the camper, going on vacations, making routines, growing up too fast, and trying to make the best life we could together. And it was going fantastic!
And then I met Jamie, and the fantastic just multiplied into something even bigger. The future is great, this is going to be a big year of changes and joy. Jamie brings along 2 more kid additions making us a soon-to-be family of 7! Yes, that’s right, soon-to-be! Emmett, Elle, and Emily all adore her.
We met on the internet because that’s just how you do things nowadays. We had a few fantastically fun dates together and then brought the kids in on it and it’s just been getting better and better every week ever since. We compliment each other wonderfully and quite enjoy each others company. I’m so excited to build something together with her and share the adventures on here for all my tens of readers!
Emily, today you are 5! I can’t believe it. It feels just like yesterday you woke up a day after turning 4 and asked me if you were still 4. This morning you asked me if you were already 5. I love how excited you are to grow up – and yet I don’t love that you are growing up! You’re such an adorable addition to the family.
We had your birthday on Saturday and it was a big hit! Your cousin Sicily came over to do Princess hair, Jamie did Facepainting, Alicia made the cake and then I set up a little photoshoot and everyone got to model for the camera. It was a blast. You are loved by so many!
Some of my absolute favorite things about you is how happy you always get when you see anything cute, how much fun you have playing with your friends, I love listening to you play and use your imagination – you’re so good at make believe! I love that you still wear dresses almost every day, I love how fancy you talk sometime (Daddy what time will my guests arrive for my birthday?). I love all your little squeaks and squeals you make when you’re happy and excited.
Last November I took Emmett to Moab to do some off-roading, we stayed in a hotel. A little bit ago Elle asked when it was her turn for a Hotel Trip. This weekend we went to visit someone in Logan… someone I’m quite fond of but that’s a post for another day. We stayed 2 nights at a Hotel that had a very great pool and waterslide. It was a very lovely weekend.
A trip to Logan wouldn’t be complete with a visit to the Logan Temple.
Well. Winter is here… kind of. Unlike last winter, the snow has been more sporadic. It did snow a lot this week, though, and along with the Hilliers we decided it was time to go sledding. Bethanie had a few spots in mind by her house so we packed up and headed to Saratoga Springs.
The first location was wildly popular… and rather dangerous. It was a big bowl, all of the snow was packed and you went fast and hit hard if you crashed. Emmett crashed on his 2nd run. Poor kid, caught some air and landed hard, rolled on his shoulder and needed to sit out for a little bit. [Video coming soon]
After 30 minutes of stressful sledding, the adults in the room decided we should try location B, a smaller park not too far away. This place was perfect. The hill wasn’t crazy long which made it easy to go up and down, and we pretty much had it all to ourselves. Plus, the view was amazing!
Emmett, getting ready to triumphantly return to the hills after his crash.
