A lovely weekend.

I'm not sure what much can beat a weekend of baptisms, family, and friends. :) This weekend I got to make unexpected plans to go home because I found out Sarah was getting baptized :) It was a lovely, laid back weekend, but full of lots of wonderful adventures.
Friday afternoon Kenzie was nice enough to drive up North so I'd have a way home for the weekend. Since we were going through the trouble of a roommate "roadtrip" we just had to stop at Pizza Pie Cafe.... since I told them about it quite some time ago. Sadly, it was a little disappointing... not as fresh and tasty as normal, but still all you can eat pizza (and gold fishy crackers from the salad bar) so pretty good... :) Carter met up with us there too, so they could to have a little bonding time with him ;)
Carter and I went to the Provo temple... it was my first time there and such a wonderful time! There really is a spirit at the temple different from anywhere outside, and that spirit can be felt wherever you are in the world- whatever temple you are in. It is most definitely the house of the Lord :)

Saturday continued in its wonderfulness... starting with Sarah's baptism!

I am so excited for her and to see how her life is blessed as she comes closer to Christ. Sarah's a silly girl. A little crazy sometimes... ;) but she's so great and I know Heavenly Father loves and knows her individually. It makes me think of D&C 18:10, 15-16 (SCRIPTURE MASTERY! :)

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!"

This scripture is so true. I know that Heavenly Father must have been overjoyed to see Sarah come unto him and be baptized. The worth of EVERY INDIVIDUAL SOUL is GREAT in the sight of God. He LOVES each of us unconditionally. He KNOWS each of us better than we know ourselves. This scripture is wonderful... and it makes me so excited to go out and serve my own mission later this year! I can't wait to get my call and even more to leave to wherever I get called. I am so eager to teach the gospel to others and do all I can to bring them unto Christ their Savior. The gospel is true and I want the whole world to know it. :)

We also went to the Salt Lake temple on Saturday! So really, it was just a weekend full of baptisms... pretty great :) Cailey, Carter, and I went together and had a most wonderful time :)

Of course, we had to get some pictures by the amazing entrance to the temple...

Such a good experience. I need to visit other temples more often. Although I don't know if anywhere will ever replace going to the Bountiful temple... It's just sort of home for me :)

Hayden and I rode bikes later. Because we live on a lovely hill, we just ride back and forth on the only flat street around. Still pretty fun. I just love riding bikes. Sometimes I really wish I lived somewhere where riding bikes was the norm, and an option (it's kind of hard to get around the hills of Bountiful on a bike! :/ ). but really, bikes are great. So is Hayden :)

This here is our "cool biker" look. We're pretty cool :)

And then we had to get a picture of our "vroom vroom" expressions... as we revved our "engines". OH how I love that boy! Just look at that face... 

It really was necessary to ride bikes, because this was Hayden's last day a a 9 year old. That's right, he entered the DOUBLE DIGITS on Sunday! My little Hayden is 10 years old now. Scary. And sad. :( I think I might cry when I see him after returning from my mission... he'll be a DEACON! Craziness.

Hayden is such a gem. He's so sweet and so FUNNY. I swear his mind is 10 years older than the rest of his friends his age. I treat him like I do an adult... but it's still crazy that he's growing up. He's the little baby! Little Hayden! He just can't get old. ;)

We had a lovely celebration of him on Sunday and also made FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS!

I actually thought it was pretty great... Carter and I were making bracelets, and almost the entire family ended up joining in! I thought it was pretty cute having the family sitting around the table making friendship bracelets together... :)

Carter and I made red, yellow, and black anklets. The colors of the German flag in preparation for his mission there :) FORTY-FOUR days til he heads for the England MTC! Oh meine gute... so crazy but so exciting! :)

Sunday night I drove with Heidi to Provo. I got a little taste of her exciting BYU lifestyle ;) an awesome A Capella fireside, ward prayer, and game night. And I was thrilled to see Thomas and get to spend a few hours talking and catching up a bit on life :) Although he kept me up way too late... But actually, he's getting his own mission call very soon... like THIS WEEK! Probably... :) I'm so very proud of him. He's such an example to me. I know he will be an amazing missionary wherever he is called. He is one of the friendliest people I know. I'm sure investigators, companions, ward members, and everyone else in his mission areas will just ADORE him. He's pretty great :)

And lastly.... today I drove back to Ephraim. All by myself. I didn't die or even get nervous like I normally do when I drive fast... and I even drove faster than my typical 60 mph on the freeway ;) I actually passed other drivers. Rather than myself being passed. I was pretty proud of myself. I figure I've got to learn how to drive on the freeway sooner or later... so I guess this was probably good for me :)

But yes, all in all a pretty gggrreeaattt weekend! Unexpected, but wonderful. Baptisms, bikes, birthday, and bracelets! (Plus Provo, Tommy, and driving... but those don't alliterate ;)