Catching up with the family!

So this weekend I went to Seattle to visit my dad and step-mom Cathy. It is always good when I am able to go down there and see them. Sunday was also my cousin Michael's farewell. He's going to a Spanish-speaking mission in Texas and enters the MTC on August 18th. He'll be right on the Texas border near Mexico... where all the gangs are! But I'm sure he will be safe and have an amazing experience!

What is crazy is that I haven't seen Michael or his family for around 8 years! I have missed them and really do regret not keeping in touch throughout those years. I had lunch with my cousin Stephanie, Michael's older sister, about a month ago because she was down visiting her husband's family in Idaho Falls so we got together for lunch. That was so nice catching up on life with her, since the last time I went to her house she was already married so I haven't seen her in 10 years! She filled me in on her siblings and parents and what they were all up to. I wasn't expecting that I would see them a month later but I'm so glad I did!

I am really going to do everything I can to keep in touch with them more. Here are some pictures from my weekend in Seattle.



I went to Snoqualmie Falls with my dad and Cathy. I don't think I have ever been there, but it is so pretty!



My dad and I.







Here are my cousins and some of their kids! From left to right, the boys in the back are Nariah, Michael and Shawn. Stephanie and Rachel are behind me and Kayleen. Rene, Rachel's oldest 11-year-old daughter is by me. Then Hannah who is 3, Stephanie's oldest daughter and Abby who is 5, Rachel's second oldest are in the front. All my cousins are siblings except Nariah, who is my uncle James' only son. Not pictured from my cousin's kids are Aubrey who is 1 and is Stephanie's youngest, and Isaac who is 2 months old and is Rachel's youngest!