The Stevenson Ohana

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Texel Island

May 26th-May 27th, 2023: We utilized the grandparents while they were here and took off for an almost kid-less overnighter to Texel. Lucy was still a bit too young to leave behind, so she joined to make it a threesome. Texel was a place we had heard a lot about and so was an easy choice for an overnight destination. It was dreamy. Texel felt like a mix of really pretty Idaho country, mixed with the ocean and beaches and sand dunes and the most delicious soft serve ice cream courtesy of all the resident Dutch cows. We rented bikes and explored the island, managed a screaming baby, got sandy in the dunes and took in the prettiest sunset on a peaceful bike ride home. We'll definitely do Texel again to get some fresh country air glad we got some time to scope it ourselves and thankful for grandparents watching the boys.

The pictures only start the capture the fresh country air and the golden sunlight hours. Was very idyllic.

The soft serve ice cream was divine. Loved these side of the road farms that sold through a vending machine and just had little buckets to leave the money.

The land of soft-serve and fish n chips, what more do you need?

We stayed right next door to this church. Made it easy biking home to navigate where we were by the steeple in the distance.

A few from Alyssa's camera:

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Fun with Grandma & Grandpa

May 22nd- 27th, 2023: Good times with Grandma and Grandpa. We dont get to see them as much as we would like, so when we do, it's extra special.

Works from the 'Motherhood' collection, coming soon to a museum near you.

Nothing quite says grandparent time like frites and ice cream :)

Sunday, May 14, 2023

Mother's Day!

It is Mother's Day!! Which is quickly rising to the ranks of my favorite holiday ever. I'm writing this at the end of a really great weekend, my heart is just so full of love and gratitude for Riley and for the opportunity I have to be a mom to such special spirits. I felt like I should write and express what's on my heart because often motherhood and life is so challenging that I get caught up in the mundane and the hard and forget what a blessing it is and how much I truly love being a mom and wife. I'm so blessed and grateful for this. In my patriarchal blessing it states 'that I will go to the house of the Lord and be sealed and raise up a family who will give their love and unity and a spirit of joy to me. This will be the most important work of my life as I give myself to my posterity, it will build a bond of love and covenant of joy and happiness that will extend to all my posterity.' I love that promise and felt the spirit of joy this weekend.

Mother's day started on Saturday for me! Riley took the kids to the beach and I had a lot of free time. I'm training for a marathon and so got to run for a couple hours, paint and clean and even nap! Then Sunday, started with breakfast in bed and just honestly continued the whole day getting paintings from the kids and little kisses and not cooking and thoughtful gifts. Riley did so much and was so thoughtful and just love him and grateful to have him in my life forever. Luke and Clay both sung a dutch song during church and Clay just smiled his perfect sunbeam smile in the very front not knowing the words and just really stands out and makes me smile. Riley also sung in dutch with the priesthood brethren during church, he has this really nice blue suit and was looking so handsome up there and glad he is all mine. My heart is so full and love my little family.