Baby Schwarz is here!

Kelli just had the most gorgeous baby on Monday! He is seriously so beautiful. His little head is perfect and he has gorgeous skin. He weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces and he is just perfect!!



Cassie, Summer and I took a trip to the hospital. It was so good to see sweet tiny Tanner. Jason was a good sport to let us hang out for a while.

Trek

Brad and I were asked to be a Ma and Pa for our ward on the Trek this year. I really was not happy to go. I don't think I would have gone had I known what it would be like on the trail. It was so hot and dirty. At some points I didn't think my legs were going to keep moving. We pulled the carts for almost 30 miles over the four days. I just couldn't believe that the pioneers did this for months with worse conditions. That knowledge and the spirit kept me going. The worst part by far was the women's pull. I should have taken a picture of the hill, but I wasn't really in the picture taking mood. It was kind of a reenactment of when the men were called away with the Mormon Battalion and the women had to keep going on their own. They picked the steepest hill of the whole trek. My three girls and I pulled the cart up the hill on our own. I really thought that I wasn't going to make it. The boys stood at the top of the hill and sang. They weren't allowed to help us until we got to the top. I was so happy to see Brad and our boys come through the crowd. The boys were all really nice and helpful that night. Our boys said that Brad was really nervous the whole time thinking that it was too far and too steep. Ryder got an ear infection while we were gone so he wasn't very pleasant. Thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Hales for tending. He wore them out to say the least!
It ended up being a good experience. We got to know and love all of the youth in our ward. I think that Brad and I both needed something like this in our lives right now. All of the pioneer stories and devotionals were amazing. It was a really good week in that respect. When all is said and done it is fun to look back and remember, but would I go again? Not likely!

We didn't take many pictures, but here are some. This is one of the boys in our ward. He thought it would be fun to make stripes. This was what we looked like every night after treking. We were caked in dirt!!



This is Brad on the bus to go home. He is smiling because we are on our way to showers and Ryder!


My dirty apron and shirt. I wore these every day. I have never been so dirty!!


Our ward ready to get on the bus on day one. I grew to love all of these people!



My family! We had three girls and four boys. (Our family was considered small!) They were great.
Top: Sarah (she is holding Baby Maggie who we lost on the trek), Paris, Angalyn, me, Michael
Bottom: Alex, Bryce, Brad, Brady


Sarah, Paris, me, Angalyn


Ma and Pa Hales