THE BEST KIND OF BUSY

This past month has been one of those beautiful, memory-filled seasons that reminds me just how blessed we are as a family.

One of the highlights was gathering together as Sheila and Tyer were sealed in the Boise temple. There is something incredibly special about watching families come together for such a sacred occasion. It was wonderful to have so many relatives travel to celebrate with us. The laughter, hugs, catching up, and simply being together made the entire weekend unforgettable. Moments like these remind me that families truly are eternal.

Scott, Mr. Rydalch, Mrs. Rydalch, Me
I sure do love these two!
Congratulations, Tyler and Sheila!

Proud Grandpa with his grands: Red Skittle, Mango and Red Jellybean

Berry and Red Skittle

Me and Red Jellybean - GJ and Peanut
Our youngest grandsons!

Meet the youngest grandbabies:
Red Jellybean - Grapes - Peanut

Red Skittle LOVES his brother!

We also had the tremendous joy of spending an entire week with our grandson. Every day was filled with adventures: working on puzzles, creating fun crafts, watching movies together, and curling up with a good book. We read Harry Potter, and we LOVED it! There's nothing quite like seeing the world through the eyes of a red-headed, 7-year-old!

Playing Chess with Grandma

Putting together Legos with Grandpa

Crafts with Grandma and Grandpa

Putting together a puzzle while watching soccer

Happiness is a red-headed grandson!

Meanwhile, our family text thread has been absolutely exploding as we've all been cheering on the World Cup! Even though we're scattered across different cities, it has felt like we're watching every match together. Every exciting goal, unbelievable save, and questionable referee call has generated dozens of messages within seconds. (Scott is extremely passionate about the games.) Even the grandkids are in on the action! Technology really is a wonderful thing when it helps families stay connected and share the excitement, no matter the distance.

How do the Browns watch soccer?
While putting together Legos!

Red Skittle brought his action figures to watch the game.
It's hard to tell, but included are Harry, Hermione and Ron!

Even Red Jellybean was enthralled.

Scott and I also enjoyed a memorable evening with my sister and her husband at You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Mother Nature decided to add her own special effects by sending plenty of rain, but not even the weather could dampen our spirits. The performance was delightful, the company was even better, and sometimes those slightly soggy adventures become the ones you remember the longest.

Before the show we splurged by eating at Texas Roadhouse.
Those rolls are the bomb!

The show was SOOOO fun!

Pictures before the show...

Don't rain on our parade!

Not every event this month was planned. Cody gave us quite a scare when he had to undergo an emergency appendectomy. Thankfully, everything went well, and he is recovering nicely. We are so grateful for skilled doctors, answered prayers, and the blessing of healing.

Recovering with his son....

And my Uncle Rocky and his family came to town for a wedding. We got to catch up with all of our White cousins for a couple of hours. What fun! I loved visiting with them and finding out what they were all up to. I wish we could have moments like these more often.

Looking through the many miscellaneous photos we've taken this month, I'm reminded that life isn't made up only of the big milestones. It's the snapshots of everyday life (our children smiling, grandchildren playing, family gatherings, little adventures, and ordinary moments) that tell the real story. Each picture captures a blessing, a memory, and another reason to be thankful.

Mango is Humor Personified

Red Skittle is the "King of the World"

Nothing but Chubby Smiles for my Red Jellybean

If I had to choose 3 women who I truly admire the most... It would be my sisters!
I can't wait to spend an entire week with GJ, Tara and Kristi next week!

I think this might be one of my favorite photos ever - because of the shirts and the smiles!

The family that swings together...

A new swing set and Mango is obsessed!

Waiting for swim lessons.
He is actually excited... which is a huge accomplishment for my red-head.

Mango loves it when her cousin reads to her!

Isn't she totes adorbs?!

The family that hikes together...

Grandma's Angels!

Swimming Fun

Our lives may be busy, our family may be spread across many places, and sometimes unexpected challenges come our way, but through it all, love continues to bind us together. What a wonderful month it has been, and what a blessing it is to call this incredible group of people my family.

TREK: BECOMING GRANDMA TO AN ENTIRE GENERATION

I wasn't expecting my family to grow by dozens of grandchildren in just a few days, but that's exactly what happened on our ward's Trek.

Our small wagon train

This year, I had the incredible privilege of joining the youth from our ward on a handcart trek through the beautiful, and very challenging, mountains of Idaho. While I may have officially been one of the "old people," I completely owned being "Grandma Sundy!"

The top of the mountain was breathtaking!

I sang with them. I encouraged them. I loved them. Every morning, I woke them up with songs (whether they were ready or not!). I cheered them on when the hills seemed impossibly steep and reminded them that they were stronger than they realized. In return, they filled my heart with laughter, kindness, and hope for the future.

I'm in yellow!

We walked more than 15 miles, climbing mountain trails under the blazing summer sun. It was hot. It was dusty. It was hard. Our feet ached, our muscles complained, and sometimes the next hill looked impossible. But together, we kept going.

Twining with our bishop's wife...Stacey and I are trendsetters!

Along the way, we sang cadences that echoed across the hillsides, helping us find a rhythm for our steps and a smile through the sweat. Somehow, those songs made the miles seem shorter and reminded us that no one had to walk alone.

My "grandsons" picked me flowers!
These young men know how to make my heart happy!

One of my favorite surprises was discovering that I could still do hard things. I even put up my own tent! (With a little help from the boys in my trek family.) It may seem like a small accomplishment to some, but for me, it was another reminder that we are capable of more than we often believe. Trek has a way of revealing hidden strength.

If I'm grandma... then these are my "kids."

The Graviets were "ma & pa" for our family!

And can we talk about the food? For pioneers, meals were often simple and scarce. For us, we ate like kings! Every delicious meal felt like a blessing after a long day of walking, pulling, pushing, and laughing together.

A WHOLE quail. I couldn't eat it all.

Most of all, Trek reminded me that family is so much bigger than the people who share our last name. For a few precious days, these remarkable young men and women became part of my expanding family. I admired their determination, their willingness to serve each other, their sense of humor, and their growing faith. Watching them overcome challenges with courage gave me so much hope.

My trek family!

I came home with sore muscles, tired feet, and a very full heart.

My grandsons loved showing me the lizards they caught.

I loved the blue on the belly of the lizard!

I'll treasure the memories of dusty trails, mountain vistas, songs, shared laughter, and countless moments of encouragement. Most of all, I'll treasure the opportunity to be "Grandma Sundy" to as many kids that I can! And I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.

God is good!
Look at this amazing view He provided for us!
Between nature and my expanding family - I feel so blessed!

DeGOOYER DAY 20026 - BEST. DAY. EVER.

Every family has its traditions, but DeGooyer Day may just be our favorite holiday every year. In fact, we thought once our daughters had gotten married and changed their names DeGooyer Day would fade into the distance. But that isn't what happened. Our sons decided to become honorary DeGooyers and the tradition continues.

Love my family soooo much!

Per tradition, Scott designed our DeGooyer Day shirts

Yes... we are just this crazy!

This year, we started the day by touring the Idaho State Capitol, learning a little history and enjoying the beautiful building right in our own backyard. It's amazing how much there is to discover when you take the time to explore.

Isn't it lovely?
Scott took this amazing photo.

Mango and Red Skittle

Red Jellybean with his dad
These are all American flags at one time or another.

These "SPUD"founders were so humorous... and very Idaho.

US

From there, we headed to the Green Acres Food Truck event. This time we got to enjoy live bluegrass music and sampled many different offerings from the food trucks. We relaxed in the sunshine, and soaked in the festive atmosphere. Good music, sunshine, and yummy food are a pretty hard combination to beat.

Bubbles

Love these grandchildren of mine!

Kiara and Cody show us how to do a jig.

Katia and Skylar displayed their corn hole skills.

Enjoying our posterity.

Daddy Daughter Moment

Nachos - Pizza - Guiros - Ice Cream
It was all delicious!

Family Time

Scott, our patriarch!

Then... a trip to the Lego Store. Each of us picked out a new Lego set, to put together while we watched The LEGO Batman Movie. (I actually cuddled Red Jellybean while everyone else enjoyed putting together their creations.)

Mango loves her baby cousin.

And Red Skittle loves pizza.

The fun didn't stop there. We painted colorful masterpieces, blew bubbles across the yard, and spent the day simply enjoying one another's company. There were conversations, jokes, and countless moments that reminded us how much joy can be found together!

BUBBLE GUNS!

PAINTING FUN!

When all was said and done, DeGooyer Day 2026 checked every box: family, fun, creativity, adventure, and memories that will last long after the day is over.

Best. Day. Ever.