July: Worn Out, Weary & Still Finding Joy (July 2026)

July, you raced by.

I'm not sure how it happened, because there were definitely days when I felt like time had stopped completely. I spent much of the month feeling exhausted, worn out and weary—the kind of tired that sleep doesn't seem to fix.

And then, just to make things interesting, I developed walking pneumonia.

That put me down for a pretty good chunk of the month and made an already-tiring summer feel even harder. I struggled in more ways than one, and there were plenty of days when I simply didn't have much left in the tank.

But even in the middle of a difficult month, there were little pockets of joy.

And thankfully, there were quite a few of them.

Baby Bella ❤️

One of the very best parts of July was Bella—my niece's beautiful baby who has absolutely stolen everyone's hearts.

She is just beautiful, and I was lucky enough to babysit her twice.

There is something about a tiny baby that makes the rest of the world feel a little less important for a while. Holding her, watching her, loving on her—it was exactly the kind of distraction I needed.

Nate & Jess's Summer Adventures

Nate has LOVED his summer with Jess.

Those two have spent a good chunk of the summer working together, and they come home every day with the craziest stories about whatever antics they've gotten themselves into. Somewhere in between the actual work, there seems to be plenty of laughing, teasing and general Hardy-family nonsense.

I love listening to their stories. I love that they have this summer together.

And I especially love that they are making memories that will last long after the summer jobs are forgotten.

The Garden 🌱

The garden has had a good year, too.

There is something so satisfying about walking outside and realizing that the food you're eating came from the little seeds you planted months ago.

We've been eating fresh beans, beets, peas and all sorts of other garden goodness.

But I think the wildflowers might be my favourite part of all.

They have made the garden feel a little magical this year. I find myself stopping to look at them, take pictures and enjoy the beauty of something that doesn't need to be harvested or preserved or turned into dinner.

A Little Time on the Water

Towards the end of July, John and I finally managed to get out on the paddleboards.

It was lovely. We spent some time out on Payne Lake, surrounded by mountains and quiet water, and I loved every minute of it. I think I needed that kind of quiet more than I realized.

No schedules. No work. No rushing. Just being outside with John, floating around on the lake and remembering that summer is supposed to be enjoyed.

July wasn't the easiest month.

It was tiring and messy and, at times, pretty difficult. I didn't feel my best, and I certainly didn't accomplish everything I had hoped to.

But when I look back, I realize there was still so much good tucked inside it.

A baby to love. Kids making memories. A garden producing more than we can eat.

Wildflowers blooming everywhere. Time on the water. Quiet evenings. Family.

And small moments of joy that kept showing up, even when I was too tired to look for them.

The Triple Crown: A Very Long Day in the Mountains ⛰️

There are some things you do because they seem like a good idea at the time.

And then there are things you do because you are young, ambitious, slightly crazy, and apparently have decided that sleep is optional.

This was one of those things.

This summer, Jessica and Nate decided to attempt the Triple Crown of Waterton with Jess’s best friend, Anya, and her friend Sadie. Their goal was ambitious: Crypt Lake, Akamina Ridge and Carthew-Alderson—all within 24 hours.

Three major hikes.

One very long day.

And a whole lot of elevation gain.

Their adventure began at 2:30 in the morning with Crypt Lake. But even getting to the trailhead required a little extra effort. Because the boat wasn't running at that hour, they had to kayak across Waterton Lake in the darkness to reach the start of the hike.

 I joined the adventure at 9:00 a.m., just as they were making their way back across the lake and into the Waterton townsite. My job for the day was much less strenuous but still very important: transportation, encouragement and worrying mother.  I was happy to help.

I picked them up after Crypt and got them to their next checkpoint—the Akamina trailhead. Then I waited. And waited. Several hours later, I picked them up again and transported them to the beginning of their final challenge: Carthew-Alderson. By the time I dropped them off, it was about 4:15 p.m.

They had already been hiking for hours. They were tired. Actually, exhausted might have been a better word. And yet they still had one mountain range left to conquer.

At that point, I was able to head home because they had arranged to have a vehicle waiting for them at the end of their final descent.

But going home didn't mean I stopped thinking about them.

I wondered how they were doing.

I worried about them.

I checked the time.

I imagined how tired their legs must have been.

And I kept thinking about that last stretch of trail.

Four young people who had already pushed themselves through two huge hikes were now facing their third.

As a mom, there is a strange feeling that comes with watching your kids take on something difficult. You want them to experience the challenge. You want them to push themselves and discover what they are capable of. But you also want to be able to swoop in and rescue them when they are tired. Unfortunately, there wasn't much rescuing I could do from home. 😂

So I waited. Finally, at about 10:00 p.m., my phone rang. It was Jess. They were off the mountains.

They had done it. All three hikes. In one very long day.

I was SO happy to hear her voice.

They were tired. They were sore. They had absolutely nothing left in their legs.

But they were also so proud. And they should have been.

I love that they decided to do something hard together.

I love that they encouraged each other when they were tired.

I love that they kept putting one foot in front of the other, even when their bodies were telling them they were done. And I love that when it was finally over, they didn't just feel relieved. They felt proud.

There is something powerful about discovering that you are capable of more than you thought you were.

The Triple Crown wasn't easy. It wasn't comfortable. And I'm pretty sure there were moments when all four of them questioned their life choices. 😂

But they finished. Three mountains. One day.

What an accomplishment! ❤️⛰️

A Few Days with the Hardy Family ❤️

John’s siblings came together for four days this summer, and it was so nice to have everyone under one roof again. John and I, along with Dave and Sarah, were in charge of the reunion this year, which meant there was plenty of planning to do. I happily took charge of the food. 😂

Because, really, what is a family reunion without a lot of eating?

We stayed at the Mountain View Inn, which turned out to be the perfect home base for our crew. It was a great building with enough rooms and beds for everyone, giving us plenty of space to spread out.

The first day kicked things off with a little adventure. A handful of the family—including John, Abby, Jess and Nate—tackled the Crypt Lake hike in Waterton. It's a challenging hike, but absolutely beautiful, and I was happy they were able to experience it together.

Over the next few days, we packed in as much family time as we could. We headed to the inflatable water park in Raymond. We spent another day in Waterton, which is always a favourite. It's hard to get tired of those mountains, that lake and the beautiful scenery right in our backyard. We also spent a day at Walley's, enjoying some time together and letting everyone relax and visit.

And one of my favourite stops was a little less exciting but perhaps more meaningful—a lunch visit with Grandpa. We picked up KFC, sat together, ate, talked and reminisced. 

A little family reunion, a lot of good food, and four days of memories with people we don't get to see nearly often enough. It was a good time.

A little family reunion, a lot of good food, and four days of memories with people we don't get to see nearly often enough. ❤️

Three Days at Moroni’s Quest

Every four years since 2000, our stake has hosted Moroni’s Quest, a youth camp that has become one of those traditions that our community looks forward to—and one that holds a lot of memories for our family.

The last time Moroni’s Quest rolled around, John and I were right in the thick of it. We were in charge of the whole thing. It was a massive undertaking, and I remember just how much work went into making those few days happen.

This time around, things looked a little different.

John attended as the Bishop, and I came along as a camp helper and photographer. And, of course, we had Nate there as one of the youth.

Which meant I got to experience Moroni’s Quest from a completely different perspective.

And I loved it.

Well… mostly. 😂

The days were full. The nights were very, very late. And by the end of three days, I was absolutely exhausted. But there was something so wonderful about being surrounded by youth all day long—watching them laugh, compete, learn, play, eat, worship and just enjoy being together.

I spent much of my time with a camera in my hand, trying to capture the little moments that make an experience like this special. The big activities are great, but it's often the little things I love photographing most: a kid laughing with a friend, a group completely absorbed in an activity, tired faces at the end of a long day, inside jokes, spontaneous silliness and those moments when you can just tell they are making memories they will talk about for years.

Moroni’s Quest is more than just three days of activities. It is a chance for these kids to step away from their regular routines and spend time together. They build friendships. They serve. They laugh. They learn. They are challenged. They make memories.

There was a lot of work.

A lot of walking.

A lot of late nights.

A lot of pictures.

A lot of laughter.

And, most importantly, a lot of time with some pretty great kids.

I am grateful John and I got to be part of Moroni’s Quest again—but this time from the other side of the planning table.

And I'm especially grateful that I got to experience it with John and Nate.

Hawaii: A Dream Come True 🌺🌴

 Well, this was a dream come true.

A dream trip that, for a long time, I wasn't sure would actually happen.

Last Christmas, I gave the kids a slightly unconventional gift. Instead of something they could unwrap, I gave them a plan. I told them to start planning on joining us for a family trip to Hawaii the following summer. And then I went to work trying to make that plan a reality.

As the new year came and went, I scoured the internet, watching flight prices and hoping for a miracle. Then, one day in the middle of work, I got a notification that the prices had dropped. I could fly seven of us to Hawaii for $3,000! By this point, Sam and Paisley were getting pretty serious, so naturally, we decided she needed to come too.  I said a prayer, closed my eyes, and sealed the deal.

From that moment on, I slowly started piecing the trip together. Flights. Cars. Places to stay. Activities. Reservations. One thing at a time. I hoped it would all work out, but honestly, I still had this nagging feeling that it was somehow too good to be true.  And then suddenly, it wasn't.

On June 24th, just a few days after Sam and Paisley's wedding—and just one day after school ended—we all met at the airport with our suitcases packed and our adventure ahead of us.

Hawaii was happening.

We landed in Honolulu around 8:30 p.m. and spent our first two nights in Waikiki. I'll be honest: the busy city atmosphere of Waikiki wasn't necessarily my favourite part of Hawaii. There were crowds, traffic, shopping, restaurants and, of course, the never-ending question of where in the world are we going to park this car?!

But Waikiki Beach itself was beautiful. We loved watching the surfers, wandering around, eating some good food and doing a little shopping. It was fun to experience, but I think all of us were ready for something a little quieter.

On the morning of our third day, we packed up and headed toward the North Shore, and that is when I really started to feel the spirit of Hawaii.

The North Shore was everything I had hoped it would be.

Sharks Cove. Sunset Beach. Turtle Beach. Waimea Beach. Waimea Falls. Laniakea Beach, where we got to see sea turtles. The TOA Luau. Haleiwa for shave ice and banana bread. Suppers from food trucks.

The kids hacky-sacked their way around the island, turning just about every parking lot, beach and patch of grass into an opportunity for a game. There was laughing, teasing, exploring, swimming, eating and a whole lot of time together.

I am especially grateful that Sam and Paisley were willing to interrupt their honeymoon and come along for this crazy family adventure. They were such good sports about it. What started as a family vacation suddenly became our "familymoon," Hardy-family style. 😂. Having them with us, knowing that Paisley was now a part of our family, made it even more special.

There is something pretty magical about having all of your kids together in a beautiful place, knowing that those days won't always be possible. Everyone is growing up. Life is changing. Schedules get complicated. Families get bigger. Kids move away.

So I tried to soak it all in. The long drives. The sandy feet. The ocean. The sunsets. The food trucks. The ridiculous amount of hacky sack. The laughter.  The beautiful scenery. And simply having everyone together.

Looking back, I think that's what made this trip so special.

It wasn't just Hawaii. It was us in Hawaii.

It was a Christmas idea that turned into a crazy internet search, which turned into a prayer, which turned into a plane ticket, which turned into months of planning, which finally turned into seven people standing in an airport with suitcases, wondering if this was really happening. And it was.

I will always be grateful that we were able to make this trip happen. It felt like a little miracle from beginning to end.

(The way chickens and roosters roam the Island. It is their world - we are just visitors in it.)

(Kalama Beach.  The kids body surfed, found a dead octopus, and played/rested in the sand. This is where they got their initial sunburns.) 

(Leonard's Bakery for an assorted pack of Maladadas was a MUST!)

There was not a morning when Jess did not get up at 5:00 am to walk the beach. This was Waikiki beach.

(The LDS Temple in Laie.)

Waimea Falls and the TOA Luau was a favorite for us. We LOVED being there together on our first night on the North Shore. 

                                         

I love the sea turtles. I will endure paper straws forever more, if it means these sea turtles will be okay. 

The food trucks!  

(Sunday afternoon Photos)

Haupia Pie from TED'S Bakery.  (Tastes even better when eaten at the beach)

(Cliff Jumping at Waimea Beach) 

(Our last evening, spent at Shark's Cove)

Mahalo, Hawaii. We loved every minute. 🌺