Law Graduation

On December 20th, Bryson finally graduated! We are officially no longer students! Hallelujah! He still has the bar but school is officially done!

Bryson's parents and a couple siblings flew in the day before after a long day of traveling. The Salt Lake City Airport was shutdown for part of the day and complicated a few things.  Luckily, they got a later flight and got in around 9pm. We packed most of the day.

Friday morning came and we all got ready for the big day. We still had lots of packing to do, but I really wanted to curl my hair. Curling my hair always makes me feel special so I made time for it. Packing could wait. :) Getting ready doesn't happen very much anymore.

We started the day off with Law Graduation. Since it was December graduation, there were only 12 graduates. Graduation was held at the Law School. There were more professors then graduates. The kids just played games and ate snacks. Graduation was only 45 minutes. It was fun to see Bryson walk and get "hooded" after all his hard work.

After the ceremony we took some pictures and talked to a few people. We had to head over to the MBA graduation across town.

I'm so incredibly proud of my husband. He has worked so hard to get to this point. We have had our up and downs like everybody but I wouldn't want it with any other person. Bryson is my rock and my best friend. He has been the best dad to our children while trying to balance work/school/family. I'm excited to see where life's next step take us!

Tyler Dixon and Bryson

Graduates are all on the front row

Secrets during graduation

Phone time with grandpa

Uncle Bronson is their favorite

Started graduate school with a family of 3 and left with a family of 5!

Bryson's sister, Lindsey

Bryson's youngest brother, Bronson

Lindsey helping with Graham

So proud of him! 

Cake to celebrate

Bear Lake 2013

We have tried each year to get together with some of our friends that have graduated. This year, Dayna gave us the option to head to their parents cabin in Bear Lake. We all gladly accepted! 

It was so much fun getting together with these familes. We developed a close relationship when we all happened to move into Lexington Ridge apartments (well Johnson's didn't', but we still like them)! It is amazing to see how our families have grown over the past 3 years. I hope we can always continue to stay friends and get together! 

We all arrived different times on Friday for the weekend. We were last, Bryson wanted to get some last minute studying in. That night we had hot dogs and hamburgers before putting the kids to bed. Dayna also made cobbler in the dutch oven, it was delightful! After the kids were in bed we stayed up late playing games. It was so much fun to be around everyone again. 

Saturday we woke up to French Toast by the Burgins then we headed to a local park to play for the morning. The kids and adults all had so much fun! The guys all played football while the girls caught up. They had one swing that we all tried. it was fun to spin around on. For lunch we tried La Bau's and it was really yummy! I thought we ordered to much but we didn't' waste anything! I loved their Raspberry shake. The babies all napped the afternoon away before we headed to Minnatona Cave. I didn't realize how long it was going to take but I'm glad we went. It ended up being 888 stairs and some walking. I couldn't believe how well the kids did for it being a 90 minute tour. Carson was the champ and didn't complain once! After the cave we had yummy pork sandwiches  We seriously ate good all weekend! We were each in charge of a meal. We hung out in the hot tub and talked the night away. 

Sunday morning we made crepes. The were delicious  After breakfast we headed to church. It was a little chaotic with kids. But we went! ha. That's all that matters. After church we had lunch (thanks Ellis'!) and cleaned up. We tried to get a couple pictures of everybody. We bribed the kids with Swedish fish. Worked wonders! :)

Thanks Allan's for arranging this! We should do it yearly! I set a goal for 5 years when we are all stable in jobs to take a cruise with out kids! :) Hopefully that happens! I'm so grateful to meet such great friends during Law School. We have so many here that are not pictured. 

Graduation for some

This day was bittersweet. We attended what should have been Bryson's Law School graduation. Instead Bryson chose to do a joint JD/MBA. I am excited for that graduation in December. We really don't have much longer and Bryson is still taking the Bar with his group. So we are only a semester behind up with another degree. Dont' worry, I told Bryson no more schooling for a while after this! I am ready to graduate from being students!  :) 

We went ahead and attended all our friends graduation. We were a little late because of Akoy's ER visit made a couple house before then. We moved in with such a good group. I am so glad we have had the chance to get to know each of them. I am not ready to leave Nebraska quite yet. One more Semester! :) 

All the graduates plus Bryson

We will definitely miss our upstairs neighbors! Even all the noises. 

wifes.. and a great angle thanks to Bryson! ;) 

Law Review Banquet

We were able to attend Bryson's Law Review Banquet. Bryson has worked so hard and dedicated lots of time to Law Review this past year. During the law review process he had to write a paper. It was a long and boring paper but he finished. That paper is in the process of being published right now. I'm so proud of his hard work! We were able to sit with the Ellis' another couple and the dean and her husband. It made for a night of talking! ;)

It's weird to think that we could be done this month with school if Bryson didn't make it on Law Review. Technically he couldn't be a 3L and write on this year. We dragged (not really with the MBA) his classes until next year. He would have been a lot busier this last semester if he would have squeezed all his MBA and Law classes into 3 years but it has been nice doing things at a normal pace. He has still been busier and is still graduating a semester before we were planning on. So in December he will graduate with his JD/MBA. Since we are graduating later this year he received a certificate at the banquet thanking him for his time.

I am incredible proud of all the hard work Bryson has put in the last few years. I can not wait until we are done with school and ready to move on to the next stage. (with a paying job!) Bryson is gone all the time but he still makes time for me and the kids. Akoy asks every day if Bryson is done with school so we can move back to Utah. He misses Bryson so much while he is gone and so do I.

Food... looked okay.. and it was just okay...

Bryson wanted to take a picture of Ellis

Bryson we are proud of all your hard work and we love you so much!!