Memorial Day

Michael:

had Memorial Day off so we switched up some travel plans so we could stay home with him that day. We went on a hike together that morning and it was really fun. Westin walked most of it, Michael is a patient dad. I much prefer the strapped-in-the-Ergo situation. Then Michael had a week alone while the boys and I left to head to some family time in Utah and Colorado. And he got sick, of course. A big part of me feels bad no one was around to take care of him, another part of me is kind of grateful no one was around to catch what he had... sorry, babe.

Maddie:

left Tuesday morning at 6:30 with the boys on my first solo road trip to Cedar City. I still feel like 8.5 hours is close since we used to be a plane ride away, but it's not a piece of cake. The trip had highs and lows. Highs of napping babies and iPad entertained toddlers, yummy snacks and interesting podcasts. Lows of speeding tickets, Chick-Fil-A bathroom chaos (sparing you the details), a weird gas stop in Boron, and back to the speeding ticket. Man those bum you out. But we made it and had a fun week with my family. We spent a few days with my parents in Cedar, then a couple days up at my sister's house in Murray. We were able to see my niece Lydia get baptized Saturday morning and I was so happy and proud of her. Then my sister drove with me to Denver after the baptism and flew bak to Salt Lake the next day #angel. Our road trip to Colorado was a million times better with Aunt Ali on board. 

Westin:

did a great job road tripping, but he's definitely still prone to the ups and downs of a two-year-old state of mind. He's such a fun little buddy to have around. He loves men and always has -- grandpas, uncles, and of course his dad, just have his heart. He loves his cousins so much and I love watching those relationships grow. He slept outside of a crib for the first time while at my sister's house. He was on a little air mattress and around 9pm we heard a huge bang from downstairs. I went up thinking I'd find him playing with something he shouldn't or out of bed getting into something. But, he had just fallen off the bed and hadn't even woken up. It cracked me up, and I just put him back on. He did great.

Bennett:

is such an angel. Super easy traveler, though he does not sleep very well when we're on vacation. Westin didn't either so I feel like going to bed expecting him to wake up a lot helps a lot. Everything comes back to expectations, it's seriously my biggest focus of residency. Bennett loves attention from family (or anyone) and I love visiting family before his stranger danger sets in (if it ever does). He's just so tender. I thought for sure his sweet little face would get me out of that speeding ticket. He tried.

Memorial Day Hike

My boys.

I told Westin to pick two toys to bring on the road trip. He chose two notes his Grandma Daetwyler has sent him in the mail. He "reads" them pretty well since he has asked me to read them to him a million times. His favorite part is "we are SOOOOO proud of you" (at least that's how it sounds when he reads it). 

Home.

I ran into one of my old friends when we were up at the new Cedar City temple that's under construction. It was so much fun to see her, and happened so randomly. She's such a great mom.

My parent's house sees quite a change when Westin is around.

Ali's backyard neighbor has a bunny who was well fed when Westin was around.

He slept like this for 90 minutes. It was super cute. Then he acted possessed for like 12 minutes when he woke up, screaming like a crazy person. Less cute. Then he was back to normal. #toddlerlife

I fed Bennett outside during one of our stops and Ali and Westin pretended to be cows through a fence. Westin loves to moo.

Ali's neighbors breed labradoodles and I about died. I seriously wonder if we would have taken one home if Michael was there. Westin loved them so much. Ali even held one, and that's a big deal. The strong similarities and strong differences my sister and I have are so interesting to me.

I love this little Lydia so much. She is beautiful inside and out.

Lydia with her Aunts and their Aunts.

Westin was not into pictures that day, and definitely grumpy. I'm always annoyed when he's grumpy during the times he sees family that he is rarely around. Oh toddlers. 

We love our little Lydia.