Fire Tower Birthday Weekend

 This week felt so full of happy. In list form -- trivia night with Gregorys and Behunins, volunteering in Camden's class, Asher getting braver at preschool dropoffs, Colby Dimond's 40th birthday party at the arcade, a happy presidency meeting at the park, a book club about Invisible Women at Jamie's house, and then a fire tower weekend.

A few months ago Michael reserved a Wyoming fire tower that the recreation department owns now for an overnight stay. It's as random as it sounds! We packed up our food and a bag for the night, and drove up to what felt like the middle of no where. The fire tower had a bucket and pulley system to pull your things up. Inside was just one room with a mini kitchen and table, two twin beds, and a little cabinet with puzzles and things. We had pesto pasta and Oreos and milk, and then watched a storm come in. Seeing lightning was so fun! There were signs in there that the safest thing to do during a storm is to stay in the tower. The only downside of sleeping in a fire tower as the only girl in our family is everyone else had a much easier time peeing and I had to have a journey :) But that's just the way this life is going to be haha.

We drove home Saturday morning and stopped in Laramie to tour the old jail. Random but interesting, especially all the info about Butch Cassidy.

Sunday -- 37! I had a great birthday with my cute boys. I really am so grateful to be growing up as a family with them. Sunday birthdays are sweet. I just basically felt like I had a license to be lazy all day but the good kind -- lots of family calls and a walk to the playground with the boys and delicious food thanks to Michael. I am really blessed, and birthdays remind me of that a little extra.

Ready for school!
I can't get over his fox backpack.
All four boys have worn it and I need it to fit him forever.

Preschool lunches are so cute.

Vanity mirrors and lights are in!
I love these built in medicine cabinets so much.
We lost some space with this bathroom remodel but I think it's going to feel like more space just from better organization.

This little one keeps climbing into our bed in the mornings and it's my very favorite time of day.

My mood board for the baby/toddler room turning into big boy shared room.
I think this is going to be so fun to create. And take me a long time.

Samples! I really love seeing things come together in my mind and then in my hands.

Train spotted!
Grant and Asher could ask for nothing more.

Light installed!
This view makes me so happy.
This remodel has been a long journey :)

My fire tower bed mate!

Asher is ready to snuggle up next to daddy all night.
We had two twin beds (one for me and Camden, one for daddy and Asher) and two of our camping mattresses for Westin and Bennett.
These adventures won't always work when bodies get bigger around here, but we're making it work for now!

Asher joined Camden and me in the morning and it was so sweet.
Pretty surreal morning views and cutest crew to have them with.

Home for the night.
This was so random.

A little Wyoming exploring on our way home.

The best birthday present: My .25 prescription. Glasses!!!
I've wanted them my entire life. They do not feel any different than my naked eyes haha.

Birthday chats with my mom and sister.
Haha I just loved this call.

A peach dessert on my September birthday??
Peaches have never lasted this long,
felt like a birthday miracle. Michael made me peach sensation and I was feeling pretty lucky.

I have good reason to believe 37 is going to be really, really great.

Labor Day & Growing Up

 Coming home from Swiss Days was a big crash. That was a physically and emotionally exhausting weekend and I just came home feeling raw. I just can't believe what Kindal carries. We will probably do it next year. But we're grateful it's a year away. 

I made it home late Sunday and was so glad that Michael had Monday off. We had a good Labor Day with the boys and that night we had tickets to Red Rocks to see Gregory Alan Isakov. I love his music. He's kind of a mystery man though. My favorite part of concerts is getting to know the artist more and hearing their stories but he didn't share much at all. The night still was magical though, because Red Rocks just always will be. I feel extra in love with Michael at concerts :) We drove down with the Gregorys and I just love spending time with them. I would love to go to Red Rocks at least once a year -- it feels like if you live by such a magical place you really need to prioritize getting there, even though it takes some effort.

We took down our crib this week. I keep thinking about it. I love these growing boys so much and I just cannot believe there are no more babies or toddlers around here. We were so defined by that for so long. 

It's the last week of summer which means... Camden passed the swim test! I am so proud of that cute boy. He was so nervous to jump off the diving board for the first time, but he just took the time he needed and finally did it. Watching him work it out made me so happy.

We rescued some more squirrels this week with our neighbors. My boys just love helping them and they're so cute. I don't think they'll all make it this time but we tried.

This weekend we went to a new-to-us natural area and listened to a city volunteer talk about the evolution of wildlife in the area. Our boys are usually the only kiddos at these things and I just love them. They're such good sports and so fun to hang out with. Our Stake end-of-summer party was really fun, but my very favorite thing was at the end when it was time to leave. I walked around the different centers at the party (dunking booth, nine-square, face-painting, snow cones, etc.) to round up my boys. In the end I found all four of them in a little field away from the party, playing football with the four of them. They had almost endless friends and activities to choose from and I found all four of them with just each other and one ball. I just laughed because they'd looked forward to the party so much and when I saw how they spent their time there I didn't really see how it was different from our backyard. Which really just made me happy.

Snacky lunches at the pool. We loved pool days this summer so much.

Our diving board boy!
I'm so proud of how hard Camden has worked on swimming this summer.

Red Rocks night

His set really was captivating.

Bennett is loving his Let's Play Music program.
He's such a self-motivated hard worker. Bless him.

Goodbye, sweet crib. 
You held my heart for years.
I'll always perfectly remember unswaddling my babies and seeing them take their first morning stretch.
Or cute little standing toddlers waiting for me happily after their nap.
Life stages are incredible things.

We had a Lego night for YWs.
This pile of things somehow made it from someone else's Lego box home in my Lego box.
I texted my friend to ask him if it was his boys' things.
He said, "No, would love for you to keep them."
And I said, "Thank you, I have been wishing for more piles of things."
My life feels defined by piles of things. I swear I combat this constantly.

"Mom, take a picture of me up here!"
I love him so much.

A cute little scene from preschool.
He has grown to love it and I'm so proud of him.

Throwing that atlatl.
Harder than it looks.
Unless you're Michael.

The biggest be we ever did see.

My boys LOVED this bee. And a few other people from our nature talk stopped to admire it with us.
Later, someone emailed the coordinator from the city to send them some of the really nice photos of the bee that they took on their nice camera.
They asked if the pictures could be emailed out to the group because some of the boys there (our boys) really loved the bee.
And this is why I just love Fort Collins.

Another neighborhood squirrel rescue.
These guys lost their mom somehow and started to try to get down out of their nest once they were hungry enough. Some were successful and some weren't :( And we coaxed the rest down the tree to get some puppy formula and rest.

End of summer stake picnic.
My soul just brightens up when I get to see Diane.