Ali's Birthday Party!

Last Sunday night I tried to go see the Northern Lights one more time but no luck. I still enjoyed the midnight solo drive though.

Then the rest of this week was busy prepping before I left for Utah for the weekend. Michael and I did date night on Wednesday since I'd be gone all weekend, Torchy's and pickleball. It was really fun. And then Thursday I did my first sprint through the airport to make a flight that was doing its last call -- so stressful. A car accident on one of our main roads plus construction on another one had me so slow getting out of town, and I have never cut a flight that close before. It's miserable to run through the airport like that haha. I had just accepted I'd miss it but had to try and ended up walking on the plane the last possible second, whew.

And then began Ali's birthday party weekend! She threw a slumber party for friends from all stages of her life, renting out an airbnb for the night and grabbing dinner from one of her favorite spots. It was just the best! The day before the party we ran errands triple speed together and everything fell into place. It was so fun meeting so many of her favorite people, and just meeting so many people who love Ali. We laughed and talked and stayed up way too late and Ali spoiled us with her homemade birthday cake and homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast too. I just loved being there for her fun celebration. Then I stayed there through Sunday for some fun time with her cute kiddos. Normally I can't turn off mom mode to fully be in aunt mode, so that was a really fun day to just be with her family. And luckily I had pleeenty of time in the airport on my way back home with a flight that kept getting delayed... where was that luck on my way out!

Back home Michael had a good weekend with the boys. He let them take turns having sleepovers in our big bed (mom can't handle that, sorry cuties...), Culver's picnic for dinner, final soccer games of the season, potty training successes with Asher, and they all just loved having a boys weekend with dad. You only have to take away one family member around here to turn this place into boys weekend :)

My solo midnight drive to try to see the Northern Lights. No luck, but I did enjoy belting TTPD songs by myself late at night.

Sleeping Queens is the number one game around here.

Caught a glimpse of these cuties lined up sharing some pretzels.
They're just such cute brothers.

Biked to pick up Camden from preschool,
and stopped at Sonic for lunch on the way home.
Love those little Wednesday outings.

This dude feels pretty cool in his new room!

Ali took a picture of my hair when we were together because it's the longest it's ever been and it will soon be getting chopped. My hairdresser stopped working Wednesdays which has really complicated when I can actually get to her! So it won't happen until mid-June when my parents are here. I don't think my hair has ever been this long.

Felt ready for a change!

Setting up the cutest greeting station for all her friends.

We had fun setting up!
Ali ordered some favorite foods from Bandit's and it was delicious.

The crew!
So fun to chat with friends from all stages of Ali's life.
Childhood friends, roommates, mission companions, grad school buddies, all different wards, Boston, such a list!

And she made one of her expertly crafted birthday cakes, she is so good at those.
This was a lemon curd cake and everyone was shocked she baked it herself.

Sisters cleaning up!
Such a fun night.

Catching up with the cuties back home,
complete with their popsicles from the neighbors.

Dallin had a little "episode" at the park and I have to say it's fun watching Ali and Matthias just rock parenthood in all its glam.

I just really loved this color of iris. Part of it is patterned and I think it's so beautiful.

Sweet little Annie!

Back at home dad let the boys take turns having sleepovers.
Not sure how he sleeps one minute with these cute, crazy sleepers.

Wrapping up soccer season!

Westin's team named themselves the "Spicy Pickles"

I didn't want to leave this girl!

Tag Team Week

This week was kind of a blur... Asher got the stomach bug and then Camden, which ended up with me changing both of their bedding 7 times in one night. It's so sad when little ones throw up.

Our nights were crazy this week. We did bedtime alone almost every night. Monday, me at a baby shower. Tuesday, me at Young Womens. Wednesday, missionaries for dinner. Thursday, Michael had a dental society meeting and I went to the temple with all the YW presidencies in the stake. Friday, another babysitter night and we went to a Study Club dinner at Ginger and Baker. I loved catching up with Diane and going out with Michael after a busy week.

On Saturday we woke up a little earlier and went to a City Bird Banding event. We walked with a conservation volunteer who talked to us about bird watching and tracking in Fort Collins. They had a net set up in some bushes and when birds would fly into it they'd catch them for measurements and for applying a registration band. That way if it's ever caught again you can report that and see all that bird's activity online under its registration number. We kind of both left that wondering if any bird is caught more than once... seems crazy you can catch them at all! But they put the net lower because they say really good bird watching is actually in bushes and brush on the ground, where the birds eat and nest and collect. Not just up high. The boys had fun watching that, except one bird was particularly vocal about how much it hated the banding experience, so that was kind of sad for them. But then they let them fly off and that was fun to see.

After that it was off to soccer games again. and then a birthday party for one of Camden's classmates. His preschool class is the cutest crew.

On Saturday night we ended up waking up all our boys at 1 in the morning to drive towards Wyoming and try to see the Northern Lights. A lot of people had really good luck seeing them Friday but we missed knowing we should be on the lookout for them then. So we tried our luck Saturday but didn't end up seeing any, and crawled back in our beds at 4 a.m. Not the best way to head into a 9 a.m. church Sunday but we had to do it!

Mother's Day was really sweet with these cute boys. I loved our sacrament meeting about Heavenly Mother. I loved the cute little gifts their sweet teachers helped them make at school. I loved being all together on a Sunday after busy nonstop weekdays. I just feel so lucky to have this cute crew and to be in this sweet spot stage.

Another one down with the stomach bug.
This year our family has been so slow to catch it from each other.

My brother sent me this picture of me from my parents house and voted that Camden looks most like me out of my boys. I had Cam Cam recreate it and I think that's probably the truth!

Sick in his brother's bed, sweet boy.

Quarantine from brother.

Always wanting me to take a picture of his creations.

He opted to spend all morning with Luna since Asher was out sick.

He is such a sad little thing when he's sick.
We ignored potty training for the day and just cuddled a lot.

Goodbyes are hard for this little guy every single morning.
He wants his daddy around all the time!

Still recovering.

Really enjoying that the European leg of the Eras tour hits during nap time :)
I caught her new TTPD set on a grainy livestream and it's just so good.

Lots of little boys crawling around that car on daddy's drive home.
He drove by us walking home from school and they piled in.

Bird banding day with the city.
So interesting to learn how they catch them, band them, and keep track of their data.

They just keep a net in some bushes and when birds fly into it,
they catch it for measurements and a little registration band on their foot.

Camden loved going to Julian's party. His little preschool class of 7 kids became such buddies this year.

Moving day for Asher and Camden! We moved them both into the bigger guest room and turned Camden's little nursery into our upstairs guest room. And Asher finally got to move out of the closet... that was way past due.

I loved this little blue nursery. It'll be a cozy guest room now but change is hard for me sometimes!

Mother's Day with these sweethearts.

I loved our sacrament meeting all about Heavenly Mother and this note from our bishopric.
Mother's Day is a tricky day to recognize and I just feel like our ward did such a great job.

Potty Training Begins!

 This week... so many fun things but also completely exhausting because #pottytraining.

I'm always sad when the Miners leave. But I was SUPER SAD when the Miners left because I knew I had to wake up and face potty training. Plus we were just coming out of a stomach bug -- Bennett had thrown up a lot of the weekend, and Westin was sick on Sunday. But I went into Monday morning and just started anyway.

Asher is a camel. Will not drink anything that isn't water -- won't touch milk, juice, chocolate milk, anything. He's hands down my pickiest eater, and drinker. So I couldn't really "increase his learning opportunities" like I'd done with my other boys. We did the regular routine of getting him to sit on and off the potty, watching a few potty shows, trying to do snacks and meals on the potty, etc., and he was so annoyed at me. All my kids have been SO scared to sit on that potty initially.

By lunch he was getting on and off of it ok, but no successes. But no accidents? How do you simultaneously be the easiest AND hardest kid to potty train around here?

The afternoon was more of the same. The next morning he had his first accident and I was glad it happened. I think it meant less fear and starting to let things happen more. That evening I was at Young Womens and Michael told me that Asher made his first pee in the potty and everyone was cheering. I was sad to miss that, I had spent two full days fully investing myself in this! But so grateful for progress.

Wednesday we went on a big outing with Michael, Camden, Asher and me to drop the Corolla off for maintenance and take a long scenic walk home with some fun stops. I never ever would have done that on day 3 with my other boys, but Asher was completely understanding that he shouldn't pee. He just wasn't very good at peeing when he actually should. So even though that's been long and hard this week, it has actually ended up interrupting life the least of all my potty training experiences and I'm so grateful for that. That is the part I was dreading. It's hard to pause life when you're number 4. 

On Thursday I went to my second book club this year on this book and the conversation was really vulnerable and enlightening and I felt closer to all the ladies there after that night. I'm so drained on this subject, honestly. I didn't want to go. But I also am recognizing that to make real friendships I need to put in real effort, and that's been a little slower in Fort Collins simply because I'm in a place in life that makes it logistically harder to make happen. So I went, and I am so glad I did. I go through phases in life of deeply studying this topic and phases of putting it away to give my mind and heart a rest. I am ready for another rest, I think. There are no big answers to some big questions. 

Friday was so much fun -- we drove down to Loveland with the Gregorys and met Katie and Ryan for Thai food on Katie's birthday weekend. Then the six of us went to Blue Arena and watched Nate Bargatze. He is so, so funny. We've laughed at a lot of his videos so seeing him in person was just such a good time.

Saturday Michael had to go to a meeting in Denver all day so I had the boys solo at all the soccer games. It was a lot of running around but Asher peed on the go for the first time and had no accidents, so I was just feeling so proud of him. Then on Sunday we had the Lees and Gregorys over for Cinco de Mayo tacos and a funny homemade piñata. The weekend was just really fun and I was grateful for it after the grind of potty training.

But go Asher! This is such a big thing to learn. I'm proud of him and I can't believe how big he is.

Morning of Day 1, Potty Training the last little Daetwyler boy!
I really dreaded this. He was scared of the potty at first and won't touch any liquids that aren't water,
so increasing learning opportunities wasn't an option.
No accidents, no successes, end morning one. Ha.

Setting up his breakfast tray at the potty and he is understandably very skeptical!

Finally conquered sitting on it without screaming.
Moved it outside for some naked playtime, bless our neighbors.

No accidents, no successes.

Now getting on and off the potty by himself!
And still... no accidents. No successes.
Somehow making him both my easiest AND hardest kid to potty train :)

Starting to embrace the naked life haha

Adding the socks and shoes just makes me laugh so much.
First accident this morning! Which is something,
means he's not terrified of letting anything out anymore.
We'll take it as progress.

FIRST PEE ON THE POTTY!
And I MISSED it! I was at young womens and Michael sent me this picture.
I was so sad to miss this first pee party after waiting for it almost 48 hours!

We then learned Asher likes privacy to actually pee on the potty and had a few more successes after that :)

A random Wednesday outing: Dropping off the Corolla for an oil change, bringing two balance bikes and a dog and a stroller and a potty, and walking home with a stop to see the baby chicks at the farm store.
Then Michael decided we should grab a bag of soil and we wheeled it home in the stroller haha.
Such a spectacle, everywhere we go.

Benjamin came over to play with Camden one afternoon, while Asher napped.
I got an entire Comma article done while they just played and played and it was great.

Nate Bargatze! We went with the Gregorys and Katie and Ryan. 
He was hilarious and we laughed so much.

A solo soccer Saturday.
Michael had a meeting in Denver for most the day.

Being straddled by a potty training toddler, that's bravery.

Pretty windy!
We had such an uncharacteristically rainy and windy spring.

Always finding little lady bugs.

Westin made Tres Leches cupcakes for Cinco de Mayo.

Carrie brought a cereal box over when we had dinner with the Lees and Gregorys,
and we all wrote things we don't like on it,
then filled it with candy and hit it with a baseball bat for a therapeutic homemade piñata. 
I wrote potty training :)
Westin wrote piano...
Bennett never could think of anything he didn't like.
Camden wrote his glasses. Haha poor kid needs a new prescription, it's in the works.

Youngest first!

Westin didn't crack it! But his friend did soon after.
This needs to be a Cinco de Mayo tradition I think :)