Lake Tahoe

Michael:

has had some interesting experiences at the VA. Working with veterans has increased his appreciation for individuals who serve their country and kind of jaded him toward the military overall. He's working mainly with veterans from Vietnam, so it's hard to see these lives that have been torn apart for hazy political purposes. His days are still longer than we anticipated for this rotation and I need to just get over that and stop saying it. Residency. I was constantly wishing Michael was with us on our trip this week, because 1) I love him, 2) he loves water, 3) he's by far the more fun water parent and 4) I feel guilty when we play without him! Except not entirely because the boys need to play and he more than understands :) He watched Wonder with me on Saturday night and he kept laughing at me as I cried through literally 99% of the movie. I highly recommend the movie but only if you're in the mood for all the feelings. On Sunday night we had his co-resident Chris over with his family, and it was fun to get to know them more! They're starting their four years here after two years in San Antonio. 

Maddie:

took the boys to Tahoe this week to meet Michael's sister Katie and her family! That was my first time there and it was gorgeous! My two main takeaways were 1) I love Katie so much and 2) Tahoe is so incredibly beautiful. On Tuesday night I got the boys ready for bed, waited around for Michael to come home so we could say hi/goodbye, and then loaded the boys up at 8:30pm. We drove until 1:00am and they slept pretty much the entire drive after giggling for the first hour. I was SO tired during the last 90 minutes and I've never come closer to just pulling over and sleeping in my car. But it seemed like pulling over on a mountain road to sleep was a less safe option than driving drowsy so I just tried all the tricks.

Wednesday: Beach day at South Tahoe! The boys loved being with cousins, sand, and water. Kids don't need anything more than that.

Thursday: Angora Lakes hike and lake day. This spot was so incredibly beautiful to me! Beautiful rock walls straight into water.

Friday: Fallen Leaf Lake morning, lunch, then our five-hour drive home. Driving home with the boys was actually super fun. They napped the first two hours, then we just laughed and talked the last part of the drive and I let Westin pick anywhere he wanted to stop for dinner. He picked Chipotle and we had a fun little dinner out together and brought home food for daddy. They were so excited to get home to Michael. We ended up pulling up next to each other at a stoplight on the main road near our house, and it was perfect timing and so fun for the boys to see daddy driving his blue truck by us. They're so lucky to have a loving, hard-working dad who loves to play with them. He played with them Friday night after we got home while I unpacked everything as fast as I could. I knew if I didn't get it done right away then I'd just leave it all weekend, and I love a peaceful home during the weekend. So everything went back to its place, laundry started, and I thought for the millionth time how grateful I am for this book!

This week I also had to figure out jury duty... for the THIRD time since I've moved to Fresno. First I postponed because I was nursing. Second request was for a federal court and they excused me because of child care. My third summons was when my 9-month Fresno county postponement was up, and I told them I didn't have childcare and they told me that the court provides child care. I was still stressed about this because Bennett won't even go to nursery for two hours at church. So I filled out another excuse form, it was denied, called them, denied...finally I just drove down to the court this week with both kids in tow, told them court childcare was not going to work for my little guy. They kept saying, "Your kids can't be in here," and I kept saying, "I know, so let's get this taken care of." We had that conversation like 5 times and then they gave me another form, I filled it out, and they excused my summons. So that was our downtown adventure for the year. It's so funny to me how we NEVER go downtown. I miss the Indianapolis vibe.

Westin:

asked about swimming lessons a few times this week, he's sad that they're over for now. But we'll be back soon once his weekly lessons start at the end of August. I was grateful he's at the age he is when putting him to bed this week -- it's so stressful to me when babies cry in a new place and thinking about sleeping them here or there, but Westin is at the age where none of that really matters and he can sleep anywhere. He did a good job hiking without daddy's shoulder rides, and he took a bit to warm up to our lake days but instantly loved our sandy beach time. He wants snacks all.day.long, is this normal? He even eats really well at meals too. I just already feel like my boys are bottomless teenagers. They eat more pizza than I do. Thank heavens for online grocery pick up.

Bennett:

is so happy in the Ergo on my back on a hike. It's both of our happy place. He fell asleep on my back on our hike down from Angora Lakes. He loved wearing a hat all week and kept pushing it down low over his eyes so that he'd have to look up so much to see out from under it. He had a really hard time going to bed at a new place for whatever reason this week and I had to lay down by him in my bed until he fell asleep. I haven't done that since he was four months old. Once my kids learn to fall asleep on their own, they only like to fall asleep on their own. So that was out of the ordinary but I just soaked it up and loved watching him fall asleep for a change. He's still a mama's boy and Michael takes it as a personal challenge to win him over. I love that he loves me! I love him so much.

Time for Tahoe pictures!

Fallen Leaf Lake. I love being Westin's mom!! Life with him is becoming more fun all the time.

Sand Castles with Jack! Cousins are their own level of friendship and I LOVE it.

Bennett could've lived in this tube. They both laid back while I spun them around and they just held eye contact and laughed. It was adorable.

Hiking to Angora Lakes

These two would always pretend to be two tired puppies in the car.

Hiking with these sweet boys! Bennett on my back, a backpack on my front, Westin holding my hand. The best.

Angora Lakes

He loves to see pictures of himself after you take them now that he understands what you're doing with your phone pointed at him :)

A nap in the Ergo turned nap in the car.

Sweet Oliver! I loved meeting him so much. Squishy babies are just the sweetest.

Cutest cargo!

Bennett's preferred hat position.

This was their rocket ship. "5....4....3....2...1...7...6...4....6... Blast Off!" 

We're still trying to get used to Daddy being back to 14 hour days, so we decided to take Chick-fil-A to the hospital and eat with him Monday night before he went back in to finish notes. 

Sweet Rosie girl! We've watched her quite a few times this summer and it's my favorite when she gets back onto our street after a walk, takes her leash in her own mouth, and walks herself the rest of the way home.

Popcorn. Sippy. Coco. The good life.

The 10-day forecast gets a little better every day! And that's the first two-digit temperature high I've seen in SO long.
This made me so happy.

Pioneer Day & Swimming Lessons

Michael:

is enjoying doing implants at the VA, and we had his residency's welcome barbecue this week. It was at his director's house, and the kids had fun in the pool and the bounce house. His director is in a band and it's always fun to be around live music. I met some new people that night and it's always nice to put names to faces of who Michael works with. We accidentally forgot the boys' puddle jumpers so swimming in the pool was extra work, but it was fun.

Maddie:

washed my hair this week more than I typically do in a month. #summer

We've been swimming so much, plus our walks and work outs are extra intense in this heat. Then after our morning swims we are back at Westin's swimming lessons in the afternoon, so I just feel like our bathroom is a constant dry room of swim suits, so many outfit changes, so many bags packed and unpacked, so many quick meals thrown together. Summer will never be my favorite (or second favorite, or third favorite) season, but we've got this one figured out pretty well! We've been having fun.

Westin:

finished his fast-start swim lessons this week and he did great. He is SO much more comfortable in the water now and whenever I give him his two choices for what we do for our morning activity, he always chooses swimming if it's on the table. We're grateful for fun friends and ward swim days who keep our summer cooler in the water! He has gone back to napping every single day. Heat and water wear you out. I'm so grateful for that, but I'm also hoping I did the right thing by signing up him for afternoon preschool two times a week starting late August. I didn't want him to be gone in the mornings when we do fun things, and he had been doing some quiet time without sleeping in his room during nap time prior to summer. He's at the age that a few naps a week should be enough, so hopefully he does ok. Sleep has always been his most prioritized basic need, from day one. He was such an easy baby unless sleep was thrown off, while Bennett has never been nearly as affected by tiredness.

Bennett:

speaking of Bennett and tired... we swam until almost 9:30pm at the residency barbecue and Bennett loved every second. He is fearless in the water and it's a lot of work. With or without a puddle jumper, he just wants to climb whatever can be climbed and jump in, over and over. Preferably with a parent there to catch him, but he's not picky. So, swimming is real relaxing around here :) I have felt like the last two weeks were just SO much work, but work to have fun, if that makes sense. We're exhausted and my house has seen the effects of all our play time, but it's the best way to spend summer. We kept Bennett up late both nights this weekend between cleaning the church Friday night and the barbecue Saturday, and he woke up at 5:30 the next days... that's the worst part of going to bed late! But it was a really fun weekend.

Third time at our stake Pioneer Day breakfast. Don't mind the lack of posing here, all efforts were put into wardrobe changes. Westin was really into all the glasses.

Bennett has not entirely figured out the proper way to use a bounce house, but he's happy in there anyway.
Usually he just lays down, or comes to the side and makes faces at me. :)

All my boys love cotton candy... I'll never understand it.

Chalk and bubbles, the party spot.

Bennett shoved half a pancake in his mouth so that both hands would be free to play with the bubbles.
Then he realized he had half a pancake in his mouth, then handed it to me. #motherhood

Rosie and Libby! There is no cuter way to earn money and make your kids happy.

We cleaned the church Friday night with the Dockstaders and Westin loves them.
He still calls them "somebody's grandpa" and "somebody's grandma."

Little helper to take out the trash.

Entertaining Bennett during Westin's daily swim lessons. He's so chill, he's been happy to watch all the pool fun.

Bennett understands that he should be above this three-month-old golden doodle in the family pecking order.
Lots of pointing and "teaching" happening there, but the puppy isn't aware she's supposed to be obedient. :)

Two boys in a puppy play area. And a puppy in the boys' play area.

Libby first came during nap time. When the boys woke up she was so afraid of them! In a cute, not sad, way.
She just ran to this corner and watched them for quite a while before she decided to come play.

She's a little naughty. But when you've only been around for 3 months you get a pass.

Kitty. The only one not thrilled about our puppy situation.

New goggles! Looking a little wonky here, but they did the job.

Ward swim day snack break.

Kitty likes to look out this window, so Bennett will frequently bring his teddy bear over to enjoy the view.