Back on Service

Michael:

is back on service and we're feeling it. He had his first week of second call this week, which means going in when a younger resident needs him and rounding on weekends. Saturday he was gone from 7-5 and Sunday he was gone 7-2, then 4-5, plus a long week before and a long week ahead. He said it feels like tomorrow should be Saturday and not Monday. We were grateful for the time he was home on Sunday! We made ribs for the first time, his in the Instant Pot and mine on the Traeger. We voted Traeger in the end but it was fun to try different ways and see what we preferred. Then we had fun having our friends Richard and Lindsey over on Sunday night, we've been wanting to get together with them for a while but life moves fast for everyone.

Maddie:

had an overcommitted week but got a lot done. Saturday morning I took the boys to clean the church at 7am and they loved running around and "helping" all the different people in our cleaning group. I was honestly grateful for that early weekend commitment to get us out of the house at the same time as Michael Saturday. From there we ran a few errands, went to a farmers market for breakfast burritos, ran some more errands, and came home with just enough time for some Kratt Brothers and lunch before naps. I was feeling really good that day at how I've learned what keeps us going when Michael is extra busy. If we're extra busy too it's better for all of us. I was wondering why that didn't seem to work as well during Michael's first year and then I remembered #newbornlife. We are just at a much easier stage with our 2 and almost 4-year-old than two under two. I'm grateful for their same schedule and the fact that they both climb in and out of their own carseats. #littlewins

Westin:

loved doing yoga with his friends at sunbeam preschool. We skipped out on his preschool field trip early in the week, he didn't seem to be feelings super well and took a few extra long naps. His favorite Halloween Candy item are Nerds and he is his father's son. Chocolate > Candy. He really likes painting right now, and is into imaginative play a lot lately. He likes to describe scenarios to me and give me my lines and parts. Usually I'm hiking and I find a little lost Kitty (Westin) who I take home to be my pet, and the Kitty apparently needs Halloween candy after being found. He's slick.

Bennett:

says super cute prayers in his super cute language. He has boycotted the high chair for pretty much 95% of his life. The 5% is when he gravitates to our play kitchen after two bites at a meal (typically lunch time, which is when I'm more than ready for nap time) and I make him park it in the high chair to focus. We did church without Michael today and Bennett had a rough time for part of sacrament meeting when he took his own shoes off and couldn't put them back on, but refused to let me help him. I tell Bennett to put his shoes on a good 10 minutes before we go anywhere. But in the end he's not going to do it until Westin does it, so I don't know why I try. He's a total shadow to that older brother of his. They're the best!

Smashing sunflower leaves

Saturday Farmer's Market

Bennett doesn't let prayers stop him from starting his meal. His first few bites are at least very reverent as he closes his eyes and chews... It's my favorite.

Yoga with friends!

Working in our "office" a.k.a. one little part of our living room that seems to be our productive corner.

I did TEN dog daycares this week and it was too much. Bennett loved it. Westin didn't like it. I raised my Rover rates and said no to new bookings for a bit after it. So many Rover pups. 

Bennett has started sitting in the bottom of our stroller and laying his head in his seat for our walks? I don't know.

This was from one of the few nights lately that Bennett wakes up a bit after bedtime and cries until we get him out. He then hangs out peacefully with us for maybe 30 minutes, then goes back to bed without a fuss. It typically happens on days I put him down at 6:30 instead of 7:00, or days he didn't see Michael. Usually those things happen on the same day, and I'm sure it's obvious why.