Sunday, April 30, 2023

Texas, Toblers, & Grandparents

We came home late Monday night to four sleeping boys and a tired Kelbre, who said that the boys had been great for her and all had gone well. I couldn't help but think back to our Dallas trip last year, where four-month-old Asher was in tow and I was nursing/swaddling/bouncing/napping/entertaining him through the two days of meetings. It felt so great to be there this year with just Michael and have some meals together and know that our boys were all happy back home. 

On Tuesday, the Toblers arrived!! We have been looking forward to this SO much. Westin and Miles were Indy babies together, and Kristin was my pregnancy buddy when we brought those first little boys here. Then we had Finn and Bennett at the same time as well, just after we both left Indiana. I've loved keeping in touch with her and it killed me that we had never even met baby June yet! So it was so happy to have them come. The boys hit it off so fast, and June was happy bouncing between Camden and Asher, who she lovingly called "Baby Astronaut." 

Tuesday we hung out at home while the boys warmed up to each other, ate dinner, put all the boys in the bunk room, and had fun catching up that night. On Wednesday we took them to the Museum of Discovery where everyone had a blast, except maybe whiny Asher :) He can be pretty hard at times lately, but it's just the age. Then we grilled burgers and hot dogs for lunch, had some down time, went to get tacos and ice cream at The Exchange that night, and just loved watching our kids run around together. We put them down and then played three games that night while chatting. I miss game nights with these sweet friends! We decided to get back together in Indy next April, during the solar eclipse, and I am really looking forward to that.

They left Thursday morning, and then we went to Denver on Friday morning to pick up Grandma and Grandpa! Camden loves a good airport drive, with all the plane sightings and big trucks on the freeway. We absolutely love when our grandparents are here. They are my very favorite times. My boys are so lucky to have the best grandmas and grandpas. They went for their traditional bike ride to Sprouts, where Bennett picked plums and Westin picked sushi. On Saturday morning Michael took them all to the Fossil Creek Park and trail walk while I let Asher take an early nap, so that we could all go to Westin's 1pm soccer game that day. It's really fun to cheer his cute team on.

That night Ed's cousin visited from Colorado Springs, also named Michael Daetwyler :) And it was really fun to hear them swap stories and eat dinner with them. I love when family is at my house so so much. It always leaves me in a funk for a couple days after because I wish so much that we lived closer to both our parents, but the visits are the best. Michael brought Michael his grandpa's WWII bomber jacket, which was really cool to have. And Michael's sweet aunt that recently passed away sent us a golden retriever costume as well as a stack of books about golden retrievers. She loved them, and we got Luna just before she passed so she liked seeing pictures of Luna with the boys just before Christmas.

On Sunday Michael gave a great talk in church about going forward with faith, and then he drove his parents halfway to Katie with Westin and Bennett. They're going to watch Katie's kids while she goes to Greece for her 40th birthday. I'm so excited to see her pictures! 

This was a whirlwind week and I've been looking forward to all parts of it for a while, so it's kind of a bummer to be on this side of it! But I do think taking a nap tomorrow sounds nice :)

These two are becoming their own little duo

Soaking up the sun on our park picnic

Finn and Bennett had so much fun.
Bennett has told me he wants to invite Finn to his birthday party about 100 times.

Our swing out front gets so much use! Between our kids and the cute neighbor friends, it has someone swinging on it so often.


Speaking of that swing... search this picture for the kid who spun too much on it even though he's well aware that makes him sick :) 





This drum set is probably the boys' favorite thing in this museum.

A 75-mph wind chamber to feel a tornado's power.























So much love for these friends.




I absolutely love taking these two to library story time.

Hugs at school drop off are getting so sweet now that Asher demands them. 
Everybody loves the baby.

Go Westin!



So fun to meet Michael and Cathie.


Kitty's litter box has been a whole thing since getting Luna. She'll sneak downstairs to eat just fine but she was too afraid to go downstairs and use her litter box anymore, so we finally broke down and moved it upstairs. Which is SO annoying because there is no good spot to put it upstairs. So we put it by the boys' shower because we're nice parents like that, but when guests come we move it into our own bathroom.

This was the day after all the guests had left and I put her litter box back, and then I saw her waiting right here for the door to open to the bathroom. It just made me laugh so much for some reason... the exact look I used to make waiting to use the bathroom when my sister was in it. Kitty lives a life full of brothers that she probably never wanted, haha... but she's sweet. Honestly our love for Kitty has really increased now that we more fully understand how seriously low maintenance she is.... puppies, you guys. My goodness.


Monday, April 24, 2023

Eleven Years and a Dallas Weekend

This week was our eleventh anniversary! I fully thought it was our twelfth. When Michael broke the news to me that we hadn't quite made it to twelve yet I felt like I had to repeat a whole year of life. Why is it getting harder to remember ages and anniversaries.... oh because they're bigger numbers and they come around faster than ever :)

We went out for seafood on Friday to celebrate, plus to get pizookies. Then we had some time together over the weekend when we left our kids overnight with our babysitter and went to Dallas for some practice meetings. Even though it was a super quick trip, there is just a million more hours in the day when none of them go to kids! We have been working out consistently together for the first time in our. marriage, and we had fun doing that in the hotel gym with actual machines rather than our bands and weights at home. 

Our meetings went well, too. Half the day spent with Michael's partner and his wife and going over the practice as a whole, and half the day looking at our personal financials. Making plans to get old with Michael just sounds so fun to me. Maybe not the getting old part, but the being with Michael always part :)

Asher (and all the boys) did just fine being left for the two days and we just love our babysitter for being up to watching the boys that long. They sure love her. 

Asher eats just one time a day on just one side... such a gradual weaning happening :) 
He sleeps through the night 95% of the time now and did fine with me leaving him for short trips two times this month, so I really don't feel rushed to drop this one feeding. It's keeping him a baby for just a little longer.


These two are so clingy at library story time!


This goes well with that sweet nursing picture above.... there are other feedings that leave me thinking we're more than ready to be done :)



I'm never not climbed on by this cutie if I lay on the floor.

Forgot to take a picture of us on our anniversary date, so I took a picture of my dirty mirror and puffy sleeves when we got home. This is a trend I can get behind.

We did a dinner/bowling mystery shop night with all the boys and it was long and at times not great but just really great overall. They only remember the good. Bowling with crawling babies is kind of a stupid idea though.

I moved two of our chairs to our dining table permanently and got a bench instead. I really like the switch.

Cute bench for cute boys.

Our Dallas meeting was by the practice field for the Cowboys and we were feeling guilty that Westin wasn't along to see it all. Still football obsessed.






Working out with this machine really changes back and chest day.
My bands aren't going to feel nearly as great after this.


Emily drove to see us between our meetings ending and our Uber to the airport and I just loved seeing her so much! It's so funny to me that April had two Dallas trips in it. I just love her.


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