We packed up on Monday morning and left sweet baby Annie. Such a special thing to be there to welcome a new baby home. We were sad to say goodbye, and eager to get home to Michael.
This week: Camden started summer soccer, Westin did his first swim meet, Camden and Bennett now do weekly swim lessons together on Thursday nights (used to be Westin and Bennett), Bennett and Westin went to the new Little Mermaid movie with me during nap time on Wednesday when Michael was home with the little ones, we went to a new splash pad for playgroup, we had the missionaries over for dinner Saturday, the Shivers over for dinner Sunday, and on Friday night Michael and I ate Cava next to the City Park pond for our date night, plus walked around with gelato afterwards.
This felt like our first week of summer summer, since we've had visitors and trips planned all through June from the second school got out. And it was a good week! The boys are playing together more and fighting together more, #summer, and I feel like I'm feeding them so much food, all the time. But it was a good week and I'm grateful for Fort Collins. It's such a good place to be a family.
Cousin hugs goodbye
Road trip pit stop
Lunch picnic at Little America
Playgroup
Mini Sundae Cones have found their way into our freezer this summer.
Loved this movie date with these two.
Camden at soccer is just one of my favorite things.
He was pretty nervous for his first swim lesson, but did great!
Westin was ultra nervous for his first swim meet. But he did 3 events and I'm so proud of him for doing something new in spite of feeling so nervous about it.
We drove from Aspen to Utah to come be with Ali and her kids during her baby week! Michael drove home from Aspen and we said goodbye to him for a week there.
The boys were great on the drive. They really are such awesome road trippers and I'm super grateful. We got there around bedtime on Sunday night. Monday we played and did one last park trip with Ali and her kids, plus knocked some things off of Ali's to do list before baby. Then Tuesday I took the boys to the Saratoga Springs Temple open house with my brother's family.
Westin and Bennett left on Wednesday to be with my brother's family in Lehi, and even drove down to Cedar City for a quick day to pick up their family's dog from Jenny's mom's house (she had been watching their dog all through their two-week vacation, and they got back to Utah just one day apart from when we got there). They loved sleeping at my parents house with cousins for that one night, and being with the Miners for those three days.
I had the four little ones at Ali's for those three days, and they are a cute crew. Four cribs, four sound machines, four naps, four bedtimes, four messy meal eaters, four bums that don't wipe themselves... it's a lot! But really they did so great together. We went on walks and watched Miss Rachel and ate lots of snacks together and had a good time. Asher would get sad when we'd finish Facetiming Michael, which was heartbreaking and adorable. I had a big Comma project fall on that week, ironically, but got it done between nap times and bedtimes.
Jaren watched the kids Wednesday night so Jenny, Mindy, and I were able to go visit Ali and little baby Annie in the hospital. So so sweet! She has dark hair and went to the NICU for a day for breathing issues but is doing great now. It was so fun to meet her and to see Ali doing a great job at bringing another cute little one into the world. It's such a process to get them here and I'm so proud of her!
Then I took all the kids to the Eliason reunion in Mona on Saturday, and Jenny helped me manage all the little people. It was so fun to see my cousins and aunts and uncles. Such good people.
Sunday was Father's Day and my parents came up to be with Ali's family after I left on the next Monday morning. I made cinnamon rolls and shrimp tacos for Father's Day, and we had a happy Sunday just holding Annie and feeling grateful for a smooth week!
I helped Matthias hang up the shelf that Michael and I made them for Christmas. It looks good on that wall!
Temple open houses are such a special thing to do with my boys.
Asher was missing Michael and was happy to be around an uncle.
Bennett would migrate to halfway under my bed during the night. Such a crazy sleeper :)
