Arizona Wedding & Easter with Cousins

We took off to Arizona on Thursday to go to Michael's cousin's wedding, and it was so fun to see a lot of family that we haven't seen in years. There was a lot of family there that I think we haven't seen since our wedding. I wish we took more pictures with people! We really loved being there and catching up with them.

We landed late Thursday and the boys were great on the plane. Two hours to Arizona feels pretty doable after a long Hawaii flight! We went for a walk to feed baby ducks on Friday morning, then the Walkers were super kind to take us boating that day even though we had a short window. The boys totally loved tubing and Michael did a great job getting up on a surfboard! I have some work to do... can you learn surfing from watching YouTube videos? I'll try it haha. Then I'll be ready for next time :)

That night we ate dinner at Michael's aunt's house and it was really nice to see so much family. I particularly just loved meeting Michael's Uncle Barney, who we've been in touch with but I had never met yet. The next day the boys had fun with their cousins while we went to a sweet ring ceremony, then we had some pool time at the Walkers. Asher went down for a nap and we went to the temple sealing ceremony, then we came home to put a bunch of bow ties on a bunch of boys and make it to the wedding reception. Rachel and Spencer got into town just before the reception, so it was so happy to meet Rachel's baby girl.

The cousins had a fun Easter morning together, with hidden baskets and waffles and a trip to the Mesa Temple Visitors' Center, then an Easter Egg hunt. Pam was so sweet to make it fun for sooo many little kids! We have now seen everyone in Michael's family except Shelley's family in the last few weeks, which has us really excited for our reunion this summer. The kids just have so much fun when they're together. Cousins are magic.

He looks so much older during and after haircuts.
This is his first time agreeing to the little cape and standing instead of being in Michael's arms.
Melting me.

During one workout this week he repeatedly would take my hand and say "Lie down, mommy."
Then he'd just lie down on me and give me a hug and it was not a very productive workout
and it was also the best workout ever.

Lighten Print Holy Week printable made me really happy this year.
We have plans to really spend more time on it in future years but it felt good to just get it out there.

Breakfast of little boy champions.
They love eggs from my mini waffle maker.
I can't bring myself to make more than a dozen like this and they would eat them forever if I could do it.

Got rid of probably 40% of my closet. So freeing.
I have had dozens of bodies in the past dozen years and it gets complicated!

Seder dinner for YM/YWs. These are dear to me.

Camden's voice down the stairs:
"Mom! Presenting.... Dr. Asher!"

Found him with this mask on his head blowing on a whistle while all his brothers were gone.
Sometimes it just strikes me funny how this littlest brother doesn't quite know what to do with himself when he's alone :)

Came around the corner at the airport and just felt grateful this cute crew was mine.

Made it to Aunt Pam's! Late. But we made it :)
They did not sleep like this but they wanted to haha.

Feeding ducks with cousins

The Walkers were so nice to take us on a fast and furious boating trip before dinner at Michael's aunt's house that night. I have no surfing skills! Someday.

Asher couldn't get enough of this.

Michael got up! Couldn't quite get over to the waves though.
We'll conquer this someday! But at least he's standing up haha.
I couldn't say as much for me!

The Walkers brought a cooler full of hot water for a little kid hot tub on the boat
and that was just genius.

Lots of meeting and catching up with extended family this weekend!
I looked over during dinner at Michael's aunt's house and saw Westin and Rachel eating cream puffs on the pool chairs haha, and I had instant memories of killing time with cousins while adults just talk and talk and talk.

Wedding day! Michael's cousin had a beautiful ring ceremony, temple sealing, and reception.
I've never been in the Gilbert Temple before, it was gorgeous.

Siblings! So sweet.

Michael hasn't rocked a bow tie in 30+ years and this was a first for all the boys but I loved it :) 

This kid. Glued to his dad.

Michael eats most all meals like this when we travel. 
I sometimes feel bad, but I took the nursing shifts and ate many a meal with a kid attached to me,
so, it's all good :)

Cutest dates across from me.
But they wouldn't come on the dance floor... stinkers.

Asher was a straight up hazard with this thing.
We managed as much as we could.

All the little cousins taking a vow to not tell other cousins where their Easter basket is if they find theirs first :)

Trade time.

Easter devotional.

Mesa Temple Visitors Center. So kid-friendly.

This picture totally cracks me up, because there a little soundproof booths throughout the visitors center as a place to study or pray. And this is my two-year-old busting into mine when I decided to sit in one for a minute. This is a very accurate representation of most all of the studying and praying and thinking I try to do :)

Eli and Bennett had a lot of fun together, cute guys

Easter Egg Hunt! The kids were sweet to leave the piano eggs for Asher :)

Arizona Week

Michael:

had the whole week off! We used a week of his vacation time and road tripped to visit his sister in Phoenix. We've never explored much of Arizona and it was really fun to see family. The boys were in heaven with dad around so much. It'll be rough sending him back to work tomorrow! He worked all of last Friday night and then came home at 7am and we hit the road by 8am. It was a 9-hour drive, which is almost the drive time to get to Cedar City, so it felt so easy to me. It's so nice doing that with Michael rather than by myself with the boys. They only needed to stop one time! I was impressed with them.

Maddie:

loved seeing my old roommate from Jillian from our Jerusalem summer, and our friend Adriana from our Indiana time. Michael also took us to meet a couple he served with on his mission in Spain. And I'm sure we missed a lot. Gary and Pam took us to see Hamilton while we were there and my mind is still spinning with how much I loved it. That was such a surprise and SO kind of them. It was far and away my favorite thing I've done in so long. We listened to an audiobook on our drive back to Fresno all about the creative process of Hamilton and it's just such a work of genius.

Westin:

loved playing with Rachel all week while the big cousins were at school. He also loved when we left for Hamilton so that he could have a "cousin party" while Lily watched them. She was so sweet to babysit. He plays so much more independently around cousins than he does any other time. I don't know how kids know the difference between cousins and friends but they just do. One night I tucked him into his toddler bed and he wanted Michael to tell him a story after he was done getting ready for bed. By the time Michael came over to say good night, Westin was already out. He played hard that week!

Bennett:

was watched out for all week by his cousin Ben. I think they're bonded by name and it was so cute. All his cousins were sweet to him. He loves hiking in the Ergo, and he also loves animals, so there were a couple days when he was in his element. He didn't love the drive home as much as the drive there, but he was still a champ.

Arizona Memories:

Watching Olympics together, hot tubbing, Gary pouring cold water on us while hot tubbing!, HAMILTON, hiking and seeing wild horses, beautiful Mesa temple and visitor's center, Organ stop pizza, I.D.E.A. museum, train park, Dolce Vita Gelato, and just enjoying being around family. Thank you, Walkers! We had such a fun time visiting you. 

After Mesa we spent a couple nights in Flagstaff just to explore the city: beautiful drive through Sedona, lots of trains, MartAnn'es breakfast, Buffalo Park, Lowell Observatory, Visitor's Center, downtown, library, neighborhood drives, seeing my parents, Texas Roadhouse for Westin's roll fix, Bearizona on the way out of town!

The Bens! Bennett & Benjamin. 

Westin legit thought we were there to go swimming before church.

Michael almost pulled over on our drive into Phoenix to take a picture by one of these bad boys.
Luckily we saw more. And more and more and more.

Gary caught this picture of these two kiddos eating breakfast. I love it so much.

Somehow our train park day had all 3 kids still wide awake and Michael out for a nap.

Hot chocolate to warm up!

Organ Stop Pizza -- such a fun thing to see!

Out in a minute.

Wild horses!

Spot the horse.

Valentine's Cookies

Those Bens again.

Hamilton! It was so incredible.

He was so excited to "Put on Daddy's work clothes!" at the I.D.E.A. Museum.

Bennett was also excited. About this dog.

Jillian! I love this girl. She was right next to me in our room at the Jerusalem Center. She would always kindly help me get in bed after I would frequently fall asleep on my knees during my prayers at night... haha, that scene perfectly sums up so much about that summer.

Adriana! I was so happy we were able to see her while we were in Mesa.
She will always be one of my favorite people I've ever met.

Made it to our little place in Flagstaff! Bennett was so into this show and it made me laugh.

Park exploring in Flagstaff.

One of the best breakfasts I've ever had -- Chiliquiles at MartAnne's. 

Buffalo Park

My parents met us for a day in Flagstaff and the boys were in heaven.

This is literally how Bennett would like to greet most everything and everyone he meets right now. I do not understand it.
Don't worry, we intervened.

Quick pic after our quick trip, before our separate ways!
My dad brought me Dunford Donuts and I brought him Fresno State barbecue sauce. That's love.

Impromptu stop at Bearizona for a drive through wildlife experience. It didn't quite live up to my memories of Bear Country in Wyoming from a trip we took once, but it was still fun. Except for the leaving early due to toddler tantrums part, but, that's the life.

Bear!