Bennett is 4!

 Happy birthday, Bennett!

We had so much fun celebrating you this weekend!
On Friday we went on your birthday date and you chose pizza. We went to Totally 80s Pizza because lots of people here have recommended that to us as a really fun place to take visitors. So we decided to check it out first, and it was a unique and fun spot. We loved being able to just spend some one on one time with our Bennett and have fun together!

Bennett at 4:
What's your favorite thing to do: Play
What's your favorite color: Blue
What's your favorite food: Pizza with pepperOOOnis!
What do you want to be when you grow up? *Points to a picture of a gremlin (in the 80s restaurant) and then giggles uncontrollably.
Me: "Haha That's what you want to be?" Bennett: "Yes! Heh Heh no, I want to be Superman."
What's your favorite thing to play with? Racecars
What do you want to be when you grow up? *never gives a non-Superman answer :)
What's your favorite animal? Elephant!

Bennett, you are so kind and joyful and funny and helpful and above all EMPATHETIC. You are aware of what people around you are feeling, and you try to help them be happy. Such a good little, and big, brother. Such a bright spot. I love how much you love animals, how brave you are at playgrounds (and how brave you are at taking care of all the bugs around here -- outside if you like them, flushed down the toilet if you're feeling that route), you love to color, you don't love practicing counting or letters, you love helping me when I cook, you love chasing daddy's car out when he goes to work, you love when you have a Toy Story pull up for bedtime and you always show us "Buzz Lightyear on my booooty!" You make us laugh so much. Oh my goodness, I am so sentimental this weekend thinking of bringing you home to our new house in Fresno, and you being my baby during that hard, hard 22-month gap during Michael's first year of residency. You needed emotional support for every time you passed gas or pooped for like 4 months, it was basically my full time job :) You never liked going to bed by yourself those first 4 months and looking back I wish I just would have let you sleep in our bed more! But after 4 months, I think you cried less than 10 times for all naps and bedtimes the rest of your life. In fact I know that's true. You have been so easygoing, joyful, loving, and I am just so incredibly grateful you are in our family. Tomorrow is your first day of (in person) school, and I think it's all hitting harder when you combine that with a birthday weekend. I selfishly just want to keep you home with me but I know that you're going to love school and school is going to love you. You have worked so hard with speech and I know this is going to be really good for that. You fall out of the bed most nights, you love eating your favorite food on your plate very first, you loved the balloons we blew up for you and threw all over the floor more than any of your presents, and you are SO SWEET, how many times can I say that. 

Happy Birthday, Benny boy. We love love love you.

Michael:
has been working SO HARD on our side yard. Moving tons of rocks to make a border, filling in the old water fixture hole with all the grass and dirt he dug up, etc. The boys helped him some on Wednesday and it makes my heart happy to see them work together. Michael also put Camden's new bike seat on my bike this weekend, and vacuumed our whole house, and the things he does to help like that always just make a big difference. I was feeling pretty alone on Saturday when he worked outside all day and the boys played together all day and I was in the kitchen way more than usual since it was Bennett's birthday. But after being frustrated by that I took a second look at how well Westin and Bennett play together, how sweet it is to have little Camden in his high chair by me when I'm working, and how hard Michael works. Sometimes being the only girl in our family gets to me but other times it feels perfect.

Maddie:
Ever since getting a steroid shot in my wrist I've been on a reading frenzy. I finished Walk Two Moons, Lies My Teacher Told Me (I loved simultaneously remembering things I learned in AP History while learning more about primary sources of those situations and the Eurocentric framing of our education), almost done with Moment of Lift (Melinda Gates is amazing), finished The Mother-In-Law (not great, but it's our November book club book so I decided to read it while I'm not painting for a minute), and I'm about to finish up a WWII book one of Michael's assistants sent home with him for me to read. I kind of take a feast or famine approach to reading because when I'm in an interesting book I don't want to do anything else but find time to read it. So then when I get out of it I feel like I can't go there again until I get things done again. For my birthday all I wanted was for Michael to help me with a shiplap wall and a board and batten room with no fighting (haha we love each other), so that's in our near future, but this week he got me a pair of wireless headphones so that I could listen to books while I paint and walk and clean. It made the biggest difference in my week and I'm so grateful for them. Also he got that with an Apple gift card that his residency program gave him as a graduation present. I just think that was so kind.

Westin:
loved going on a date with Michael to pick out a birthday present for Bennett. He chose dinosaurs for him and it was really cute to see him excited about it. Then on Friday when we took Bennett out for pizza, our babysitter helped him wrap the present for Bennett. I love that we have babysitters right in our neighborhood. When she came over she had made Bennett a little birthday card and he loved it so much and carried it to dinner with us. My favorite brotherly moment of Westin's this week was when he was just SO excited for Bennett to go on a birthday date. Never complained, never whined. Excitedly asked where he was going to choose to go. Asked him all about it when he got home. Loved asking him what kind of cake he was going to choose, and helping him open his presents whenever he legit needed help but letting him do it when he didn't. This boy LOVES holidays and birthdays and this weekend he just loved that it was Bennett's birthday, for Bennett. It was so sweet. He played his new counting games with him and helped him count, and helped him clean up all his new dinosaurs when he was done with them. He's such a good kid. I think I am too hard on him and I just want him to know how good he is. I tell him all the time because I see perfectionism eat at him, but then I catch myself expecting a lot from him at the same time, and man parenting is just hard. You want to do all the right things for your kid and not mess them up and somehow the line between them sometimes feels so fine, but there's probably a lot more grace there than I realize. He's looking forward to going to school this week but tonight I could tell he had a little nervous side about it too. He's so sweet.

Camden:
put his bum in the air for the first time this week! Haha if that sounds minuscule to you, then, well, you haven't been a mom with a kid with a delay in anything before. I watch this kid so much -- when on paper you just know he's not crawling or walking yet, it's worrisome. But every day I see the things he does for the first time. This week he pushed himself from his belly to sitting up, for the first time. He also scooched backward by putting his bum up in the air a few times in a row for the first time, kind of going on his hands and knees. I'm watching him each day and whenever I don't see any progress, I'll worry. But for now I just know we're doing all we can to support his development there and he's going his own slow pace. He loved riding on the back of my bike today after Michael set up the new seat. It was so cute. We love our neighborhood. While the boys were working with Michael this week one neighbor brought them over a bag of matchbox cars that her sons used to play with, then another neighbor brought them over a Japanese treat. Then tonight another neighbor brought Bennett over a birthday present. We just feel surrounded by kind people and bike trails and good food -- we're set.

Last night being 3! Sweet Bennett!

I haven't given a Kitty update in a while -- I'm obsessed with Colorado Kitty. She spends almost all day outside, pretend-hunting bunnies and squirrels and rolling around in the grass and jumping at grasshoppers. She hangs out under our deck or out in the yard with the boys, and will even hang out with Michael while he's gardening in the front yard, or backyard. She's super at ease here. Then, because she spends so much time outside, she never wakes us up at night anymore and sleeps by us and is the coziest little thing in the morning. We're also on a different floor than our front and back door so there's not really a way for her to bug us to go outside. I didn't realize how much our loud Toby neighbor dog scared her in Fresno - she wouldn't go outside much unless it was night and she was always SO skittish there. I thought that was just how she was but now I see that she's living her best life here. She also stopped sneezing. She was literally allergic to Fresno, and scared all the time -- poor girl. We're way better friends again because of it all.

We did a mystery shop dinner with all the boys this week (never again) and it was basically the most fried food I've ever eaten at one time so obviously I loved it. I mean, the place was called Fat Shack. It just was what it was. We had a bag of beignets and Michael took home the bag of powdered sugar that was left and "blew fire" for the boys in the backyard. I will always remember the whoosh of fire then Michael looking at us with a powdered sugar face and 12-year-old boy excitement saying "Wasn't that cool!" Hahaha why is playing with fire so fun.

Still going on walks and picking up lunches at the school.
It's free and I felt guilty about it at first, but the boys love it and we pay taxes and it's just what we do right now and it's great.

The lights at Totally 80s Pizza were my favorite part.
The music videos playing were my second favorite part.

A bike with pedals! He just can't QUITE get on and off by himself,
and doesn't dare pedal yet, but he'll get there soon enough.

Pre-frosting. Bennett's birthday requests were basically what we eat on Christmas.
Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast, cheesy potatoes and salmon and caesar salad for dinner.
This was pre-frosting but these were so yummy! Mels' Kitchen Cafe Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls are my very favorite. But we're entering the stage of not needing small batch anything...
growing boys.
Also I need to learn how to roll these out evenly so I don't have those sad end-of-the-roll cinnamon rolls.
But those are the ones Bennett specifically asked for when we ate them, so.... still winning.

New dinosaurs from brother!
It's such a double win when conference falls on a birthday so the new toys keep kiddos entertained.

Giant coloring pages

Bennett has chosen a chocolate bundt cake for his last two birthdays.
What would we do without Becca's cake.

Michael's Roots

We drove deep into West Virginia over Labor Day weekend and met Michael's parents and his sister Katie in a little place called Marlinton. We added five to their population of 1,054. Six if you count Katie's dog Evie who came along, which we should, because he is so great.

This little town is where Michael's dad would come visit his grandparents when he grew up. He and Michael's mom would also drive down here during their spring breaks while they were living in upstate New York going to medical school.

We stayed in a pre-Civil War cabin, and we felt so far away from the world. My phone didn't work for three days and I loved it. Though I did admittedly borrow Michael's working phone for a quick phone call to my sister, because, sisters. The details in the cabin were so much fun - the headboard of our bed was an old fireplace mantle.

We all brought our bikes and spent time on the Greenbrier River Trail, which runs for 78 miles through West Virginia. We did not ride all of those miles though... but we did 24 of them on Saturday and felt pretty good about that. Michael and I didn't get there until late Friday night (dental school commitments... lame), so we missed Friday's ride. But Saturday along the Greenbrier River was beautiful.

Michael and his parents did a little swimming right here after we ate lunch by the river. Katie and I supervised and ate delicious treats from Michael's mom. Isn't it gorgeous? We love our Indianapolis life, but I am always amazed at how much I just literally soak in views like this when I can get them. I need mountains. And when I can't get them, I'll take hills. But when I can't get either, I'm ok with Indiana's thunderstorms. 

On Sunday we went to a Presbyterian church in Helvetia, West Virginia. This is where the Daetwylers first settled from Switzerland, and it is still a very Swiss and very tiny town. It was so fun to meet people there who knew the Daetwyler name, and walk through cemeteries to find the gravestones of some of Michael's family. I wasn't the best at taking pictures that weekend since I only take them with my phone, and I didn't think to carry it around when it had no service. Whoops! 

We loved meeting family down there for the weekend and seeing such a beautiful place. It feels good to find your roots.

Pure Michigan: Part 2

The next chapter of our Michigan trip felt like a step back in time. We reached Mackinaw City to take a ferry ride across Lake Huron to Mackinac Island. Don't ask me to explain that spelling discrepancy to you, but both are pronounced [Mack-in-awe]. And awe is right. Look at this place:

There are only bikes and horses on the island, no cars. The main street right at the docks is adorable and touristy, but there is a lot more to the island. Native Americans lived on the island until the 17th century. Britain established Fort Mackinac there during the Revolutionary War, and two battles were fought on the island during the War of 1812. It's not quite four square miles, and we rode the eight mile path around the perimeter twice. We couldn't get enough of it!

The island is hilly and full of forest and just beautiful. At one point Michael led us onto what we later found out was a ski path. That was fun on bikes... and we went up to a lookout point by that arch there. Seeing a mountainous arch just made my Utah-born heart fill with joy. Riding my bike on a ski path to it, not so much. Our first day there was full of fog and clouded skies, but the next day was completely clear and sunny. Both are good.

There were just so many exploration options in the middle of the island. Like this staircase that looked so appealing going down but then magically turned three times as big when it was time to go back up. We also rode through the area of the island where all the residents live. It was interesting to read about what life is like as a permanent resident on the island (most of the homes are summer homes, but almost 500 people live there year-round).

We stopped by the Governor's House, but the Governor was not there. June and July is the right time to go to Mackinac Island, apparently. But I'm all for the fall. There was a sign to not pet the dog, so we hung around a little bit hoping to catch a glimpse of said dog (and probably pet him), but apparently he is with the Governor. Not on the island.

The cemetery was best explored on the foggy day. It felt like we were the only two people on the island. I always love finding the oldest date in a graveyard that I can. But there is always so much sad math to be found.

The Grand Hotel looms over the island in all its majesty. It boasts the largest porch in the world, and you can't even go inside after a certain hour if you're not completely dressed in formal wear. To be honest, you're not even allowed to ride bikes on the road in front of the hotel. But if you don't see that sign until after you do that, consider it beating the system. We did. The hotel has been visited by Mark Twain, Thomas Edison, multiple presidents, and Michael and Maddie Daetwyler. (The road in front of it, at least.)

We found our own personal beach spot that was complete with an endless supply of perfect skipping rocks. We're talking round, smooth, medium-sized beauties. Michael holds the record at nine skips and for some reason I have a glass ceiling of four. A short-distanced four. But it didn't take away from the experience.

Oh those Michigan sunsets.

We stayed in a hotel that I'm convinced was haunted. Not because of any actual experiences. Just because it was old and full of ominous photographs from ages ago. Had to be haunted. Michael fell asleep within seconds, as always, and I proceeded to watch two (2) movies all by myself, because I was possibly just avoiding the moment that the lights had to be turned out... I am so extremely good at creeping myself out.

But, even with my haunting suspicions, I was so sad to leave the island the next morning. We set off on our ferry back to the mainland, and I just stared back at this place with so much love for it. I want everyone to go. You, reading this. You should go. Don't think I took the time to link these two Michigan posts all up for nothing. This is your travel guide for your future visit, and we will gladly come with you.

I mean, the island is famous for fudge, and we completely forgot to buy any or even try a sample. So, looks like we'll just have to go back soon.

Pure Michigan: Part 1

Michael had a Fall Break from dental school last week. He probably could have slept through the entire thing, but we decided to hit the road instead. We have been needing a good dose of fall colors around here, so we packed up our bikes and headed north.

North, north, north. See that loop we made? The drive was beautiful. We loved driving next to water and seeing the gorgeous views and colors. Josh Ritter sang us the whole way there. And back, for that matter. Road trip music at its finest.

Our first stop: Grand Haven, MI. We stopped for (an extremely delicious) lunch and decided to ride the bike paths out to the boardwalk and lighthouse. We met so many friendly people on that trail. I feel like they all had golden doodles, taunting us. Oh how we will love a puppy some day. We'll be making another trip to Grand Haven next summer to catch their famous musical fountain and to experience the boardwalk at peak season. Maybe we'll even try our hand at the annual sand sculpture contest. You just wait and see.

It was a clear, beautiful day, but all the posted warning and safety signs definitely give an ominous feel to the water. You can just tell that Lake Michigan knows how to storm. The water was freeeezing but we couldn't resist walking through it. Grand Haven is, after all, one of the best beaches in the country according to Good Morning America, so...had to embrace the cold. Not as much, though, as the man who was going for a full on deep water swim. He talked to us afterwards, acting like it was nothing. Maybe your body just provides some extreme acclimation if you're always surrounded by a beautiful tempting beach and cold water.

Back to the road. 

Road + Dr. Pepper = Happy.

Our next stop was Leland, MI. We went up here and stayed at a hotel Michael's parents told us about, called Falling Waters Lodge. It was awesome - water ran right by our hotel room, with salmon trying their hardest to swim upstream. We could have been entertained by that for quite a while. 

I also kind of loved the loud water noise while we fell asleep that night. (Side note: Michael falls asleep in about 6 seconds, average. I'm pushing one hour most nights. I told you I was getting older. You just rolled your eyes.) 

We watched the sunset over Lake Michigan, and it was gorgeous. 

The "Pure Michigan" slogan is probably the best branding I've seen from any state. All the people we met and cities we drove through just seemed to keep that message impressively consistent. Michael is ready to move there, actually. I insist we take a winter trip there before he becomes too enamored with that idea...

Sunset, take two.

The next morning we grabbed breakfast at a local bakery and hopped on our bikes to explore the town a little more. Leaves were everywhere and I was just completely happy. It felt just like fall should feel. 

I feel like I wore my love for September on my sleeve just to have that month hold out on me. It was full of 80-degree days that I refused to recognize, and instead continued to make soups for dinner while wearing fall sweaters and ignoring the overheating that most definitely happened. Fine, September. Let October show you up. But next year you better put in a little more effort.

Then, it was back on the road for our final stretch up to Mackinaw City, to catch our ferry to THIS magical land.

But that is a post for tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Celebrating 25

We had a birthday weekend over here. It was perfect weather (September is the best month, have I told you that lately?), and we had such a fun Saturday. Michael made me a wonderful crepe breakfast and creatively presented my presents. Pretty good, huh?

 

Do you see that laptop? (Not a present. Had that for a couple years now.) I'm talking about what's ON the laptop.....Wicked!! That was our birthday splurge, funded by our four-dog weekend and a 3am verbatim (which is dental school speak for getting paid to type up a class) by Michael. Work hard, play hard, people. I am way too excited to see Wicked again. This will be my fifth time, but Michael's first! Which has me excited enough for the both of us. Which is necessary, because I don't know if Michael is too excited? He's a good sport. Especially when I make him listen to the entire Wicked soundtrack with me on our long drives whenever I need to stay awake.

Living far away from my family is a bummer, but mail is not! Sweet, sweet people sent me birthday wishes from states away, and it was so nice of them. My sister even sent me a purple shirt, which is maybe the fourth purple clothing item I've owned in my life. I never wear purple? So she's helping me break my weird habits. I wore it yesterday, mind you. And yes, those are packages of Reeses and Oreos there in the corner that Michael wrapped up for my birthday. He's a smart husband.

When Michael asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, I just said snow cones and bikes. I wish we lived closer to the Monon Trail, it's kind of pain to drive our bikes up to Broad Ripple for a ride. But when we do, I am in love with the whole day. So we got a Pink Lemon Sour (her) and Black Cherry (him) shaved ice, then hit the trail. It was such a beautiful day!

   

Michael made me practice relay handoffs with a stick the whole time. We got pretty good at it. Well, kind of just him. I'm a wimp on a bike, let's be honest.

 

After we finished our bike ride we hurried down south to meet Michael's parents for dinner. They stayed in Indianapolis that night on their way to bike ride in Michigan. We ate delicious Thai food with them and had fun catching up. They are so nice. We love living close to them during dental school.

Then Sunday came and it was the laziest of days. Normally our church is 3 hours, but due to some scheduling conflicts with other congregations, we only met from 10am-12pm that day. It somehow turned the whole day into a holiday...a lazy holiday.

This little cat calms my soul sometimes - I had a little anxiety about turning 25. I know, I know...you are all rolling your eyes and saying "That is so young!" And I know it is. But for some reason, it was the first age that I wasn't excited to turn. It rounds to 30. It means that I'm getting older which means my family is getting older which means life is changing which means there are different stages of life to get used to...and, it just all felt weird. Growing up is one thing. Watching families grow up and lives change is another.

But, I can rent a car now. Gotta focus on the positives of this new age of mine. And I have a feeling there are plenty of other good things waiting for me in 25. I just need a little direction and time to figure out what those things are. All in all, it was a perfect birthday, and all day I just felt grateful for how blessed my last 25 years have been. I have had a lot of treasured experiences and treasured relationships in a short time.

I really do love life.

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We're going to leave you with a product placement here today. I get paid big bucks for these promos. (False.)

Have you ever tried this chapstick from Bath & Body Works? I am full blown addicted to it. Not the bad kind of addicted, where they're putting something in it that makes your lips all dependent and weird when you can't find it in time...just the full on, could-quit-anytime-but-don't-want-to, healthy addicted. It's the best. And for three months they have been sold out in stores and online, which was conveniently when I completely ran out.... but it's back, people! Did you already get your year supply? No? Just me? Well, don't come to me when it's sold out again.

Also, last week my Excedrin looked like a flower, and it was the most pleasant medicine-taking experience I've ever had. So I had to show you. Kind of cool? Ok, maybe not, but in the moment I was pretty impressed.

Ok, that's all. Happy birthday to me! And to you, hopefully in September, because it really is the best month, you guys.... Ok, I'll stop with that.