Westin's Birthday, Thanksgiving, & Great Wolf Lodge

We've got a 10-year-old!

Westin is double digits and it's truly hard to wrap our minds around that. This kid is bright, inquisitive, has the most insane memory, knows everything about the NFL and college football, loves learning, wants to be in the room where it happens at all times, knows how to get Asher all the way ready for bed, loves book club at school, loves to help me in the kitchen, has a total foodie personality, is a good, good friend, loves to play games, hates piano lessons, memorizes so quickly, and just makes our life a lot more fun. We love being Westin's parents.

On Monday he opened up a chess set, a current events magazine subscription, a BYU jersey, a BYU sweatshirt, and a card tricks kit. He has wanted to play chess nonstop ever since. We went to the library that morning and then he wanted to watch Migration with Bennett and me that afternoon "with no multi-tasking!" (guilty... I'm always trying to get things done when a movie is on). So, we laid down and watched Migration and did nothing else at all. It was a great afternoon. Then we went to Texas Roadhouse that night and he loved sitting on the saddle for the birthday yee-haw. He blew out candles in a pumpkin chocolate chip bundt cake when we got home. What a fun kid, and so fun to be with him on his birthday. I love that the boys have a full week off of school for Thanksgiving.

Tuesday was Thanksgiving prep! We made the pies, stuffing, sweet potatoes, candied almonds for the salad, and salad dressing. Then later in the week we made the mashed potatoes and green bean casserole (I am always surprised at this one's spot in the lineup). We took an easy way out with a Costco turkey breast and Trader Joe's gravy. Our friends brought Brussels Sprouts and rolls and more pie. So much food!

We loved having the Cornwalls over. They have four kids around our kids' ages and they all have so much fun together. I loved playing Wavelength with all of them. My favorite clue was Bennett trying to describe "Huggable, Not Huggable" and he chose a Christmas tree and we put it exactly where it should be on the just slightly non-huggable side. Then he hugged our Christmas tree to show us all how right he was. You can kinda hug it, but it's not really huggable.

Friday morning we woke up, put on swimsuits, packed a change of clothes, and drove to Colorado Springs. We had a lot of fun at Great Wolf Lodge, we weren't quite sure what we should expect. But once we got the hang of things, we really had a lot of fun there. I'm so proud of my kids going on anything they're tall enough for. I was NOT that way! One water slide had you step inside a vault and then the ground comes out from under you and you drop before sliding through a tube. No one dared go on it the first day... but I think during my sleep I resolved to go on it? Because I woke up and said I wasn't doing anything until I did that, so I walked right onto it completely dry and just did it. Bennett did go first though :) Then Michael and Westin did it as well, but Bennett is the only one who went on it a couple more times. Once was enough for the rest of us!

We ate Shake Shack on the way out of town the next day and that burger always makes me so happy. When we got home, we quickly unpacked and then Michael and I met the Gregorys for Vietnamese food and Wicked. It was SO GOOD. I had decided to not see it until next year so I could see both parts together, but you can see how long I lasted. I am excited to blast that soundtrack all week.

I loved this weekend with our boys. My heart never thinks of Deseret, Utah more than on Thanksgiving, or my Grandma Eliason and all my cousins. My kids are growing up with very different Thanksgivings than I knew. But, mine were happy and so are theirs. We're really lucky.

 

Ten years old!

I'm still shocked he wanted to go to Texas Roadhouse so they could do the birthday Yee-Haw.
He would NOT have picked that for any other birthday so far :)

He chose pumpkin chocolate chip for his cake,
also shocked by that.
Do I even know this ten-year-old?! I do :)

Camden living that thug life with his roll.

Every year my pie crusts fail.
But this year!
...This year the failure was spectacular.
My worst yet.

Westin helped me make SO much food for Thanksgiving.
I loved having a little sous-chef buddy!

I was driving lost in thought after preschool, and I heard Camden say, "I love you, mom."
I turned around and he had put on this pilgrim hat and the vision just filled my heart haha.
Such a goofy, sweet guy.

We checked on the Gregory's cats through Thanksgiving,
the boys were big fans.

Westin loves his new current events magazine subscription he got for his birthday.
He's been combing through all the November issues.

A little Christmas spot in my house that makes me happy.

Doesn't this pie look good!?
It's not.
Another spectacular failure.
I'm cursed, but I will someday break it.

Michael headed up the chocolate curls effort for the chocolate pie.

We walked along the river Thanksgiving morning and I was so glad we did.
I was going to just cook all morning but Michael is good at getting us out of the house,
and there was still plenty of time to get things done.

Luna ran wild and free with these boys and she was in heaven.
She cannot figure out how to swim, though.
I thought dogs just knew? We have to teach her??

Ready for friends!

We colored an extra large Thanksgiving poster this year.

The spread is ready!
Childhood Maddie didn't even eat the sweet potatoes or stuffing but grown up Maddie appreciates them.

We loved having the Cornwalls over for dinner.
This crew has a lot of fun together!

I really loved playing Wavelength with them all -- that game is so fun with age differences.
Kids are so funny.

Another day another cat check.
Westin likes these solo trips with mom.

Great Wolf Lodge!
This racetrack ride was so much fun. I loved watching Camden love it.

Little Wolf Cubs heading out to Fuzzy's for dinner.
This was the first time we skipped Torchy's for Fuzzy's and we won't do that again!

Asher loved the wave pool by the end

Heading out!
Bennett always takes a video with his camera of any hotel or airbnb we stay at the day we leave.
He leaves no spot unfilmed -- behind doors, the toilets, the closets. It cracks me up.

Shake Shack on the way out of town!
This meal made me verrry happy. I love a Shake Shack burger.

Fall Break Continued + Hamilton

Fall break continued!

After having fun in the hot springs, we watched the Curious George Halloween Movie that night and had Oreos and milk, then a fun breakfast the next day of strudels and eggs and sausage. 

The day was drizzly but we did a waterfall hike and drove through some beautiful mountain colors. A squirrel made us laugh so much on our hike, he was high high in the trees but dropping pinecones at us like little bombs and chattering away trying to get us to leave his space. We thought he was so funny.

From there we went to Colorado Gators, a reptile refuge that takes care of a lot of exotic pets that have been rescued or retired or all sorts of things. This place was wild... The boys loved feeding the gators and the tortoises. They mostly loved when an emu chased me down a path. That was actually terrifying. They spent a lot of time exploring there and loved seeing the animals. We will not be getting a reptilian pet anytime soon (ever).

From there we made it to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. This was another spot that totally exceeded my expectations! The boys were FREE and they ran and ran and ran. You can climb so high, but it's sand -- you can't get hurt, you can't ruin anything, you can't get lost, you just RUN FREE and they totally loved it. Asher and Camden needed some moral and physical support to climb the dunes, but we barely saw Westin and Bennett apart from far distant views of their crazy running. I thought this spot would be a checked box on our list but I would love to go back. In the spring time there is a river that runs at the base of the dunes and it looks like playing at a beach, so I think it would be fun to come experience the dunes at a different time of year. Such a totally unique spot.

We ate Mexican food again that night and then stayed in a log cabin in the middle of NO where. The best part of that was the dark, dark sky and beautiful view of the Milky Way. We even caught the comet that we thought we couldn't see anymore, but it was so dark that we were able to see it. The cabin was a rough night of sleep for Westin and me, I feel bad that he seems to have inherited my insomnia nights. Luckily they don't hit him all the time but he was up until about 1:30 that morning and really frustrated about it. The next morning the boys played "school picture day" with Bennett's camera and all the stuffed animals that they had brought plus all that they found around the cabin, and it was hilarious to Michael and me. They'd line up, choose an animal, Bennett would pose them, and they'd take a "school picture." Kids are so funny. Our boys had basically a completely screen-free trip apart from our one mini-Halloween movie night on this trip and some football catch ups. I love that they love to play together and listen to things in the car together.

The next day we drove home through Colorado Springs and stopped for a quick hike at Garden of the Gods. We were all feeling pretty ready to get off of road trip snacks and sleep in our own beds, but it really was such a fun and happy and laid back trip. We live in such a beautiful state!

We came home to family pictures the next day, which is always a whirlwind. Why are pictures so hard? But they're done :) 

Kindal was on my mind so much this week with her 10-year anniversary. My heart is with her so much.

We tried to take the boys to another ward's trunk-or-treat Friday but we didn't realize they were trick-or-treating first and not last. We caught a few cars though! Because the next day they went to our ward Halloween party with Marta while Michael and I drove down to Denver. We met up with Katie and Ryan for dinner and then HAMILTON which was such a fun night. I have been looking forward to that night so much. We saw it 5 years ago with Gary and Pam and we really loved seeing it again. The boys had a great night with Marta and they have a solid candy supply... and we're not even to Halloween!

Sunday was our primary program. The cutest thing. Camden and his friend Benjamin were on stools next to the podium for each song and I couldn't stop giggling at the cuteness. Best Sunday of the year by far. This weekend was just so happy.

Misty morning in Pagosa Springs. The boys saw a deer and they were super excited about it.

Waterfall hike. Pretty muddy, super pretty views and colors

Bennett with his camera :)

These colors were really so so pretty

Michael noticed that every single car was pulling off to this lookout point.
If you're on this road, you probably don't have anywhere you need to be at an exact certain time :)

Baby Gator! In just a year or so he'll be big enough to hang with the adults.

This tortoise head was wild. He's huge!

Emus should be fenced... this is what we learned!

Hiking the dunes was so fun

Spot our shadows!

Why can't we get cheese enchiladas like this in Fort Collins??

Playing "School Picture Day" :) :)

Oh pictures... we did a short 20-minute session this year and it was a good call.

Pumpkins and bats for dinner!

We had to stop by daddy's work to get chairs out of his car for soccer,
and he had a quick second to come give us a hug. The boys thought that was the best.

Big fans of daddy!

Camden has totally loved this season of soccer with Coach Oliver and his friends Benjamin and Piper

My sweet friend Lundi ran a couple errands for me in St. George to drop an anniversary present on Kindal's doorstep. So grateful for good friends.

Dressed up for the first of many trick-or-treating events :)

Hamilton! I've been looking forward to this for months!

This primary program... I loved it so much.
Next year will be the only year we'll have ALL four of our primary kiddos up there :)