Walkers & Off to Utah

A busy week!

Christian came to visit and we walked through Boyd State Park together. The Walkers visited while Gary was working here and we fit in Spring Canyon, floating the river in Windsor, Ben working his magic on the Blackstone, lots of Flip 7, and just having fun with cousins around.

The morning they left we loaded up our car and headed to Utah for some Miner family time. Jaren was receiving his endowment in the temple and the family was able to all be together for that and spend a few days just having fun. We did some splash pads, parks, cookie bake offs, talent shows, family pictures done by our our childhood friend Mindy, a BYU visit, and enjoyed spending time with Jaren during this special big transition.

Our road trips are getting a little easier. Family time is a little more family time and less diapers and crying. Nephews are growing up and getting mission calls, and no more newborns are on the way. This transition feels bittersweet in the big picture but the days really are just sweet.

Walking around Boyd Lake -- not sure how we haven't been here before!

We're lucky that Christian's brother lives in Boulder and we get to catch up with him sometimes!
Here he is showing the boys a snake he saw on his run.

Plus In & Out. Christian is the best.

Camden is a karate man now, too!

This picture cracks me up. 
Michael tried to take a picture of Asher cuddling me while we were both fast asleep,
but the flash woke me up and this is the flattering shot we were left with.
At least it does still capture Asher's cuteness :)

Basement is ready for Walker cousins to come stay!

A trip to Bucc-ee's for Ben.
Asher really wanted this big stuffed beaver but had to settle for a hug.

Snacking on our Bucc-ee's finds.

We floated the river in Windsor with the Walkers and it was really great.
We need to do it next year when the water is a little higher.

My river buddy.

A new door! 
This sliding glass door is going to be so much better than the old double doors.

My view from the Little America bathroom.
Someday I think I'll miss this view,
but road trip stops are a special kind of chaos :)
At least we don't have nursing or potty training added in anymore -- that's a less special kind of chaos.

Snacks in before the final leg to Ali's house!

Rolled into town on 7/11 so we had to get free Slurpees with the cousins.
Slurpees are disgusting.

"Look, that's mom and that's dad!"
His first picture. So cute.

A visit to BYU campus always makes me so happy.

Some new photogenic letters.

Lunch at the Creamery.
Fun, but really only feels right if Jaclyn and Emily are there.

The whole crew for a cousin talent show in Ali and Matthias's beautiful new basement.
So fun to see all their hard work!

The cookie taste test, a batch of chocolate chip from each family.
We love a good taste test. We also love cookies and milk. We also love treats on Sunday.
We also just love being together.

Florida Fun!

Our Florida week has already come and gone and I'm in denial about it! We've been looking forward to it for months.

We were on the same flight as our Denver fam and the boys were looking forward to that so much. The big kids were totally entertained the whole flight with a Shel Silverstein book and some snacks. 

We stayed with Rachel and Spencer's family that week and had so much fun with them. The beach is just my favorite beach in the world and the boys were so happy with the beach/pool/eat/repeat routine of every day that week. 

Diana's family's condo came with a bike with a little trailer behind it and Ethan would often swing by our place and pick Westin up for dinners at Grandma and Grandpa's house, which I thought was so cute. And the boys were always keeping their eyes out for a little alligator that lived in the pond between our condos. We caught a few glimpses of it, but the real fun was in feeding the turtles all our lettuce scraps and peach peels. They went wild for them! Feeding animals always turns into trying to get the goods to the smallest little baby while avoiding the huge mean one. Circle of life.

This was the last Florida trip for Grandpa's sailboat and I'm so glad the boys got to get out on the water with him. Camden really really loved it. 

The big cousins babysat on Friday night and all the adults went out for seafood. That was a nice night together, and much quieter than all the other dinners that week :) 

Saturday we were able to meet up with Emily's family when they were kind enough to make the drive to Panama City to have lunch with us. I just love her so much and really loved seeing Jordan and the kids, too! The kids were all looking so big at their own table while we ate with the crazy youngest children beside them :) I love that our Florida time finally overlapped.

Such a wonderful week that we've been looking forward to for so long. I'm sad it's behind us now.

Party started at the airport!
The boys were so excited to fly on the same flight as the Denver cousins.

That airport train ride, always loved.

These boys were happily entertained by Shel Silverstein and snacks the whole flight!

Nursery with this guy.
The couple who was in there had a little 2-year-old younger than their grandkids that they'd adopted. People are amazing.

The most beautiful beach.

We sliced peaches for a couple hours to make this Peach Sensation dessert for the whole crew,
and we keep making it on repeat this summer. 

We grilled 16 pounds(!) of chicken, and made pesto pasta with a summer salad and watermelon.
The Daetwylers make such yummy food all week!

Spot the little alligator!

That's a summer guy right there.

All the grandkids with Grandma and Grandpa

A week all together pretending we live in the same neighborhood. Such a happy time.

These boys had the best time this week.

Beach boys.

Lots of sand crab finding.

Such cute, quick little guys!

This frog JUMPED ON MY LEG while I was walking to Shelley's to make pies one night.
I thought it was a moth, which I also wouldn't have liked, but didn't expect this!

Jack found a big crab and the boys totally loved it

Tiniest little frog

A dinner out the last night with the sweet older cousins watching all the little ones.
I wish we were all together more!

Our babysitters sending their bedtime success pic :)
I love these girls.

A fun early 50th celebration for these two.

A late night beach walk and sit with Michael.
We've been to this beach during dating days, newlywed days, new parent days, and family full of boys days.

Asher loves babies so much and was always wanting to hold cute Brooklyn.

These kids! They're so much bigger than they should be in my mind!
I loved getting this crew back together.

Fresno friends reunited.

Provo friends reunited :)
I'm so happy life has crossed my path with Emily's multiple times. She is just the best,
and I'm so grateful for her!

Look at her cute family!
We loved meeting up with them for lunch before flying home.