Grandparents, Boys Weekend, & Keystone with Kindal

This week was rejuvenating in so many ways!

Grandma and Grandpa Miner

came to visit us and I feel like I can get so caught up on life while they're here. We took them to the CSU Flower Gardens, they watched the boys while Michael and I got thai food and a movie date in, they stayed home with napping Camden so that we could take Westin and Bennett to the Paw Patrol movie, my mom watched Camden while my dad helped me install my stair runner, they walked my kids to school 3x a day so I had my first week in forever where my hip/pelvic pain was way more manageable, my mom is a pro at using produce around so suddenly we were eating applesauce and apple zucchini bread and soups and delicious things, we played Cover Your Assets with Westin and he thought it was extra fun to beat grandparents :), we watched Nate Bargatze Netflix comedy shows at night and just laughed and laughed, and my dad brought copies of the same crossword puzzle from the newspaper in Cedar so we could do them together and I just loved that. We are so happy when family can visit us, it's the BEST.

They stayed with my boys during Thursday and Friday days until Michael got home from work, so I could go on a Keystone weekend with Kindal for all things Lighten Print, and just to have a little girls weekend before baby boy comes here and owns my nights for the next year. The minute I left I noticed Michael's tire pressure light was on, so I texted to see how long that had been on. It was new as of that day... of course :) Then 50 miles down the road it started flashing, which I've never seen it do, so I had to turn off my podcasts and stay in the right lane and pray myself to the nearest Costco tire center which was 17 miles away. I just really didn't want to stop at a random spot that might take forever or not have what I need but I didn't know if it was smart to not pull over right away... but through prayers I made it there and checked all my tire pressures.... 35, 34, 36... and 14. Michael and Bennett had visited a stone masonry place the day before and I think they ran over a nail on their adventure, and it was unfortunately not reparable so I had to wait a couple hours for a replacement. But honestly, waiting in a Costco for two hours without kids, I mean..... easy. Easy easy. I was so grateful it wasn't worse. Then I had a new tire and got on my way.

Kindal and I had the best weekend. We worked on our website, our blog, setting up a new email list so we can keep in touch with all our Kickstarter backers in new way plus have a new way for people to subscribe from our website, planned social media systems, talked about holiday plans, started brainstorming illustrations/outlines for our next book, and just caught up on life and had fun eating food and being together and having time to just actually talk in person and not on Marco Polo. Such a glorious weekend.

Michael and the boys had a fun boys weekend, and he even let them all sleep in our bed one night. Even Camden made it until about 1am, which, I am shocked. Never could I ever sleep with all my children in a bed haha. I won't lie, it was REALLY fun putting just one person to bed, brushing just one person's teeth, feeding just me, and sleeping how much my body wanted to sleep each night. I've long since stopped sleeping through the night which is a shame and a wasted opportunity during that solo weekend, but it was at least very restful in its own way still.

The boys started soccer this weekend and I was sad to miss that! They're on the same team and I can't wait to watch one of their games. They thought going to a movie was so much fun. And they've been looking forward to boys weekend for a while, but they were happy to see me when I got home :)

Such a happy, rejuvenating week

Bennett could not peel his eyes away from the big screen for a picture haha

"Bennett, smile!" Haha still no eye contact

I may have taken a nap.
The boys were shocked I slept through the final Paw Patrol rescue scene.
I'd like to say someday they'll understand, but.... #pregnancy.

Bedtime books with grandpa

Last time I used a staple gun while pregnant was with my upholstered chairs and I swore I'd never do something like that in that state again. Never say never :)
I'm so happy to have this done.

Music time for Benny

Weekly swim lessons. Bennett has come so far with his fear of water!

Downtown Splash Pad with Grandma and Grandpa

We rode the gondola in Breckenridge and it was so warm that day!
Time for fall.

Kindal testing out her new camera. She's so talented at so many things!

This is soooo cute to me.

Westin looking 18

Potstickers and rice by the river.
Dads are fun.

This cracks me up. Never could I ever catch a wink of sleep in this situation.

Carrot harvest!

Pioneer Day & Swimming Lessons

Michael:

is enjoying doing implants at the VA, and we had his residency's welcome barbecue this week. It was at his director's house, and the kids had fun in the pool and the bounce house. His director is in a band and it's always fun to be around live music. I met some new people that night and it's always nice to put names to faces of who Michael works with. We accidentally forgot the boys' puddle jumpers so swimming in the pool was extra work, but it was fun.

Maddie:

washed my hair this week more than I typically do in a month. #summer

We've been swimming so much, plus our walks and work outs are extra intense in this heat. Then after our morning swims we are back at Westin's swimming lessons in the afternoon, so I just feel like our bathroom is a constant dry room of swim suits, so many outfit changes, so many bags packed and unpacked, so many quick meals thrown together. Summer will never be my favorite (or second favorite, or third favorite) season, but we've got this one figured out pretty well! We've been having fun.

Westin:

finished his fast-start swim lessons this week and he did great. He is SO much more comfortable in the water now and whenever I give him his two choices for what we do for our morning activity, he always chooses swimming if it's on the table. We're grateful for fun friends and ward swim days who keep our summer cooler in the water! He has gone back to napping every single day. Heat and water wear you out. I'm so grateful for that, but I'm also hoping I did the right thing by signing up him for afternoon preschool two times a week starting late August. I didn't want him to be gone in the mornings when we do fun things, and he had been doing some quiet time without sleeping in his room during nap time prior to summer. He's at the age that a few naps a week should be enough, so hopefully he does ok. Sleep has always been his most prioritized basic need, from day one. He was such an easy baby unless sleep was thrown off, while Bennett has never been nearly as affected by tiredness.

Bennett:

speaking of Bennett and tired... we swam until almost 9:30pm at the residency barbecue and Bennett loved every second. He is fearless in the water and it's a lot of work. With or without a puddle jumper, he just wants to climb whatever can be climbed and jump in, over and over. Preferably with a parent there to catch him, but he's not picky. So, swimming is real relaxing around here :) I have felt like the last two weeks were just SO much work, but work to have fun, if that makes sense. We're exhausted and my house has seen the effects of all our play time, but it's the best way to spend summer. We kept Bennett up late both nights this weekend between cleaning the church Friday night and the barbecue Saturday, and he woke up at 5:30 the next days... that's the worst part of going to bed late! But it was a really fun weekend.

Third time at our stake Pioneer Day breakfast. Don't mind the lack of posing here, all efforts were put into wardrobe changes. Westin was really into all the glasses.

Bennett has not entirely figured out the proper way to use a bounce house, but he's happy in there anyway.
Usually he just lays down, or comes to the side and makes faces at me. :)

All my boys love cotton candy... I'll never understand it.

Chalk and bubbles, the party spot.

Bennett shoved half a pancake in his mouth so that both hands would be free to play with the bubbles.
Then he realized he had half a pancake in his mouth, then handed it to me. #motherhood

Rosie and Libby! There is no cuter way to earn money and make your kids happy.

We cleaned the church Friday night with the Dockstaders and Westin loves them.
He still calls them "somebody's grandpa" and "somebody's grandma."

Little helper to take out the trash.

Entertaining Bennett during Westin's daily swim lessons. He's so chill, he's been happy to watch all the pool fun.

Bennett understands that he should be above this three-month-old golden doodle in the family pecking order.
Lots of pointing and "teaching" happening there, but the puppy isn't aware she's supposed to be obedient. :)

Two boys in a puppy play area. And a puppy in the boys' play area.

Libby first came during nap time. When the boys woke up she was so afraid of them! In a cute, not sad, way.
She just ran to this corner and watched them for quite a while before she decided to come play.

She's a little naughty. But when you've only been around for 3 months you get a pass.

Kitty. The only one not thrilled about our puppy situation.

New goggles! Looking a little wonky here, but they did the job.

Ward swim day snack break.

Kitty likes to look out this window, so Bennett will frequently bring his teddy bear over to enjoy the view.