A Few More Goodbyes

We spent this week saying some other goodbyes -- a swim party with Westin's Sunday school buddies, a farewell to Yosemite day, a Girls' night with my Clovis friends, Michael's final dinner at Dr. Julian's house, saying goodbye to some ward friends.

Westin has had the three cutest little buddies in his church class since we moved here. I'm sad I didn't take a picture of them swimming together but it made my heart so happy to see him back together with friends after missing them for so long. 

Michael took Wednesday off so we could do a couple of our bucket list spots in Yosemite -- Glacier Point lookout and Taft Point/Sentinal Dome loop. The boys hiked 5 miles and Bennett did SUCH a good job. He does not complain and keeps up so well. During the last bit I heard him make a little whimper, so I leaned down to check on him. "Me just so tired." My heart melted and I carried him for a bit, but really he did 95% of the hike on his own. The views were gorgeous. Yosemite is unreal.

My friend Ginny threw a girls night for Emily and me before we go separate ways in July. I cannot believe Emily and I have been able to cross paths in the BYU dorms and during our young mom years here in Fresno. I just love and respect her so much and it was so happy to have fate hand us some more years together! She's heading to Texas just a few days after we head to Colorado. It's so sad to say goodbye, but she's just one of those forever and ever friends so it's at least easier knowing we'll keep in touch and see each other when we can. Ginny was so sweet to throw such a cute party right before she has her third baby -- pregnancy energy is no joke. She's amazing and I'm going to miss her so much. I wish we took a picture earlier in the night but at least we remembered when a few of us were still there!

On Saturday night Michael had dinner with at his attending's house. He and his wife made dinner for the three graduating chiefs and the fellow who's finishing up. UCSF wants gatherings less than 10 still, so it was not the typical huge graduation party and dinner and roast that we've been to each year. I'm sad he didn't get to have all of that but he also really enjoyed that night and talking with these people he's come to know so well and respect so much. Fresno was a wonderful residency program for our family. I have been grateful for that every single day, and I always will be.

On to our last full week of packing, lasts, goodbyes, cleaning, 

and crying when songs come on that are sentimental. I know the drill.

I have like 20 pictures of this moment but I love his face in every single one of them.

Peeking at daddy

We debated if this was a coyote or a fox.... it was weirdly hard to tell.
He crossed right in front of our car and stared for a bit before going on his way.

Glacier Point Views

Good thing Bennett brought his binoculars so he could get a view of that squirrel.
(Also, he's looking through them backwards, so... the squirrel looks further away. Hahaha I love him so much)

We held on tight to their hands at the lookouts on this loop!

Westin wants to sew with me lately,
so he's making a little self-portrait.

Sweet friends. None of us knew if we were supposed to hug,
or touch each other in this picture.
Life is going to be weird for quite some time...

Ginny is so stinkin sweet.

Bennett loves to hold clovers next to bees so that they climb onto his flower.
But this time he took it a step further and let it crawl all over his hand.
Yes, he's been stung once before. No, it didn't change his ways.

The boys have LOVED living by Ashley these few years!
Best babysitter!!
We were so sad that her freshman year at BYU got cut short this year,
but we were selfishly happy that meant we got some more time with her.
She is heading on a mission to Guam soon!

Kitty hates all other cats. These two keep having face offs.

Happy Father's Day! We're so lucky!

Home church. Alma and Amulek (Lego men) in prison (play dough and toothpicks).
I keep home church very age appropriate.
At one point Michael said, "I love this."
So, I'm glad we can all appreciate simplicity right now haha.

National Parks

Michael:

had to go back to work on Monday but I'm glad he had a good solid vacation! I knew he felt rested when he started vacuuming under the fridge and stove on Saturday. These are not things he does during a residency week. But a week off in Hawaii followed by a weekend at home? Michael's a new man. Mostly I'm kidding because I'm actually always so grateful and impressed with how much he helps out with even with residency hours. But I mean, under-the-fridge cleaning was next level. On Saturday he came to Yosemite with us and it was so fun to have that day off with him. Hiking with dad is significantly better than hiking without him :) #shoulderrides

Maddie:

loved having my sister here this week. She leaves tomorrow and I'm going to be so sad to see her go. On Monday we took her to Sequoia since she hadn't been there yet, with Yosemite plans for Saturday. Last time she was here she did Monterey, so we're slowly fitting in all my favorite day trips during her visits. We saw the General Sherman tree and walked around the Big Trees Trail. The drive was longer than either of the boys anticipated when we loaded them up, but it was still a good day. On Wednesday we ate all the random free things from my birthday emails and the random spread made us laugh. Thursday was my favorite day this week. We woke up, worked out, Ali fed the boys while I got ready and ran to my scripture class in the morning instead of at night, then we took the boys to get their first professional haircuts. That night we went to a movie for a friend's birthday and it was just fun to have a girls night while my sister was in town. I love her so much! 

Westin:

loves his new "homework" responsibilities. His preschool sends home little activities that they rotate between the kids for homework, and my favorite Westins right now are homework Westin and walking or hiking Westin. He had a hard time with swimming lessons for the first time this week, and I'm hoping that kind of resolves itself tomorrow or I will have to figure something out. We went to lessons after our full day in Sequoia so it was just a lot. He was so happy on our Yosemite hike and loved sitting next to dad on our drive since we were a full car. My favorite quote from Westin this week was when we were driving to Yosemite and his ears must have popped and he said, "Hey, I yawned and it made the song louder!" Kids make the simplest things so funny. On Friday Michael and I took Westin on a little date to get frozen yogurt and he felt so big going by himself. He even whispered to Bennett's door, who was already in bed, "You can't come Bennett, this is a date." I learned that Westin has the same taste in frozen yogurt toppings as Michael -- all things colorful, fruity, and candy. Then he loved sitting at our table and trying all three of our concoctions and then making one to take home to Ali. I had to guard hers from huge scoops of Nerds :)

Bennett:

gives so many hugs and kisses right now and has started repeating back "love you", "night night", and "thank you" and all of those combined are just the best. He is just SO LOVING. Putting him to bed for naps and nights are my favorite moments with him. He also loves books and loves turtles. He's pretty good at heading out to the backyard and finding Mr. T or Marcel the Shell. Marci hardly moves much but Mr. T is all over the place. He almost escaped during one of my piano lessons this week but luckily my student's dad saw the attempt and he's safely secured in the backyard again with his exit blocked. Bennett slept in the Ergo during our Yosemite exploring so on the way home he was wide awake and chatty while Westin and Michael fell asleep in the backseat. It cracked me up because he was still just so happy and laughing even though everyone else was sleeping through his party.

Mini nap

"Mirror Lake" which has no water right now :)

The deer are obviously not bothered by humans!

Frozen Yogurt Date

His, his, and hers

We took Bennett on a little date while Westin was at preschool with his friends Friday morning.
He was very into the first pumpkin baked good of the season.

Palmer the Cocker Spaniel Puppy. He was a cutie with looots of energy.

Westin's pumpkin! He has been faithfully watering this (on top of the pumpkin) for months (don't worry, I watered the vine).
It didn't quite make it to Halloween but he's still really excited about it. He wanted to open it up and bake the pumpkin seeds ASAP but we talked him into keeping it around as a decoration for a little bit.

Crazy Rich Asians was a cute movie

13 apples tall at preschool!

Music class

Donuts for Mrs. Beard's birthday

Haircut success! They've never gone somewhere before but a cute place opened near us and did half price haircuts that week.
So we decided to go and I wrote down everything they did so we can go back to backyard haircut life. Boys need haircuts so often!

Westin wasn't too thrilled about it but when he got to choose which vehicle to sit in, he came around.

Bennett was super calm and sweet the whole time and I thought he was going to hate it. His little head poking out of his little capes made me laugh so much. He was just super calm and blew a kiss to his hairdresser after and went on his well-groomed way.

Before... so needed.

Westin's before.

Bennett likes to be a monkey randomly and hangs on so tight with arms and legs.

Reading his turtle book and he points out EVERY "tur-tull" on each page. 

Library story time is back on and both boys love it.

The glamorous side of day trips and hikes with little boys.

Home from Sequoia

General Sherman