The end of summer! I can hardly believe it. This summer felt twice as fast as last summer.
Michael's Wednesday off hit the day before school starts, so we did one last hurrah for summer. We woke up and went to Urban Egg for breakfast (mystery shop, some habits die hard), and the boys loved getting french toast and blueberry pancakes. Then we went to the Denver Zoo and it was pretty darn hot but still such a fun day.
Thursday we started school! The boys were really excited. Westin picked out some very blue shoes, Bennett picked out a shark backpack, both of them were so excited to see who was in their class and to be back at school. I love taking them to school. I'm so grateful we can walk together.
This weekend we went to Ed Sheeran, which was a long time coming! We had to wait over two hours for him to come on because of lightning, which turned his start time into 10pm (!). He performed over two hours, and we made it back by 1:30 to take a nap before waking Westin up to watch the World Cup final like we promised :) I was definitely in and out of that game, but I did see the goal. I love how much he loves tournaments.
This was my first Sunday going to gospel doctrine in this ward and not teaching it! I'm in Young Womens now and that feels like a big change. I'm going to do my best to hang onto the parts of that calling I loved (my routine for teaching really did add so much good to my weeks) and enjoy getting to know these cute girls in our ward.
The start of this school year felt like such a jarring reminder that the older kids get the faster time goes. I never really believed that when kind people would tell me that in passing when I had one or two little ones. But now I'm seeing how true it is. I've started planning out our trips for the next few years because it just feels like if you don't make things happen, life fills up so fast with whatever else wants to take your time. I just love making memories with these people so much. This school year my goal is to be better at simple traditions. Weekend movie nights, family night on Sunday or Monday, each one helping me with dinner once a week, etc. It's going to be a good year!
He put a leg up so you can't get the full effect, but he had a sweet brother help him put on (two very different) socks and it made me laugh.
Breakfast Date! We still love a good mystery shop :) This is our favorite breakfast spot, Urban Egg.
Went to one south of us on our way to the zoo for the day. Last day of summer, make it count!
I used to feel bad for hyenas and how judged they are, until Michael's mom told me that their guide in Africa can't stand them and sees them be totally ruthless -- he even saw one steal a newborn baby wildebeest once right out of its mom while she was in labor. Like, get them out of the zoos. Our boys thought they were cool though. I didn't tell them the baby wildebeest story.
The night before I asked Camden what he was excited to see at the zoo and he said, "Wild horses!" And in my head I was like... there's not going to be wild horses there... but then there were! "They're beautiful." Haha I loved watching him watch them and say that.
My kids always love tank animals at this age. You're just right up close and getting a glimpse into another world. Asher did the first half the day in the stroller, which I was surprised by, and once he was out he was out :) And we moved muuuuch more slowly.
Bunch of animals.
I can hardly believe this. Their fourth year at this school!
Westy boy, you're going to rock third grade. He doesn't have the teacher he wanted or his bestie in his class, so he was nervous walking into the first day. But he came home so happy and excited. Brave boy.
Benny boy! He's got the same teacher Westy had in first grade and he totally loved the first couple days of school. They did a Thursday and Friday and when he woke up Saturday and learned he wasn't going to school, he was sad about it :)
Morning crew! Each year is easier to get these boys out the door in the mornings. I'm grateful to glimpse that.
Lined up and ready for a good day!
Michael put his Spain flag out before the World Cup final, he has been watching the games with Westin and they're loving cheering them on.
Michael played tennis Saturday, so I took the boys on a walk on a route that I knew we'd run into him on his way home but didn't tell them. He came down the road toward us and Asher stood up in his stroller (did not know he could do that) and yelled "DADDY!!!!!!!" with both hands in the air haha. It was the happiest thing.
Peeking at some cute people at the playground!
Ed Sheeran! We bought these tickets weeks before Taylor Swift even announced she was going on tour this year. Fun to have these concerts finally roll around.
Khalid was really fun to see. Both openers got cut short due to lightning, and then we ended up waiting hours for Ed to come on because of the lightning rules at the stadium.
Got a pretty rainbow out of it though?
He wrote us a note while we waited... a lot of people bailed. We waited from 6:30 to 9:55.
But he came on!!
I love going to concerts with Michael.
Michael and I tag teamed some meetings on Sunday, entertaining the boys at church while the other one was tied up. How did we go to church for 3 hours just a few years ago??
Camden has now made these bracelets a unit with his glasses. Puts them in the same place when he takes them off. Puts them on at the same time. Refers to them as "my glassesandbracelets" and never just one of them. We made them with my roommate Jaclyn before the Taylor concert and he just really, really loves his creations. Cutie. Spot the tattoo from our neighbor's birthday party the day before, too. Living a good life.
On Sunday we left for a last minute trip down to San Diego and explored the Carlsbad area. On the way down we stopped in Long Beach to see the Queen Mary and run around on a pier. Then in Carlsbad we loved Handel's Ice Cream and Pizza Port. The next day we woke up and took the boys to Legoland! Westin has been interested in getting there ever since he once said to me, "That would be cool if Disneyland was made of Legos!" And I said, "Well, there's kind of a place like that actually..." And boy did his eyes get wide. Michael had New Year's off and we were all itching to do something fun after our Christmas at home.
Legoland was so fun for the boys. The park is perfect for 2-6 year olds I think. They loved it! Especially the driving school ride. We also were very ok with the 6pm New Year's countdown and fireworks. Places that understand early bedtime are our jam.
We came home from the hotel and had hot chocolate in the lobby, went to bed exhausted, and spent the next day at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. I LOVED that place! We loved seeing a baby kangaroo in its mom's pouch, and a baby gorilla taking a back ride too. Then we drove home to Fresno at the same time my parents were driving to Fresno from Cedar. Here's a movie from our trip!
(This is Westin's very favorite song in the world right now.)
Michael:
Went back to work on Wednesday and had a sad case taking out lots of teeth on a three-year-old. He has been busy but he was glad to have a three-day work week after his busy December. On Saturday we went on a date to the temple and then to dinner and it was our first date night in too long!
Maddie:
is just so happy when my parents visit. They are so nice to let me get all the things done while they're around. In the few days they've been here I've been to the dentist, gotten my hair cut and a pedicure, been to the temple twice, went to a parenting conference in the bay area, date night with Michael, and they took down my Christmas. So grateful for their help! My parenting conference was by Simply On Purpose and I learned so much. I brought my conference workbook on my date with Michael the next day and tried to share everything I could remember so we can be on the same page. Her Instagram account, @simplyonpurpose, is so helpful if you're ever feeling lost as to how to respond to your kids. Plus the road trip with Ginny, Emily, and Danielle was so fun! We left at 11am Friday and got home after midnight. Also, I feel more grateful for the temple than I ever have before!
Main conference takeaways:
See the good in your kids and TELL them when you see it.
Ignore everything you don't want reinforced.
Change your phrasing to positives -- phrases, consequences, attitudes. Don'ts should be Dos,
and parents should add positive to their kids life, not threats or negativity.
Example from our house:
We're changing: "Hurry and get ready for bed or you won't have time for a story"
to: "If you're ready for bed in 5 minutes you can have TWO stories tonight"
Westin:
loves when Michael flies the new drone! We like to go to the field next to our neighborhood and Michael chases us around with his new Star Wars looking toy. He misses school and doesn't understand why that has disappeared for a couple weeks. He's in heaven with grandma and grandpa here. We've also started hard core night training because we ran out of pull ups and I just don't want to buy anymore. It's... not going great, but we've gotta figure it out sometime. I'm setting my alarm to take him every three hours but for some reason we're still not having completely dry nights yet. I've already noticed a difference in his behavior when I just notice the good and thank or praise him for it. Kids are sweet.
Bennett:
was a rockstar on our road trip drives and hotel nights. He's so funny. Michael said he had tons of energy in nursery today. He loves to draw squiggly lines and chase Kitty. He still has a language of his own, Grandma and Grandpa are learning to interpret it this week. Potty training is in our near future, but it sure ain't tomorrow. My favorite thing is that he always chooses me to put him to bed and kisses Michael good night multiple times to tell him, "see ya dad, I want mom right now." It's my favorite little moment of my day when he holds my face while I sing Silent Night, then he gives the best hug and kiss and says "Luh Yoo" in his little Bennett language.
More pictures from the week!
Queen Mary
Belmont Veteran's Pier
Sometimes kids just look like teenagers and it always makes me do a double take.
Family Pics, 6th Anniversary, Big Sur Trip, First Cross Stitch, Hamilton, Taylor Swift, Tahoe, Arizona, Hawaii
It's officially orange season! And we've had two rounds of fresh orange juice to prove it. The orchard by our neighborhood is the best part of living where we live!
Ralphie from Simply On Purpsoe "Do not pay attention to anything you DO NOT want reinforced." We've got a lot of mean words to start fully ignoring around here :)
Danielle, Emily (my roommate from BYU!, me, Ginny All of our kids are in the same preschool class.
Walking home from drone time! Bennett "hid" behind every tree to scare us :)
