Road Trip

LaVor had to work in the Bay Area last week, which worked out perfectly because we were already planning on going to visit my niece for her birthday.

As I was sorting laundry, preparing to wash it before we left, LaVor called me with the news that his grandfather suddenly passed away that morning.  We didn't know much but knew that we'd most likely be heading out of town later that week for the services.

Have I ever mentioned that I've never driven to Utah?  Have I ever mentioned the huge amount of anxiety I get whenever I think about driving that far, especially with a 14 month old who hates his car seat?  I knew I had to suck up my fears but I spent the rest of the week worrying about what was to come.

The boys and I went shopping on Wednesday to stock up on snacks, packed our bags, and had everything ready to go for our early departure Thursday morning.  We planned to leave around 4:00, with the intention of both boys sleeping several hours.  But of course, The Lime stayed awake and Doodlebug only slept about an hour and a half.  Then, as soon as we left Reno city limits, The Lime threw up.  Poor kid gets that from me.  Needless to say, the trip was starting off on a rocky foot.

But, we made it!  And that's really all that matters.  The fact that Nevada is one of the ugliest states, and most boring, and that we stopped numerous times for potty breaks, and that a certain baby screamed and cried, and nobody really got any sleep doesn't matter.  We got there safely.

Seriously, someone needs to put up billboards with trivia questions or SOMETHING to break up the 6 hours of nothing.

We got into Utah about 3:30 their time and settled into Grandma's place while the rest of the family was finishing up some things for the funeral.  It was hard for me to be in Grandma and Grandpa's apartment, knowing that she'd have to return there without her sweetheart.  I think that might be one of the hardest things about death, is having a "norm" (for 60+ years in their case) and having it taken away in a flash.

When LaVor's dad, aunts, and grandma arrived, they were all visibly worn out.  We visited for a short time and then made our way to the rec center down the street, to get out of their hair but to also give the kids a chance to release some energy that was bottled up for 11 hours.

This place was neat!  Lots to do and their pools were way more exciting than ours.  Unfortunately, after only taking three photos in about 30 seconds, the lifeguard standing next to me said, "Ma'am, you can't take any photos."  I looked at him and said, "For real?!"  He said yes and I asked if it was okay that I just took them of my kids.  He said no.  I get it, especially with social media and the privacy of children, but it still stunk.

Practicing for when he's a real firefighter

Doodlebug was having a blast!

They had a water slide in the indoor pool that The Lime was able to go on (he's a smidge short for the slide at our pool) and he had so much fun! Unfortunately, no photos.

We grabbed a bite for dinner with LaVor's aunt and her family and then settled in at LaVor's great aunt's house where we literally all crashed.  I just remember laying my head on the pillow and then waking up around 4:00 when LaVor turned the ceiling fan on.  We got a couple more hours of sleep before Doodlebug woke up.  We were presented a delicious and healthy breakfast and were amazed at the view from the home.  Again, no picture (not because the aunt didn't allow, I just forgot) but it was gorgeous.  From there, we met up with LaVor's brother and his family, who drove up from Provo, at Temple Square where we got in a little visit before we had to go back to Bountiful.

I think I took this exact same photo when I was in Utah 15 years ago.

Shortly after we got there, I recognized a man and gently tapped him on the knee and asked what his name was (even though I knew). He told me and I told him who I was (my mom was his seminary teacher). He had no clue about me but knew my parents and older siblings. A moment later, his mom arrived and she looked exactly as I remember seeing her at stake conference. The world is small and I just knew we'd happen upon someone we knew.

We walked around the visitor center and continued around the grounds before it was time to leave.

Pointing to the big kids, running around the flowerbeds.

Some of the furniture used in the temple over the years.  The craftsmanship amazes me!

No net, no harness, nothing!  Can you imagine?!

Cousins enjoying throwing coins into the fountain.

The sister missionary that took this photo is from a town about 25 minutes from where we live.

Us, LaVor's mom, LaVor's brother & his family

All of the foliage around the temple was gorgeous!

It just so happened that one of our dear friends was working in the same town where we spent a majority of the trip. We were able to meet him for lunch and catch up on the (almost) year since we saw him last. It made us miss having good friends around!

We had Hawaiian food for lunch, and The Lime was willing to try it but quickly said it made his throat itch (we think it's the Teriyaki sauce) so he ended up getting ice cream for lunch. Lucky kid.

His usual - cotton candy ice cream with marshmallows and sprinkles

My boys and their blue eyes

That night was the viewing at the mortuary. I've never seen a deceased body before and avoided it at all costs when my grandma passed away earlier this year. In this case, Grandpa's body was propped up a bit in the casket and was easily seen from anywhere in the room. It wasn't as uncomfortable as I expected but there is a vast difference when the spirit leaves a body. Of course, Doodlebug wanted to see what was going on and made me stand at the casket for several minutes as he pointed and tried to touch.

We were all tired and hungry and decided on Cafe Rio for dinner. Neither LaVor or I have ever had it but heard wonderful things about it from friends and family in Utah. Maybe it was because The Lime was starving and on the verge of passing out, or maybe it was because the place was jammed pack and super hot, or maybe my expectations were just too high, but both of us were completely let down by the food. It wasn't the worst Mexican food I've ever had but it certainly didn't live up to the praise it's received. To Cafe Rio, I say "been there, done that."

Our next plan was to take the kids back to the hotel because nobody got naps that day but my body had a different agenda and we quickly drove the five minutes back to the mortuary where I hung out in the bathroom as people kept trying to open the door (there was only one toilet). Not my idea of fun.

After the viewing, LaVor's dad wanted to take everyone to Pace's, a diner that LaVor has been telling me about for as long as I've known him. They serve slushees with soft serve on top. Had it not been for Cafe Rio, I would have loved to finally try this yummy treat but I got to visit the restroom instead.

He opted for just an ice cream cone.

We woke up bright and early (not by choice, but because Doodlebug slept awful) Saturday morning and got ready for the funeral. A family viewing preceded the service, where we were able to gather everyone together for a photo.  Again, it wasn't the ideal circumstances to gather together but I finally had an opportunity to meet family members for the first time after almost nine years of marriage.

What a wonderful legacy - because of two people, all of this was created

I rocked Doodlebug to sleep in the back of the chapel, next to my parents who kindly made the trip down, all while listening to the wonderful stories friends and family shared about Grandpa. When I married LaVor, I was so thrilled to finally have grandfathers since both of mine had been deceased for many years. Grandpa completed the amazing task of preparing over 100,000 names to take to the temple. I can only imagine the number of people waiting on the other side to thank him for his love and service.

After the service, we all caravanned to the burial site.  This is the hardest part, in my opinion.  It makes things absolutely final, in terms of the person physically being here.  They didn't lower the casket while we were there, which I think helped (it was quite emotional at my grandma's funeral when they did that), but it was still hard knowing that was the last time we'd be with Grandpa in this lifetime.

LaVor and his male cousins were the pallbearers.

I loved all of the tulips they had at the services.  Grandpa also served in the Navy prior to serving a mission.

Grandma with her children.

From there, we headed to a luncheon that was held at one of the church buildings Grandpa built. When LaVor's dad was a young teenager, their family moved to Europe where Grandpa built several other church buildings in Holland and Germany.

While we were there, LaVor's dad took us around and shared with us the family's rich history in this particular area. Several extended family members still maintain residence in this area and it was neat to know they're "keeping it in the family."

The home where LaVor's dad grew up

LaVor's grandfather (Grandpa) built this second home for his parents.

This was the first home Grandpa built for his parents.

The home Grandpa grew up in - built in 1930

The family dairy

Built in 1925 - Home sits on same property as dairy

Our friends kindly drove down to the area so we could meet up for a quick visit. The kids instantly picked up right where they left off (a year ago when they dropped by our place) and LaVor and I had a wonderful time catching up with Jason and Nicole, and Nicole's mom. Again, it made us desperately miss having great friends nearby!

On the way back to the hotel, we caught an amazing sunset. The sky seems to be a bit closer in Utah than it is at home. The moon looked magnificent every night, too.

We made it to the hotel just in time to grab a bite of pizza and let the kids play with their cousins for a bit. A bit ended up being until 11:00 but everyone was having such a good time, we didn't want it to end. Honestly, I don't remember the last time we laughed so hard as a family. It was a nice ending to a somber weekend.

Sunday morning arrived way too soon and we packed our bags, filled our bellies, and said our goodbyes to Grandma before we hit the road.

Since we got married, we've been promising Grandma and Grandpa that we'd come visit them. We never had a reliable enough car to make the drive to Utah until we bought our current vehicle. So we decided this would be the year to visit. We are kicking ourselves because we waited until it was too late. We all know this life is temporary but now, more than ever, I want to take advantage of every opportunity given to me so I don't have to have any regrets. Don't hold grudges, be appreciative, love until you can't love anymore, be kind, and enjoy every moment given to you.

Swim Lessons - Part II

After The Lime's first session of swim lessons being so successful, we knew we wanted to sign him up for another one before school started.

The Lime got an ear infection, and my sister moved out of the area, between the first set of lessons and when we were able to start back up again. That meant The Lime wouldn't be able to do lessons with my niece again. He was bummed but that also meant we were able to go to a pool a little closer to home.

On his first day, The Lime was a little stunned by his teachers (both named Dylan). Their voices were much louder than his previous teacher, and one of them even reminded me of a drill sergeant. They had us fill out a survey on the last day of lessons and asked for any suggestions. I suggested Dylan #1 relax a little bit. They were nice guys, though, and were patient and kind with The Lime and that's really all that matters in the end.

The Lime had fun and learned some new things, but I think he was a bit more hesitant this time around. They tried to teach them how to swim (believe it or not!) a few yards but the coordination between your legs/arms/poking your head up for air seemed a bit much for The Lime to take in. He wasn't afraid to try it but I think it overwhelmed him.

Floating on the other hand, improved drastically this session. He wanted nothing to do with floating prior to this, whether it was LaVor or I helping him, or his previous teacher. Something clicked the second time and he was more than willing to float on his back (it's always been one of my favorite things, too!).

Doodlebug had a hard time sitting in his stroller for the half hour each day. He wanted so desperately to get in the pool and swim with everyone else. Most of the time, if he wasn't eating a snack, he was doing this. Maybe next year I'll have to do a Mommy & Me class.

On The Lime's last day, they did a short lesson and then had a little fun, which included the Hokey Pokey.  Then they passed out report cards and each kid got to pick a candy.  Somehow, The Lime snagged his candy before getting his report.  Sticky fingers.

My timing couldn't have been any worse. 

We're definitely going to sign him up again next year and see where this little fish takes off to.

Aerospace Museum

I bought a Groupon to the Aerospace Museum a few months back, planning on using it one weekend when it was too hot to do anything outside. Time slipped by and we never used it, and the expiration date was soon approaching. I threw out the plan of using it on a Saturday and asked my mom (who happened to be in town) if she wanted to be my second adult.

We pulled into the parking lot and the place was PACKED. Turns out, there was also a job fair going on for veterans. I was worried we wouldn't be able to get in but they told us just to avoid the area where the fair was and visit every other attraction. No problem!

They had a kids area upstairs where we spent a good chunk of time. I love going to places where I don't have to worry about telling my kids "don't touch that!" the whole time we're there.

They had a little cockpit simulator that the boys kept fighting over. The different buttons, knobs, and handles could have kept them there all day.

After probably close to an hour of playing, we made our way outside to see all of the airplanes. And boy, were there a ton! Some of them were even open for us to check out.

Can you even imagine flying in something like this?!  My butt hurt sitting in those "seats" after a few minutes.  And it was BLAZING hot on the ground which means it's FREEZING cold up when it's up in the air. 

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! I'm sure it has something to do with being surrounded by aviation during my childhood, but I really had a great time, as did the boys and my mom, and I will definitely purchase another Groupon for the museum if it pops up again.

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 14

Our scale is broken so I'm guessing he's about a pound or two heavier than his last weigh-in

-Is very cautious. When he throws himself onto the ground to throw a tantrum, he does so in slow motion as to not crash his head on the hardwood floor.
-Loves to dance and loves music.
-Has been waking up around midnight and 5:00 recently. I think he's getting more teeth.
-Still only has 6.
-Loves tomatoes and sauerkraut. Daddy loves that.
-Loves babies. He knows the diaper commercials based on their music and will stop whatever he's doing to watch the babies on TV.
-"Ba" is his word for a bite, a drink of water, and any other word that he's trying to say.
-Sneaks into the bathroom if the door is left unlock. He either climbs into the bathtub or steps on The Lime's stool and tries to look in the mirror but isn't quite tall enough.
-Has started noticing light switches and wants to turn them on and off.
-Will grab my hand and lead me to whatever he needs helps with.
-Has started pointing to my nose, eyes, mouth, and ears when he nurses.
-Like playing "restaurant" with The Lime and me.
-Loves Otter Pops and tries opening the fridge to get to them, since he can't reach the freezer.
-For being a stinker as a baby, he has turned out to be a super funny and happy toddler. We'll keep him!

Showing me the dirt he picked up

Oh, What a Night

Back in December, the A's were giving away a gift a day, via Twitter, so I thought I'd jump on board. On this particular day, they were giving away two tickets to a game + an inning in the radio booth. (Have I ever mentioned my lifelong dream of being a radio DJ?) I was particularly interested in this giveaway so I answered the question and crossed my fingers I was the random entry they chose. The winners were announced at 3:00 in the afternoon so I quickly logged into my account and found a message that said, "Congrats! You've won today's #31Gifts." Wo hoo! I was so excited!

Over the last six months, I've e-mailed back and forth with the marketing coordinator for the A's, working out all the details of the night. We chose to attend last Thursday's game between the A's and Mariners (The Lime loves them because one of their colors is aquamarine) and could hardly wait for the time to come.

The second we walked into the coliseum, the smell hit me and I realized it had been too long since we attended a game. LaVor and I used to go all the time and have so many happy memories at that place, we agreed we need to start going to more.

We got to our seats and LaVor and The Lime got some food while Doodlebug and I watched everyone warm up.

In the middle of the second inning, we made our way up to the Executive Offices to be escorted to the radio booth. But first, I had to stop and chat with an Oakland police officer working the game who attended the same singles ward as me. I honestly don't think he remembered me but tried his best to play it off like he did.

When we got to the booth we first met Ken Korach. Extremely sweet and gracious. Unfortunately, this is the only picture we took of him, and it wasn't even of him! Totally kicking myself over that.

Then we asked to have our photo taken with the field in the background. Vince Cotroneo thought it'd be funny to photobomb us (and he was right...we all got a kick out of it).

Next door, in the television booth, were Glen Kuiper and Eric Chavez.

Normally, Glen Kuiper is working with Ray Fosse but the stars aligned and Ray Fosse was broadcasting on the radio with Vince that night.

It couldn't have been more perfect. Ray Fosse is a favorite in our home, and not just because he looks exactly like my dad! Seriously, every night when we watch the games, The Lime will say, "There's GrandPop!" So when we realized we were going to be able to meet him and shake his hand, we were all so excited. (LaVor said he's never shaken such a big and extremely strong hand before.)

The inning was over before we knew it and it was time to head back to our seats. Everyone was so kind and gracious and made the experience amazing.

On the way back to our seats, another employee noticed Doodlebug walking and asked if it was his first game. We told him it was and he asked us to meet him at a booth at the bottom of the ramp. When we got there, he had a photo of the coliseum that he wrote Doodlebug's name on, the date, and who the A's were playing and gave us a button that said "My First A's Game". We wish we had known about these cool things five years ago when we took The Lime to his first game!

We spent the rest of the night screaming, clapping, singing, and enjoying the win over the Mariners. We can't wait until the boys are a little bit older (and can sit for longer periods of time) so we can return to the coliseum often.

This was definitely a night that we will remember for a long time.

FFA

Remember this gift I made for my nephew a few years back?  We've been trying to find The Lime a local fire department shirt but they don't sell them like they used to.  So I wanted to put to use the same technique I used for my nephew's birthday gift and make The Lime his own fire shirt.

He went to bed Monday night and I told him he'd have a surprise when he woke up.  The stinker poked his head into my bedroom and saw the logo on my computer, so he knew it was fire related but didn't know exactly what it would be.  

He was so excited when he woke up Tuesday morning but said he already had an outfit planned for the day.  That afternoon, he got dressed in his fire gear, new t-shirt included, and was off to save the day.  I managed to snap a few pictures of him in between his forest fire call and house fire call.

We, folks, have a Future Firefighter of America on our hands.