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A Weekend with My Cousins in Tetonia

5.17.2022

I got to sneak away with just Ezra in tow for an unexpected visit with my cousins and their families in Tetonia for the weekend. When my Uncle Jeff's mother passed away, his family had a graveside service for her burial under the Tetons where she grew up. I'm not exactly a part of that side of the family, but when my cousin Rachel invited me out to see them, of course I dropped everything to see her!

These girls feel like a second set of sisters to me! I love them so much. I hadn't seen their kids in years. I got to meet Emily's little Declan for the first time; he's just six months younger than Ezra. The pair were a funny little duo together, stealing each other's sippy cups and jabbering nonsense. And Rachel's oldest, Luke, is now 15 and is a totally awesome kid! I wish he lived closer so his coolness could rub off on Jed. I arrived Saturday afternoon, just in time to hug Grandma Smith and my Aunt Mari before they headed back to Utah. The whole group of us stayed in an oversized cabin, ate too many sweets, and did not get enough sleep. It was exactly everything a family reunion is supposed to consist of!

On Saturday evening, Rachel whisked Necia and myself out of the cabin during golden hour for an impromptu moose hunt. We spotted 11 moose! Admittedly, I had more fun taking pictures of my cousins taking pictures of the moose than I did actually seeing the moose. 😆

It took all morning to get the family moving on Sunday, but we eventually made it to Teton National Park. Ezra woke up from his nap in the back seat and excitedly pointed out the window at the Tetons. He intuitively knew those peaks are something special! We hiked around Jenny Lake to the waterfall. There was still so much snow on the trail! Ezra held onto a tiny truck and happily jabbered in my ear most of the way. He loves to go, go, go! It was just beautiful. We could not have asked for a more beautiful day for hiking.

3.09.2022

It snowed today. It was so slick going down our hill that I CREAMED the stop sign with my car. Yikes! Fortunately, we are all just fine and no real damage was done. The county was able to stand the sign right back up. Thank goodness.

So on that frigid note, that's rewind time to last week when Bron and I visited Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for his annual Progressive Dairy Solutions business retreat. It was such a warm sunny dream! We stayed at one of the fanciest resorts I've ever laid eyes on, The Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal. It was like one of my boys drew it up: situated right on the ocean, every room had its own heated private pool. On two mornings, I was up before the sun to watch it rise over the ocean. We spent hours out on that balcony, eating fresh guacamole and chips, watching for whales (they were as numerous as deer are here at home!), and just soaking in the tub. It was wonderful.

2.07.2020

^^Breakfast at Snooze^^

Bron went above and beyond to celebrate my 35th birthday with one of the most elaborate surprises he's pulled off yet. The man keeps outdoing himself. He claims that one day he will fall flat on his face with a particular gift and that I will just have to forgive him. I'm not sure he's capable of that kind of failure. Bron is one of the most thoughtful and giving people I know -- on his own terms, of course. It's one of my favorite qualities about him.

Anyway, my 35th birthday landed on a Friday. Bron took me out to breakfast at Guppy's Hot Rod in town (with our silly little third wheel, Conrad) for some seriously delicious high calorie food. He kept hinting at some big surprise. As Bron headed off to work for the day, he told me to be all showered with makeup on and hair done by 5pm. Of course I assumed we were going on a date!

Bron walked into our bedroom at quarter til with two very excited giggly boys; Bron had told them the surprise.

"Want a big hint?" Levi asked. "We're getting a boys' weekend until Monday!" He fell onto the bed laughing.

I looked at Bron a bit confused. "What? Where are we going?"

Bron chimed in. "You're going to Arizona to visit your sister... tonight! Your plane leaves from Boise at 9:23PM."

I was so surprised I burst into happy tears. "What? For reals?!" My sister means the world to me. To spend the weekend with her in warm sunny weather would truly be a vacation dream come true.

Bron launched into all the details (like how we'd be staying in a hotel in Gilbert paid for with points) and before I knew it, I was kissing him goodbye and hopping into the car with a small suitcase.

It felt so surreal. It was all such a big surprise that I could hardly wrap my head around it all! Excited would be an understatement.

Lauren picked me up from the airport in Mesa, AZ. She had known about this surprise trip for a couple of weeks and had an entire weekend planned of places to eat around the valley.

And so began what will undoubtedly go down as one of my life's most memorable weekends!!!

9.06.2019

Remember when I wrote a blog post about performing my violin in Carnegie Hall? And remember all those silly pictures I shared of my siblings and me having a fun time and making awful faces? Well, this is the post where I share the rest of the story and pictures. Are you ready?!

This trip to New York City in July had been planned months ahead. It all began when my mom joined the Millennial Choirs and Orchestra in Boise and encouraged me to join as well because they were going on tour to play in Carnegie Hall -- pretty much every musician's dream venue. Of course, the plan snowballed to include my sister. And so a girls' trip to New York City was born! We spent a few days exploring the city, performed in Carnegie Hall, and then hopped on a plane to Indianapolis to visit my brother Joe and his wife Karmen for two days. It was sooo much fun! (Even more amazing, you'd never know my sister battled breast cancer just over a year ago would ya?)

Thanks Mom for putting this all together. It will for sure be a special memory that I will cherish for a lifetime.

8.18.2019

By Wednesday evening, after Grandma and Grandpa Nelson had gone home, Bron and I weren't ready to be done vacationing! We were having too much fun exploring with our boys. Then we had this idea. Since we were so close to Glacier National Park, we should drive up there for a night and show the boys one of our favorite places. After all, it had been on our wish list to take them there since Bron and I visited five years ago! So that's how we spontaneously extended our family vacation. Worth it!

We miraculously pulled straight into a parking spot late Thursday afternoon in Glacier National Park and took the boys on the short hike to Avalanche Lake. But first, to see the Cedars Trail.

8.11.2019

We just arrived home from an epic family vacation to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho -- and a last minute extension to Glacier National Park! Something about vacations makes me want to simplify my life so that my real life can feel more like this: time together. We saw so many incredibly beautiful places and went on some adventures that I know the boys (and me too!) will be talking about for a long time. These family vacations feel so special to me. And this one went so smoothly with the kids.

We arrived in Coeur d'Alene the evening of Saturday August 3rd. It just happened to be Levi's actual birthday! (We celebrated with chocolate cupcakes from the store.) We checked in to our cute three bedroom Airbnb located in an older neighborhood among some tall trees. That little home made our stay so much more comfortable! I mean, I was doing a load of laundry after our first day. The boys are always getting their clothes so filthy. I love that we had a separate bedroom from the kids and that there was a full kitchen. Plus, the boys' room had toys and the front room was loaded with family friendly movies. It was great!

But it gets better. The rental was just a short bike ride from Ross' Point, a little park on the river! That was our first stop Sunday morning as we ventured out to explore for the day.

7.18.2019

Someone pinch me. I got to check off a once in a lifetime bucket list item by performing in Carnegie Hall Friday night!!! And with my mom nonetheless. It still feels surreal.

I also got to fan girl over the violinist Jenny Oaks Baker in person too. She was there just four feet from me during both rehearsal and during the concert. The rehearsal in the cultural hall below the LDS Temple in Manhattan was probably one of my favorite parts of the whole trip, honestly. All the orchestra members from all five MCO locales gathered in one place. It was huge. It was loud. It was fun. After the concert at Carnegie, we celebrated by going out for gelato at Grom. And guess who was there in line with her girlfriends in front of us? Jenny Oaks Baker! So I can pretty much claim we got dessert together, right? Haha.

I was also awed by the sopranist, Erin Morley. After performing the Doll Aria, she stayed in character, hanging her head and arms as if she was a tired mechanical doll on stage. The conductor didn't know what to do! It was hilarious. Erin is definitely a performer.

Take me back to do it all over again. I love making music.

But that's not the end of the story...

Unfortunately, while I got to perform in Carnegie Hall on Friday night with the Idaho and Texas groups, the concert on Saturday night for the Utah and California groups was cancelled. Break my heart! The concert was cancelled due to a blackout in Manhattan that lasted hours. All that sacrifice of time and money for a dream crushed. What are the chances of that happening? New York City hasn't seen a blackout like that in fifteen years! It was also the first time in the history of Carnegie Hall that a concert was cancelled due to a blackout.

However, I'd like to believe it wasn't a coincidence at all. I'd like to believe God had his divine hand in it. After delivering the sad news of the cancelled concert, Brandon Stewart stood up and said, "We're going to leave this city with 'I Believe in Christ'... and we're going to let it rip." The videos show just how powerful that moment was! Thousands of people getting off dark subway routes, walking through the city, or peeking their heads through the windows of adjacent buildings stopped to watch and hear the message of hope and faith in Jesus Christ. The message has been shared a million times over now. Wow.

This is exactly why I feel the Millennial Choirs and Orchestra are worth my time and effort. I get to be a part of something bigger than myself.

5.26.2019

I just made that title up, but I think it's about time this little shindig of ours got an official name. Yes, this is the third year in a row that the Nelson crew has gotten together in the month of May to camp near Castle Rocks and go climbing the next day.

This year, Kaleb found this awesome teeny cabin with a kitchen, bathroom, and one room sleeping area in the drop dead beautiful valley of Elba, Idaho. (In fact, if we could just pick up and move there, I might just do it!) The cabin he rented sits on a few acres and is meant for camping and group get-togethers just like ours. Access to some electricity, running potable water, and a bathroom made camping that much nicer. Way to go, Kaleb in heading that up!

Unfortunately, this Spring has been the season of the never ending rains. Rain storms have rolled through every day for nearly two weeks now and it looks as if it's going to keep on raining for another week. Nooo! I've been wearing a jacket everywhere because the temps are hanging out in the 40's and 50's. Brrrr. Idaho please reclaim your happy, sunny, dry desert self! We miss you!

4.30.2019

We heard that Honolua Bay was one of the best places in Maui to snorkel, so on our third morning we went to check it out! It didn't disappoint. Just the walk from the road to the rocky shore was incredible; it was a jungle in paradise. The water was warm and relatively clear. And the coral reef held a wide variety of sea life. We saw red sea anemones, a parrot fish munching on coral, eels, and a plethora of the iconic Hawaiian state trigger fish: the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a. My favorite. It was so cool!

4.29.2019

I'm not quite sure where to begin... except with maybe an honest but cliché phrase that we had one of the most memorable times of our lives in the land of palm trees, sun, and sea turtles: Hawaii.

Bron's work through Progessive Dairy Solutions holds an annual conference every spring. This year, it was held in Maui. So naturally, we flew out a few days early to get a head start on all the adventuring and fun!

4.08.2019

We spent an entire day of our trip touring Snow Canyon. I thought the state park would feel more remote, but instead it looked and felt more like a national park with a main road and a map highlighting all its unique treasures. I'm pretty sure that if Zion's wasn't so close in proximity, Snow Canyon would be a national park because the scenery was just incredible. The park is certainly deserving of that status.

We began our day's adventures by exploring the Petrified Sand Dunes. There wasn't really a trail. Instead, rolling mounds of petrified Navajo Sandstone allowed us to hike all over. The (leading) lines and curves of the stone made it a photographer's dream. We even found some puddles that Conrad was dying to jump into. Levi, however, excitedly found some small living creatures swimming around in the water.

Jed is afraid of heights; always has been. He said he felt tricked when we ascended the first big hill without him -- promising to come back around to pick him up, of course. So Bron put Jed in charge of our hike. It was Jed's job to lead us around the dunes. And lead us he did... right to the very top of the biggest dune with the most incredible view of the park! We were so proud of Jed. Not many people there that day had the tenacity to scale that giant hill. Plus, Jed didn't bat an eye at the height. The five of us sat atop to eat a snack and take in the stunning landscape.

Then, of course, we had to march down with a very tired toddler. I carried Conrad on my hip because all he wanted was me. But three quarters of the way down, my arm became sore. So Conrad got to hold onto both Bron and my hands and swing his way to the bottom between us. Lucky duck!

4.05.2019

We had so much fun with the kids in St. George over Spring break last year that we decided to do it again. (Pssst. I think we did it even better this year! No one threw up and I didn't have to change a gazillion bed sheets, so that's definitely a win.) The warm sunshine of southern Utah did not disappoint. In fact, please notice how often my sun-starved boys laid on the rocks like lizards to soak it up! We couldn't have asked for better weather for playing and exploring. There is so much to do in the St. George area. I feel like we could visit every year for a decade or more and never get to it all. We had so much fun. We did a variation of hiking, biking, swimming, and eating of ice cream every single day; AKA Nelson Heaven. It was hard to come home! It was wonderful to be able to leave all of the chores, responsibilities, and gray gusty skies behind for a carefree week of quality time with my loves. I am honestly one lucky and spoiled girl. I'm feeling so much gratitude for this special week.

Also, just to be clear, there were times during this trip when Bron and I would look and each other and ask, "Why did we bring them along, again?" Vacationing with kids still requires parenting. Kids can be such turds. They whined and fought and didn't listen at times. So in turn, Bron and I would get frustrated, stressed, and sometimes yell. Yup. You name the emotion and it probably happened somewhere along the line. So yeah, I'm pretty sure that makes us a normal family.

Now on to the pictures, details, and stories!

8.20.2018

This epic road trip to So Cal to visit my dad and family had been in the making for months. It was going to be a family reunion between my brother Joe and sister Lauren (who wound up not making it after all. Sad!) and me and our families to celebrate our dad turning the big 6-0. I was so excited to go, but very apprehensive about the long drive down and back with a one and a half year old. Not to mention all the other inconveniences a young toddler makes on a family. It was a real source of stress... until I finally asked my sister-in-law, DeAnn, if she'd be willing to let Conrad tag along with her crew for a week. Thankfully, she said yes, and I will always be so grateful for her help. She took great tender care of our little man. It allowed for Bron and I to make some meaningful memories with our big boys. I suspect they will be talking about this trip for years!

After spending a day at the happiest place on earth, we spent the rest of the weekend simply just hanging out with my dad and his family, my brother Joe, and the dogs. It was perfect and exactly what I was hoping for.

We spent a day playing in the bay. Jed and Levi even got to go on a long dinghy ride exclusively with Commander. We pitched a shade, ate lunch, stuck our toes in the sand, and swam in the ocean water.

7.17.2018

I'm still on one of those natural highs, one that came from spending two nights way up in the Sawtooth mountains with a great group of people. Wow. Just wow. I'm still picking my jaw up from off the floor. "Is nature really that incredible that it would make me feel this way?" I asked Bron when I got home. He says he thinks it is.

The bishop of our ward had this grand idea to take the Young Women backpacking. Ten girls, mostly Beehives (ages 12 and 13), committed to come and so the bishopric got to work planning out all the details. Let me tell you, those men went above and beyond to make these girls' first backpacking experience as comfortable and as enjoyable as possible. Though they each carried the equivalent weight of a teenage child on their backs seven miles up into the Sawtooth Wilderness, I think the men's efforts were well worth it. Each and every girl had a good time and made some lifelong memories. I imagine they'd be willing to go backpacking again!

6.12.2018

We kicked off the first official week of summer break in the best way possible at the Nelson Family Reunion! It's a biennial get-together chuck full of fun and love and sugar. This year, it was held at the West Piney LDS Camp located in a stunningly beautiful and private valley in East Idaho.

Our three days and two nights camping would be more accurately described as glamping. The lodge was huge! There was an industrial sized kitchen adjacent to a large room perfect for gathering and eating. It allowed for an over-abundance of food and treats as everyone contributed to the meals. As tradition insists, a snack table was also set up alongside one wall. I think the aunts (without little children at home anymore) have the most fun with that as they stocked it with Costco sized boxes of sugary treats and just sat back to watch and laugh as the kids gathered around it like ravenous wolves. At one point, someone found a group of kids hiding in the hallway, each sitting on their own giant stash of candies and cookies! It was hilarious. If there is ever a time to get sick on candy, the Nelson reunion is it.

The lodge boasted multiple bunk rooms upstairs and several smaller private rooms, each with a double or queen sized bed. And ALL the beds had mattresses. We just plopped our sleeping bags and pillows on top. I mean, I actually slept! And Conrad did amazing. He took long naps and snoozed the night away in his pack 'n play tucked in a quiet corner of a private room. Not to mention the part I think I was most appreciative about in the lodge: the plethora of toilets and showers. Yay!

The majority of our time, however, was spent outside enjoying the beautiful outdoor space. By far, the crowning highlight of that yard was the slide. The slide at West Piney is as tall and fast as a Disneyland ride. All the kids (including myself!) lined up for endless rides down on narrow pieces of carpet. Each time someone went down, the slide became a little bit more polished and a became a little bit speedier. It was such a blast! Even Conrad enjoyed it, squealing on my lap as we careened towards the earth. Unfortunately, Conrad thought he could take the slide on by himself. I barely caught him at the top, twice! So that was a bit stressful on my part. You know, keeping my kid from breaking multiple bones or worse. But all is well that ends well.

Please enjoy the smathering of photos I took, having a lot of fun one evening trying to capture everyone's faces as they played on this legendary slide.

tallest and fastest slide at West Piney LDS Camp

^^Cousin Leah's toes at the precipice of the slide^^

^^Jed flying down the steep slide. No hands was a 'must'^^

5.29.2018

^^Family picture in front of Phantom Falls^^

It's amazing what we can accomplish over a three day weekend when we don't have anything planned!

Our long weekend started Saturday morning. I did a newborn shoot and then came home to help Bron and the boys with some overdue Spring cleaning: clearing out the garage. While Bron and the big boys took a trip to town that afternoon, I stayed home while Conrad napped to work on my talk for Sacrament meeting. (Yikes! It's only a little bit stressful.) Then it was suddenly time to pick up the babysitter and head out for a date night with my one and only main squeeze. Bron and I had a good time at the gym rock climbing. Then I changed into a casual dress for dinner, a Target run, and some grocery shopping. Totally a typical date for us these days.

On Sunday, I finished prepping my talk, gave my talk, and then taught Levi's rambunctious primary class. (Yay! I'm now off the hook for speaking in Sacrament meeting for like two years, right?! By the way, if you're looking for a good read, take some time to absorb this General Conference talk: Joy and Spiritual Survival by President Nelson.) After church, we invited the Horsleys over and Bron treated us to a special pasta with roasted red pepper sauce. Delicious! The kids played and we adults got to catch up. Always a win-win.

Finally, Monday was Memorial Day. Bron helped an elderly neighbor clean up his yard before I even rolled myself out of bed. Conrad and I slept in big time! And it was wonderful. Then Bron mowed the lawn while I deep cleaned the kitchen. At noon, the whole family piled into the truck for our big Memorial Day adventure!

Our mission: to find Phantom Falls. This particular falls in the South Hills isn't well documented. There are a few directions found online and a GPS can tell you where the falls is located, but the actual trail head is easy to miss! Not to mention, it's way off the beaten path. Many people look for the falls but can never find it.

We drove out to Oakley, Idaho and found ourselves on one of the South Hills' narrow dirt roads. We drove about twenty miles in, missed it, and turned back around. Finally, we parked in a spot that we thought looked promising. There was a big brown board and a trail, but no sign. We took a chance.

2.11.2018

What a difference a week makes! If you stopped by our home last weekend, you would have found me glued to the couch with a baby on my lap. Conrad was feeling so so sick. He ran a fever for four days straight and vomited at least once a day for a full week--up through Friday! It was concerning enough to me that I took him to see the doctor. He was basically surviving on breast milk. (So much for weaning this month. I'm not sorry.) Both Jed and Levi got sick as well, but bounced back fast. Even I felt a little off one day. Something was definitely going around. I didn't mind slowing down and enjoying all the extra snuggles. In fact, it was necessary. But it was sure good to see Conrad's appetite suddenly pick back up yesterday. Whew. I am glad to have that week behind us and to all be healthy again!

Before I launch into explaining our family adventure, I need to mention a much smaller and yet equally exciting--to me--adventure that occurred yesterday morning. I was recently asked to volunteer my time helping with the local youth orchestras. They meet every Saturday for two months every Fall and every Winter. I agreed and showed up for the first time yesterday morning. Upon arrival, the conductor of the Beginning and Intermediate Orchestras had to leave; she was so sick she could barely stand on her feet. Could I fill in for her? I hesitated. I took a conducting class in college but had zero experience conducting anything. I said I'd give it a shot.

You guys! To my enormous surprise, I CAN CONDUCT. And not just wave my arms. I mean, I can actually conduct. Given, the music wasn't anything too complicated and I know there's lots of room for personal growth, but it was my very first time standing in front of a group of instruments as their leader and the whole experience came amazingly natural to me. I felt like I was in my element! I read the scores without trouble. We stopped to work on difficult passages. We made progress. And it was fun! I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise to me. I've spent literally weeks of my life sitting in a little black chair playing my violin in various orchestras and symphonies. The thing is, I didn't expect to like being on the other side of the music stand. Now I realize I wouldn't mind taking on the responsibility of conducting these young kids and contributing to their musical growth. In fact, it would be a great honor that would give me the happy giggles. Talk about a natural high! I just discovered an ability I had no idea I had!!!

1.31.2018

Last week, Conrad and I flew out to Mesa, Arizona to visit my sister during her second week of radiation therapy. I've decided that Phoenix in January is pretty much paradise minus the beach. Not a cloud in the sky and 70 degrees. It reminded me so much of San Diego with all the sunshine and palm trees, that I felt right at home. I honestly did not want to leave! Is it realistic to dream of becoming a sun bird in my thirties?!?

The best part, of course, was getting to spend precious time with Lauren and her two littlest hooligans. I cherish those few days each year we get to spend together. There is no one else on earth who "gets me" quite like she does. And now that we've discovered we share the same faulty genetics that cause cancer, I feel even more connected to her... except our roles of big and little sister seem to be reversed. Someday she'll be my coach when I have a double mastectomy and get to go through early menopause. Wow! But we hardly dwell on cancer. Instead, we talk and laugh about our kids and eat fruit out of a bowl and guacamole like it's going out of style. Lauren has this wonderful sense of humor and outlook on life that I learn from every single time I'm around her. Sisters really are the best of friends. I am so so grateful God blessed me with a sister.

For those who ask, Lauren is doing well. Surgery in November to remove the cancer went smoothly, though it was the pinnacle of what has been a physically and emotionally hard year. Numberless tears of grief and pain and helpless frustration were shed. Fortunately, her margins came back clear which tentatively means, she is cancer free! Lauren is now going through the final stage of her cancer treatment plan: radiation 5 times a week for 6 weeks. So far, she's handling it like a champ. Lauren's skin is starting to look a bit red (like a sunburn) and she needs a daily nap, but other than that, she's able to do what she loves best and that's being a mom.

Lauren (and a few family members) have become temporary residents of the Phoenix area during the week and drive home on the weekend. She's living in a home located in a gated retirement community graciously offered by family friends for her to use free of charge. The home has never been updated (read: obnoxious wall paper. Haha), but it's clean and comfortable and surprisingly relaxing. I felt lucky that I got to be there with Lauren and two of her kids! (Seriously, I'd kiss the folks who own that house if I knew who they were. What truly kind and generous folks.)

11.03.2017

During the last weekend of October, Conrad and I flew down to Arizona to visit my sister Lauren! I'd been looking forward to the trip all month long. We talk on the phone often, but my heart has been aching to give her a hug, to be there physically.

(For those that don't know Lauren's story, check out THIS POST and the TAIL END OF THIS POST).

Lauren is doing well. I am continually impressed with her grit and attitude. Lauren puts on a brave face and smile; she's good at finding the silver linings and things for which to be grateful. If you need someone to laugh with, Lauren is your girl! But it's hard. Cancer sucks. She is tired. Lauren just survived 8 rounds of chemotherapy and all of its noxious side-effects, including but not limited to: the loss of her hair (including her eyelashes and eyebrows), sores in her throat and mouth, painful knife-like stabbing neuropathy in her hands and feet, and feeling so tired and heavy that even watching tv was too much. It makes my eyes tear up just writing about it. But she did it! Now Lauren is anxious about the next phase in her treatment which is surgery to remove both breasts next week. We're all praying that surgery goes smoothly and complication free.

Cancer will forever change my sister, in every way imaginable. From her physical looks, to her energy levels, to her outlook on life, she (and her family) will be changed because of this experience. But for all the negative, I'd like to think that the little tender mercies of becoming a better and more intentional person will ultimately win out for Lauren. I also think her family will be tighter because of it too.

9.12.2017

Bron conquered another half marathon! He half-heartedly trained and then participated in one of the nation's fastest half marathons as a good majority of it is downhill. Bron came away from the Cedar City Half Marathon with huge blisters on his feet from ill fitting shoes and some very sore muscles. I couldn't help laughing at him every time he walked for three days afterwards. But he did it and he did it well, finishing in 2:14. I'm always impressed with his strength and stamina.

I was supposed to run the 5K with Conrad in the stroller, but when we walked out of our hotel room at 5:30AM Saturday morning, it was barely 50* degrees and pouring rain! I couldn't make Conrad sit in a cold wet stroller. So we went straight back to bed! Haha. Missing a three mile run wasn't a big deal for me though. It was actually much better that I got some sleep because Bron's body was spent!

We met up with our friends, Aaron and Amy. We ate a delicious pizza dinner and creamy gelato Friday evening together. (We're still pretending that carb loading is real!) Then I pretty much ate my way through the state of Utah as we drove back North Saturday afternoon. I didn't burn the calories to deserve such gluttony, but whatever, I'm still nursing and food tasted sooo good!

One of the highlights of our quick weekend trip was meeting up with my Grandma for dinner in Orem. Oh, how I love her! We also drove up through Cedar Canyon and, oh my, is it gorgeous.

The weekend marked the bookend of our summer. A big thanks to my mom for babysitting Jed and Levi! They had a blast.

SLIDER