It's so daunting to go back and try to write about 3 1/2 months of fun and adventures. But the longer I wait the harder it will get. So here we go, with less detail than is due.
Grandma Brady flew out to help me maneuver 4 kids and 4 flights to get us to Arizona and then to Utah. We left the end of July and everyone was super excited, especially to get up at 2:30 in the morning. We hadn't even made it to the ticket counter before I was overwhelmed, and overwhelmed with gratitude for Susan for helping- we wouldn't have made it out of Pittsburgh without her!
A friend suggested bringing a carseat for the toddler and then switching tommy into it when needed. This also saved our bacon- for the first flight- after that Quinn refused to give up her seat.
Heidi loved the window seat, Alex not so much. And everyone loved the plethora of ipad/ipod time that was given. I can't adequately describe trying to fly with Tommy. Once again- wouldn't have survived without Susan.
We made it to Arizona on a balmy 106 degree day. But we didn't really care because we just wanted to see our cousins!!! We had a glorious few days playing and swimming and eating and talking and it was just perfect.
Alex wouldn't leave little Ammon alone.
All the kids just melded back together as though they had never been apart.
Archie totally impressed me with how mature and helpful with all the children he was. What a stud.
Tommy became a daredevil. It's nerve-wracking.
There were water balloons and water fights and silly Uncle Ben time.
There was chalk painting and dress up.
The counterparts. Love these kids!
There was jam making and cookies with Aunt Kate.
Alex with the two loves of her life.
It was so sad to leave Arizona. Everyone was broken hearted to go. Next was Utah though, and it made it easier to know we were with Grandma and headed towards Grandpa, more babies and lots of family.
Alex and I spent an afternoon harvesting flowers and making dolls.
Alex found a new baby (baby Claire) to cuddle and love.
Uncle Devin picked up right where we left off as the tickle and wresting Uncle.
And we LOVED playing with curly Finn. Especially Heidi and Quinn.
And there were of course MORE babies!!! June and Henry were too lovable.
We had a visit to Shriners for an Alex hip appointment and got the amazing, wonderful, and overdue announcement that her hips look great and we will most likely, 99% never have to worry about them again!!!! It was glorious and I've been waiting 8 years to hear it. She received a blessing at 1 day old that she would be healed and I was certain at that moment that she would be healed overnight. It took some time, lol, but I always had faith.
There was a wonderful girls night catching up with some amazing ladies.
super hero masks (these two are peas in a pod)
Apple picking and new houses to see.
Snapdragon earrings.
Grandma and Grandpa's ward had a campout so we tagged along for dinner and fun. The kids fit right in and it was wonderful being in the old ward again.
Aunt Kara and Uncle Devin took us fishing.
We met up with some old Pittsburgh friends who had just moved to Provo and had a play date. It was sad leaving them and not knowing when we would meet up again. The Kay's were our favorite adventure friends in the burgh and Janeen is one of the most amazing ladies I've ever met.
Documenting the Gagon cousins. They look so 4th of Julyish.
But sadly we had to leave Provo and head North to Montana eventually.
We made it a 2 day trip and stopped by bear lake. The kids talk about it all the time.
Some sea turtles.
One of the few Wyoming pit stops.
We finally splurged on the BIG cone.
Hotel bums.
Thermopolis. Everyone loves that little boy.
A stop at the farm in Worland and of course some pop and mischief.
Kids with their Great grandpa Asay. The legend.
We made it to Billings and the next morning was Uncle Stephen's wedding!
Uncle Stephen, Aunt Ivy and the 2 cooperative ones.
It was SUCH a treat seeing these guys! We adore the Hull family.
Mom and I snagged a picture together.
Tommy was so cute I could eat him up! Dad was cute too.
Grandpa and I
Grandma Sanderson and Michael.
Uncle David had returned from his mission and we were SO excited to see him!
All the Asay cousins together! What a CUTE bunch!
Tyler and I snagged a picture of us, a few mother shy of our 10 year anniversary!
There was an awesome luncheon. The cousin dynamics were adorable.
Tommy likes this guy.
Heidi is my happy little nymph of wedding bliss.
We stopped by to visit Grandpa Asay on Sunday and collect all the blow away flowers for his grave, as well as right all the tipped over pots in the cemetary.
Sunday afternoon naps.
Monday morning lazyness
We visited the Montana Fair!
Tyler and I sprung for wrist bands and rode the rides with the kids.
I felt young again, and old at the same time. Like old and a big scary cat. Heidi it turns out is fearless though.
We got cheese curds for me, and funnel cake for Alex. Our favorite Fair foods.
Then it was on to a park.
David taught the kids how to ice block.
Lots of laughter.
Who can't love these guys.
This time on the flights home we had Dad.
And with a few suckers things went pretty well for the most part!
But this picture of Heidi with a broken shoe and glazed over eyes kind of sums up what we were feeling like after a 17 hour day of airplanes and airports.
It was wonderful to get home and into our routine. Tommy is my first little kid who will actually sit and watch a movie. This is good and bad.
Our pumpkin plants took over the garden and yard.
We met up with our Pittsburgh families and played.
Then we squeezed in some Pittsburgh adventures before fall hit! We loved hiking up this stream to the waterfalls!
We are homeschooling again. And it's going fabulous. The First day of school was a hit. Outside, with sticks and yarn and stories on a blanket. Quinn in her uniform.
We visited the botanical gardens.
There has been lots of lawn mowing. Tommy's eyes light up and he starts to run straight for the mower when he hears it start up.
We discovered this cart behind a fence in the yard and it's made life super fun.
We spend a lot of time on the trampoline together.
We sprung for a riverboat cruise/ pirate tour of the city.
Our giant pumpkins turned out pretty awesome.
Oh, and then we went to Virgina and visited Jamestown colony which had actors in costume from the time period, and a Powhaten village and replica boats. It was so cool. We got a free tour because it happened to be homeschool week!
Making ash cakes.
Next was Virgina beach. The weather was a tad chilly, but it was soooo fun.
Horseshoe crab discovery.
Slack lining on the beach.
We dug LOTS of holes.
And buried lots of kids lots of times.
We saw dolphins, and picked up shells.
Quinn on the beach was adorable.
Alex and Heidi were nonstop in and out and digging and building and running and giggling.
Tommy didn't care for the water, tricky waves, but loved the sand.
We walked down the pier, which no one liked but me.
And every morning I took a different kid on a sunrise walk and it was a blast. Our last morning I took both the big ones.
The garden jungle. Pumpkins, yams, tomatoes, and hot peppers.
Alex learned to bake bread. We are both happy about that.
We went to a historical Native American Heritage day at meadowcroft rock shelter and got to see some legit stuff going on. Cooking animals in their skins etc.
Skinning a bear and scraping the hide.
Weaving fish net.
We learned a TON! These guys knew a LOT and taught us SO much about everything. We were there for hours and hours and it all ended so soon.
Everyweek we have poetry teatime. Sometimes Dad is home for it and reads us silly poems. We drink lemonade.
This kid is cuter than cute. My favorite baby
We set up a date swap with friends so Tyler and I get out twice a month! This week was the strip district and peruvian food while perusing the shops without kids. Glorious!
kids and cats and sand and pumpkins. We love homeschool.
Aunt Terry is our science teacher and brought us a pet snapping turtle she found on the side of the road. He now lives in Heidi and Quinn's room and is named Snappy.
Tommy is really good at tantrums.
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