At Home In Reno

It's that time of year again.  We seem to make it out to Reno for a family visit around August every year.  This year we went at the start of September, and were able to see Calvin, Calli, Peter, Rosie, and Jay.  (We missed Sarah and Toby and Clare).  Calli and Calvin were so nice to have us all for 6 days even though they were at the end of a total kitchen remodel.  It was fun to see the progress while we were there.  We had a great time and really enjoyed the perfect weather and good company.

I took way too many pictures (of course), so I thought I'd split them into a couple of posts.  So here are some from around the house... A couple are small because blogger or my computer are doing weird things...

We had a lot of fun just playing in the backyard.  Often it is really hot when we visit so we loved having the cooler temperatures.  Zach was in heaven with all the doting attention of everyone and plenty of projects.  He used their shopvac to clean various things for probably an hour, and loved it.  C3 (Grandad Cal) and Zach made many "marshmallow shooters" (pvc pipes hooked together and painted that you can blow mini marshmallows through).  He always wants to work and is thrilled when he can help on "big boy" jobs. 

Austin was totally obsessed with apples from their trees and would beg for them anytime we were in the backyard.

I was COMPLETELY surprised by a surprise 30th birthday party one evening.  Cal planned it and I had no idea.  And by "planned it" I mean he set the wheels in motion for Rosie and Katie to put together a beautiful and delicious party.  We usually go visit the Gabbarts (good family friends) when we are in Reno, so I didn't think anything of us going over to their house for dinner.  We walked in the door (Zach went ahead of me) and everyone jumped out of their hiding places and yelled, "Surprise!"  I was in a bit of a daze as I had just woken up from a nap and I just thought everyone was playing a trick on Zach.  Until Fay leaned over and said, "You do know this is for you, right?"

Oh.  Oh!

What fun!  I only wish I broke out my camera to show more of the decorations and everything.  It was beautiful and perfect, as always.  And the food was so good, I'm still thinking of it.  I was also surprised that evening (among other great presents) with a macro lens from Cal and his parents, which means I've been experimenting and have lots of close ups of random things... someday I'll get some posted.

 Katie's cupcakes (I can't remember the proper name, but they were lemony and yummy)

Homemade ice cream (Fay's I think?)

Rosie's creme brulee.

It was so wonderful and it made me feel so special and loved and grateful for great family and friends.  Thank you!!

Austin has a hard time sleeping away from his crib.  So he only got a handful of naps while we were there, and some we drove to get him to sleep a bit in the car.  Of course, he was sleeping like a champ right before we needed to go to church.  I rarely get to see him sleeping in his room with black out shades at home, so I had to snap a picture.  So sweet.

Attempts at a family photo.  Not so easy with 2 wiggly silly boys.

Hot tub!  The boys loved getting in the hot tub and got to go in a few times.We just turned down the temperature a bit and it was perfect.

The Party

Zach requested a Cars 2 party this year.  He got to go see the movie in the theater with Cal a few weeks earlier, so he has been pretty excited about Lightening McQueen and Francesco (the fast race cars).  Anyone who has spent much time with him knows he loves to race, that he is fast, and that he likes to talk about being so fast. I initially intended that it wouldn't be a very big party, but we ended up inviting 8 friends and all 8 made it, plus a couple of siblings.  We had Kira, Skyler, Ethan, Preston, Raquelle, Tom, Elissa, and Hannah.  We were happy to have everyone and grateful for so many friends, but I quickly realized it was a lot of kids!  It was wild and fun!  

Cal made these "cars" out of boxes for the kids to run races in.  He spray painted them to be similar to cars from the movie.  Left to right is Guido, Holley Shiftwell, Finn McMissile, Francesco, and Lightening McQueen.  We only had 5 box cars, but the kids did really well taking turns and trading them around.  

They ran races and played red light green light.  They ran back and forth across our yard at least 20 times.  Of course it was a record hot day, so the kids were hot and sweaty!  We didn't plan too much, and didn't plan on serving any food but cake and ice cream.  But they finished their races and were all hungry.  So we hurried and sliced up some apples and cheese and got some pretzels and water out. 

After snacks we did cake.  Here is cake #2, a little messed up from the plastic wrap I covered it with overnight.  Oh well.  The kids all begged for pieces with the pretzel M&M's.

Singing Happy Birthday

After cake we opened presents.  I didn't get any pictures as I was frantically trying to see who got him what. It was a bit of a free for all as the kids all wanted Zach to open up their present, and quite a few ended up opening up the present they had brought.  Oh, the excitement!

Then came the chaos!!  Somehow the kids all made their way inside, and then down to the basement.  I can't blame them.  It was so hot outside!  But I certainly did not intend for them to end up inside.  In record time, most of our toys were out and being played with.  It was CRAZY.  I was totally overwhelmed by the chaos, decided not to fight it, and just hoped no one got hurt or things didn't get broken.  In reality there wasn't actually that much extra time for them to play inside, but it was just so wild.  Next year we are going to have to do something smaller...  But the kids all seemed to have a great time and hopefully we wore them out properly so they slept well that night!

Zach is 4

Our Zach turned 4 a few weeks ago.  He seems so old to me.  Such a kid.  I guess that's the way it works...  He is a joy to us and we are so grateful he is in our family!  

He is silly, smart, full of energy, social, strong, mischievous, fun, happy, a fast runner, sensitive, tenderhearted, and sweet.

Here are a few pictures I snapped about a week before his birthday.

On his birthday, he woke up to a decorated dining room and a breakfast of Fruit Loops.  I had told him when we were shopping that he could choose any cereal he wanted for a special birthday breakfast (I'd heard of someone doing this and it sounded like a fun tradition).  I, however do not recommend this tactic.  We never get sugary cereal, and it was just too much.  He couldn't finish his bowl, and was WIRED in church.  Ha ha.  He hasn't touched them since.  

After church (and getting sung to in Primary- he was excited!), we had my parents over for dinner and cake and presents.  His requested dinner was grilled cheese, strawberries, carrots, and grapes.

Cake #1.  

He had a party with friends a couple of days later (a post coming on this) that I made a "fancier" cake for.

Happy Birthday buddy!

We love you!

Nashville

Last week I was lucky enough to tag along to a conference with Cal.  It's not that I was excited about the conference (it was for hospital supply chain...) but that it was in Nashville.  I love country music, so this was a perfect place to go.  Cal went on Sunday, and I met him there Monday, and left the boys with my parents who so kindly watched them for us.  Again. 

My first night there we got to go to a concert at the Grand Ole Opry (with the conference goers).  I was so excited!  They had 5+ different groups perform.  We heard Little Jimmy Dickens, Emily West, Restless Hear, Kellie Pickler and Blake Shelton.  They were all good, but Blake Shelton was incredible.  It was open seating and we were only maybe 7 rows from the front, and to the side a little.



Blake Shelton




Kellie Pickler

The concert was so much fun.  I was in heaven.

We stayed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, where the conference was.  This place was amazing.  It is HUGE.  Like a small city.  Seriously. 



A stained glass ceiling in a foyer.

There were multiple atriums that were huge and covered with glass ceilings.  In these, there were rivers and boats and ponds and fish and waterfalls and trees and buildings with shops and restaurants.  There were 13 restaurants in the hotel, if that gives you an idea of the place.  It was neat.  I was certainly not bored while Cal was enjoying his long conference days.  I got to sleep in, workout, read by the pool, and get a pedicure...  It was tough. 

One of the atriums.



Our last morning there, Cal had some time to venture out into Nashville with me before we had to head home.  We got to wander through the Country Music Hall of Fame, walk the historic downtown area, and eat at the Wildhorse Saloon.  It was a fun city and it would have been nice to have more time there.  It's always a little hard for me to leave the boys, but it is always so nice to have a little break and "recharge the batteries."  So glad I tagged along!

Still Alive

Pretty things.

More here.

I'm getting the photography itch.  Maybe I'll actually get some more pictures posted over there. 

One of these days...

Laughs

So this morning while Zach was at a friend's house Austin and I had a little one on one time.  So what do I do?  Plop him in my chair and snap a few pictures before his nap.  Luckily, he thinks I'm pretty funny.  :)

Garbage.

Phone Photos

Now that I have a nicer phone, I can catch some little moments that I never did before.  Here are a few fun random ones from this summer.



Flying kites with Grandad Cal and Pete and Austin over Memorial Day.



Smiley boy.




Austin getting his allergy tests.  (They came back negative, and eventually the mystery rashes have just disappeared).  He did well, but was super wiggly and it was really hard for me not to smear the test dots on his back.  We were just happy that he was not allergic to anything!



One of many trips to the Denver Zoo. 



Austin really likes the giraffes.

Zach, ready for work.  Some days he gets really upset when Calvin leaves without him when he is determined he is going to work too.  I'm not sure where exactly he expects Cal to take him?  Soon enough buddy!

Snuggles and books with Daddy.

Austin loves this car.  It is our neighbor's and he is convinced it is his.  We play together a ton and he always makes a bee line for it in their garage.  No matter how long he has been in it, he still cries when it is time to go and I take him out.

Cutie trying out a bike helmet. 

Silly face at the pool.

Austin is our water boy.  Not only does he love being in water and get sad when he can't get in any body of water, he keeps us all hydrated too.  I got the boys some matching (different colored) water bottles and they love them.  Austin insists that we all drink from our water bottles at the same time.  He carries his with him everywhere.  If he wants a drink, he gets Zach's water bottle and yells, "Dack!!"  (Zach) and takes it to him, then drinks.  He also wants me to drink with them.  "Mom! Ah-der!"  (water)  It is just so funny how intent he is about the whole thing.