Home is.....

One of Weston's favorite things to do at Grandma and
Grandpa house is to put together and take apart all of
Grandpa's instruments the clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone,
and bagpipes. He must have done this 100 times. Bless
Grandpa's heart to humoring him.


Weston with his favorite Aunt Keri.

Getting a few pointers on picture taking like how to point the
camera at actual people.

I would like to change the old saying a little bit to say home is all the places the heart is. We spent the last six weeks in Utah visiting family and friends. It really was a wonderful visit. So many sweet moments...... I would like to share a few, in no particular order.....

We made trip to Logan to visit my grandma Joyce she has progressive dementia which is taking her memory and other things along with it. Growing up I would always stand next to her at the piano and we would sing, old time songs, opera, musicals, hymns, everything. It was always a lot of fun even if it would go on longer than you has planned. She has forgotten lately that I sing and when we visited I sang for her 'Danny Boy, which was always one of her favorites. It was like a new experience for her to hear me sing just for her and she was thrilled. Every time we leave Utah now I just accept that it may be the last time I see Grandma and this was a good note to end on. I wish I could have sung for Grandpa one last time, but the words got stuck and only tears came. I sung for him later, I think he could hear me.

Ben and I started work on a CD together of baby songs like 'Blackbird', 'Over the Rainbow', etc. He has quite a setup and we had so much fun together. It was almost like a dream come true to actually be singing and recording, I always wondered how those earphones felt that they show on movies. It was an exhilarating experience. Thanks Ben.

So this may sound like a dumb thing, but the day before we left I got into a water fight with my dad and it was brutal. I made him surrender his big water gun and trade me for the puny one I started out with and he came back with a vengeance, a three gallon bucket to be exact. I felt like a little girl again. Thanks Dad.

We went to Bearlake with Kyle's family, and mine as well. It was such a great trip. It was so fun to see all the little boys going crazy on the beach, Elijah even ate part of the beach. I think my favorite part was that the people I love the most were all in the same place at the same time.

When we said our goodbye to the nephews after the first week, I was so touched even to tears when my nephew Alex gave me a hug and just hung on for a long time. We love Ethan, Alex, and Connor so much and enjoyed the time we got to spend with them.

Mom and I went for a long walk all around Farmington. We used to do that almost every Sunday. Back then we would talk about current boyfriends, school, and everything that seemed so important to me at the time. Our conversations have changed a little bit, but I still enjoy spending time with my mom just talking and walking and being. Thanks Mom.

Kyle's extended family has many daughter in-laws who get together now and then for a GNO (girls night out.) While I was in town we all went to see 'Mama Mia' at the huge screen Jordon commons theatre. It was a lot of fun, even though the show was a little racy. I love Abba music, in fact sometimes I like to pretend I am Abba. The highlight of the evening was when Patty and her sisters after spending a suspicious amount of time in the ladies room burst though the door in line singing and dancing to 'dancing queen.' It was hilarious! Thanks Patty

One evening, the one where Michael Phelps won the 8th gold, my sister in law Keri and I sat on the back patio and chatted about life and all its possibilities. I never had a sister, and always wished I had, it has been fun to do sister things with Keri. She is such an amazing woman and so much fun. Thanks Keri.

Kyle's dad is now retired and gets to spend time doing things like checking stocks,and golfing, and checking stocks, and playing with the grand kids, and checking stocks, you get the idea. :) Anyway my favorite memories of Grandpa Terry are the ones where he is playing guitar and Wes and Elijah are just glued. Their favorites are 'Little White Duck' and some other drinking songs that I can't remember. It is so cute to see them get so into it. Thanks Terry

So now we're home again........we spent the day unpacking yesterday, fixed a flat tire in one car and a clanking noise in the other and still haven't figured out how to get 6 weeks worth of bird stuff of the hood of our cars, but we were all happy to see our own beds. We were happy to reunite with friends at church today, it was a crunch to stay all three hours, but we did it. Weston got to play with his friend Carter and they were so happy to see each other that they bit each other, it's hard to know where 3 year olds are coming from. ....... So this is home here in Milwaukee. And home is Utah too. Home is wherever my boys are.

There's only one Lagoon......thank goodness!

Our trip to Utah wouldn't be complete without a trip (or two) to Lagoon. It was Weston's dream come true, he loved all the kiddie rides and the bottomless slurpees. It was actually fun for Kyle and I as well, I felt nostalgic riding all my favorite childhood rides and Kyle relived his summers of working at Lagoon. I forget how scary all the roller coasters are, we actually sat behind a woman who wet her pants during the ride:) Elijah enjoyed taking in all that was going on around him and especially loved watching puff the magic dragon roller coaster. Maybe next year he'll actually get to ride.

Top of Utah Half Marathon

Weston was very impressed with the sheep in the backyard.
He wanted to know if we could get some sheep.



This morning my little Bro who is no longer so little, ran the half marathon in Logan. We all went up to surprise him at the finish line. It was a lot of fun, I have never been to the finish line of a race, but it was really cool, to cheer everyone on. I don't really understand running, but I have to respect people who do. I am proud of Ben, he finished in the 100's range out of 1200 runners, so it was a great run!

Splish Splash!

A little sunshine and splash. We got this swimming pool to bring back to Milwaukee and hopefully enjoy some hot fall days in the water:) Elijah has no fear of the water, he wants to put his whole face in and take a drink. It is a little scary to take him to the big swimming pool because he will just jump right in.

Great Grandma Joyce

We visited Great Grandma Joyce this past week at her apartment in Logan. It's always a circus to take the kiddos up to Logan and spend the day, but well worth it. We visited Grandma's house one last time before it's sold. It was a weird feeling to walk around an empty house that has so many wonderful memories of childhood for me. I took some pictures. One of the best moments of the day was after we returned from lunch and Wes and Grandma were sitting on the swinging bench in front of her home singing all the old time songs that grandma used to sing that have been passed down and I have taught to Weston. It was a full circle moment where through the small things the generations are connected. I am so glad that Weston will have memories of Grandma, she is truly a special person in my life.

This is the patio where I danced as a little girl and even a teenager, there is a full wall of windows behind that act as mirrors, it was perfect.

I drew this little work of art at least 20 years ago. I guess Grandma never had the heart to wash it off the basement wall.

This it the huge jet tub in Grandma and Grandpa's room. When I was little and we would visit we got to take a bath in it and at the time it seemed like a swimming pool.

Going to the Zoo

monkeying around

The white alligator, I must say this was a little creepy!

Nana and Grandpa with the boys

ride um' lion




This past week we went on an outing to Hogle zoo with Kyle parents. The kids had a great time. We were all impressed by how many improvements had been made to the zoo since our last visit which for some of us was years ago. The highlight was the bird show they do where the birds are flying over you head and even land on some audience members. Wes like the doves that all flew in a family. Good Times! Thanks Nana and Grandpa!

Cherry Hill

Bec, Kins, and Sum, three peas in a ......... pirate ship

Where is that treasure? Miles and Ezra, partners in crime.

Cami 3.5 years, Wes 3.5 years, Ezra 2, Miles almost 4

Hoist the sails!

Ezra and Wes steer us to shore.

We spent today at Cherry Hill with friends. I was able to leave Elijah home with Grandma Joyce, so it was Wes and Mom time. Wes had a lot of fun going from pool to water slide to the pirate's cove play area. He finally started to get comfortable and adventurous about when we had to leave. I think he may have a small crush on Cami because for the last 15 minutes he followed her around the pool. It has been surprising to Wes how many friends and family members we have in Utah who love us and they all know his name. Who knew?

Bearlake and Gone Fishing

We spent a weekend at Bearlake with both sides of the family. It was a lot of fun, the cousins enjoyed each other and playing in the lake. Weston went for his first jetski ride and loved it. We all got some sun and ate way too much junk food, I guess that's what vacation is about, right!

Kyle's Dad (Grandpa Terry) loves to go fishing, so he and the boys took a trip to Farmington pond to see what they could catch. I think they ended up with a few microscopic fish and lots stinky muddy laundry... oh and most importantly some great memories. Weston truly loved spending time with his cousins, it would be wonderful if it could happen more often.