A Very Happy First

We blinked and our newborn baby turned one!

 

We invited a few friends over from Andrew's program (our place is tiny, so it was just the right number of people) and had a little party in Preston's honor.

Please - will you tell me what is cuter than a little nautical theme? See, you can't.

 For the record, this extensive labeling was not my idea. :)

My first attempt at piping! Felt like a real professional. Only without any skills.

 The banner following Preston from baby to one-year-old made me so simultaneously happy and sad.

 Some people ate, others ran from the camera

 When asked how old he is, Preston holds up a single finger. :)

Hands down my favorite picture of the entire day! Hahaha, Asher...

 Our friends are too good to us.

Preston Andrew, you have one whole year of life behind you! I am done marveling at how fast time is flying; instead, I am working to absorb every moment of your baby-gone-boy sweetness.You are so very special to us, son. Tears spring to my eyes as I say it. Always remember how precious and loved you are. Happy first birthday!

- Mommy and Daddy

A Farewell Wedding

Tomorrow, my little sister Hannah will have been married three weeks. I love family weddings. Getting to see the people you love most while celebrating a day that means the most. Laughing, crying, talking, eating, dancing...and it's all capped off with cake. I could do it every weekend.

She wore my dress, and it looked lovely on her. It was a really beautiful wedding and I was so grateful to be there, part of it. It was one of those days you spend feeling so much, you're just emotionally wiped by the end (and also physically wiped, because you've spent the day in heels, standing around for pictures, helping put on a luncheon, running last minute errands and chasing kids around a reception hall). We all felt such overwhelming excitement, joy and gratitude that our sister was marrying an excellent man from an excellent family. That little girl is so loved. But there was also a sense of loss as they drove away in that decorated car...when would we see her again? Alberta is too far.

The rest of us sisters came home that night, took off our heels and just crashed on the couch together, numb. Somebody suggested ice cream. Then we remembered we'd just had cake...and still had ice cream. 

That was Friday. Saturday we all began packing up and driving different directions. Amy, the youngest, drove away to Arizona for college. I cried. 

Maybe this all seems over-dramatized, but the whole thing really played out in my mind like some coming of age film only teenage girls see. We just needed to work in some ya-ya traveling pants, or something. It's just bittersweet to see my little sisters begin such exciting new chapters in life, while knowing they'll be written so far away.

But I've talked to them both and they are doing so well - settling in and feeling happy. I don't know how much that call to Canada cost, but we'll find out soon enough. Maybe I can open the phone bill before Andrew does. 

Anyway, the 6 of us girls are all adults out on our own now, but we're still growing up. And learning to adjust to seasons of change is a big part of that. Now that it's been a few weeks and all the emotions are beginning to simmer down, the feeling of gratitude remains strong. I love my family so very much and am profoundly grateful to Heavenly Father for the sweet blessing of sisterhood in my life.

Waterfalls and Time Bombs

Now and then, a dash of spontaneity is good for everyone. Yes it is. So a few weeks ago, we packed up the car, turned off our air conditioning, and set off for Niagara Falls. It was just a last-minute weekend trip, but we figured we could see Niagara, Palmyra, and the Hill Cumorah pageant in two days.

The trip up seemed fast! As we drove, I got that "real adult" feeling...when did we become the grown ups taking their kids on trips? Time and its shady fly-by ways.

It was so neat to drive along the great lakes and I was able to fulfill my lifelong dream of seeing the Eerie Canal. To each their own. We arrived to Niagara Falls, and as one might expect on a sunny Saturday in July, the place was slammed.

 

 The iconic Maid of the Mist. The long line made us nervous, but it moved ultra fast.

 Getting misty...

Not pictured: Asher, who was under the impression he was driving the boat the entire time.

Part of me would like to live Preston's life. At least during nap time, anyway. Being carted around like that...no one thinks it's cute when I take naps in public places. And Andrew always refuses my rickshaw requests. Enjoy this phase of life, buddy.

A random picture of Asher with an ice cream cone sign. Speed-walking Andrew was about 30-yards ahead with the stroller, probably completely oblivious we weren't together.

It was the perfect day for a snow cone. And this elegant necklace came free with purchase.

After the falls, we drove to Palmyra, NY where we were able to visit the Sacred Grove - where God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to the prophet Joseph Smith in 1820.  Joseph was charged with restoring the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness in this last dispensation. It was so special to be there, and I felt especially grateful for the knowledge that God still speaks through prophets, his servants, just as He always has.

We then headed over to the Hill Cumorah Pageant, which chronicles the events of the Book of Mormon - an ancient record of the inhabitants of the Americas, and another testament of Jesus Christ. It is a book I have read and re-read, and each time receive a profound witness it is true by the power of the Holy Ghost. It's hard knowing so many are misinformed about it.

It just so happened that my cousin Cory and his darling family were all performing in the show this year, and seeing them and catching up (they live in Chicago) felt so good. The show starts at sundown, which is 9:15PM, and with two small children, we were extra nervous about how it would all go down. Miraculously, Asher sat in Daddy's lap almost the entire time, and Preston slept in my arms.

The scene of the resurrected Savior in America

The next day we made our way back to Ohio, and took the boys to Steak n' Shake for the first time.

I can't look at these boys longer than two seconds without completely melting.

We thought we'd stop by historic Kirtland, Ohio on our way home. I'd always wanted to go and it was on our way...but we knew it was a little risky. Preston hadn't napped, and Asher had gone to bed past midnight the night before, but since we were right there, stopped anyway.  

We were in a tour group led by two sweet sister missionaries, and when they asked, "Does anyone here have any time constraints?" I should have cleared my throat and mentioned we were in a bit of a hurry. I should have notified them we were carrying two time time bombs set to go off any minute. I should have, but I said nothing, and instead focused on keeping Asher from bolting into people's photos.

Inside the Newell K. Whitney general store - stocked with the very same goods as in the 1830's.

As a three-year-old, Asher has become an easily-controlled, agreeable boy. I didn't realize, however, how heavily dependent upon sleep these qualities are. The kid bee-lined for every roped off area he could, with wild eyes hungry for mischief. I did my best to calmly apprehend and correct him without creating another show for our tour group. I failed. Andrew dumped Preston into my arms and tried valiantly to take Asher firmly in hand, which resulted in noisy tears. Preston began making intermittent shrieking noises in a register so shrill I worried about the 19th century windows.

This was all as we tried to listen to the soft-spoken sisters, and attempted to maintain the illusion that every detail of the tour had our undivided attention. Heads nodding, eyes narrowed while we simultaneously wrangled flailing children. "Oh, so what were these barrels used for?" What a farce.

Joseph Smith's office

We proceeded upstairs to the more spiritual portion of the tour. Every new room seemed to energize Asher more. I could feel heat radiating from Andrew's brow. I wanted to take a bunch of pictures and ask a million questions - it was just so amazing to actually be there where there was so much early church history. But the bombs had begun the accelerated beeping phase.

Our group sat down in the room where the school of the prophets was held, and someone was asked to read a very powerful account of an apostle's experience with the Savior. It was in the middle of this special moment Preston chose to arch his spine, throw his head back, and flat out unleash all his exhausted 11-month-old fury. It was a cue we couldn't ignore. We stood up abruptly, apologized for destroying the spirit of their experience, and awkwardly fumbled our way out the door. Should have given a good bow.

We loaded our delirious maniacs into the van, and between deep breaths reminded ourselves they were just tired baby boys. Our fault for having them out. The curtains closed on our formal touring, we still drove past the temple for a few quick pictures.

Asher was out almost immediately, but poor Master P was completely overtired and just cried. My children's cries almost cause me physical pain - but driving, there isn't much I can do. But after 20 or so minutes, I was a little desperate, so handed back a little sucker to Preston. His first.

 

He was a sticky mess, but it bought us some sunshine. :)

The journey home felt decidedly longer. But even with our little blunders and hiccups, we had a really, really fun trip. It's so important to make memories together. And w;e're learning...by the time we have a full van, we'll be old pros. ;)