utah!

we spent the end of may and early june in utah. we did the same thing last year and i'm thinking we should make it a tradition. although i must admit, this year's trip didn't go as perfectly as last year's. in all honesty, it was pretty challenging a lot of the time. i had to use the epipen on emma (for the first time ever), connor was feeling a little under the weather and only wanted to be held by me, logan was a tired wreck at church and refused to go to primary (uncharacteristic of him) and so angela took he and connor home after sacrament meeting for a much needed nap (1:00 church is killer), logan hurt his leg jumping on the tramp on monday morning and wouldn't walk for 2 whole days (so i don't sounds totally insensitive, i was sure he was overreacting because that's how logan responds to any kind of pain). that meant carrying my almost 5 year old everywhere (including to the bathroom) and totally interrupting vacation plans (that usually required the use of legs and walking). it also meant a trip to urgent care and an x-ray, just to be sure there wasn't anything seriously wrong. i was telling dave on the phone one night, none of the situations in and of themselves were things i couldn't handle, but put all together, it just felt really hard and i felt totally drained trying to do it as a "single parent" (i had so many people ready and willing to help, but my kids seemed to only want me). needless to say, i felt like an impatient and horrible mom pretty much the whole week.

[hitting the road]

but there were some really fun times too (which i am reminded of looking at all these pictures). and in spite of all the challenging times, i would make the trip again. of course the highlight was just being with my sister and her family. the rawlings kids love my kids so much and treat them so well. they are amazing cousins! it is so fun to be together with them. we played in their amazing backyard, caught a snake, roasted smores, went to a splash pad and swimming. we also got to spend time with erin and sophie, which is so special because we don't get to see enough of them. i loved talking forever with erin while our kids played. i also got to meet my cousin's darling new little boy, visit a friend who used to live in denver and see my amazing friend from my mission, liz. so really, it was all worth it!

i was totally replaced as the bedtime book reader. i loved seeing their cousins read to them!

one of the first things logan wanted to do in utah was find a snake. check! 

the morning after we arrived in town, emma found a granola bar with peanut butter inside one of her cousin's backpack and ate it. i had to use the epipen for the first time and let's just say, she was crying and i was crying (now i know how to do it better for next time). we had to go sit at the hospital (not admitted, we just hung out in the lobby) for an hour in case she started to have a reaction once the medication wore off and needed additional assistance. i was almost certain she wouldn't have a reaction, but we went anyway, just to be on the safe side. it was an exciting start to the trip.

sophie and erin came over for dinner and to play one night. i loved seeing these cousins together (hint, hint: move back to colorado)!

eating strawberries

adventures with uncle mark

emma found a bunch of angela's medals from races and thought they were great necklaces! she wore them periodically throughout the week.

seriously, whey did they have to move away?! myles (age 10) practicing changing a diaper. i can't believe this is the only picture i got with him and connor. myles might just be the most affectionate 10 year old boy ever, with a serious love of babies! it is the sweetest thing.

walking to the cemetery to visit grandma and grandpa todd's grave

a rare reverent moment from emma during scriptures. too bad we couldn't bring Lexi home with us!

drumming

early on monday morning logan was jumping on the trampoline with myles, was bounced too high and came down wrong on his leg. all day monday, all day tuesday and wednesday morning he wouldn't put any weight on his leg. i carried him and eventually he scooted around on his bum. i didn't doubt that he had hurt his leg, but i didn't think it was as bad as he was making it out to be. logan reacts really intensely to pain. his reaction is often exaggerated for what seems appropriate for the situation. i'm guessing it hurt when he tried to walk on it and so he decided he would not walk to avoid the pain. the afternoon after it happened we went to a splash park and i assumed he would see all the kids having fun and it would motivate him to walk, so he could play. but he just sat on a blanket the whole time we were there.   

emma on the other hand played hard enough for both of them!

so hard in fact that she fell asleep while watching a show when we got home. i can't remember her ever doing that. it's hard to miss your nap.

logan spent a quite a bit of time hanging out on the couch.

finn was logan's best friend and his family moved to utah last summer. we couldn't miss a chance to go visit. i thought being with finn and not wanting to miss out on fun would inspire logan to walk, but no such luck. he just scooted around on his bum.

even though i was 99% sure logan's leg was fine (and i kept trying to make him walk on it...without success...and with plenty of frustration), i decided to take him to the doctor just to make sure. i was at my wit's end and didn't know what else to do. my brother-in-law matt had a friend from residency that was working at a clinic 15 minutes from the rawlings and so i took logan there. he got an x-ray taken (which he freaked out about until after the first picture was taken and he realized, "wait, that didn't hurt." later on he would tell everyone about his x-ray and how cool it was. i can't believe i didn't take a picture). not surprisingly, everything was fine and under doctor's orders, i made logan walk (we were quite the scene leaving the clinic, when i refused to carry logan (after he had told the doctor 5 seconds earlier he would walk) and i literally dragged him out of the office. little by little he began to walk again. hallelujah! 

this girl loved watering angela's plants. if i couldn't find her, there was a good chance she had let herself out front and was watering a plant!

she also loved their big sink and automatic faucet!

i love this picture of josh playing with connor

helping uncle mark. this girl loves to help (and uncle mark is the best to always let her)!

so much love

a frustrated baby who was being kept from the battleship board

while we were in utah connor's hair grew longer and began to lay down (it used to stick up in the back). it made him look so different.

angela makes the most delicious bread every week for her family and she taught me how. we'll see if i can get my act together and make it. it is so good!

i was so glad when my little guy got back to his happy self.

he mastered climbing up one step! ha!

we went to a place that had a wave pool and the kids loved it! emma especially had no fear of the waves knocking her over and i had to keep a close eye on her because she kept trying to go deeper and deeper.

when we got home she had a major meltdown. she was sent to her room until she calmed down and after screaming for awhile longer, she suddenly stopped. when i finally got down to check on her, she had fallen fast asleep. vacation is hard on little kids when they get to bed late, play hard and miss their naps. once again, this was the first time anything like this had ever happened. 

playing at my cousin's house

so happy to meet my cousin courtney's sweet new little baby (who is obviously not pictured here. but courtney, the total babe is!)

our last night there. it's always so sad to say goodbye. we're counting down to when we see them again in august!

whoops, eyes closed! i love and admire ang so much! i love watching her mother. she is such an inspiration. and i just love being with her.

emma and i shared a king sized bed. and without fail, by the time i came to bed she had scooted way over to my side. and even when i moved her, she would scoot back over to my side. she loved to snuggle. i knew dave would get a kick out of it because i guess i do the same thing (except in a queen sized bed).

on my way out of town i met my friend liz for breakfast. she had just gotten back into town from europe the night before and we just had to make a visit happen. she is one of the most incredible people i know and i could have sat and talked to her all day. i left her just feeling so uplifted and good. she is amazing!

until next time utah (hopefully with less doctor and hospital visits)!