Every year my side of the family has a Valentines party hosted by my sister-in-law. It's been going on 8 years!! and every year it gets better. Unfortunately, I've missed the last 7 years. So when I received the invite back in January I realized I had nothing preventing me from going. I started planning my first (of many, I'm sure) trip to Utah while Hyrum is gone.
I went a few days earlier than planned so I could avoid some snow across Wyoming, and we had perfect driving weather the whole way. My kids were exactly how I expected them to be during the 8.5 hour drive: mostly okay with an hour or two of miserable screaming. They watched movies, and we stopped for an hour at the McDonalds play-place. Mila decided to throw-up at one point, and that was disgusting. Tiago cried more than Mila, because the smell bothered him. But we got it cleaned up and back on the road. We made it to Utah by dinner time. (And more importantly, bedtime.)
Usually the for the first week I'm in Utah I have a hibernation instinct. It's like I have to relax and recover from real life. Then I'm ready to start partying.
I was more than read for our Valentines party on Saturday. My sister-in-law knows how to throw a party. After being on Nutrisystem for a month, I was excited to dig into those cupcakes.
The highlight of the party is the white elephant gift exchange. We managed to get all the kids into the basement (okay, the 5-month old got to stay) and enjoyed hilarious adult time. Oh how I value kid-free time these days, and the ability to eat a few bites or hold a conversation without interruption. Back to the exchange, it's always hilarious to see what shows up. I thought I brought a great gift--fancy cheese and 8 bottles of bubbly. It got stolen a few times. I'd give the most creative gift award to the two steaks accompanied by a branding iron. I came home with some Clinton TP. Best moment award goes to my 6'3'' brother putting on a Miss Piggy footed pajama onesie that barely fit. That had everyone laughing.
Here are a few shots of Mila. Both Mila and Siena love to put on Tiago's shoes and wear them around the house. During the first week we were in Utah, my mom was watching cousin Talia, who is a year younger than the girls. She started copying them and putting their shoes.
One of my first priorities, once I felt ready to get out of the house, was visiting our dear friends from our days in Ohio. They're living in Utah now and it was so good to catch up. We haven't seen them since I was pregnant with the twins, and their family has experienced a huge loss, so seeing them was long overdue. During the hour drive to their house I was remembering the countless hours I spent at their house in Kirtland, and the many meals they fed Hyrum and me, and most importantly, the laughing. Then the whole drive home, I was reflecting on the warmth and ease of good friends. And bonus: they (and their dog) entertained my kids the whole time so it was really a piece of cake to hang out with them.
A different evening two of my friends/roommates from colleges came to hang out. It was last minute, but worked out so perfectly that we could get together. I stayed up several hours past my bedtime laughing and reminiscing. Maybe it's because I don't spend much time these days with close friends (living in 3 states in the last 1.5 years will do that) but I felt so rejuvenated by my friends.
The rest of the time I was mostly hanging out with my family. And I got to go to the temple twice before it closed for cleaning. During the weeks my oldest sister wasn't working, we went to the Hill Air Force Museum (what a cool collection of planes and helicoptors!) and Chick-fil-et, and hung out in the basement while our kids played. She's my only sibling who is sometimes home during the day. We also snuck off one afternoon without my girls to get sushi, which is a bit of a tradition. A really delicious tradition.
The timing of being in Utah worked out perfectly. The Mesa Visitors Center directors that I served with on my mission were coming home from another mission in London. I got to drive to Logan for their homecoming to see them, and was surprised by seeing 2 other sisters that I served with. What a joyful reunion! We couldn't believe we've been home for 8-ish years. My kids were mostly behaved, and it's honestly one of the nicest wards I've ever visited. During sacrament meeting, while I was sitting with the 3 of them by myself, people were handing my kids toys to play with, and even fruit snacks to eat. (Siena is obsessed.) So many old ladies came up and told me how precious my kids were, and that they know how hard it is at that stage. It was encouraging, and yet discouraging, because I kept contrasting it with the branch I'm currently in where no one has any extra energy to care. But overall I was thankful the whole drive home that I could go; the effort was worth it. It's always nice to reminisce about my mission, especially with people that went through it with me.
When we showed up to my parents' house, my mom had several hand-sewn outfits waiting for Mila and Siena. They are all adorable. There were dresses made out of a tulip fabric that was pretty, so I bought some more of the fabric and had her make me a matching skirt. I'm generally not a matchy person, but it's all really adorable and perfectly over-the-top. We also spent another day at the fabric store buying way too much. I found whimsical blue fabric that I couldn't resist buying, so my mom made them two more dresses. And I tried my hand at sewing for the first time in years, and quickly remembered why I don't like sewing. The cutting felt tedious, so did the pinning and sewing. It was all compounded by the fact that I had to double everything (twins...) and I was using knit fabric which stretched like crazy and didn't always line up right. But in the end, I gained more appreciation for the dresses my mom makes, and I do actually like what I ended up with--imperfections and all.
We went to Hyrum's parents house in Ogden. The kids were eating dinner on a small picnic table in the family room. I saw Tiago trying to give food to Mila, and told him to eat his own food. His cute response was, "Mom, I'm helping Mila eat." And he really was. A bite for her, a bite for him, and back and forth. I still can't believe she was playing along. It was probably the most adorable moment of the month.
We had some days with beautiful weather. My mom was so good about bringing the kids outside to play and run around, while the thought of doing that tends to exhaust me. (Notice they're all eating popsicles.)
I got beautiful roses for Valentines day! It was a surprise, and they lasted well over a week.
This is proof of how long the girls' hair is these days. It curls right up around their ears, so you'd never know it was several inches down their back. I convinced Siena to sit still long enough for me to braid it; only wish they let me do it more often.
There is a new aquarium in Layton. We took the kids one afternoon, and it was alright. It felt a little over priced but worth doing once. The kids had fun, when they weren't crying. The highlight for the kids was a huge tank you could walk under--so the sting rays swam over your head. I'm always impressed with the stuff Tiago picks up from TV, like knowing about sting rays and sharks.
Mila on the Left, Siena on the right.
Talia turned 1 on the 19th so we went over to watch her blow out a candle. (Amie now lives in Farmington, not far from my parents.) Matt and Kayla came, and entertained Tiago. I think Matt was pushing Tiago's tricycle with his foot. Talia had lots of attention from loving family.
That evening we cooked s'mores over the fire. Even though the adult to kid ration was 4:3, Tiago still managed to pick up a hot stick and burn his hand (minor) and Matt almost got a flaming marshmallow in his face, courtesy of Tiago. But no one died, so it was a success.
My dad bought this card for my mom for Valentines Day. When you open it, it sings James Brown's "I feel good" and my girls couldn't get enough of it. Every time they open it they start dancing around the house. It's hilarious.
Laurel brought all her kids over for Presidents Day, so Tiago was in heaven playing with so many cousins. While we were waiting for the cousins to arrive, Siena was set on going swimming. She put Tiago's swim suit on over her clothes, then screamed until I put her top on her. Those two were quite a pair.
As things usually go, I decided to have a family gathering for the girls' 2nd birthday, and while I blinked my mom whipped up 3 kinds of cupcakes. I usually have every intention of doing the work myself, but then she does it so much better and faster and quicker. And then I ate most of them.
Tiago got to play with another cousin a few days later, when Sofia came to play for the morning. They're at the perfect age to play with each other. They went in the play house under the stairs, and we could hear them start to sing "I am a Child of God" together. (adorable!) Then Sofia told Tiago to pray, and that he could just repeat what she said, and that it was just pretend praying. The prayer was followed by her lesson. (They later came out and told us they were playing "church".)
Courtney came up by herself while Peter was out of town. She entertained Tiago outside in the snow.
And then my mom helped him put that little snowman to shame.
Really, my kids live the life at their grandparents' house. Watching Tiago casually eat a pile of chocolate chips out of the container's lid really drove that point home for me.
Talia had a real birthday party a week after her birthday when Amie had off work. She's a loved baby.
My mom was in Disneyland with my brother's family for 5 days, and the first few days she was gone it was just snow, snow, and more snow. I was so bored of being home with the kids. (It improved from there.) The view out their kitchen window was beautiful, though, because of the snow.
The last Saturday of February we had the Porters and Hyrum's parents come over to celebrate Mila and Siena turning 2. There were 2 highlights for me. First, the food was awesome--cupcakes, chicken salad and fruit. And second, the kids played by themselves in the basement almost the whole time, which left the adults free to stay upstairs and socialize... and eat.
The last fun thing we did in February was visit the Salt Lake library. We'd been to story time at the Farmington library (my kids didn't known story time could be so boring) so a bigger library was a good change. There's a glass elevator the kids loved riding in, a few play areas (although not nearly as good as what we have at our local library) and we happened to be there during a fabulous story time. They had songs, electronic books, and dancing. Mila, in particular, had no reservation about standing up and dancing in front of people. (In contrast, Tiago didn't open his mouth, or barely blink, during any of the songs.)
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