Sojourn to Utah: July 2020

We had another successful trip to Utah this summer! It's always great to see our families and some friends.

We left around noon on June 25th and I drove us to Albuquerque. We grabbed some dinner at Chick-Fil-A and let the girls play at a park to get some wiggles out before getting some gas at Costco and hitting the road again. We made it to Kaysville around 4:00 AM on the 26th. 

June 26

We went to sleep once we got inside but the girls didn't sleep in, kind of a bummer because we were all tired from the drive. Dan and I celebrated our seven year anniversary that evening by getting takeout from Taggart's and eating it on the mountainside enjoying the view we both miss.

June 27

We got the pool out and the Mike invited us over to his parent's house to swim in their swim spa. The girls loved it! The warm water was nice too.

June 28

June 30

I watched Luke while my parents went and helped Mike and Nikkole move out of their old house into their new one. And I got to teach HIGH Fitness with my favorite instructor!

Luke liked brushing Hayley's hair so he was following her around with the brush.

Luke didn't have his shoes because of the craziness of Mike and Nikkole moving so he wore Evelyn's, luckily they are the same size.

July 1

Dan's Mom got us Cherry Hill passes so we spent the evening there. Because of COVID you have to make reservations, but it's worth it since there are way less people. I wouldn't mind it being like that every summer.

July 2

Evelyn turned the Barbie's veil into a cape and said she was a superhero.

July 3

Matt, Andrea, and Beau came up for the weekend. We went swimming at Kelley's again and got some Chick-Fil-A for dinner afterwards.

July 4

We celebrated America's and Becky's birthday at Hayward's and Cherry Hill.

Evelyn does not like the birthday song for some reason.

July 5

We had church at home in the morning and spent the day with my family.

July 7

I got my hair done in the morning and we spent the afternoon playing outside. 

July 8

We spent the afternoon/evening with Haywards for Brittany's birthday. I made her a chocolate raspberry cake. We had dinner and then spent the evening at Cherry Hill.

July 9

We would get lunch from the school for free and Hayley wanted to show her Dad. Dan spent most mornings at Davis High doing business school homework.

July 10

Matt, Andrea, and Beau came up for the weekend again. We went boating at Pineview in the evening. Paige wasn't too fond of her life jacket. I mean I don't think any baby really is but she struggled the most out of our three girls. Our kiddos have to pass the boating test and she definitely got the lowest grade ha.

July 11

Hayley turned five years old today! I can't believe how big she is. Becky took her and Evelyn to Build-A-Bear in the morning and after nap time we headed up to Hyrum to celebrate my Grandma's 80th birthday. It had been a while since we had seen Grandma so it was so nice to be able to. I love her so much! I was a little worried about her party because of COVID but two weeks has passed and thankfully all is well.

We went for a short ride on Uncle Rex's motorcycle.

July 12

Today was the day we celebrated Hayley since we had other stuff going on on her actual birthday.

July 13

My Mom, Andrea, Nikkole, and I went to Hogle Zoo in the morning with our kids. We got Chick-Fil-A and took it to Sugarhouse Park to eat it afterwards. Then we spent the afternoon at Cherry Hill with Haywards and Howells. 

July 14

It was another boating day today. Paige did much better in her life jacket this time. 

July 15

Another morning spent at Cherry Hill.

July 16

We headed down to Saratoga Springs once Dan finished his schoolwork and we ate lunch. The boys all went shooting while the girls hung out and then we had some delicious brisket that Matt made for dinner.

July 17

Another morning spent at Cherry Hill.

July 18

I started off my Saturday morning by teaching a HIGH Fitness class. It was the best! It was fun to see old friends I hadn't seen in years. We spent the afternoon/evening at Hayward's just playing outside.

July 19

We actually went to church this morning. We wore our masks and there were only maybe 50 in the chapel but it was good to be there. We had dinner at Hayward's and took some family photos at Layton Park afterwards.

July 20

Uncle Mike had a pickleball tournament in Farmington so we went there and I played with the kids at the playground while the adults watched him. 

July 21

We were invited to a lunch Luau party at Kelley's and the girls just loved it. It was fun for them to play with a new friend and swim. After nap time we went over to Hayward's and spent time with Howells because Steve was in town too!

July 22

We hung out at my parent's until after nap time and then went to Hayward's. Dan kept the girls there until bedtime while I went and taught another HIGH Fitness class that night. 

July 23

I won two Splash Pass tickets to Cherry Hill so my Mom and Nikkole came with us this morning. It was fun and towards the end of our reservation it got cloudy so not many people were there. The girls had a sleepover at Hayward's that night with all their cousins. 

July 24

The girls slept well with their cousins, which kind of surprised me. We went over in the morning and got ready to go to Cherry Hill again. Then we spent the evening with my parents. My Mom got sparklers for the kids and they enjoyed them.

July 25

We were supposed to be home today but I am grateful we extended our trip a few extra days. Dan went down to Saratoga Springs in the morning with my parents to help Matt and Andrea with their basement. I drove down around nap time and we had dinner with them. Dan and I went to the outlets at Traverse after and then headed home. 

July 26

We did home church at Hayward's this morning. It was fun and kind of crazy with all the Hayward cousins. 

July 27

We were going to go boating one last time last week and the weather did not permit so thankfully we got it in this afternoon. I can still ski!

July 28

We had another little swim party at Kelley's this morning, and then spent the afternoon/evening with Hayward's. I went to my best friend's HIGH Fitness Anniversary class tonight and it was amazing. Jenna is the best instructor ever!

July 29

We packed up all our stuff in the morning before heading to Cherry Hill one last time. We said our goodbyes there and loaded everything up once we got home. We said goodbye to my family and hit the road.

July 30

We arrived back in Lubbock around 9:00 AM. We hit a stinking deer just outside of Monticello but it didn't do too much damage and Dan has already fixed the car as best as he can. 

It was really good for my heart and soul to be in Utah for so long, as it always is. There isn't much to do in Lubbock anyway but especially right now and it's not like I really want to go out and do a ton of stuff either. Coming back hasn't been as hard to get back into as it has been in the past but that doesn't mean it still hasn't been hard. Dan has already started his second year of med school so it is back to the grind for us all.

Paige: Nine Months

The preferred nine months have gone by. It always goes faster when they're on the outside.

Little Paigey girl's two front, bottom teeth have started coming through. I noticed them on July 13th when we were at the zoo. She hasn't been sleeping through the night since we got to Utah and I was thinking it was just because she was being moved around between a crib and pack n play and getting used to a new place but this is probably part of the problem too. She has been a little more sad the past couple days but we have gotten her some soothing gel to help with the pain. 

Paige is still in size 3 diapers and wearing 6-12 month clothes. I am thinking she will officially be in just 12 month clothes when we get back from Utah though. She is a heavy little thing and I can't hold her too long before my back starts to hurt ha. But I love all the squish and the rolls. 

Paige rolls all over the place. She also figured out how to push herself back up into a sitting position. She sleeps on her tummy. No signs of crawling soon, but that is fine by me. She is content to play with whatever she finds while rolling or is near her when we sit her down.

Paige is super ticklish on her back and sometimes her toes and armpits. Her sisters can get some of the best laughs out of her and it's the best. Her laugh sometimes sounds like a cry and if you aren't watching her it can be hard to tell which one it is ha. 

Paige has started noticing food more. She eats out of pouches really well, and it can be hit or miss when she is being spoon fed. She likes to put her two fingers in her mouth after taking bites and it can take a while to feed her. She also varies on how much she will eat. I try to feed her food at least once a day now though. She has been a little off with nursing sometimes too. I can't get her to do it a little early anymore, she has to decide she wants it. And she has been going 4-5 hours between feedings some days. 

Paige has loved going to Cherry Hill and swimming at my brother-in-law's parent's house. She is a little fishy, just like her sisters. She enjoys splashing in the water and floating around. She has also enjoyed being outside in my parent's hammock and playing in the bounce house (when there aren't big kids in it) at my in-laws'. 

Because Paige has really only been around us, staying home when she was born and then COVID, it takes her a while to warm up to other people. She is a mama's baby because that is just how life has worked out for her so far. I'm not complaining because I love that I'm her safe place, but I do wish we could leave her with others without it being too hard for them. 

She loves her Slumberkins. It's so cute how she snuggles with it.

She was not too fond of her life jacket the first time wearing it.

Train ride at the zoo.

She did better the second day.

I love my happiness so stinking much!

Side note: Paige had her 9-month check-up on July 31 and she weighs 19.2 pounds (56th percentile, I thought for sure she'd be over 20 by now), is 29.5 (95th percentile) inches long, and has a head circumference of 16.9 inches (19th percentile).