May started out with a quick trip for me to SLC to teach a class called the Speed of Trust that I was trained in from FranklinCovey. I arrived on a Saturday afternoon and left on Wednesday night so it was a quick and busy trip, but I got to see some family and friends while I was in town.
The first night we had dinner with the Finches at my parent's house and Laura's family joined too.
On Sunday I visited with the Cowleys and also went to see my friend Erin and her new baby girl.
On Monday I was stressed with work so it was nice and good to take a break and have lunch with my sisters and mom!
That evening we had dinner at my grandparent's house. I hadn't seen them since the previous summer so it was really fun to see them and be in my grandparent's home. It is the only home that remains from my childhood, so it always brings back wonderful memories to be in there!
The class I taught at work was about 3 hours long and I taught it with my coworker. We teach about building trust with ourselves and coworkers to make our organization better. After work I went to get my hair cut. Love it!
Brent held down the fort at home and even helped the kids to the "walk or roll" to school. Coen rode his bike to school (for the first time) and Ava scootered while Brent drove very slowly along side them :)
Back in Utah, check out this amazing view! I taught my two classes on Tuesday and Wednesday and then flew back home at midnight.
In the morning everyone piled into bed so happy that I was home. It feels like a long time to a kid when your mom is gone for a few days!
I brought home treats from my parents for the kids. Audrey got this monkey that has candy inside and bangs the cymbals. She loved it of course.
A video of Coen teaching Audrey how to make the monkey work:
While I was out of town Brent organized the pantry for me! I wish I had a before picture, but it was getting a little out of hand. Thanks Brent.
I asked Ava what she wanted for dinner, the day after I got home, and our conversation went like this:
Ava: I don't know. Anything but Dad's food. (then she went through what they ate for dinner while I was out of town.)
Me: so you're happy I'm home?
Ava: Yeah ,that's what we missed. Your meals.
Me: huhhh!
Ava: Also you.
(This one of Ava was actually a one second video so I clipped a still from it)
Ah, Oregon is so green!
Audrey uses the phrase "too many" to mean more than one. If she wants me to give her lots of pretzels, for example, she'll say "too many pretzels!" Audrey basically potty-trained this month. After I took her to the potty one day she looked in the toilet and said excitedly "oh! too many poops!"
Audrey and Matilda had a playdate. Cute little friends! Audrey goes to Matilda's house every Monday while I work.
In the car on the way home I asked her if she talks in her nursery she said "no. I only talk mom in my house." Haha. I tried to take a little video of it:
I love this place so much.
A video of the garden:
It was such a beautiful day so we went to the park to enjoy the sun.
Audrey will sit in the sand and play for hours so I was able to bring a book and read!
Audrey's blue eyes!
I taught more of my classes for work, but this time remotely. I still had to do all my regular work, so it was an extra busy week. In one of my classes a lady joined the zoom link drunk and it was a bit crazy figuring out how to handle that situation!
At the park Coen came up to me and said "those kids are being mean to me," and pointed at some 10 year old boys. "They're saying I don't know what 9 times 9 is." I said, "hmm.... do you know what it is?" Coen said "Yeah, it's 81." I started laughing and said "well they're wrong then aren't they!"
Audrey's school does such fun things with her. They sent cars down the slide with paint on them!
So I can remember how these days were, here is a tidbit I wrote for my mom:
I started working at 7:30am, taught a class for work from 9-12:30, then kept working and picked up the kids from my friend's house at 3pm. Another friend came to read to the kids while I planted flowers in the yard. I took Ava to gymnastics at 5pm and then the younger two to the library. Cooked the kids dinner, and Audrey dumped out a giant tub of bubbles in the garage (see picture below). Bathed the kids, and put them in bed at 8:30pm. I finished the dishes, showered, and went to bed. Brent was gone from 8:30am til 12:30am at school so I didn't see Brent that day. The next morning the kids had dentist appointments at 7am.
All the kids were really good at the dentist, but Ava had a cavity, dang.
Ava and I went on a practice run for the 5K. We went for about 2.5 miles to practice (about half mile short of the real thing). I was impressed with both of us! Check out the beautiful flowers in our neighborhood:
Coen getting an x-ray at the dentist.
A video of Audrey hiding from me:
Coen read about half of a Dogman book while Ava and I did our jog, and Audrey fell asleep in the stroller.
A video of Audrey eating broccoli for breakfast:
Our 12th anniversary was a wonderful day! It fell on a Friday which is my favorite day of the week right now. After I cleaned our house, Audrey and I picked up Brent at campus and went to Hendrick's park. We had a picnic and enjoyed the flowers.
That evening Karen watched the kids so we could go on a real date. We went to Five Guys for dinner and then to the new Downtown Abbey movie, It was so fun! We need to be better about going on real dates and not just counting the 30 mins after the kids are in bed as a date. Happy twelve years! In a way I feel like aren't we still newly weds? But at the same time, it feels like we have always been married and he is literally my other half.
We ran it in about 40 minutes which I know is crazy slow for most people, but I was proud of us! Ava was about the 3rd girl to finish!
Karen came to support! The previous night when she was babysitting the kids, they made signs for the runners.
Coen got to go with Karen to see a Hansel and Gretel play. He semi-invited himself on this date :)
That evening we had a ward talent show and Ava played Sleeping Beauty while I accompanied her. Sometimes when we would practice she would play so many wrong notes and sometimes she'd play it perfect. She was so nervous to perform (it was her first time!) and we talked about how it is totally ok to make mistakes, and the important thing is to be brave and try. She only ended up making one mistake and she just BEAMED after she finished.
The next morning Ava and I were on a very early flight to Utah, this time I had to go for Haynie week, a conference for my whole company. They apparently ran out of room in economy seating so we got first class. We got special treats and apple juice in a glass glass. Ava was super happy.
Marcie & Mitch picked us up at the airport and then we hung out at the Cowley's all day and had a fancy hamburger and fry board dinner.
Ava got to meet her cousin!
Ava got to play with cousins on both sides and had lots of fun.
On Tuesday night we ate at Spencers which is in the Hilton, and the steak I got was soooo good. I socialized a lot with my coworkers and it was fun to see all of them, but I think 2-3 days would have been plenty for me instead of all five!
I was asked to be on a panel of three people for the Women in Leadership section, to speak about how I have been able to progress to be a leader and how Haynie has helped me do that. I don't think I've ever spoken in front of 300+ people. There were so many people in that room! I was soooo nervous.
I sent Brent a picture of the room and asked him to pray for me. Along with a crying emoji. He text back that I'd do great and he was so proud of me.
My mom took Ava to the zoo on Friday morning and then they picked me up at the hotel as I was done at Friday at noon.
We hung out with Natalie and her girls that evening. We got a glimpse of summer:
The next day McKenna's birthday party was canceled since some people had tested positive for Covid. I decided to test and I was positive for Covid! We tested Ava too, since she had a runny nose, and she was positive too! Oops. We canceled all plans for Saturday and Ava and I played Monopoly and got Chick Fil-A for dinner, using u my gift card for worst golfer, hehe.
At first Ava was soooo sad about the canceled parties (we were going to have one with the Hansens that night too) but the day turned around and we had lots of fun and bonding time.
Ava made this little collage on my phone.
Since it had been 7 days since my symptoms started, we decided to fly home to Eugene and just wear our masks the whole time. Our flight was late at night and poor Ava got motion sick right and threw up right as we were landing.
Saturday the 21st was the 5K for Girls on the Run. We were so lucky because the race was at her school and through our neighborhood! Ava's front and center here with the other girls.
A clip of the song:
Brent even put a bow in Audrey's hair for church!
That evening I started getting a sore throat. On Monday I worked at my parent's house and didn't feel so good, like I was getting a cough. On Monday night I went to dinner with coworkers and it was freezing outside! I thought, oh boy I'm not going to be able to fight off this cold. My firm paid for everyone to stay at the Hilton downtown.
On Tuesday morning I woke up for my conference and did not feel so great. See picture below, ha!
During the first 10 minutes of my conference Karen text that she had just tested positive for Covid. I reached down into my purse and put on my mask. I wore my mask for the next couple days but still did everything with all 300 people in the conference.
Ava got to play with cousins on both sides and had lots of fun.
Ava had fun getting spoiled by both grandmas. When I booked my trip I decided to bring Ava with me to give her something to cheer her up. The poor girl had both of her best friends move last year, had a really difficult class at school with so many difficult kids, and then her teacher took a leave and stepped away for the rest of the school year in April. She needed some grandma love!
It went really well and I was able to say everything I had prepared and wanted to.
That evening we had a casino night and I got to learn how to play all sorts of casino games. I didn't win any prizes but it was really fun.
The next day after our conference workshops we all went to different activities. I had chosen Top golf. The first round I could barely hit the ball! (I won the prize for the lowest score and got a Chick Fil-A gift card, so..... worth it!). By the end, I was getting the hang of it and it was really fun!
Audrey's teachers sent me this picture of her playing with the beads.
My mom came to pick me up from Top Golf and I got to see Ava since she was sad about my leaving her all week.
Brent was a professional dad and even bought the kids ice cream cones.
On Monday we were back home and it was Memorial Day. Brent asked our friend (Matilda's dad) to help him get new mulch for our yard. It looked so nice!
One day I heard our alarm beep as one of our outside doors had been opened. I went out to see that Audrey had taken her tricycle out front and was taking off down the street, wearing no pants or diaper. But, she had definitely thought of safety, because she put on her helmet. Oh this girl, she keeps me on my toes!
Brent watched the kids for me and I was able to see Ava in her gymnastics class for the first time (due to covid, I wasn't able to go in until a few weeks ago).
And that concludes May. It flew by in the blink of an eye!
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