A Small Streak in St George

Another Tax Day has rolled around. That means we've managed to survive another busy season. It also means we earned ourselves a vacation down to Southern Utah!

We stopped in Cedar City for one night to spend some time with cousins and to give Lincoln some cuddle time with the Excell side.

Let's just say not too many of Lincoln's cousins showed interest in him other than Kaelynn.

Because all the boys were too busy running around and getting into trouble!

We said goodbye to David, Mary and the cousins and made our way to St. George.

We got there Sunday afternoon so we decided to stroll the temple grounds for a good Sabbath Day excursion.

The boys got a little unruly at the end. We have this small obedience problem in public called "The Boys Run Into the Street." Why can't children be born with the ability to understand prospective danger? I am constantly finding myself yelling at them as they are darting into zipping traffic, "Don't go into the street." "That's a busy road." "Slow down." "Wait for me." "Stop." "STop." "STOp." "STOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPP!!!!!"

On temple day, they were so obedient. They completely sprinted all the way to the literal edge of the sidewalk and then ever so politely and abruptly sat down to wait for me and Jeff on the "bridge."

How people with anxiety raise children I'll never know. Surely my raising-boys-anxiety will kill me before I ever live to find out.

Pre road-crossing-induced-ulcer, Eli snapped a picture of us in calmer times.

The problem with making a music video while on vacation is that I was horrible at taking pictures! All my memories are videoed, so this post is a bit choppy. On Monday, we went on a little hike where Lincoln's hair looked as red as the rocks we climbed! I don't think his hair normally looks red, but every once in a while his locks ooze a touch of strawberry.

Halfway up the hike I was reminded that when you've got a body of water, an endless supply of rocks and four boys with you, no need to walk any further. You have reached your destination.

Many a lizard sighting later, we shuffled back down the red rock for a fun picnic.

Complete with Monster Trucks for plates. Because boys.

We went back to the house and took it easy that evening. Upon requesting a family selfie, Eli immediately became possessed.

The next day we went to the Children's museum where the only worthwhile picture I snapped was this one of Eli giving us a glimpse of what he will look like in 20 years.

Next up: Splash pad!

 The splash pad was pretty uneventful. Oh yeah. Except for that one moment at the very end when I saw a bare naked rear end. And it was my son's.

Carson hates being wet. If he spills on his pants at dinner...wait...let me rewrite that sentence. Every night when he spills on his pants at dinner, we must put dinner on hold and re-situate Carson in a whole new wardrobe if the littlest droplet of water has touched his clothes.

So I think he was just done with swimming and done with being wet. Which is why he dropped his drawers in the middle of the very occupied splash pad and streaked wildly through the strangers until he found a familiar face. Which was me. 

Jeff assigned himself the job of picking up the discarded dropped drawers, while I was hand-picked by Carson to find a way to discretely and modestly? get him to the car. Naked. Completely naked. People literally shrieked at us, "He's NAKED!" as if I was unaware. It was instantly hilarious as soon as we were all properly clothed and had escaped the situation without any police involvement. But not one moment before then.

No Lincoln. You weren't dreaming. That really happened.

Then we went to The Pizza Factory for lunch. Where Eli was a total doll...

And Carson was as equally crabby as he was naked just moments before.

Three-year olds, right?

We attempted to go exploring a bit more that afternoon, but wind + sand proved to be incompatible with children, so we quickly retreated to safety.

The next day we made our way back home. We did manage to stop by Leslie's house so she could behold our third born.

It was a fun trip as usual!