Sunday, September 01, 2019

Excell Family Reunion

We made it through just enough Vegas heat to get us super amped to escape it all for Panguitch, Utah. Yes, the 4th of July bike parade was calling our names, as were the members of Jeff's family who cheered me on as I somehow ended up participating in said bike parade. With a wagon. And legs. And a very convincing pageant wave. 
Some might even say I was the queen of the children's parade.
You ain't got nothin' on me, kids. I'm the real star of this bike parade.
Here's a legitimate parade participant. On a bike. Like a commoner. 
We were in the cooler climate to 1) escape the heat and 2) join the Excells for a family reunion in a dreamy location that would soon be renamed Boy Heaven.
Boy Heaven got its name due to the snakes.
The explosives.
The late nights.
The endless exploration locations.
The willing babysitter who isn't afraid of a little dirt.
The recreational activities.

The flame-licked feasts.

The team-building exercises.


The assortment of wheeled toys both small...
And big.

The hiking.

The rock climbing.
The hint of romance...



And the family togetherness.


With the boys in Boy Heaven, this lady was living the dream.
We were so grateful Laura opened up her house to all the boys and all the crazy. Panguitch was already our favorite summer vacation home, but even more so now that we've experienced the Vegas summer heat!

It was hard to say goodbye, but we'll be back before too long!

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Summer Check In

Jeff hopped in front of the camera for a Father's Day cameo. 
When we got to church, Carson flipped through the program and excitedly announced, "Come Follow Me is OVER?!?" I laughed for a good while after I realized where he got that idea. 
The boys got busy spoiling Jeff when they got home. They made him some brownies and even cracked the eggs themselves. They made Jeff some cute cards and were eager to help make the day special for their Dad. 
Lincoln and Jonah are heavy into the superhero scene. I often wake up to a goggled boy in my face begging to have a cape put on.


The superhero and sidekick now share a bunk bed where they quietly (and sometimes loudly) watch over the city at night. 
If you'll remember, I bravely (perhaps stupidly) painted Eli's wall orange. I never loved it orange and Eli didn't even particularly love the orange wall, so I decided it was time for it to go. After innocently scrolling through Instagram, I found a painted buffalo check wall tutorial that I knew I had to try the minute I saw it. And I had just the spot to try it out.
There was much taping, leveling, and experimental mixing of paint involved to get the look to come together, but overall it was actually easier than I was expecting it to be. 

It finally all came together and this quick weekend project was just the makeover we needed to begin the older boys' room redo. 
When you stumble across black and white buffalo check blankets at the store while you're in the middle of buffalo check painting your wall, you buy the blankets without a second thought and immediately go home to smile with your wall. 
I made the boys some new blankets for their beds, found some pillows from IKEA...
And just like that they now have a cute little place to go whenever they "need some space."

Guys, I love it. Paint a wall in buffalo check this weekend. You will be happy.

Here's a baby with a banana sitting in a fire pit because if buffalo check doesn't make you happy, this is my back up happiness inducer. 
After all that taping and painting and taping and painting and taping and painting, I snuck away to the mountains for a little recovery time. 
There was a women's retreat my friend invited me to. We hiked up to a waterfall where I learned Vegas actually has natural water and pine trees and a few snowy mountaintops. I'm already dying to go back.

Also I felt the need to publicly inform all members of the retreat that my one true love is cookies. Meanwhile Torrie loves running, but you know, what is running without cookies? :) Maybe this is why we're friends.