After a year and a half break from blogging, we've decided it's time to return, especially since we are writing similar updates for our family anyway. So you'll find our blog has a facelift and we've added a special section on the side to share funny or interesting memories/experiences of ours. We are hoping to share a new one every week so check back often.
I may even try to go back and do some catch-up for the last year and a half. More on that later, but until then here is an update on our summer up to now.
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| At the Riverton, Utah July 4th parade |
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| Playing at Pikey's |
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| Playing games with Jack and Alex |
We went out to Utah at the end of June for an extended family reunion on Matt's side but we also got to spend a couple days (including the fourth of July) with my sister's family in Fruit Heights and then a couple days with Pikey and family in Mapleton. It is so fun watching Mia interact with everyone at each stage of her growing. Last time we were in Utah she was just starting to roll - so she was still so fragile. Now she is running and moving constantly and can hold her own - so it was fun watching her with my nephews (Jack and Alex) and Pikey's kids. Being the only girl out of the group, it was funny to see the differences.
We had a blast with all of Matt's family at various parks throughout Salt Lake County, including one which had a splashpad Mia couldn't get enough of. Mia also loved being at the Riverton Parade and loved being allowed to stand in the street and gather candy. You can her trying to chew through an otter pop in the picture above.
With Pikey we loved playing with all of her millions of toys - Mia was in heaven! Matt took advantage of their theater room whenever possible. We also got to see Mary and Collin when they joined us all - along with Tori and kids and Johana and our nieces - for a day of swimming at Pikey's in laws house. They had an intense water slide into their pool which proved to be quite the conversation piece with everyone daring each other to go down. If the kids were too scared to go down by themselves, we sent Matt down with them which worked out great. I was thrilled to see Mia so happy in the pool because up to that point she had not been very happy in the water, always fighting me for her independence. But this pool had a wading area so she was in heaven being able to run around somewhat uninhibited.
Though I was sick and we were all tired from the action-packed reunion, we had a fun Fourth of July with Tori's family. The highlight of the night was watching Alex, Jack, and Bryan lighting fireworks and the excitement the boys got every time one went off. But Tori also made some delicious food and because they made aerial fireworks legal in Utah this year, we got to see many amateur firework shows from everyone taking advantage of that opportunity. It was terrifying and fantastic all at the same time.
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| Playing with Alex's Cozy Coupe |
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| Loved having someone to play with |
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| Fell in mud but she don't care |
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| Parade |
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| Pooltime with Pikey, Blake, Tori and Alex |
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| Mia, Pikey, Blake |
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| Julie, Johanita, Matt, Blake, Mia, Pikey, Landon |
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| Mary |
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| View of the pool and waterslide |
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| Johanita, Me, Noah |
After our trip to Utah in July for a family reunion, Matt and I spent 10 days in (or traveling to and from) Tokyo, Japan. Matt had a work conference there for 3 days; so I happily joined him, while my mom watched Mia for a week and then my friend, Lauren, and mother-in-law, Kathy both watched for a couple days each too. I think you all probably saw our travel updates through social media so I won't repeat too much. But we had a wonderful time together exploring Tokyo and enjoying time together. Though we truly missed Mia (at least for the first couple days :), it felt amazing for me to be able to wander around and not have to worry about anyone else for a little bit. It was a great reminder to me that I am more than just Mia's mom, which is hard to see when taking care of a toddler all day, everyday. The food was interesting, and Matt opted to eat at Domino's Pizza and McDonald's the last couple days. Imagine his surprise to discover that a large Domino's pizza was almost as small as a personal pan pizza in America. But there was tons to explore around Tokyo, tons of people, and we had a good time despite the very hot and humid weather.
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| Yoyogi Park |
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| Garden at our first hotel |
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| View from the Imperial Garden |
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| Imperial Palace grounds |
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| Shibuya Crossing |
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| Akihabara |
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| Asakusa street shopping |
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| Me at a shrine, but I can't remember which one |
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| Me at the Senso-ji Buddhist temple |
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| I found Godzilla while walking through Shibuya |
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| Infamous Shibuya honey toast |
Unfortunately, my sister-in-law, Paige passed away suddenly on August 6th. Paige had gastric bypass surgery (the most drastic kind) done about 12 years ago and has had many health problems since. Her death is attributed, at least in part, to complications from this surgery. So Matt, Mia, and I made our first road trip together down to SoCal to attend her funeral and spend time with my brother, Ryan, and our niece and nephews.
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| My oldest brother, Ryan, and his wife, Paige |
The funeral was beautiful and was a great reminder of all the wonderful things Paige has done for others. Though she was quite the firecracker and at times could drive me crazy, she also had become the older sister I never had. Unfortunately the last year and a half, I did not talk to Paige much due to disagreements that don't matter now, but I will never forget how she had reached out to me when I was in the hospital after having Mia knowing that I was struggling. I can't even begin to imagine how Ryan and his kids feel, or will cope, as they move forward without their wife and mother. But I also know she is finally at peace now, after struggling so much with her health, especially in the last couple years.
Though it was a sad occasion, we really enjoyed being with Ryan and his kids and introducing them to Mia, who couldn't get enough of their trampoline - or the chickens they raise (that live under the trampoline)! We ended up extending our trip a couple days to take advantage of extra time with them, sneak in a visit with Lane and Kathy, and see Dave Romney and his family. Mia had a blast digging through all of the boxes of Kathy's old toys that her kids played with. Matt and Mia were elated when Kathy sent us home with the race car that can be taken apart and put back together - Matt's favorite toy as a child. At least once a day I find Mia holding the little yellow wrench tool to the wheels trying to figure out how to take the wheels off herself.
Matt is busy back at work and looking forward to another business trip to Vegas in a couple weeks. But most importantly he has the glow of football season on him. I'm constantly amazed at how much joy football - and really Fantasy Football - brings him. He is dying to watch games with Mia and already tries to explain the sport to her. She likes to lounge on his lap and watch sports with him and clap her hands.
A few weeks ago, I took Mia to a gymnastics/tumbling class with a friend and she absolutely loved it! Definitely plays to her strength of being fearless and always wanting to be moving. So now I'm looking into making this a regular thing for us to do together - and how to bring in a little money to fit it into our budget.
