Painting Rocks and Riding in the Rain

Saturday Liam and I had a plan. If it was raining, we were going to find rocks and paint them. If it was nice, we were going back to the Jordan River Parkway for a bike ride.

We ended up doing both.


We didn't get on the trail until around 4pm and it started sprinkling. We rode for a long time feeling a drop of rain here and there. Once we decided to turn around and head back to the car, it started pouring down! We rode as fast as we could. Liam had short sleeves and shorts on... he was really cold and said his hands were hurting as we were getting beat upon with rain. I kept on encouraging him and we made it back completely soaked! What an adventure! Liam is such an awesome sport!

Sun-Tues - Day 3-5 in MN

Sunday was a nice lazy day. Ian and I slept in, ate breakfast, and got ready for the day at the hotel. We moseyed on over to Grandma and Grandpa's house to hang out for awhile. Around 3pm we left to go visit the Jagoda family. Alli made us a homemade meal and the kids got along pretty well. Later we went on a beautiful walk around a lake. I was in awe of the gorgeous billowing clouds around us. Micah and Liam were riding bikes and having so much fun together. Two photographers taking a walk without a camera... it was refreshing. Alli is so much fun to be around!

I put Liam to bed when we got back from Micah's house. He was so tired!

Monday we met at the house around 10 so we could go to the Mall of America's Aquarium. Liam was so excited! In the touch tank Liam met a horse shoe crab that he was told didn't have a name yet. Liam suggested to the tank worker that they should name him Scooper! We all that was pretty dang cute since Scooper was really good at digging gravel.

After the aquarium we started walking the mall and found ourselves in a small amusement park. Liam not only went on rides, he met Spongebob! He ran right up to him and gave him a HUGE hug!

After a couple fun rides he finally talked Grandma into going on the log chute ride with him. Grandma outscreamed Liam. Liam did admit later that he was a bit scared on that big hill. We had a photo to prove it, but it took him awhile to stop denying his fright.


Liam found a great big Lego store and was in 7th heaven there! He picked out a bunch of Legos to add to his collection - Look at that Lego wall!!!!




We were a bit hungry so we found our way to the Rainforest Cafe. Liam was so impressed with the animals there! We sat next to a bunch of apes that danced every 15 minutes. There were lots of other cool animals all over!



We didn't get out of the parking lot before Liam zonked out. So tired.

Meet Roco - Grandma bought him a guitar fish at the aquarium and he sleeps with it every night now.


We got back to the house and blew bubbles with Grandma and Lacey.





After Liam was showered and down to sleep, Ian and I went to a late showing of "Something Borrowed." A very fun filled day!

Tuesday morning Ian caught a plane to Utah. Liam and I had a later flight and it ended up cancelling... we took a detour to Texas and didn't get home until 1am. Luckily Liam took a 90 minute snooze on our first flight. I was surprised and so grateful for that. He did so well with the midnight flight to Utah because of it. He got big kudos from other travelers when we were getting off the plane.


Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa, for hosting our favorite boy! He had such a wonderful time in your home. We all did. We are so fortunate to have such doting grandparents for Liam. Thanks to Tyler too! You are an awesome uncle!

Saturday - Day 2 in MN

Saturday Liam spent the day with Tyler, Ian, Grandma and Grandpa while I was spending the day with the bride taking wedding photos. It was a long and tiring day, but very fun too! It rained most of the day with a few breaks, thank goodness.

Here are a few shots of Liam at the wedding reception. It took a bit of convincing to get him to share his dance moves with the crowd:

Friday Play - Day 1 in MN

Our trip started a bit rocky with a canceled flight on Thursday and lots of time spent in airports. Liam was a champ though. We made it to Minneapolis 5 hours later than expected, so when I saw Uncle Tyler walk our way I was overjoyed! Big hugs for him from both of us!!!

He led us outside to find Grandma Dixie and Grandpa waiting for us in the van. Liam was so excited to see them! So was I! We gave them hugs and got on our way to their house! Liam was so excited to have his first sleep over there - for the next 5 nights.

Lacey (their sweet dog) was there to greet Liam and went straight into the backyard with her to watch her chase a laser light. It was a lot of fun seeing her go nutty for that red beam.

Liam (and Lacey) finally settled down and he got ready for bed and I put him to sleep. Then Grandma Dixie, Grandpa, and I chatted the night away - until 2am. It was so nice to spend that time with them. Dad took me to the hotel and said I should sleep in and relax. He'd come pick me up whenever.

Apparently both Liam and I slept in until 9ish. Grandma made him breakfast and got him around for the day. When it got close to 11 I called Uncle Tyler to see what time he was taking Liam to see Rio and ask if I could join them. Liam didn't really like me crashing his party with Uncle Tyler, but we all agreed Rio was a great movie!

When we got back to the house, my lenses that I rented arrived. Both Tyler and I went in the backyard with our cameras while Liam played ball and blew bubbles with Lacey. Uncle Tyler eventually put his camera down to play soccer and golf with Liam. I kept on taking photos. Here are a few of them.















Liam and I walked over to see Aunt Kari and her family. I sat down with Sam to go over some items for the wedding the next day. Liam played with their big and friendly dogs while I did that - he didn't want to leave. We ate sloppy joes for dinner with Grandma and Grandpa, then it was time for Liam to take a shower and get ready for bed.

Ian flew in late that night and picked up the rental car. Liam stayed up long enough to say good-night to him then I put him to sleep. We headed to the hotel with nice thoughts of sleeping in the next morning.

Another Great Saturday

Jordan River Parkway this morning.







ReAL soccer game this evening.





Note: Liam has been so wonderful the past few days. Obedient and willing to help out. It doesn't hurt when the mom has a good attitude and can be a little silly too.

Let's call it "Play Day"

Today was a pretty awesome day. I had a family photo shoot this morning so Liam went to play with his friends Jeremy and Ethan around the corner. He had a great time with their family! We then stole Ethan for about 45 minutes to run over to Home Depot and do the Mother's Day workshop. Since we got there so late, they ran out of the tulip planter kits, so they each got to build a sail boat! They were tickled. Ethan told me that he fully expects me to take him to the workshop from now on. I totally agreed that was a good idea!




After the workshop we dropped Ethan off at home and we headed home too. We were hungry so we put some lunch in our bellies and hung out for a bit. I finally got Liam peeled from his Dad's phone (Angry Birds - Rio) and we headed to Lakeshore Learning for their deluxe craft workshop they were hosting. Liam got to do 4 art project stations. He made a funny purse with beads, decals, etc - then he did a painting, then he did a clay-like sculpture of a turtle, then he did a drawing and framed it with orange foam. We love going to their workshops every Saturday! Such a fun store!

After that we came home to see Dad for a bit before his night shift started. I said hi and then proceeded to my comfy bed. I slept for 90 minutes. Very nice.

Liam and I got a few things done around the house. Then I told him my big surprise plan! We were headed to a bike trail! He didn't know what that meant. He was mystified - was it a race? was it a race track? who would win? where is it? is it far?

Much explaining was done after he helped me get the bikes loaded into the Mountaineer. He was so excited, he fell asleep on the way there. Ha!

When we arrived at the Jordan River Parkway, he perked up and helped me get the bikes outside. He was so happy to be there and get going!

So we get on the paved pathway and the first thing we see if the VERY thing he wanted to find. A tunnel!!!! We echoed through there super fast as there was a downward hill into it. So fun! So thrilling for him! (Oh and me too!)

Then we had the first tumble. We were on a boardwalk that was fenced since that section of the pathway trailed through a bog. There was sharp right turn and he was going too fast to handle it. I watched his little body slam left sided into the hefty boards. I was sure he broke his shoulder. He popped up and claimed it was his knee, no crying. Hopped back on his bike with the lesson learned about speeding on corners. Fearless. Pride beamed out of my head, but I still kept close to him and yelped out reminders to break for hills or corners and to stay right for oncoming riders.


It was such a satisfying ride to be out there and see him be free on his bike. No cars to worry about. A beautiful day to enjoy outdoors. Perfect time spent.


We headed back to where we parked the car, but then decided to keep going the other way. It was such a nice ride. I liked seeing this part of Salt Lake City. A very different view - and a very nice one. We rode for awhile and then I finally said it was time to turn around and head back. He agreed and turned around with great agility!

Then we had the second tumble. There were a couple small dogs being walked on the trail. Since Liam had mastered going into the grass and gravel, I told him to do just that to avoid the dogs. Little did we know there was a nice big pot hole in the grass. He tumbled right over his handle bars and literally ate dirt. He popped up to his feet and then realized he was in pain. He had the wind knocked out of him and a few scrapes. I held him and put him on my lap. Before he could even cry I made a comment about those small dogs and how cute they were. He got back up and over to his bike. He told me he almost had cried, but didn't. I sympathized with his pain and reiterated how tough he is. We got back on our bikes like nothing bad had happened.


He helped me load the bikes back in the car. When we got on our way home, he said, "This was the best day I ever had! We need to do this every stay home day!" I thought that was a pretty good idea and said we should try to do that.

After bath, tooth brushing, pajamas, he picked out a book to read and sat on his bed to wait for me. When I went in he said, "Mommy, we should call stay home days 'play days' from now on."

I snuggled him to sleep, but not before a bit of pillow talk about our day.

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