my weekend in pictures + trip to boise.

We kicked off summer last week (okay, a week and a half ago – where does the time go?) with a trip to Boise! Daphne missed a few days of school, but since Eloise was done, we thought we’d make the trip before Idaho gets too hot.

{We woke up the girls early and hit the road by 6:05 am! We got out of town and stopped at our favorite breakfast spot in Cle Elum, Stella’s.}

Continue reading “my weekend in pictures + trip to boise.”

our trip to boise + my weekend in pictures

we headed to boise on the 5th of july to spend a week with my parents but I didn’t get a chance to share pictures, so here they are along with our weekend pics! {there aren’t a lot since i was really trying to disconnect but i got a few to share.}

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{picnicking for lunch in pendleton, OR on the way to boise!}

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{Daphne didn’t take her usual afternoon nap during the drive (which was unusual) but fell asleep 5 minutes before we pulled into my parents’ driveway… of course!}

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{we got to see Uncle Jason and Aunt Kelly for dinner and got to help celebrate Kelly’s birthday!}

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{over the weekend, I headed up to the mountains for a mini girls weekend away. idaho is so beautiful you guys, not just potato fields!}

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{it was a mini girls trip, as i mentioned, with just three of us (though some of the other ladies joined us for breakfast the day before) but it was still SO good to get some girl time in without wrangling all of the children.}

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{Eloise LOVED the pool and I swear she was happy about it!}

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{and I did venture into the pool later in the week but mostly opted for staying in the shade.}

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{we hit up one of the local splash pads and Daphne likes the little fountains.}

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{and Eloise had a good time too!}

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{Grammie and Eloise played store one day and it was the CUTEST thing ever. at first it was a “traditional” store where Eloise went into the store to go shopping, but then it turned into “Amazon Fresh” and Eloise ordered her groceries to be picked up!}

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{the girls and I headed out with my parents to the Birds of Prey Center one morning and Daphne insisted on wearing her sunglasses. gah, so cute!}

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{and a sisterly love moment while out shopping and lunching with Grammie.}

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{picnicking in yakima, WA en route to seattle.}

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{and Eloise has been super into making forts since we have been home. and hanging out in her underpants since it is SO hot!}

{Daphne’s post-nap dance.}

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{testing out the new s’mores maker on the grill. I recommend not adding the chocolate since it got way too melty!}

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{we headed over to Seattle Center this morning to meet the Garner-Ballards who are in town! Daphne’s face is cracking me up; she is shoving a Larabar in her mouth!}

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{and a post-dinner stroll around the neighborhood to finish off the weekend.}

We had SO much fun in Boise with my family even though the thermometer hit triple digits which no one really appreciated.

And this weekend we had fun with Aaron before he headed out on a boys’ camping trip this morning with his brother and two nephews who just flew out for a visit. So, I am heading into the week solo and praying I can hold down the fort on my own (but just until Tuesday)!

How was your weekend?

M

our trip to Idaho!

Just about a month ago, we loaded the girls (including Sadie) into the car and headed west to Boise! We have made the drive maybe a couple of times a year for the past few years, and always try to drive if we are staying for a week or longer.

The girls did so SO well on the trip. That’s not to say it wasn’t long and everything was perfect, but really, we didn’t have any major toddler drama and naps actually happened! The biggest issue we had was that at the end of both trips (so right outside of Boise and right outside of Seattle) we were nearing Daphne’s feeding time, so she started getting fussy (and I don’t blame her!). Instead of stopping 20 minutes from our final destination, we just stretched and gave her a little bit of a later feeding. It was slightly stressful having a fussy baby after being in the car for almost 10 hours, but overall, it was a great trip!

In our pre-kid days, Aaron and I used to stop just once for lunch/gas/pee break and make the trip in under 8 hours (it is 500 miles, so that’s impressive). We also had a diesel so we could actually make the trip on a single tank if we wanted to… Flash-forward to having two kiddos and the trip was closer to 10 hours. The first time we made this road trip with Eloise (when she was four months old too) we split the drive into two days, staying overnight in Pendleton, Oregon. Even though it took so much longer to get there, at the time it was great because the road conditions were snowy and icy since it was December. But, since then, we have decided it is worth it to just buck-up and make the entire drive in one day. Daphne’s feeding schedule of 3 to 3.5 hours was sort of perfect and we ended up stopping just three times for her feedings, and for the rest of us to pee/eat/get gas/get out our wiggles. Eloise took a nap during her usual naptime (after lunch) and while it was more of a cat nap on the way to Boise, it was much longer on the way home! And Aaron had downloaded the Daniel Tiger “movie” (which is 45 minutes rather than the usual 20-ish minutes of a normal episode) and Eloise was delighted to watch it one time per trip! {We are really strict with screentime still and Eloise gets to watch one show per trip, whether it be a 4 hour plane ride or a 10 hour car ride.}

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{I always pack finger foods for a picnic lunch (and other snacks) since it is the easiest to pack and eat while on-the-go. Plus, this is Eloise’s favorite way to eat all of her meals!}

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{Selfies with Baby D.}

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{It is the best feeling to see your final destination after being on the road all day. I will never tire of seeing my parents’ house. So many memories from when I was a kid!}

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{I always get my haircut while in Boise, and this time the entire family came with me. The plan was to have Eloise’s hair cut too, but once it came down to it, she backed out. So Daphne got hers trimmed up!}

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{My mom kept my old Fisher Price dollhouse and Eloise played with it the entire time we were visiting.}

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{And playing with Aunt Kelly.}

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{And Baby D with Aunt Yaya.}

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{And my big brother (Uncle Jason) with Baby D!}

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{And a cheesy grin from Daphne with Aunt Kelly.}

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{I promise she wasn’t this sad about Aunt Dollie the entire time! This is my oldest sister Keri, but my sister Anya and I have called her Dollie our entire lives, and since Aaron’s sister is also named Cari, we use Dollie so it’s not so confusing!}

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{This kid loves putting things in order or lining them up. Takes after her mama!}

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{Purple play-dough with Grammie is like Eloise’s dream come true.}

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{Family dinner at the Eversons’ house. And maybe a first date for Eloise and Deacon??}

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{Reading Stella Goldilocks and the Three Bears which Eloise memorized (and now recites all the time) while we were in Boise.}

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{Meeting Paga’s new horse.}

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{Finding some shade. It was over 100 degrees our entire trip!}

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{And Aaron on the new horse. With all of the sun protection.}

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{Baby D taking a bath in a bowl. That is pretty much a requirement for all babies, right? She LOVED it and hasn’t cried in the bath since! Also, I totally thought this bowl was going to be way too big for her, but I was very, very wrong.}

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{A playmat date with Boyd who is just one week younger than Daphne!}

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{Catching up with the girls at a big family dinner.}

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{Meg and her family were in town, and Beth so nicely hosted all of us even though it was her birthday!}

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{Eloise and Violet with some post-dinner entertainment.}

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{The reality of trying to get a group picture with four mamas and seven kids. #toddlermeltdowns}

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{The best we got. LOVE you ladies and your kiddos! *Not pictured were all of our amazing husbands!}

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{Staying cool by the pool with Baby D.}

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{Jen gave us her old jumperoo (as you have seen Daphne in in recent pictures and videos) and she has loved it from the beginning!}

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{Playing Alphabet Soup with Grammie. My mom always has the best ideas and does all sorts of projects with Eloise.}

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{Daphne with my dad, Paga.}

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{She loves him!}

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{And lots of stripes. It runs in the family so I come by my stripe obsession honestly!}

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{These girls at a pit stop in Prosser, WA. Such great little travelers!}

We always have a great time in Boise and can’t wait for our next trip! It was wonderful to see my family and friends, and introduce Baby D all around. Love to you all!

M

 

project baby {boise baby sprinkle}

{happy fourth of july!}

as I mentioned in this week’s bump update, my friends jen & beth threw me a baby sprinkle {a shower with a sprinkle theme} last weekend while we were in boise. they did an amazing job {especially considering they have a 3 week old & a 12 week old, respectively} & it was such a perfect way to celebrate baby lower with old friends & family. everyone that was there I have known for at least 10 years so it was really special to celebrate with this group of ladies. thank you so much jen & beth for the sprinkle!

there were lots of yummy desserts – all with sprinkles! – a fantastic drink bar – with lemonade, my fav – peonies, & these gorgeous paper garlands! plus, there were lots of mamas & daughters which makes me so happy.

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{beth’s son henry & her mom // me & barbara // sprinkles!}

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{my sister-in-law kelly & me // kaitlyn, me, & our bumps // kathy – jen’s mom, barbara, my mom, debbie – beth’s mom, & henry}

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{barbara, my mom, kathy, & my aunt gail // the hostesses! // me & my sister anya}

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{kaitlyn, julianne, & anya // debbie & julie // beth, vicky & julie}

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{catching up! // julie, me, & our baby bumps! // jen, her youngest son graham, & kathy}

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{the drink table // beth’s gorgeous living room // dessert table}

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{a fearsome foursome – we’ve been friends since middle school! // vicky & my mom // a gorgeous paper garland // me & the bump}

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{the ladies // opening gifts}

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{oh baby clothes // cupcakes & peonies – doesn’t get much better! // loving on baby graham}

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{sprinkles on cookies & donuts – yes please! // mint green moccasins from freshly picked – adore!}

thank you to my sister anya for taking all of the photos!

a huge thank you again for spoiling me with such a fabulous shower ladies!

M

my {long} weekend in pictures.

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{I joined some girlfriends for some lift, tone, burn at the pure barre in boise.}

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{in an effort to pack light I didn’t bring my own hairdryer & planned on borrowing my mom’s. little did I know that hers recently bit the dust & she has been using this one from the 1970s…}

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{on saturday I had the great joy of showering a soon-to-be-mama with my best & oldest girlfriends. it was so amazing to see these ladies & makes me wish we all lived in the same city again. {sigh} maybe someday! thanks jen for throwing a beautiful shower & congrats to beth!}

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{watch out world, according to my fortune I am about to unleash some talents!}

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{this morning my mom & I caught up on the men’s final match at the australian open & did our best not to read any news. I felt so, so bad for rafa but excited for wawrinka!}

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{I dined with my mom & dad at an old favorite, da vinci’s, this evening. really good italian food if you ever find yourself in downtown eagle, idaho.}

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{hopped on a plane tonight for the quick trip back to seattle!}

this long weekend was spent in idaho visiting family & friends, & was much-needed for me. we didn’t make it over for the holidays, so it felt good to be home at least for a few days this winter. it is always such a treat to catch up with family & old friends, & this weekend did not disappoint. we got to see my brother, sister, sister-in-law, & nephews for dinner one night, & I got to see all of my very best & oldest girlfriends all in one place at once – amazing! even though I am sad that the weekend is over, it is great to be home & to see sadie!

how was your weekend?

M