In Which We Go to Christmas in Weiser

So it's been a while but I'm finally getting to it. So we went to Weiser for Christmas! It's been over a year since we'd visited, and it was great to get up there! I thought it was awesome, though Nancy and Paul didn't get to have as much fun as they could have because it was freezing up there the whole time. There was also the fact that it snowed almost constantly up there. Seriously like constantly. Since then there have been some major issues in Weiser and the surrounding areas with the snow buildup. But, despite that we had a great time seeing family and Paul got to go out in the snow and see the cows and horses, which he enjoyed. Here are some pictures!

This day was only like 34 degrees instead of 10 or 17

Paul helping Aunt Carly make cinnamon rolls.

Paul loved Sadie!

Christmas gun! Paul thought it was cool too.

Paul also got his first haircut! His hair was getting pretty long, and he was a pretty good boy for it, though he did squirm quite a bit while Grandma Chandler (my mom) was cutting it.

Before. Mullet style.

After!

Paul's face rash was also going kind of crazy at the time. Thankfully that's not a thing he has anymore. We think he had it because he ate too many oranges, but we're not sure.

So overall it was a ton of fun! I also had the chance to create my "Awesome Man in Snow" photo series. Those follow. The "Awesome Man in Snow" photo series was taken using the highest quality 1.3 megapixel cell phone camera.

Awesome Man in Snow

Awesome Man in Snow II

Awesome Man in Snowy Sunset

Awesome Man in Falling Snow (I'll grant that the falling snow is hard to see in the glory of a 1.3 megapixel cell phone camera)

Awesome Man with Snowy Haystack

Awesome Man in Foggy Snow

Finally, I promise that Nancy was there! I guess we just never took any pictures of her! But overall we had a good time and loved seeing family!

Fall Break in Utah

So this post is a couple months late but that is how life goes sometimes.  Back at the beginning of October, Paul and I flew to Utah the Thursday before general conference so that I could attend a big Korea mission reunion celebrating the 60th anniversary of missionaries in Korea.  It was an awesome event with returned missionaries who served from before I was born to now.  There weren't a ton of people I served with but it sure was great to see the ones who were there. 

Janet had law school fall break, so we spent the week with her.  Paul had a blast with CJ and Julien.  They were so good to him and he loved playing and trying to do everything that they did.  We were also able to attend my cousin Kaya's wedding and see my parents and lots of other family who were there for the event.  

Then Saturday, Cliff's fall break started so he drove up to meet us and we had a reunion with most of our canyon crew.  We hiked to Willow Lake and had a lot of fun catching up with friends and watching all the toddlers run around together.

The whole group at Willow Lake

Paul loved chasing the ducks, playing in the water, and even did a side hike with Lucy.

 Then one day when the other dads had gone back to work, Cliff and us moms took the kids to Thanksgiving Point Farm Country.

 Paul especially loved the unlimited pony rides.  He kept asking to ride again and again.  I think he went 5 times and rode every pony.

After an awesome week (2 weeks for Paul and I) of friends, family, and fun, it was time to head back to Arizona.  Of course we had to drive the Alpine Loop first to see the fall colors we so long for in our new fall-less home.  

We did a stop off at Kolob Canyon, a less busy but no less beautiful section of Zion National Park.  We did a nice little hike and obviously, the 2 weeks of not sleeping caught up to Paul.  

Well after midnight and a run in with Wickenberg police for being a perdiddle, we made it home safe to Phoenix.  It was nice to have some cool weather and real fall and always great to see family and friends but it is always nice to be back in your own house where your toddler actually sleeps through the night.

Paul's First Camping Trip

At 19 months, Paul doesn't have a whole lot of firsts anymore but somehow or another, he has managed to avoid camping since the womb.  Could be because our glory days of camping on the side of roads for canyoneering are behind us, or at least aren't very conducive to bringing children along, or that daddy gets his share of camping on his nearly monthly trips with the young men.  But either way, this is definitely a blog worthy milestone that will hopefully be the first of many for this little adventurer.

We drove about an hour over to a free camping area in Buckeye Hills Regional Park.  As soon as we got there, Paul was loving the whole idea.  He was running around like a mad man, tripping over rocks and not letting it phase him each time he ending up face first in the dirt.

Collecting firewood

Just sitting around the fire

The whole family

Dinner time!

Paul was obsessed with the lights

Tin foil dinner

Paul roasting a marshmallow for his s'more. 

The weather was good.  It was a little chilly in the night (around 50*) but it was warm enough in the tent with sleeping bags.  The sleeping situation was alright, daddy slept on a camping pad and mommy and Paul got the air mattress.  We went to bed around 8 since it was already dark out but then Paul was ready to play at 3:30 am.  We probably could have rocked him back to sleep but it was cold out and there is no standing room in the tent so, he watched cartoons on the kindle so as to avoid yelling and waking the neighbors.

All in all, it was a fun time and we'd be up for taking him again.

The Conclusion of Summer Break

The last week and a half of Cliff's summer break was awesome because it was packed with family.  Cliff's family came for a short visit because of a funeral.  We didn't think we would see them until Christmas so we were so happy they were able to come visit and play with Paul.  He loved having them and all the attention he got.  He had fun getting tons of attention from Grandma Chandler, playing ball with Grandpa, and having great Grandma Peine read him some books (or one book over and over). 

The day after they headed home, we got on a plane to Reno.  Cliff and I took the opportunity to leave Paul with my parents for one night and take a little early anniversary trip up to Lake Tahoe, where we spent our honeymoon four years ago.  It was hard to leave Paul but pretty great to just spend some time together without all the chaos.

We also had a chance to visit the Reno Temple, where we were sealed, and participate in proxy sealings.  It was special to be back there and remember our special day.

Then Janet came to Reno and we all took a trip up to Sand Harbor together.  Paul still doesn't love beach water but it did start to grow on him in the end and he did love playing in the sand and eating watermelon.  

She couldn't convince him that she was mommy.

We weren't abusing him.

We had a great time at my parents.  Paul loved that he could play outside all day since we rarely let him out in the heat at home and he loved playing with all the relatives.

Roasting marshmallows

It's hard to believe from this photo that Paul spent the first day having a major meltdown anytime Tod looked at him.

We love our family.  It was so good to see everyone.  We are still getting used to Daddy being back at work and having to entertain ourselves all day.