Heading Home

Tristan and I have been so blessed as we have been living in Louisiana, and have truly started to feel like it was our home away from home. Our goal, however, has always been to move back home or closer to home and both of our families. We decided that we would move at the end of October after our newest addition was born. About a month ago, Tristan had a change in his work schedule, which led us to decide to move to Washington at the beginning of June rather than at the end of October as we had originally planned. So we kicked into high gear and I started packing boxes. We already had plane tickets to come home at the beginning of June for a 2 1/2 week vacation, so my goal was to be packed up completely by the time we left. It was a busy couple of weeks and I really did get almost all of it done--almost!! So we arrived here on June 9 and Ethan and I will be staying. Tristan will be flying back down at the end of the month and will make the long trek up to Washington with the moving truck. It is definitely bitter-sweet, but we truly are so excited to move back to our friends and family in Washington.

I was really nervous about flying with and almost 2 year old. I was worried he would get all cooped up and grouchy. But he ended up doing just fine and loved all the sights at the airports we visited. In Dallas we had a 3 hour layover, which could have been excruciating. Thankfully, they had lots of entertainment for our little one! They had a great little play area that kept him entertained for at least 45 minutes!

When he got bored of that, he found lots of cool windows to look out and other "toys" to play on...He even charmed the man driving the handicapped cart around by waving and smiling at him. When we explained how in to cars he was the man insisted on giving us a ride on the cart to our train. I'm sure it was the ride of Ethan's life...he was all smiles the whole time. Then we got on the Sky Link to go to our gate and that was another fun adventure for him. Tristan even ended up going back later and riding it around the airport just for fun with him.

We were glad to arrive in Washington after a long day of flying. Ethan did an amazing job staying in the seat with us and entertaining himself. He didn't even get out of the seat to walk around once! It was still a long flight, but it was as good as we could have asked for.

The next night we decided to BBQ at my parent's house to ring in the Washington summer. My dad has been busy garage sale shopping to get his house ready for us to live there for 2 months.

A lady gave my dad a little bounce house for free, so my dad set it up as part of the backyard fun!
As soon as my dad found out we were moving back to Washington he got to work on putting up a swing set for his backyard. Ethan got lots of use out of the sand box!

Starting to look like a Washingtonian!

Trying out the slide
I have a funny feeling that this new backyard is going to get a lot of use!!!

Summer Fun Begins!!

As if the temperatures weren't enough of a sign that summer fun had begun in Louisiana, we have been enjoying some of the joys of summer:

Our friends came to visit from Lafayette and we decided to head out to Tickfaw State Park and enjoy the splash park! Ethan loved every minute and the weather was perfect for enjoying the water!

Another fun part of summer is that corn is in season! Ethan loves eating corn off of the cob! Yummy!
Despite the heat, we have been having a good time enjoying the fun that summer brings.

Mother's Day

Tristan was gone for Mother's Day this year, but I was still adequately spoiled! He came home the day before he left for work with a beautiful bouquet of flowers for me. I love having a vase of fresh flowers on my table! Then on Saturday, this edible fruit bouquet arrived from my mom and dad. Just perfect for a pregnant mommy, and it was a great no-work breakfast for me and Ethan the next morning! There was also a balloon, but Ethan wouldn't let that out of his sight for me to include it in the picture. For weeks before that he had been keeping his eyes on the helium balloons at any store we went to. He was sooooo excited when the delivery person arrived and practically pulled he bouquet out of his hands for me in order to get to the balloon. He had been kind of fussy that day, and the balloon was the perfect entertainment for him and kept him happy for the rest of the day. I doubt my mom and dad knew what a great gift that balloon would be, but it was just what I needed! On Sunday, Ethan and I spent a low-key day at home. After church we both napped and played for the rest of the day!

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a mother and love this job more than any other I've ever had. It has brought many challenges to me, but also more rewards than I've ever known!

Trip to Alabama and Mississippi

Our dear friend, Becky, was getting married in Alabama the weekend that the terrible tornadoes hit that area. We had been excited to go attend her sealing at the Temple and stay for the weekend, but were uncertain what the disaster would mean for her wedding plans since it was set to happen in some of the hardest hit areas. The day before the wedding we found out that the reception was cancelled, but the sealing was still going to happen, so we hit the road! We had to make a minor adjustment, since most of the hotels in Alabama cancelled all reservations and were taking walk-ins only (to help relieve those who were victims of the storms). So we decided to drive to the Mississippi border and stay the night there on Friday, instead of driving all the way to Birmingham, Alabama.

Saturday morning we headed to Birmingham so I could help Becky get ready for her big day. While we were occupied doing girly stuff, Tristan took Ethan to find something to do. They ended up finding an airport (go figure) and entertained themselves for an hour or so until we were done with our primping!

Ethan is going through a phase of LOVING all things trucks, tractors, cars, any vehicle. Apparently, he made good buddies with this maintenance worker who was mowing the lawns. To him, this was a tractor, which made his day!
He even got to go sit on one with his dad!
Ethan fell asleep in the car, so sweet Tristan stayed with him while I went in for the sealing. By the time we all got out, Ethan was just waking up.

Steve and Becky Ennis, the happy couple

Becky and Me (Excuse the squinting, it was SUPER bright outside!)
Birmingham, Alabama Temple

The first time our family has visited the Temple together!

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful event. It was nice to find some happiness in a time of such great loss for so many. We all went out to eat afterwards and then we headed back to Mississippi for the night. After a good night's rest, we found a local ward and attended sacrament meeting and then it was time to hit the road back to Louisiana.

A tiny idea of the power of the tornadoes that came through this area. We saw a lot of damage but weren't able to get pictures from the interstate very easily. This is nothing compared to the devastation a lot of the areas were dealing with.
Ethan on the way home from Mississippi...just getting comfortable!
It was a special weekend, despite the devastation that area was dealing with. We are grateful for the safety of those we know and love and that we were still able to go be a part of this special event.

Random Silliness

One thing about having a little boy is that there is always some sort of busyness or silliness happening (unless, of course, they are having a terrible-twos-temper-tantrum, but that is a topic for a whole other blog post!). We have been enjoying having a membership to the Baton Rouge Zoo, especially since it is so close to our apartment. About 2 weeks ago we headed out on a rainy day to visit the animals. I would rather go to the zoo on a slightly chilly, low-humidity, rainy day than a sunny hot one any day--especially in Louisiana!

Checking out the baby Rhino

As you will see in the next picture, they have a large, marble globe that is kind of like a fountain. Ethan loves, loves, loves it and has to stop and play with it every time we are there. Just look at the excitement in those eyes!

Being silly running through mud puddles...back and forth, back and forth...

This silliness is partly his dad's doing...

Chillin' with a bubble mohawk

For some reason, Ethan loves to take out the garbage. Our apartment complex picks up our trash from our buildings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday if you take it out to the front. He loves dragging the bag (we don't usually have two) out there! Let's hope he continues to enjoy this later in life!

Ethan loves to go out to the pond and visit the ducks, turtles and geese. One day I sent some bread out with Tristan and Ethan to feed them. Here Ethan is holding up a piece of bread to a bird that had flown away. I guess he chased it for a good while before he gave up!

One day after I got home from Sam's I walked out of the kitchen into the dining room to find this: the leaning tower of groceries. Ethan loves playing with his blocks and stacking them and these grocery items must have seemed just like big blocks to him!

That same day while I was doing laundry, he came out to help me after his nap...and decided climbing in the dryer was a good idea. What a silly boy!
One thing's for sure: if you have a boy in your home, there's no shortage of entertainment! We love our silly boy!

Easter

The Saturday before Easter, our Primary did an Easter egg hunt and a celebration at the park. The weather turned out to be perfect and we had a great time. We started out by decorating bags for the egg hunt at the end of the day.

Even thought the Primary did an excellent job of planning fun games, once Ethan saw this cat roaming around the park he was fixated on it!

He did eventually get into the parachute games...
But really preferred to just sit and play on it when everyone was done!On the hunt for eggs! He wasn't all that into it, but I did manage to help him find one or two before he got too distracted.
Checking out what the egg holds inside

Tristan had to work on Easter Sunday, so we decided to have our Easter dinner a week early. I spent Sunday morning prepping dinner so that it was mostly ready when we got home from church on Sunday afternoon.

I made a carrot cake (Tristan's favorite) and Ethan really wanted to be in the kitchen with me. So, instead of fighting it, we rolled with it. I got him his own bowl, put a little water in it and let him mix away! The funny part was when he started pulling the carrot peelings out of the sink and adding them to his bowl...smart kid! He already knows that in order to make a great cake you've got to have more than water!

Ethan helping me on Sunday morning while I prepare the food for our Easter dinner

Ethan, all dressed up for Easter Sunday

Here I am, cooking our Easter dinner!

So for some reason, we decided that dying Easter eggs with a 1 1/2 year was a good idea. The Monday before Easter, we set out on our mission. Needless to say, Ethan didn't quite understand the concept and just put all the eggs in all at once. I don't even think Tristan and I got to do one! He just liked dumping them in...whatever makes him happy!

After all the dumping was done, he decided to get comfortable and wait for the outcome
As expected, we dyed the toddler and not just the eggs!

The inevitable spill! I'm just glad we only had one and that it was at the end!

For some reason that night he decided to build a fort under his high chair. He kept pulling blanket after blanket and even newspapers under the high chair and would hide out under it! What a silly kid!
The end result!!! You can see how Ethan's technique worked out on a few of those eggs!

Tristan wasn't home on the actual day of Easter, but Ethan still had lots of surprises waiting for him that day!

The Easter Bunny came!

I love how his hands are folded as he discovers his basket and walks over to it!
Checking out his puzzle

Peeking into his Easter basket to see what's inside...

Trying out the jelly beans...he enjoyed them a lot!!
After practicing putting coins in his piggy bank from his Grandpa and Grandma, he decided to put jellybeans into his truck!
He had lots of fun before church playing with his surprises. We did do an egg hunt later that afternoon, but I was too busy helping him open eggs to take any pictures. Overall, he still wasn't that into it. Maybe next year! I am grateful to have the opportunity to make memories as a family surrounding holidays, but even more grateful for the atonement and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Happy Easter!!