The beginning of May started with a trip to Colorado to celebrate Lexi graduating from Northern Colorado University as well as a combined celebration for the Baldwin 4 birthdays in May and a little outing to celebrate grandma Dunning turning 90 in April. It was a whirlwind weekend filled with family, fun, laughter, Top Golf and food. Top Golf is basically bowling for golfing as well as a genius idea that makes horrible golfers feel like they are amazing because they get points super easy. In other words, it was a ton of fun with lots of laughing among all of us.
The first day we got there, Emma, Brad and I flew in on the same flight, then waited at the airport for a few hours for my dad to get in and Terri to pick us up. We enjoyed some Einstein Bagel creations and people watching, and hearing about Brad's recent adventure to Argentina for a school expedition. We then made our way to Broomfield to take grandma Dunning out for her birthday with the rest of the family. It was fun to see grandma so excited to go get Chinese food (shrimp because she is tired of chicken) and to get to visit with everyone.
Lexi was so excited to finally graduate and was beyond ready! We all got nice tans (some had to burn quite badly first) sitting in the sun, cheering her on and then enjoyed a relaxing afternoon eating pizza in the park.
That night, we all gathered together at grandma Bev's to share THE chocolate cake. It is the first time in a LOOONG time that we have all been able to celebrate our May birthdays together, so it was fun to get to do that and act silly.
I was welcomed home by my boys and then Dallin took off on a work trip to Vegas the following day for 3 days. My 30th was spent on a scavenger hunt for little notes that Dallin had left around the house, spending time with the Evans and Kneaders for dinner because I just didn't feel like cooking!
While in Colorado back in January on a layover back from Brad and Emma's wedding I noticed a new painting in Terri's bathroom that I fell in love with. It had vibrant colors and just really caught my eye. She had gotten it from a close friend who was cleaning out all her paintings that she had collected from all over. Fast forward to May, Terri gave me the painting as a birthday present along with the story behind it. Apparently, her friend had gotten it in Peru from a little village outside Maccu Piccu. Turns out, this little village has one of the highest populations of individuals with Down Syndrome. She said once she heard that, she just knew that the painting was mine. How awesome is that?!
Mother's Day was heavnely. Dallin let me sleep in, made breakfast, let me take a nap and then we walked around temple square. I was hit this year with humility as I pondered the beauty of women and how each one of us is a mother. My heart ached for those that struggle to have children of their own, celebrated those that have found their littles through adoption and weeped with those that have lost babies and admired those who have treated other's children as their own. I have close friends and family in all three categories and I just wanted to hug them all tight. I'm grateful and humbled that God has trusted me with these little bundles of energy that keep me on my toes all day. Every. Single. Day.
A lot of the month was spent making up for lost time with our buddies. We can't begin to tell you how much we missed the Evans. Luke CONSTANTLY asks if we can play with Parker. I mean, every hour, at least. Sometimes he'll come running in, excitedly saying, "I HAVE A GREAT IDEA!" When I ask what it is, I usually get something along the lines of, "We should go have popsicles with Parker," or "We can call to see if Parker can come over," or "Let's invite Parker on our hike!" No joke. They are honestly the best of buds. They play so nice together, to the point that if there is a dispute between them, both his mom and I are in shock because they usually just play and laugh and thoroughly enjoy every minute with one another.
He got to go with them when we first moved in to Parker's grandparents house for a joint birthday party for family members. He was beyond excited to get to ride down in their car, run around on all their grandparent's land, hear Bryson's joke ("Once a horse walked into the store and the store worker said, 'What's up with the long face, dude?!"), listen to Scripture Scouts, and just get to be wild and free with his buddy.
On the actual Memorial Day, we ventured up to enjoy the great outdoors in honor of the freedom we have to do so because of those who protect our country, to go fly fishing. We decided to go up Big Cottonwood Canyon since Dallin knows of a few fishing spots up there and we hadn't been up there in awhile. Well, the rest of Utah decided to do the same. Every spot was PACKED. We ended up going to the end at Silver Lake where we were greeted with a still frozen lake and snow cover. However, we still managed to find a little thawed out water, attempted to fish, but mostly just enjoyed being outside. It is a good thing we went seeing as it gave Dallin a chance to work out his fly fishing rustiness in preparation for Island Park in June with the Green clan. Don't want him embarrassing himself...
The ladybug was found in the car while Caleb and I were waiting for Luke and Dallin to finish up. I tried to show it to Caleb, thinking it was safe since he had a sucker in his mouth. Here's how that scenario played out: "Caleb! Look at the ladybug!" Caleb grabs the ladybug and promptly pops it in his mouth. I tried. Don't worry. No ladybugs were consumed.
We convinced Dallin to take a half day off work and come to the zoo with us before it became a zoo with school's getting out. It was such a perfect day! 70 degrees, no people, animals out and about, baby animals including a baby giraffe, leopards, orangutans (my personal favorite), and zebra, robotic bugs; we couldn't have asked for a better zoo day. Luke especially loved the bugs since his newest love is all things robotic, Caleb LOVED the animals and would excitedly sign each one he saw then just watch them in wonderment and we loved just spending the day with nowhere to be but the zoo. We finished it off with a visit to our newfound favorite ice cream/snow-cone/dole whip/gelatto place, Tropical Dreams. Holy Moly. So yummy!
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