My Trip to Utah

About a year or so ago, I planned to go to Utah the last weekend in March for the BYU Singers Reunion. Dr. Staheli, the director for over 30 years, it retiring this year, and so I wanted to make sure I attended this awesome event. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite the weekend I had looked forward to and anticipated for so long. First off, we ended up moving that weekend, which is nothing new for us. We often plan trip right in the middle of a move and it's crazy and stressful, but we survive. But the worst part was that I had a terrible stomach bug and I felt completely miserable the entire weekend.

The kids had been sick all week and then Wednesday night, the night before I left, I started throwing up and knew it was going to be rough. Somehow the puking stopped for my flight to Salt Lake and I met up with some friends for dinner. After not eating all day and feeling pretty good, I ate dinner that night, and then was up all night again hunched over my Aunt and Uncle's toilet. It continued in various forms all weekend and was kind of a bummer. I still enjoyed seeing so many wonderful people, but I felt like I was only half there. I couldn't hardly sing (which was REALLY sad for me) and just was basically on survival mode the whole time. It lasted about five or six days and I really didn't feel back to normal until the day after we moved into our new house. Seriously, awful timing.

But anyway, here are a few pictures from the weekend anyway. I wish I could go back and have a do-over, but that's not the way life goes. Hopefully they'll have another reunion in a few years!

My first night there I met up with some friends from our ward in Sandy. Most of them have moved out of the ward, but still live in the general area. It was SO great to see them!

 Above - Annakaisa and me. Below - Laurie, Lisa, Annakaisa, Jenn, me and Kristin. Love these ladies!

 Heidi and I during Singers rehearsal. My hair looks really weird.

 Amy and Wendy during rehearsal. The other reason I was looking forward to this weekend was because I got to spend it with all my sisters! I love that we were all in the choir. :) My parents came too which was great. They spent a lot of years coming to our concerts!

 During the recording session - I just watched...

 Dr. Staheli and his wife receiving his gift from all of us.

 Me and Rachel Cox. I needed a week with this girl!

 My amazing friend Paige came down from her house to meet up in Provo. I hadn't seen her in almost four years and it was so great to catch up a bit and meet her beautiful new baby girl. And I always love feeling short around Paige! :)

 Beautiful BYU campus. We had some beautiful Spring weather in Utah that weekend!

 I also got so see my Grandma and several of my cousins and Aunts and Uncles. It was awesome!

 I stole these pics from friends on facebook. Lots of Singers friends!

 All the Astle girls with Dr. Staheli.

 Me and Suzana.

 Sisters, Sisters...I love this picture! We all look very happy.

 At my Great Uncle Lynn's house. I finally kept some waffles down after basically not eating for three days. Whew.

Regardless of the sickies, it was still an amazing trip. Amy and I flew to Chicago together and then we drove to her house where Jeremy and Rob and all the kids were and then we ate a quick dinner and drove down to Cincinnati so we could move in the next morning! It was crazy I tell you but it all worked out.

March Wrap-up in Chicago

A few pictures from our last month in Chicagoland:

At a Home Depot workshop. Did you know they do these for kids (free) all over the country the first Saturday of every month? The kids loved it.

Miss Fashionista dressing herself up.

 Grandma! My parents came for a day and a half on their way to Iowa for Heidi's piano recital. It was fun to have them! We went on a walk to the river and saw the melting snow/ice. It was fun!

Connor "helping" make his birthday cake.

At Heidi's Recital in Iowa City:

 That was the week before we closed on our house, and I wasn't planning on going, but decided to last minute. Even though I didn't get home until after midnight, it was worth it. Heidi was amazing! And since we've moved further away from each other, I probably won't hear her like that again for a long time.

 Eli's last day at his school in Illinois.

 All the boys.

 All the girls and Eli (he refused to stand up).

 Eli and his teacher, Mrs. Judd.

 Anna's last day of nursery with her buddy Kenzie. We miss them!

 All the kids got the stomach flu the week of our move (and then I did - it was awesome), but even though Anna was feeling miserable she still turned on the charm when I pulled out the camera.

 Watching a movie while the movers started working. The boys were at a friends' house, but she still had a fever so she stayed with me.

 Boxes everywhere!!!

Connor's Birthday

Connor's Birthday was sandwiched in between going down to close on our house and our move, so it took a bit of planning ahead so it wouldn't get forgotten. The week before his birthday, I made his cake and stuck it in the freezer, and made sure I had a few presents for him. We got back late the night before his birthday, so I hurried and wrapped his presents so he'd see them when he woke up in the morning. He was pretty excited to turn FOUR!

 All he had wanted for weeks and weeks before his birthday was a flashlight, so he was very happy when he got one. :)

 Both boys were pretty excited about the new Duplos from Grandma.

 Chocolate cake, vanilla frosting, and colored sprinkles - at his request.

Connor is a fun boy who loves to run and jump and throw and catch and ride his bike. He is almost always wearing a baseball hat and asks me many times a day if we can play catch (and he has quite the arm!) He is surprisingly competitive and tries so hard to be as fast and strong as Eli and gets very frustrated with the fact that he's two years younger. He is getting to be very good buddies with Anna lately and does a great job helping her with things like getting dressed and putting her shoes on. Connor is also very sensitive and thoughtful and gives great answers to questions we ask during Family Home Evening. He is getting to be quite grown up and we sure love our handsome blue-eyed boy!

Anna Banana

I can't believe my baby is two! Anna is such a fun little girl and she really is becoming a little girl and not a baby anymore. She talks a lot more now and we are enjoying hearing her developing vocabulary. Some of her favorite things to say are "No, my do it!" and "Myself!" (or as she says, "myshelf"). She is also very sweet and loving though. She loves to be held like a baby and she loves to sing and play with her baby dolls. She loves to jump and run and do everything her older brothers do. She is an excellent sleeper, usually getting 11-12 hours a night plus a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon. She continues to be very tall too! She had her two-year well check on Tuesday and she was still in the 95th percentile and doctor guessed she would probably grow to be 5'10" or 5'11" like her mama!

Anna loves to do things herself now, which means it often takes forever. She refuses to let me help her until she tries it herself first and then gets impatient with her inability. She is actually better at getting her coat on herself than Connor is though, so I don't mind the independent spirit too much. I can relate. ;) She is a great eater and even loves vegetables. She loves to make us laugh and be silly and she helps us all be cheerful and happy. We try not to indulge her too much, but it's really hard because she's just so darn cute!

Here are a few pictures from her birthday. Awesome bedhead that morning!

 I got her some goggles (three-pack at Costco for everyone's upcoming birthdays) because the house we're moving to has a neighborhood pool! I hope to have the kids swimming like fishes by the end of the summer.

 Blowing out her candles on her cake that night. The cake looks a little sad but it was delicious! Anna loves raspberries, so it was just a basic yellow cake with raspberries/whipped cream in between and on top. Yum!

 Anna adore her daddy and often will pull up a chair right next to him so she can sit close to him. It's very cute.

 And let's be honest, she has him wrapped around her little finger. :)

Happy Birthday Anna girl! We love you tons!