our trip out west: island park

The last leg of our trip was the Leininger family reunion in Island Park, just outside of Yellowstone National Park. We went into Yellowstone probably four different days, and got to see so much of the park. Tommy and I went right after we got married with my family, but this time we got to see so much more. And it was all so gorgeous--I wish the pictures could really do it justice. We went on hikes, went swimming, went river rafting and horseback riding, and drove around and did lots of sightseeing. And the best part was that we were with some of the best people too, which made it even more awesome than just any trip to Yellowstone would be. It was so fun to spend time with all the Leiningers and have them all together (almost--minus Shane and Kiley)--we both left saying that we wanted to have reunions every year. 

(The pictures are COMPLETELY out of order, but they're pretty representative.)

We made s'mores by the fire. With some of the cutest kids.

We swam in the Firehole River in Yellowstone.

Near the Grand Canyon waterfalls in the park.

Saw lots and lots of wildlife!

Dane got some good cousin time. Look at him trying to bite Zach... so tender!

Saw Old Faithful!

I love these two matching babies together!

We went river rafting just outside of Yellowstone.

And we had a marshmallow gun war.

Seriously, we had such a good time. It was an awesome reunion. We're already looking forward to the next one!

6 weeks.

We've been on vacation for over six weeks now.

I feel almost embarrassed about that--that we are so lucky and that we've had so much freedom every summer we've lived here in NC. This year we had two reunions and my brother leaving on a mission, several worthy events that we didn't want to miss--and since we didn't have to, we decided not to! And then Tommy had a conference in Montreal that we just got back from a few hours ago (pictures pending, don't you worry). It has been so fun and so worth it and 100% awesome. But now, we are home from all that traveling. For good.

And it already feels oh so good.

Six weeks is a long time to be gone and out of your routine. Long enough for basically every good habit you have to fall by the wayside. Habits like:

-exercising
-eating healthy
-cleaning up after yourself
-flossing and using mouthwash
-reading scriptures
-taking daily vitamins
-Dane's good sleeping habits (unfortunately!)
-reading (I haven't read any books since we left town--it feels so weird!)

But now that we are back in town, we are going to kick ourselves into shape. Physically, spiritually, hygienically. I can't wait.

our trip out west: irvine

after aspen grove, we went to irvine with my family for a week and a half to pass the time between our two reunions--and MOST importantly, to hang out with dallin before he left on his mission to the dominican republic. it was extremely relaxed--we hardly did anything other than go on lots of walks with dane and murphy and go swimming at our neighborhood pool. and it was great! i think dane especially really enjoyed having not much going on after the craziness of aspen grove.

i looked through our pictures of this week and i thought, "how the heck do we have 338 pictures from a week where we did almost nothing!?" and then i remembered that we were in a house full of people obsessed with dane (tommy and i included). so every activity dane participated in was document several times over. 

grandpa murphy reading dane some bedtime stories:

in each of the bedrooms at my house, there are these sliding mirrors that cover the closet. dane saw them and just went crazy head-bumping the baby in the mirror. 

one of the days, we did venture out and went to balboa to get balboa bars and then briefly to the beach. 

dane was first transfixed by the pigeons crowded around the balboa bar stand . . .

and then totally THRILLED by the tastes of ice cream that we gave him.

i really cannot get enough of these two together. and neither can dane, really. all he wants in life is to have tommy be with him 24/7. maybe tommy and i should switch jobs.

dane loved the water--every time a wave would come, he'd giggle and scream and tommy would pull him up so just his feet would get wet. he thought it was hilarious.

but seriously. how cute are they?

look at that happy face!

cole sometimes took dane on walks in the morning. look at them both in their pajamas. 

dane also learned how to clap while we were there. he could not have been prouder of himself.

oh my gosh! i can do it!

he was also obsessed with piano--when i'd try to walk past it upstairs to put him down for a nap without letting him play on it, he'd burst into tears. he got kind of possessive of it though--he'd grab your hands and throw them off so that he could play by himself.

dane also would be very happy if we would bring murphy home with us. he loved sitting there talking to murphy through the glass. murphy, however, paid him no attention at all. look at him looking straight at me taking the picture--he knows that little person who's his size isn't going to be taking him on a walk.

 per usual, we had a family picnic one night. i think we murphys just like eating outside.

 wow, my cute baby is gnawing on a rib bone. 

oh, these two are so cute. dane is totally going to miss his uncle dallin.

last family picture before dallin left. we took one just like this when austin left a little over a year ago.