InstaFriday #16 - a vaca, pre-school and a birthday!

This week was pretty busy. 

We headed down to SLC for the long weekend to visit some of Shane's family.

Their house is amazing and made me want to paint my walls white and search for more milk glass.

Collin liked all the new toys to play with.

My little scientist likes a lot of light when looking under the microscope. And, again, pants would only stifle his powers of observation.

Shane and I stayed in the "guest loft" next door. It was so cozy and quiet!

We headed down to Provo to eat at El Salvador. Yummy Central American food.

We used to eat there all the time when we were newlyweds. 

Back then we didn't have little short people wiping beans on us and 

spilling pineapple soda on our pants.

The girls picked flowers for Uncle Garret. He's very pretty don't you think?

In the morning I helped with breakfast by picking grapes in the backyard "vineyard".

Perfect to go with our avocado, egg and sausage breakfast sandwiches with chipotle hollandaise sauce. My SIL is a very good cook.

We did go out to dinner once. In a crazy Utah rainstorm.

But mostly we just stayed home and partied.

These cousins are ridiculously darling.

Our last stop was to Temple Square. 

I love taking my family to see the temple.

It's where we go so our families can be together forever.

We popped over to see the City Creek Center. 

We didn't even get inside, there was too much to do on the outside!

The next day was Collin's first day of pre-school!

I love his little monkey backpack. 

Soon I will have no say in what he wears, but for now, I can make him darling.

The day after that was my birthday! I'm 35! 

(I swear I felt my fertility drop at midnight)

I was sad Shane was leaving for work before I woke up this morning. But coming out to a huge cluster of yellow and gray birthday balloons cheered me considerably :)

And then......

THE WORST EATING DAY IN ALL HISTORY!

Some people have a special plate to use on birthdays. Me?

 I prefer a glittered sonic cup full of diet coke goodness.

As a nice birthday treat, I took Collin to the movies to see some crappy OggieLoves movie for toddlers. The treat was we were the only ones in the theater so I got to have 88 minutes to text and pin while eating popcorn, candy and (more) soda.

You can follow me on pinterest here and see some of the cool things I pinned. :)

Friends brought the sweetest goodies.

Some little boy tried to sneak a taste while I was distracted with my camera.

Sneak!

My friend Kristi sent me a rad new fedora to rock.

(I can rock it right?)

Flowers from my SLC fam.

That night, after a Mexican take-out feast, Shane and the kids went to work making this chocolate masterpiece. (MORE CAKE!)

They surprised me with a purse I once mentioned here on my blog 

and gift certificate to a day at the spa!

And this time Collin got all the frosting he wanted.

And in huge news.... Lydia lost her first tooth!!!!

YAY!

Her little note was my favorite part.

"Dear tooth fairy I lost my tooth. Please leave me a dollar."

Later she decided she needed to add more.

"Please don't take my tooth.

Tooth Fairy, my tooth looks like a whistle.

Dear tooth fairy, I got my first tooth but I still want my tooth. 

Money please"

awesome.

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