Lessons Learned from a 3-Year-Old

The past couple of weeks have been crazy busy! We've had a wedding, a graduation, and a move from Caldwell to Montpelier, not to mention I've had to keep my social life active :) Throughout these various activities, I've had the wonderful opportunity to spend some quality time with my family.

The Wedding
The festivities started the night before Tyler and Carrie's wedding. We went out to Melina's to eat. Yummy! My 8-year-old nephew, Stockton, found the comment card on the table and decided he wanted to fill it out. On the section "Any additional comments?" he wrote, "Can you please serve the food faster?" He was a hungry boy! We all fell over with laughter.

While eating our meal, we learned that after one time of watching Jumanji, Stockton could recite all the rhymes. For example: "At night they fly, you better run. These winged things are not much fun." That kid is a genius! We kept quizzing him--"What about the stampede?" and he never failed us.

The next day was the wedding day. Yay! The song that kept running through my head all day was the song ad from Aladdin 3: They're finally getting married! It only took them 2.5 years ;)

They're getting married!!! YAY!

They're getting married...Ugh...

While the actual wedding ceremony took place, I had the fun job of watching the four little ones. We chased birds, ate snacks, colored, and watched church videos. It was an adventure!

The happy couple

The dinner afterwards and the reception were both really beautiful. Tyler and Carrie were as happy as could be. And even though I couldn't be there the witness the actual ceremony, I could feel a very sweet, sacred spirit that accompanied the day. It was a wonderful day--in more ways than one :)

The day after the wedding also rocked. I pretty much just laid around all day, but it was very nice. My 3-year-old niece, Brinley, taught me how to wear my jewelry correctly. 

You can see that she put the earrings around the bee's antennas. It was so funny!

We went on a bike ride and I rode from my house to the church (1/4 mile) with no hands. I was so proud of myself! Later that night, we played an intense game of Cranium and learned some exciting news I am not allowed to announce yet.

Everyone left Sunday, but the next Friday we traveled to Caldwell.

The Graduation
Saturday, Lance officially graduated from his residency. He can now practice medicine wherever he wants. The graduation was SO LONG! It was almost 3 hours. We ate hors d'oeuvre before hand, but it was rich people food and it wasn't that great. I did feel like I was in Gilmore Girls at a DAR party or something, and I felt very grand, but after the first hour, I was ready to go.

After the graduation, we went to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate. While we were eating, Brinley had food on her hands and decided to give me a hug. I learned the fabulous trick of rubbing the food in my shirt so it wouldn't show anymore--oh the joys of motherhood! To keep my 1-year-old niece, Avery, from crying, I took her out of the restaurant and danced her around to "Cotton Eyed Joe." It was bonding moment.

Sunday we laid around a vegged. Brinley sang all about her woes. Apparently, everything either makes her really sad or mad. It's hard to be 3! Seriously, though, she reminds me of a sour patch kid. First, she can be really rotten and she cries and complains when she doesn't get what she wants, or when you want her to do something she doesn't want to do. But then, like 2 minutes later, she turns into a little angel by giving you a hug and kiss. She's so funny and very strong-willed! She also decorated my hair before church and told me I looked like "an angel."

The Move
Monday we loaded the 2 U-Hauls and made the trek from Caldwell to Montpelier. Lance will start practicing in Bear Lake in a couple weeks, so we helped move his family. I got the fun job of driving the Sunfire that's an automatic, but acts like a manual. I was scared it was going to die on me on the on-ramp in Boise, but luckily it didn't and I made it on the freeway safe and sound. I caravanned with Joni, who drove like bat out of you-know-where in the minvan. We went approx. 85 mph the whole way. Luckily there was not a cop to be seen!

We arrived to Montpelier around 6 pm and decided to unload one of the U-Haul's. Neighbors and ward members came over and we ended up unloading both. I luckily got out of unloading most of it by watching this little one: 

Avery

Give the phone to me!

Tuesday, Mom & Dad helped unpack, clean, and put up different things. I was pretty lazy and just laid around and watched the kids. I told Brinley I was going to write a blog all about her. She first thought I meant I was going to draw her, but then I explained that I was going to write about her. She squealed, "Me? Really?! Let's do it!" It was cute. She then wanted me to take a picture of her hand.

The Aves-Meister wanted to be included too!

And that pretty much concludes the happenings in my life this past month. Another thing happened too, but I don't think this blog post is the appropriate way to declare the news.