Welcome to… another January Monday?? How many of these things are there?? 😂 We’ll be in the 60s all week though, so I can’t complain too much. We had a sort of busy weekend but still lots of home-cooked meals, one-on-one time with the kids and Joey and I even snuck out for a few hours to see a movie!

Friday, I dropped the kids off at Grandma’s, picked up a coffee (and a super soft loaf of sourdough!) at Funky Flame, worked, then got my nails done. My nail gal wanted to try out some Valentine’s designs and I was happy to be her guinea pig. They turned out so cute! 😍 I also finished my audiobook on the way back home and I liked it but it also really creeped me out 😬 After Joey picked the kids up, we headed to Ginger Pig for the usual chaotic but fun but stressful but delicious dinner with children 😂 Dempsey held Joey hostage until 9:30 PM (his new favorite thing to do at bedtime) so this Wes Anderson short was all we had time for and man, I just have NO stomach for anything unpleasant involving children since having my own. So the bullying, even in Roald Dahl’s obviously fictionalized world, freaked me out. This man was disturbed, guys. 

We had a busy little Saturday! Started with waffles though and my girl is actually starting to eat those kinds of things at breakfast, so yay!!!! Afterward, we all got changed and headed to Coors Field for Rockies Fest! It was season ticket holders only until noon-ish, so it wasn’t too busy yet and we had a really good time. Met and took a picture with Austin Gomber, got tattoos (I let Joey hold Lydia while she got one and when I turned around, the lady was painting her face?? Not what I would’ve gone with but she seemed fine with it 😂), took a picture with one of the lower league mascots, made a friendship bracelet, got autographs from three of our newer players and last but not least, had our caricature drawn. So fun!

Back at home, both kids actually went down for a nap and once Dempsey was back up, he and Joey headed out for the Nuggets game. Lydi and I occupied ourselves by taking a trip to Huckleberry Roasters, then Whole Foods then back home to make some white bean and ham soup, which we both loved. The boys made it home just in time to kiss Sis good night. They had a GREAT time at the game! Joey had been texting me updates, which were basically just Dempsey eating some treat in every picture, but I was so happy to hear from Dempsey himself that he’d had fun. He was AMPED and I’m so grateful to Joey for taking our boy to these sporting events 🤍 Since Dad was the one to sugar him up, I felt it was only fair that he also put him to bed but when it was an hour and a half later and he still wouldn’t lay down for bed, Joey called it quits. I got him down pretty quickly after that but I think it had more to do with him finally being worn out than my parenting abilities. Whew!

Some little lady had both of her parents up in the middle of the night, so I expected to be dragging the next morning and was surprised when I actually felt pretty okay. And good thing because Joey and I were seeing a middle of the day movie and had lots of chores to get through before and after it. Joey made three of us some egg sandwiches and then we got started on laundry, some cleaning projects and a shower for me before Lori arrived to watch the kids. We saw American Fiction and I have no comment or opinion on the politics of the plot but I thought it was very funny and that Jeffrey Wright was very good! Back at home, I started on salads and waited for Grandma and the kids to get back from the park. Roasted us a chicken for dinner and it smoked up the house so that we had to open the windows and Dempsey was a bit cold I guess 😂 Someone didn’t nap, so he went to bed early and Joey and I got to watch a couple more shorts. I really liked the one with Dev Patel! We had an okay night of sleep so I think it should be a good day. Hope it is for you!

I wish I had paid more attention to families at the airport before deciding to have kids because I may have been more prepared for the sheer insanity of the entire experience. Whew, it is not for the faint of heart (or weak of arms, legs, backs and minds)! We took a long weekend trip to Houston then flew directly to Cabo and got to experience the regular fun of dragging (sometimes quite literally) car seats, suitcases, a pack n play, strollers and two children through the airport, PLUS the added excitement of a cancelled flight, THREE hours on the tarmac and a 24-hour stomach bug.

STILL, we had such a good time! Visited the Houston Children’s Museum, met Miss Amelia, saw Chad finish his first full marathon, played at the pool, played at the beach, soaked up so much warm weather and sunshine and spent lots of good quality time with Grandpa Steve and Lorna 🤍 I miss it already!

We found out on Thursday that our flight for Friday was cancelled 😱 Re-booked on a plane with just 24 rows and a quick layover in Hobbs, New Mexico, which was about as exciting as it sounds but both kids took a nap at least. We didn’t have seats together on the second flight and I don’t know how Joey did it with that wiggly and strong-willed little lady 😂 Made it to our Airbnb in Houston just before 7 PM and why, no matter where you travel, does it take ALL DAY to get there?? Anyway, Chad and Lori had ordered in dinner for us, so it was ready and waiting and that’s the best 🍝🍕🍺🥰

We spent most of Saturday at the Houston Children’s Museum, which was so cool and fun! We met up with Joey’s cousin Tyler, his wife Brianna and their baby daughter Amelia, who we were meeting for the first time and she sure is a cutie! All the kids had a blast. Betsy and I got to take the two little ladies into a baby and toddler-only area and I really loved it. We ended outside, where all the kids splashed around and Dempsey got completely soaked 😂 He wore himself out! Completely passed out in the car afterward. He kept sort of waking up, crying a little and putting a piece of popcorn in his mouth without even opening his eyes and Joey and I tried not to laugh every time 😂 After the museum, we went over to Tyler and Brianna’s — much to Dempsey’s absolute delight, they had a blow up Snoopy in their front yard! — and hung out for a bit before going out to dinner. Sissy fell asleep at the table!

Sunday was race day! Much logistical planning took place Saturday night so we could figure out how to get Chad to the start line and also the best way and place to watch him. Joey did a good job though and we were able to see him pass by at mile 15 and at the finish line. I’m already so in awe of marathoners but it was extra emotional to see someone we know personally finish his first, and with Elliott as his motivation 😭❤ I know she would’ve been so proud of her Chaddy. Much relaxing took place the rest of the day and then we hit up POST Houston, a food hall, for dinner. Sissy must’ve been tired and fell asleep on Grandma’s shoulder 🥺 

The rest of the group was dealing with a cancelled flight Saturday evening and I felt for them. They had all re-booked and were gone by the time we got up on Sunday. The four of us got up, packed up and headed out for breakfast. We ended up at a moody coffee shop (perfect for the gloomy rainy weather outside) that served up killer food. I was impressed. We were worried about our own flight and the good news is that it wasn’t cancelled, BUT it was MAJORLY delayed. Our plane needed de-frosted and we ended up sitting on the tarmac for THREE HOURS. They actually let all the passengers back into the terminal while we waited but our two kids ended up falling asleep, so we stayed on the entire time, plus the three hour flight afterward 😱 Dempsey did get to check out the cockpit beforehand though and that was so cool! It was a looooooong day, but it was so nice finally making it to Cabo and some warmth. We had a good, albeit late, dinner at the resort and then we all crashed into bed.

Our first time in Cabo and it was great! Weather was perfect and the resort was so nice. We really had a wonderful time. Plus, it is AMAZING having two extra adults to help with the kids. Felt like Joey and I could actually relax 🥰 We hit up the pool that first full day there and it was a blast! That heated pool felt very nice and Dempsey was having so much fun in there. Lydi too! I took her back to our place for her morning nap but Dempsey was having too much fun to get out and then proceeded to fall asleep at lunch 😂 I had fun sitting out on the patio to read and watch everyone at the pool while Lydi napped but I did mention to Joey that I felt sort of weird. Thought I just needed food, so we walked into town and had dinner at La Casa Country which was a good and delicious time until I suddenly thought I might be sick. We wrapped up the meal and headed back home, where I more or less went straight to bed, but I woke up at 10:30 and threw up! No fun at all. 

We were all feeling bad on Wednesday unfortunately. I think Joey and I each took about four naps and Dempsey took one really long one too. I think Lydia felt the best out of all of us. We really just laid low all day. I’m so glad we had the time and extra help with the kids to be able to rest like that and even when you’re not feeling well, it’s pretty nice to lay in the sun. The kids got to wave to Grandpa and Lorna while they were enjoying the hot tub and Lorna made us all some soup that really hit the spot. I was definitely feeling better toward the end of the day but Joey slept right through dinner 😢

Woke up Thursday feeling completely back to normal, hallelujah! And we made up for it with a good time at the beach in the morning (my babies are not ocean-goers but they had fun in the sand), the splash pad in the afternoon (they were both LOVING it!) and a fancy dinner that included a tableside Caesar salad. I’ve never had one of those before! Dempsey maybe fell asleep at the table and I dashed off as soon as I finished my meal to put another sleepy child to bed, but everything was really delicious and the adults had a nice time. Unfortunately, Lorna came down with the stomach bug we all had that night, so we didn’t get to say goodbye to her in person but we got to enjoy one last breakfast with Grandpa and then we packed up and headed to the airport for another chaotic flight with two children. They eventually both fell asleep, so Joey and I could have a moment of peace. Dempsey was doing a fun thing through the airport where he wouldn’t let Joey put him down and when he did, he proceeded to lay on the floor and yell for “Daddy!” 😂😫 These children! Lori was kind enough to pick us up from the airport and I want to say it’s nice to be home, but it’s definitely colder, plus we had been sleeping TERRIBLY before vacation and it’s been no better now that we’re back. Between the room sharing, the wake ups, the nap protesting, the bed-sharing, it’s all been a mess and Joey and I are definitely struggling. There’s so many components to juggle that I don’t even know where to begin in addressing any of it. Please wish us all better sleep soon. I’ll be dreaming of vacation sleep till then 😋