Getting Through a SLC Winter

Yep. Christmas ends, and I feel like we just need to get through the next 3 months of yucky, inverted weather and the inevitable colds and coughs. Definitely get negative about a Salt Lake City Winter. If only we lived up above the smog. And it wasn't Andy's busy accounting season. I must have been so depressed that I didn't even feel like blogging about winter months' happenings. Shame on me, because it was B's first winter and we did do some fun things together. Not to mention he seemed to go from baby to toddler overnight!

We started off the year right by celebrating our 4th Anniversary! Go us! We try our best to be cheerful on this day. Being married to each other is the best thing ever and we love celebrating, but the anticipation of busy season has a tendency to overshadow what should be a happy day. We gotta figure out how to be better about this. Grammy Tammy came to the rescue and took B for the whole afternoon and early evening while we got some Lone Star tacos for lunch, saw Spectre at the Water Gardens, and then got some sushi for dinner. It was a much needed afternoon for just us. Happy Anniversary to my amazing husband!

Here is a little visual recap of our winter:)

Bennett is rocking his solid food! and his very first "green" smoothie in this pic!

Sweet visits with Grandma Marilyn

Snow shoveling with Daddy. Baby backpack=best.purchase.ever.

my men

Cute little snow bunny

lots of selfies on our couch as we watched people drive by and the snow fall

Bennett got his first high chair! thanks IKEA

Got together with college friends Carly and Alison and their boys. The Bennett and Gordon were born on the same day about an hour apart! Cute boys, and amazing girlfriends!

We went to the Norman Rockwell exhibit with Grandma and Grandpa Brown, which was amazing. We enjoyed some Sizzler right after, which Bennett loved!

morning green drink, usually right after we say goodbye to Daddy as he heads off to work!

I was called to be a YW advisor to these awesome girls. We got to go to the Provo City Center Temple Open House, which was amazing! Such a beautiful temple and a memorable night!

another selfie in PJs

Went on a hike to Ensign's Peak with Jess and Liam. B loved the hike, Liam not so much. But we were all happy to enjoy some chocolate at Hatch's Family chocolate shop, and then some hang time at Grammy's. We ate a lot of muddy buddies...

B sneezed a green drink on me. Ew!

B's first outing to Wheeler Farm! We went with Rylee and Ruby Miller. Not sure how excited he was about the animals, as seen in this picture. Plus the duck bit me. But a fun outing and lunch with my girl Rylee!

Bath time in the farm sink. I love this time. Nothing beats a freshly bathed baby and an evening at home as our little family:)

His little tongue makes me smile

baby in a bath towel!

This was Bennett's favorite thing during the winter. Looking out our front window and watching the cars go by. 

More bath time:)

Family dinner at Browns. Contrary to his expression in the pic, B had a lot of fun with his cousins and swinging on the swing

We celebrated with the Holts as Griffin opened his mission call! Bulgaria Sofia mission! He leaves in July! Such a stud and we are so excited for him. hard to believe that he was just about to become a deacon when I was on my mission in California 7 years ago. Go Grif!

We mostly have videos of him in the jumper. He would jump so hard in this, he broke one of the springs in half! Total lifesaver during this stage!

First trip to the Aquarium with Grammy and Liam! We became year pass owners! Fun to see the fish, sharks and penguins!

with Grammy at the aquarium

Fun at home

Carly and I threw beautiful Lauren Barrus a baby shower! So fun! Carli Jane was born the end of May!

more selfies

breakfast time

B loves the backpack and his daddy!

conference at Mom and dad's. They were rid of their furniture in preparation for their remodel, so it was camping out on the floor and a panini picnic in the backyard. Bring on Spring!

Easter outfit from Grammy!

Andy home taught the nannies in Geneva. We would just have them over to our apartment for dinner, which was so fun! Rachel and Madeline live here in Utah, so we had them over with their boy toys and they were sweet to give B a bath:)

We were lucky to get to go to Rhanzu and Tia's sealing in the Mt. Timpanogous Temple! They are dear friends from Geneva as well, so it was a nice reunion. Such a beautiful sealing. And they are expecting a baby in August!

Whew! We made it through the winter! Bennett went from just being able to lay there like a slug to full on crawling! Got himself some teeth and is enjoying yummy food (though still a picky eater). He loves to laugh, go on walks and jump in his jumper for hours. Went through a couple of sleep regressions, diarrhea episodes and a cold, but he survived his first winter!