Toddler Tabling

Or would you call it "chairing?"

Moved in and back to our hiking escapades

Ferguson Canyon - our new favorite trail.

After assembling a new kitchen table and waiting a month for a couch to arrive, we finally feel more settled in our new place in Cottonwood Heights. The move was a great opportunity to unpack and use some 3-year-old wedding gifts, read and try some decorating advice from Alvin's sister's blog, and let Miles graduate to sleeping in his own bedroom.

Things I love about our new home:

• a ward with lots of young families like us
• proximity to Big Cottonwood Canyon (I stuff Miles in the backpack and go hiking a couple mornings a week)
• we don't have to do yardwork! But we smile and wave at the grounds crew everyday when they drive around in their golf carts.
• the Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center. It has 5 swimming pools and a couple acceptable yoga instructors. I don't think anyone can compare to the yoga instructor at our old gym; she was unsurpassably amazing.

Things Miles loves about this area:

• ~ climbing in parked golf carts
• ~ pointing at robins on the lawn and in trees
• ~ parks with swings
• ~ a neighbor who is only 30 minutes younger than him (but she can already touch her nose, eyes, and mouth and give kisses)

Things Alvin loves about this area:

• the beautiful mansions in nearby neighborhoods
• the freeway entrance is 2 minutes away, so his work is 10 minutes closer
• a new friend who shares his last name and hair color
• the plethora of pinecones on our sidewalks, which are useful for throwing at the basketball hoop, which greatly amuses Miles

P.S. We also recently hiked Notch Peak near Delta, Utah, heard Peter Breiholt perform at the Brigham Young park, and went to Ashley Ross's wedding. My highschool friend is now Mrs. Jason Eldredge.

Miles with cousins Mallory, Avery, and Sophia (aren't her natural ringlets precious?)

Miles in his element

Little Cottonwood Creek Floods

The Little Cottonwood creek reached record highs this spring due to a cool, rainy May and a couple hot days in June. It flooded several houses and parks in Murray and took out a trail bridge in Little Cottonwood canyon. We spent Family Night checking out the raging, chocolatey water.

Imagine the "thunk, thunk, thunk" of huge granite boulders clonking into each other beneath the watery torrent above. I held Miles' hand very tightly while we walked along the trail.