Quarantine

The past week was a very fun and family-filled one. On Tuesday evening Tina flew over to visit and we spent Wednesday eating good food at home and out and getting her hair done at the local beauty school (which takes the better part of an afternoon. We only both keep going there because it costs 1/3 what it would at a regular salon. At least it didn't take them 6 hours this time like it did once when I got my hair done at the Paul Mitchell school). On Thursday Mother, Daddy, and Amy drove over from Elko for one last hurrah before Amy flew out to Moscow, Russia, to start her semester teaching English there. Cami came up from Provo as well and we celebrated Johnson-style by eating way way too much at Tucanos, our favorite Brazilian steakhouse. Tina had the horrible realization after checking the flights that night that everything was overbooked from Salt Lake to Palm Springs for the rest of the weekend, so she had to race to the airport to catch the last flight out that night, which still had seats available. Friday early morning Amy left for Russia, and in the afternoon Daddy, Mother, Miles and I went stroller shopping (I LOVE my jogging stroller, but it is impossible to get into our tiny Ford Focus with the wheels on (and possibly with the wheels off as well.) I couldn't avoid it any longer--I needed another stroller if Miles was ever going to leave the neighborhood for a walk). Mother and I demoed about 90% of the strollers in Babies R Us (there was no need to demo anything that cost $200+ dollars. Seriously, who spends that much on a stroller?). Quote of the day from Mother while attempting to collapse one of the dozens of strollers: "I feel like I'm taking an I.Q. test!" It was soo fitting. After demoing nearly all the strollers in the store, we left and went to Target where Mother and Daddy generously bought us the Chicco Liteway umbrella stroller (it seriously is awesome). Can't wait for the weather to warm up a bit to take Miles to Liberty Park for a stroll. I think we'll even splurge and go to the aviary at the park...

Anyway, Friday night Daddy, Benjamin and Miles had a boys night at the house while Mother, Cami, and I had a girls + Sean night at the LDS Film Festival. For the sake of time all we went to was the "shorts," which are sort of minifilms lasting about 10 minutes or less. I'm not going to lie--a couple of the shorts were downright awful (one of them I still am wondering what the story line was supposed to be). However, several of them were very creative and well done. It's always a treat to see what turns up at the festival. Next year I would really like to go to the Sundance Film Festival again. We haven't been to that since the dear Greens moved away...

Saturday morning I had planned to take Miles swimming at my parent's hotel, but was very disappointed to find that Miles woke up with a little sniffle so I didn't feel like I should take him. Mother and Daddy came over and watched him for several hours so that Benjamin and I could go to the temple and on a lunch date, which was SO nice! It was the first time we had been to the temple since last June before Miles was born. The Salt Lake temple was closed for cleaning or something (which of course we didn't discover until we were there. I don't even know how many times we've done that since we got married) so we went to the Jordan River temple for the first time. It was fun to see the inside of a different temple and our Sealer was a sweet and funny little man who made the session really enjoyable (Have questions about LDS temples and what we do there? Click here to find out more info). I was so amazed after not having been to the temple in so long to be reminded again of how strong I can feel the Spirit there. I felt so peaceful and happy being there, I could just feel Heavenly Father's love for me personally. It was great!

The only bad thing about the weekend is that Miles' sniffle has evolved into a full-blown cold. Unfortunately I had a bit of a cold earlier in the week (that I ironically think I picked up at church and not at my disease-laden job) and as soon as I got it I knew it would only be a matter of time before Miles would have it and sure enough here it is. Last night Miles woke up every two to three hours howling and spluttering because his nose was so stuffed up. I had to suck the snot out of his nose all night and all day today so he could breath and I felt like I was at work only way worse because it was my own kid screaming at me. I am not sure what we're going to do when I go to work tomorrow night. When I showed Benjamin how to use the bulb suction to clean out Miles' nose today Benjamin started gagging and said he thought he might throw up or something. I'm just grateful Miles has been so healthy up until now. I read in a parenting magazine that most babies have about six respiratory illnesses a year--this is Miles' first ever and he's six months old. Anyway, keep Miles in your prayers that he'll get well quickly! Thanks!