August Amari: Thanksgiving/Utah Trip

When we thought we almost weren't going a day before because Mikes work was giving him a hard time:

We made the 30 hour non-stop trek to Utah for the first time via our car and we swore we will never do it again. The boys were insanely awesome the entire way, it was just way to exhausting driving that much with little to no sleep.

It was fun going through each state and having a road trip as a family.

Utah was really packed with so many activities: I had my R+F event which didn't turn out as I'd hoped but I am grateful for the experience and for the leaders who showed up to support me and participate; we spent time with Mikes family (you can see all of the pics with all the stuff we did); we celebrated TG with my family at Michelle house (went skeet shooting on TG morning in the snow, road four wheelers, had a nice family dinner and played games and had a family talent show—Becks taught everyone how to be ring dingers). I was so happy my parents drove from GP to be there with us! It was so good to see them. We took the boys to temple square, and we got some treatments by Jared which is always something we look forward to each year. All in all the trip was 100% worth it. We loved spending time and making memories with family. The boys LOVE being with family; it was hard for them to say goodbye. They also LOVED playing in the snow.

Again the pics are not in order, sorry, I didn't have time to put them in order. And the videos are at the end.

Thanksgiving decor

For the RT

And we're off....sweet slumbers you sleeping giants #30hourroadtrip #crosscountry #themoncursareroadtrippin #bhammeetsbeehive

Nashville welcomes you.....this calls for some Elizabethtown watching and #TheShins listening #justpastnudiesHonkyTonk #onlyinnashville #bhamtobeehive #themoncursareroadtrippin #downsouth

....Kentucky welcomes you! We are back in our home state (of five months) and Amaris birth place....I have nothing but mad love for Kentucky. I loved everything about living here from the rolling green hills, the miles and miles of white fences, driving through the gorgeous countryside, walking the streets of the quaint, "hometown feel" city that Becks and I would frequent on the weekends; Emerald Downs—watching the horse races; meeting some of the most incredibly genuine people I've ever met, to the unforgettable birth experience I had with Amari (thanks to the most Amazing midwife Noelle). I always said, especially after Beckahms horrific delivery, that no matter what state I lived in, if I were ever to have another baby, I'd drive to Kentucky to just to have Noelle deliver my baby....such incredible memories here. I'm waving hello to you Nika—the first cat that Mike and I got when we were married and had four years but had to part ways with in KT 😿. I love and miss you my little snow leapord. May you be alive and well on a farm some where chasing lots and lots of mice. ✌🏼️ out Kentucky #walkdownkentuckylane #nostalgia #somegoodmemories #bhamtobeehive #themoncursareroadtrippin

Illinois welcomes you....don't have much to say about Illinois other than I salute you Honest Abe. Now please rise from your grave and run this country 🙏🏻✌🏼️🖖🏼👊🏻✊🏼✋🏻 #illinois #thelandofabe #roadtrippin #bhamtobeehiveorbust

Missouri welcomes you! More awesome memories came flooding back driving through the great state of Missouri. This is where Mike was working when we met online. I still remember all the pictures he'd send me showcasing his life in Missouri—from eating a bowl of Captain Crunch to riding the rides at Worlds of Fun. Our first year of marriage took us cross country to live in North Carolina. He wanted to stop at the apartments where he lived and show me all the spots where he used to talk to me on the phone ♥️♥️ That was the most memorable, laugh out loud, fun trip #sucharomantichewas #missourimemories #bhamtobeehiveorbust #roadtrippin

Mini cookie 🍪 bites and a protein shake for breakfast. This is how I look at it: the protein is helping build muscle which increases my metabolism which increases the rate at which I burn off these cookies #thatsmyrationalization #imstickintoit #roadtrippinfood #halfhealthy #halfnot #balanceineverything

Kids slept 8pm-2am, awake 2-4 am, nap 4-5am, Breakfast Pit stop 6 am....10 hours down, 20 more to go 🚗🚗🚗 #myeyesareburning #themoncursareroadtrippin #bhamtobeehive

Iowa welcomed us for 5 minutes as we drove through the corner into Nebraska. I had about a 5 minute flashback of living my K-3rd grade existence in this beautiful state: walking to school down a path my dad made for us behind our house; roaming the streets of Van Meter for hours with my best friend Annie (I don't even think my mom knew where I was). I remember the smell of Annie's house: cigarette smoke and coffee, and I remember her Siamese cat with a pink collar; playing for hours in our treehouse; playing make believe and catching crawdads in this wooded area with a brook running through it at the end of our long, gravel windy lane; always wanting to be the gas station attendant or a banker when we played this community occupation game in Mrs Petersons 3rd grade class; sneaking into my older sisters bedroom to listen to her Madonna tapes, sit on her waterbed, and use her mascara to put a birthmark above my lip to be like Madonna (what a roll model); writing my first stories, having the lead part in The Bernstein Bears K play; sitting on top of our roof with the cousins to watch the fireworks; night games with friends; getting tootsie rolls out of the big old candy barrels at Dicks store on the corner; the smell of the books in the Van Meter Library; being able to do more pull-ups than any of the boys in PE; the VM football games--hanging out with friends behind the bleachers, getting candy from the little white concession stand; VM bball games putting blue bulldog tattoos on my face ; and of course falling head over heels for my first crush: Nat Jarco (who broke my heart when he moved in the 3rd grade) #goodtimes #iowamemorylane #roadtrippin #bhamtobeehiveorbust

Nebraska welcomes you! Yee-haw! In the ❤️ of America #Nebraska #roadtrippin #bhamtobeehiveorbust

Because when the sky is lit up like this, you start snapping pics #gorgeous #Nebraska #roadtrip #sunset #bhamtobeehiveorbust

Thank you for your welcome Wyoming....it has taken us "forever" to get out west #5hourstogo #icantbelieveihavetoturnaroundanddothisin2weeks #awesomesauce #roadtrippin #bhamtobeehiveorbust #wyoming #foreverwest

Amaris face though #bahahaha #roadtrippinshenanigans #theyhavebeensoawesome

Movies and more movies

RT Learning activities

Pit stop in the freezing cold at Walmart for lunch and to ride bikes around the store (you do what you've got to do)

Road Trip Games

Michelle's gift to us when we arrived

30 hours later....Welcome to Utah #2am #roadtrippin #madeit #bhamtobeehiveorbust #imsleepingfortwodaysstraight

Loving their gifts from Auntie!

Wrestling with Cousins . . . always a fav

Dancing with cousins at Grandma Moncurs

Beckahm is Jaxens number one fan! He loved watching his cousin play and all he wanted to do was go up to him and hang out with all of his BBall buddies. It was so cute to witness.

They LOVE playing with April

Workout time :)

Playing video games with Jaxen

Sneak peak at our awesome Christmas card

Fun with cousins at Grandma Moncurs and we went to the Church History Building

Windows at Grand America

My favorite Pic! I love the city!

We love our Maile! I love taking her out on dates when we are in town

My R+F Event! So fun to finally meet the members on my team!

My R+F Bash

It was such a wonderful, memorable Thanksgiving with a ton of laughter

Going Skeet Shooting! And riding snow mobiles

Happy Thanksgiving

So so happy my mom was there!

Becks wanted Grandpa to tell him the meaning behind his Mayan necklace we got him in Mexico. I loved that he just sat there for over an hour intrigued by grandpas every word.

I loved this moment between BEckahm and my dad. BEckahm was so great about listening intently to Grandpas stories about the Mayans (the necklace we got him when we were in Mexico)

The kids put together packages for the refugees.

Talent time

I loved every minute of this! Becks was able to show off his ring dinger skills :)

Ball/games at the church

Grandpa reading the kids some of his stories he used to read to us as children that I had put in a book for him

Game time! Such a funny game

All tuckered out

We went to see Deirdre and Andrews property

The snowy weather did not stop me from a morning run

Amari LOVES april!

Great way to spend our last night before heading to Maui: Temple Square

Mike and I took Jaxen on a date to dinner and a movie :); love this kid!

During our Utah trip Becks behavior astounded me! He was so polite, and so grown up. During TG he wanted to sit at the big table with the grown ups. Then he asked grandpa to tell him the story behind his Mayan necklace we got him in Mexico. He sat intently listening for a long time, completely intrigued by grandpa.

Ashton wasn't being nice to Amari and he came up to tell me twice. When I went down to problem solve, Becks told me Ashton and him were playing Pokémon and Ashton didn't want to include Amari. Becks kept saying "I want Amari to play with us, we shouldn't leave him out." Amari kept telling ash "be nice, be nice". Ashton left in a tantrum and Becks said to Amari "I'll play with you brother, it's okay" Amari patted his hand and said "okay Beckahm" :). it was awesome to see him stand up and defend his brother

Jared was astounded by how well behaved, intelligent and kind Beckahm was.

He couldn't get enough of his cousins. This trip was awesome for him, he got to bond with so many of his cousins. He looks up to Jaxen so much--following him every where. He wants I play ball now :). He got to go to Jaxen so ball game and he watched and cheered for Jaxen and after the game he stood with Jaxen a team while the coach talked to them (like he was apart of the group). Michelle let him ride with them and he thought he was so cool riding with the teenagers. She said he just talked their ear off the entire time.

Amari loved playing in the snow and playing with April. He got sick on the trip so he wasn't himself the first few days but he is such an incredible kid! Such a sweet, kind demeanor and he just goes with the flow and does his own thing.

Mike got sick on the trip and I had some appt to go to. Michelle's family took care of the boys while I got some stuff done. Not only did Michelle say they did amazing but that Becks was so helpful. He even took water into Mike to help him feel better. He also took his brother to the potty. They love Michele's family!

Michelle and jared loved watching the boys while we were in Hawaii. Jared told me he needed it when I got back and thank you for allowing him to watch my boys. He said the boys loved greeting him at the door, they followed him around, they loved playing with April )Amari referees to her as aunt April), they played in the snow (one day my mom could t find Beckahm and then she looked out front and he was just laying like a snow angel in the snow. She said he loved playing with the dog--the first thing he wanted to do in the morning. He'd take her outside, teach her tricks....he was in heaven. They had fun playing cars with grandpa, wrestling grandpa and jared, playing with mai and Jaxen, going to Jaxens soccer and ball games....Michelle took them to see muana and they got to go to jareds family xmas party. Michelle said she busted up when she saw all the little girls walking in to put candles on the tree and all of a sudden Amari is seen trailing behind all the girls carrying a candle. She said when it was time for Amari to sit on Sandra's lap, he ran right over, no hesitation. Becks ran to help him, telling Michelle "Santa may not understand what he wants, I'm going to help him" Amari immediately said to santa "I want heatwave" and Becks said "it's a transformer in case you don't know!" Becks told santa he wanted a power ranger. Michelle Lee them do the advent calendar wfucg were service related activities and they loved that, and were rewarded little prizes and candies. She let them help decorate her house for Xmas and grandma got Becks his own little tree to decorate. They also made gingerbread houses.

Michelle said the boys never argued, they took naps, they played together....they were incredible! She says Amari went potty all on his own all of the time and Becks was always there to assist him. Becks was such a big helper, he earned so many stars to put in the xmas tree.

She made sure Amari are gf and DF and says his exercises every day. We found out after seeing jared that his right brain isn't developing as quickly and he gave us exercise to do with him 4x a day and supplements to take. He is Also very allergic to dairy and gluten.

Michelle said he was making incredible progress just by doing those few things. I was amazed talking to him on the phone and hearing his vocabulary--words were a lot more pronunciated. Jared said he was so smart and so sweet and that he will eventually catch up as we do all of these things to help his right brain develop. We also found out he has a scar on his right ear so we need to take him to see an audiologist

When we were in Maui