tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80553803875326644012024-03-12T17:53:47.410-07:00The Bodacious Judkins ChroniclesThe Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-79784832468525956062018-09-06T22:42:00.002-07:002018-09-06T22:42:22.681-07:00So Many Trips to Utah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We drive out to Utah a lot. Like, a lot a lot.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">We have that four hour drive DOWN. We know every potty stop, every make-your-own-potty stop, the best gas stations, which beef jerky is the most delicious, and exactly how much time we have left at all times. We estimate that at an average of 14 trips per year, we have crossed the Salt Flats 112 times.</span></div>
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So whhhhyyyyy do we make this less-than-attractive drive so often? </div>
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Well, we have weddings (Congrats McCall and Connor!):</div>
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Hanging out with wonderful grandparents:<br />
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Funerals:</div>
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To experience actual splash pads (with cousins!):<br />
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To see childhood friends and their children:<br />
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To meet our adorable new nephew Archie:<br />
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And to attend yet more weddings (Congrats Justin and Alicia!)<br />
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But really, we just love our families, and we love Utah. Wild horses couldn't keep us away!The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447615339436649422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-76026811428439819312018-07-15T23:22:00.000-07:002018-07-15T23:22:16.345-07:00Eli's Preschool Graduation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I must admit, when I saw "Preschool Graduation" on the schedule that they handed out at the beginning the school year I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Graduating" from what was basically an extremely structured play date sounded over-the-top in the extreme. But then they snuck the above picture into my Spring Picture Day Packet and you better believe I shelled out $20 because it was so flippin' adorable.<br />
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The whole affair was just a cuteness overload. Eli gave the little welcoming speech, they sang two songs, recited a poem, had a slideshow, and then Eli "walked" and crossed the bridge into his bright future. They even marched in and out of the theater to <i>Pomp and Circumstance</i>. Can you blame me for tearing up just a little bit?<br />
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Eli was nominated as "The Little Professor" due to his love of sharing what he feels is vital information with the rest of the class. I just hope it was correct information, at least sometimes.</div>
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Even though it's just preschool, Zach and I are so proud of Eli. He's learned his letters and numbers, memorized his address and my phone number, his handwriting has improved tremendously and his confidence and social skills have grown. He's so ready for kindergarten!<br />
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Special thanks to my mom for lending the occasion extra specialness with her presence. Everything is cooler when grandma is there!</div>
<br />The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447615339436649422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-58131652602946749832018-07-15T23:08:00.004-07:002018-07-15T23:08:56.227-07:00Can't Get Enough of St. George<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Have we mentioned that we love St. George? We also really love the Judkins. So OF COURSE we'll drive down the loneliest, least attractive and most depressing stretch of road through central Nevada to family reunion with them.</div>
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And yes, that is a verb.</div>
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The kids were in heaven with their favorite cousins around 24/7. Add the pool, a few weird bugs, and the ever-present delicious food and they wanted to stay for life.<br />
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I often hear friends complain about strange or unpleasant in-laws, but I really can't relate. Zach's family is just the best and we love them all so much!<br />
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The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447615339436649422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-24071659641738582502018-07-15T22:58:00.001-07:002018-07-15T22:58:20.499-07:00Easter 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every year at Easter and Christmas Zach and I have an unrecognized, unspoken battle about what to put in baskets and stockings. Zach is all about the treats. Being an extreme foodie, his fondest memories revolve around food and sharing it with his favorite people. <br />
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Now I love my holiday chocolate as much as the next girl, but I remember the things. The books, the jewelry, and the little toys.<br />
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Thus we silently push our mini agendas on our kids. Turns out, they're too manic on holidays to really care about anything yet, so we both come away with a feeling that maybe we won, so we do it again the next year.<br />
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But no matter what opinions my boys express in the future, I will always insist on Easter pictures. I LOVE THEM IN BOW TIES SO MUCH!<br />
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Happy Easter everybody.</div>
The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447615339436649422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-14616720897710823982018-07-06T23:06:00.004-07:002018-07-06T23:06:50.511-07:00When Grandpa Turns 90, You're There<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The illustrious paterfamilias of the
Magleby clan turned 90 in March, which, as I'm sure you must agree, is a huge
accomplishment. We all thought so, at least, so we turned up en masse to
celebrate with him. All of grandpa's sons, most of his grandchildren, and
all of his great-grandchildren were there. We love him!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We also love St. George, and we'll take
any excuse we can to hike around the beautiful area.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-645YXTmpyxs/WydOUI3K31I/AAAAAAAACVo/bOR7Ej6JCooco2DsqQ9xteb6owtiYDlnQCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180324_163804%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-645YXTmpyxs/WydOUI3K31I/AAAAAAAACVo/bOR7Ej6JCooco2DsqQ9xteb6owtiYDlnQCEwYBhgL/s400/20180324_163804%25280%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G5ETEvSsIIs/WydORrFW5GI/AAAAAAAACVk/-wg8rqyCOywp3JUEjW1YeZr2G6RizrIpACEwYBhgL/s1600/20180324_161723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G5ETEvSsIIs/WydORrFW5GI/AAAAAAAACVk/-wg8rqyCOywp3JUEjW1YeZr2G6RizrIpACEwYBhgL/s400/20180324_161723.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8chKkxZva6s/WydOH0oS4DI/AAAAAAAACVg/kKY8uHK8l0wPxfFbC_b6xCyRAH8KFVuowCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180324_173644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8chKkxZva6s/WydOH0oS4DI/AAAAAAAACVg/kKY8uHK8l0wPxfFbC_b6xCyRAH8KFVuowCEwYBhgL/s640/20180324_173644.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since we were already so far south, we decided to go just a bit farther
to visit Eli's girlfriend Gwen in their new house in Phoenix. Carson and
her family were wonderful hosts! We loved hanging out with them.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Fm01QKidWM/WydO88sGbEI/AAAAAAAACWY/jeRbTeOKsGwqw-8OBgYsfRd_FFAhtC11wCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180329_120431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Fm01QKidWM/WydO88sGbEI/AAAAAAAACWY/jeRbTeOKsGwqw-8OBgYsfRd_FFAhtC11wCEwYBhgL/s320/20180329_120431.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FkSi-0WYzHA/WydO-jL6n_I/AAAAAAAACWc/6I2ji748gpwrisWITTW57RN88V5HhWvNQCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180328_132209%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FkSi-0WYzHA/WydO-jL6n_I/AAAAAAAACWc/6I2ji748gpwrisWITTW57RN88V5HhWvNQCEwYBhgL/s400/20180328_132209%25280%2529.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We also got to spend a day with Great-Grandma and Grandpa Allred.
I hope my children will someday realize how lucky they are to have 4
grandparents and 8 great-grandparents around to love and spoil them.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9BZEISZmyBE/WydO45YfseI/AAAAAAAACWg/73-lfCZoUrE2DT9QZZuTWZyhsAtYEzR8gCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180327_171542%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9BZEISZmyBE/WydO45YfseI/AAAAAAAACWg/73-lfCZoUrE2DT9QZZuTWZyhsAtYEzR8gCEwYBhgL/s400/20180327_171542%25280%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the long drive back up north we spent a few days in Las Vegas.
It was one of those things that SOUNDS so fun to do with kids (we slept in a
CASTLE, for crying out loud) and it was! They loved the pool, M&M
world, the Bellagio fountains, and all the lights and sounds. BUT we
definitely ended up carrying them waaaaaay more than I would have liked, I was
terrified of losing them in the crowds, and a few of those billboards elicited
some very awkward questions from Eli. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ond0XIDoGe4/WydPHCbTe2I/AAAAAAAACWk/jw1mFOBm2J0DmJKrc5tMciCoRHEpXLJZwCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180329_181802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ond0XIDoGe4/WydPHCbTe2I/AAAAAAAACWk/jw1mFOBm2J0DmJKrc5tMciCoRHEpXLJZwCEwYBhgL/s400/20180329_181802.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">By
the end of the trip we were just thrilled to have us (and our car) home in one
piece.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447615339436649422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-8536902047113822042018-06-17T23:09:00.001-07:002018-06-17T23:09:55.753-07:00A Snapshot of Motherhood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The following pictures were taken by Porter from my phone. He knows he's not allowed to mess around on my phone, but we were in a rush to pick up Eli from preschool, and as long as he sat still I let him have it. </div>
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Normally he takes a million pictures of carpet fuzz, or even more of his double chin if it's in selfie mode, but this time he got me. </div>
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Right now, this is motherhood for me. Clothing the boys. Washing the boys. Feeding the boys. Ferrying the boys. Listening to endless stories and comments. Teaching, disciplining, and being taught in turn. Comforting, snuggling, and wiping bums. I often feel so dang boring because this is what I do, but it's hard to communicate the satisfaction and joy and the agony and frustration of it all.<br />
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Sometimes I feel like being Zach's wife and Eli and Porter's mom has consumed my life, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I think I'll let Porter have my phone more often.The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447615339436649422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-72016552257523421342018-06-17T22:38:00.000-07:002018-06-17T22:38:03.123-07:00Zach Enters His Mid-Thirties<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2fVDT7wAyFA/WydB_VZA7NI/AAAAAAAACUE/_3dwvuAyEogUmPe6ceu3qNf42lsq1H5ywCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180315_093158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2fVDT7wAyFA/WydB_VZA7NI/AAAAAAAACUE/_3dwvuAyEogUmPe6ceu3qNf42lsq1H5ywCEwYBhgL/s400/20180315_093158.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I feel like when I got married in addition to gaining a husband, I basically got a second birthday. True, the presents aren't for me (although I often benefit from them) but SOMEONE has to take the birthday boy to dinner, SOMEONE gets to celebrate by skiing with him, etc. And luckily that someone is me.</div>
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Zach has requested to go skiing for his birthday or Valentine's Day basically since we got married, but it just never happened. We had school, we had work, I was pregnant, I was postpartum, and on and on, but THIS YEAR. This year I made. It. Happen.</div>
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It was a bit warm, the snow was a little slushy, and it took me a few runs to dredge up my memories of the last time I skied (5th grade), but eventually we got the hang of it and had a blast!<br />
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Zach is straight up my favorite person in the world, and I always feel lucky to be the one that gets to celebrate with him. Happy birthday Handsome Man!<br />
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And, as an added bonus, we caught sweet McKenna's baptism on our way back from Sundance. Isn't she adorable?<br />
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<br />The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447615339436649422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-41139479370833690592018-06-17T22:17:00.002-07:002018-06-17T22:40:22.408-07:00Death by Ketchup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ketchup? Catch up? Get it?<br />
Ha. Anyway, it's that time again. I think about just quitting blogging every time I get behind, because who blogs these days anyway? But then I look at my stats and see that I have 100ish views a month from France. Do I know anyone in France? No. But I'd hate to disappoint that person/weird robot. So here we go.<br />
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It is now sunny, warm mid-June, but this is where I left off:<br />
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Snowy, freezing March. <br />
Well, nothing else for it. Let's get the ketchup party started!The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10447615339436649422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-24426390727842522702018-02-22T00:02:00.000-08:002018-02-22T00:02:54.736-08:00Things to Remember: Eli at 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Height: 45"<br />
Weight: 47 lbs<br />
Favorite Food: Spaghetti and Meatballs (runner up: Taco Salad)<br />
Favorite Book: The Book with No Pictures<br />
Favorite Show: Angry Birds<br />
Favorite Song: "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons<br />
Favorite Clothing Item: Sweatpants<br />
When he grows up he wants to be: crane operator<br />
Most Common Phrase: "Stiiiiiiiiillll hungry!"<br />
Biggest fear: Wearing not-sweatpants<br />
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At five years-old Eli is officially A KID. He can be trusted to communicate, follow instructions, and is relatively independent. He eats, washes, dresses and poops without assistance and has found that, by the power of the stool, nothing in the house is truly out of his reach. My baby is gone, but in his place is a strong little boy working on the holy trinity of being kind, funny, and smart. My favorite phrase of his lately is, "you're often right, Mom". Did I mention smart?<br />
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It has become very apparent to us that Eli's love language is touch. He is, in fact, SO affectionate that we've had "The Consent Talk" early and often (if Porter doesn't <i>want</i> a kiss then you can't just grab him and kiss him!... Yes, I <i>do</i> know that his cheeks are so chunky.") His favorite thing in the world is when we all wrestle in the living room and nothing makes him feel more loved than snuggles.<br />
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Eli is my buddy, and sticks close to my side no matter where I am so that we can "be each other's body guard". Whatever I am doing he must also do- laundry, bed making, cooking, hanging out in the bathroom (we're working on privacy over here), or taking the garbage out. It's both wonderful and exasperating at times, but I know I will miss him terribly when he starts kindergarten in the fall!</div>
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This kid has been very into camouflaging lately, and we are often required to look for him. Usually, it's both easy and entertaining, as below, but sometimes he is SO QUIET that it takes some real effort!<br />
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Our two most consistent activities lately have been legos and drawing. As of his birthday, Eli has reached lego level: diabolical. As in, the TINY ONES. The ones that fit into every crack and crevice of our house but you can't lose because you might need them to build the next cool thing. Truth be told I probably love building with them as much if not more than he does, so I'm willing to live with them for next decade or so. Still, I prefer the drawing. Eli is discovering his love of writing along with the drawing and I love watching his world expand!<br />
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The older he gets, the more Eli anticipates his birthday. Turning five was talked about basically since turning four, and I felt a lot of pressure going into the big day. I'm coming to realize that having a birthday kid can be pretty difficult: they're emotional, feeling entitled, hyped up, sugared up, and waaaaay overstimulated. Despite this, I think we managed a pretty awesome birthday!<br />
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Eli wanted "power pancakes with whip cream and ONE strawberry" for his breakfast, McDonald's (of ALL PLACES) for lunch, spaghetti for dinner, and he spent most of the day playing with his cool new crane and lording his new toys over Porter, for whom the day was pretty distressing.<br />
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We had a fun, hectic Angry Birds party with Eli's besties. The kids were old enough to come without parents and consequently very little actual food was eaten, chaos reigned and it was quite loud. Sooo... success!<br />
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Eli's preschool does a "Day to Shine" on your birthday where the family can come for the day and the child does a little spotlight segment. Eli absolutely loves his preschool and has been looking forward to this since August. It was surprisingly fun for me and Zach as well- we enjoyed seeing what Eli does at school and getting to know the other kids and teachers. Porter was in heaven and just fit himself right in. My respect for those teachers has reached new levels.<br />
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To conclude, in my incredibly unbiased opinion, Eli is the best. We love him tremendously.<br />
Happy birthday kiddo!The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-76418115017948129812018-02-16T00:05:00.001-08:002018-02-16T00:05:35.500-08:00Chasing Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This year Elko completely skipped winter. We went from a fairly brisk fall with a few flurries straight into a chilly early spring with a bit of frost. Honestly, where's the snow?</div>
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Eli and Porter were so anxious to play in the snow (and Zach was so anxious to prove that his manly truck was more than ornamental) that we decided to drive up the canyon until we found what we were looking for.</div>
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And find it we did. After driving 45 minutes and gearing up for another 10 the kids only lasted about 30 minutes before their wee bum bums were frozen, but it was a magical 30 minutes.</div>
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I often don't give Elko and the surrounding area the props it deserves for natural beauty, but it does have some breathtaking spots. Thanks for the taste of winter!<br />
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<br />The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-43234580396181447702018-02-15T23:49:00.000-08:002018-02-15T23:49:11.633-08:00Not Pictured: Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Somehow it transpired that I took very few relevant pictures in December, especially around Christmas. You could say that instead of living behind my phone I was <i>in the moment</i> and had no time for pictures, but I think I was mostly distracted and forgetful. It's tragic, yes. But it does make my (now trademark) highlight reel production of the month all the easier!</div>
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It snowed a grand total of two times in December (weird winter, right?) but we were ON IT. We pulled out the sleds that very morning and were pleasantly surprised by both kids willingness to go down the hills all by themselves.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Parties! We thoroughly enjoyed our ward Christmas party and hosting the annual Smiths Pharmacy holiday palooza again.</span></div>
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As always, we were sure to attend the annual Magleby Family Little America/Christmas Carol outing in Salt Lake, but this year we enjoyed the challenge of having a very sick kid with us. I have now had the pleasure of being the mother of the kid that threw up in the pool, and I NEVER WANT TO EXPERIENCE IT AGAIN. My knight in shining armor took Porter to the Urgent Care, leaving me and Eli to see the lights on Temple Square in a much smaller family group. Different, but it still felt like Christmas.</div>
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We spent Christmas Eve with a few friends and had the traditional dinner and nativity. We missed our families, but it was really nice to be home at the same time. </div>
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Christmas morning passed in a blur of toys and treats. When the sugar coma started to wear off we packed up the car and headed to Utah!</div>
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NOT PICTURED: Christmas Day at the Maglebys<br />
NOT PICTURED: Boxing Day at the Judkins<br />
NOT PICTURED: Star Wars with the Judkins<br />
NOT PICTURED: Dinner with Tawny and Justin. Happy birthday Justin!<br />
NOT PICTURED: Swimming with the Rogers<br />
NOT PICTURED: An evening at the Riverwoods<br />
NOT PICTURED: Dinner with Gordy and Jill. I love Tucanos.<br />
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Pictured here: a day at the park with our cutie cousins. </div>
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Also pictured: Chanel's homecoming talk. Mom and I were completely matchy-matchy with zero planning. We must be related.</div>
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Finally, New Years Eve with the Haights. Those people really know how to party!</div>
<br />The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-20937190309635485262018-02-15T23:16:00.000-08:002018-02-15T23:16:02.021-08:00In case you can't get enough of us<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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and if you were wondering how we look when all our clothes and faces are clean and presentable at the same time, then I present to you the work of the talented Randy entitled <i>Judkins Family Pictures 2017. </i><br />
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Please enjoy.<br />
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And you're welcome.The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-17491188115719853312018-02-15T23:10:00.000-08:002018-02-15T23:10:12.538-08:00So Very ThankfulThe month of November saw us thankful for many things:<br />
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Huge Piles of leaves</div>
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This view of my favorite person raking the leaves up</div>
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Thankful trees</div>
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The chance to run a 5k with my main man Thanksgiving morning</div>
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Thanksgiving food</div>
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Family</div>
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and Chanel coming home!</div>
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Thanks November!The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-146924475999492172017-12-17T23:06:00.001-08:002017-12-17T23:06:15.543-08:00Cool in CaliforniaFor my birthday this year Zach and I decided we could be cool. We could just plan a trip to California with the kids and it would be just like the good old days of carefree eating and exploring. We were so confident that we could rediscover our coolness that we invited the coolest people we know, Gabe and Jerica, to go with us.<br />
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Porter shattered our cool, carefree illusions.<br />
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We had not even made it to Reno before Porter peed out of his diaper and pants, which we didn't discover until we were in Hash-House-A-Go-Go due to the confusion about whether all the moisture might have been from the water bottle he'd been squirting into his lap.<br />
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So, yeah, that was my kid running around half naked through the casino. </div>
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Don't worry, we changed him.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hash House A-Go-Go is always amazing!</td></tr>
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We arrived at our beautiful Airbnb in Orinda, where we spent the night listening to Porter wallow his way off the mattress, transferring him back onto the mattress, and repeating. We were tired in the morning, but the house and view were lovely!<br />
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We tried to make up for the coolness lost the day before by hitting up a super trendy place for brunch. Our hip waitress was beyond patient as Porter dropped every single piece of cutlery (and my cutlery) and his glass, and whatever food he didn't want on the floor all while managing to smear his entire body with syrup. Yeah, we were cool.<br />
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On the way to the Redwoods Porter dumped his entire water bottle onto himself. Don't worry, we changed him. Since the woods were quite chilly, this necessitated the purchase of a new shirt from the gift shop before we went hiking.<br />
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From the Redwoods we drove into San Francisco for dinner. Porter slept for the drive and woke up cranky and had completely pooped through his diaper, pants, shirt and onto the car seat. Don't worry, we changed him: right on the side of a crowded little street in SanFran with cars slowing down every three seconds because they were hoping for our parking spot. At this point we were completely out of extra clothes for him, so we hit up the local Gap.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funnily enough, we weren't alone. There was another couple in the Gap with a little girl in the exact same predicament!</td></tr>
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The tacos and ice cream were totally worth it, and the atmosphere made us feel cool, even if we spent half the time wiping kids faces.<br />
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The next day we hit the beaches. At the Fitzgerald Marine deserve we saw some fun tide pools, built sand castles, and, with two dozen Asian tourists taking pictures, Porter ran fully dressed into the water. Don't worry, we changed him.<br />
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Next we went to a beach-beach. Now, I remembered the beaches in the Bay Area as really really cold, so I didn't even think to pack swim suits. Did that stop my children? Nope, they both charged into the water (again) fully dressed. Don't worry, we changed them. It left a bucket of sand in our car, but at least they were dry.<br />
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Dinner on my birthday eve was sushi in Sacramento. You could tell we were the cool table because everyone was playing with chopsticks and we kept yelling things like, "Don't eat that! It's yuck-yuck after it falls on the floor!" and "Please don't pull your pants down until we get to the potty!".<br />
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After a wild night watching old "Fresh Prince" episodes (because we're cool) Gabe and Jerica started the long drive back to Utah. Words cannot express how grateful we are to them for putting up with our exhausting children and their schedule. We missed them when they left- it was much harder to feel cool without them.<br />
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We spent the day in Sacramento visiting the Railroad Museum and stocking up at Trader Joe's.<br />
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This <a href="https://www.californiarailroad.museum/" target="_blank">museum</a> was AWESOME. I did it for the kids, but I think I had just as much fun as they did and learned a ton. If you're ever in Sacramento be sure to stop by!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speed train simulator</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was an entire FLOOR of play trains and model trains. Very kid friendly.</td></tr>
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We were an hour away from home when Eli declared his need for a pit stop. Porter, who is sporadically enthusiastic about potty training, somehow managed to pee on himself and in the toilet AT THE SAME TIME. We did not change him. We were completely out clothes- extras, pajamas, and recently purchased. He rode the rest of the way home in his diaper.<br />
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Exhausted, I went to bed that night at 10 pm, because I'm cool like that.The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-63667139515512622732017-12-17T21:45:00.000-08:002017-12-17T21:45:07.841-08:00October 2017 in Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
That's right. It's highlight time! </div>
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<b>A Conference Visit from Grandma and Grandpa!</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We just adore how much they adore us. </td></tr>
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<b> Imagine Dragons Concert!</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Haights are the best concert buddies ever.</td></tr>
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<b>My Super Cute Nephew Let Me Hold Him for Longer than Five Seconds!</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grant and I are tight now. Like unto a dish.</td></tr>
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<b>Magleby Birthday Party!</b></div>
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When five of the six members of the family all have birthdays in a one month period, sometimes you just have to consolidate. I appreciate this fact much more as an adult than I ever did as a child.<br />
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<b>Beautiful Provo River Trail!</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And beautiful boys</td></tr>
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<b>A Haircut from Uncle Justin!</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for fixing all my mistakes Justin!</td></tr>
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<b>The Judkins Make an Effort to Decorate for Halloween!</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much to the delight of their children</td></tr>
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<b> Lamoille County Pumpkin Festival!</b></div>
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Much hot chocolate was consumed. Tractor and train rides were the highlight.</div>
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<b>Eli Gives His First Talk in Sacrament Meeting!</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom thanks her lucky stars that the Primary Program is done for another year.</td></tr>
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<b> WE BUY A TRUCK!</b></div>
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Yes, Zach caught the Elko bug and NEEDED this manly vehicle. But honestly, this would make my top five highlights of the year. Having a second car has drastically changed our life for the better. No more worrying about Zach riding his bike home late, no more being stuck at home, and much less stress revolving around schedules. Everyone in the family adores "the Bat-truck".<br />
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<b>Halloween Party with the Judkins!</b></div>
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I have the cutest nieces and nephews in the world, and somehow they're even cuter in costume! </div>
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<b>Trick-or-Treating!</b></div>
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We had great little fiesta with a few of our friends from Zach's work at our house and all went out together. My kids were just in awe that so much candy was really being given them. For free! <br />
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I hope all the !!!!!!s convey what an exciting month October was. Happy Halloween (two months late)!The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-8122764988676055402017-12-17T21:11:00.002-08:002017-12-17T21:11:21.234-08:00Of Canyons and County Fairs<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I'm doing it. I'm taking the plunge and updating the ol' blog. Get ready for a lot of "highlight reels"</i></div>
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Sometimes, Elko can be beautiful and green and scenic. Well, not Elko proper, but Lamoille Canyon is only a half hour away, and that is where we hung out for part of Labor Day weekend.<br />
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Accompanied, of course, by our favorite pals the Wheelers and the Hatches. We love these kids!</div>
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The water was frigid, which didn't stop the children from charging in, crying, charging out, and repeating. Porter was even in long enough to trigger his automatic poop-in-his-swim-diaper response. Seriously, it happens every time.<br />
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Also, there was mud. So there were happy kids.</div>
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We were so lucky to have a visit from Maymay and Grandpa and Gabe and Jerica over the weekend. Eli kept watch by the window for nearly an hour before they arrived.<br />
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Luckily there was a full on EVENT going on in Elko- the grand, great, and glorious Elko County Fair. Bull riding and horse race gambling for everyone!<br />
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Zach was the champ of the group. Check out them guns! Yee ha!</div>
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Our studly visitors were super good sports about hanging around in the heat while Porter and Eli rode a few of the rides. Thanks guys!<br />
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Everyone was bummed when our family left, so Dad took the boys for a ride in the evening. He's the coolest.<br />
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Happy Labor Day three months late!</div>
The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-7441315739357404572017-09-16T09:42:00.000-07:002017-09-16T09:42:53.373-07:00Eli All Grown Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>For Your Information</b>: Eli is now all grown up. Please do not refer to him as a "little boy" and note that the phrase "my baby" has been outlawed indefinitely. Eli has reached level: Big Boy. Because he goes to preschool now.</div>
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Eli's first official day at preschool was a day of celebration. After an orientation night the week before he was soooo excited, and his enthusiasm has yet to wane. In fact, he frequently informs me in the car on the way to school that he has "wigglies in my tummy 'cause I'm just so excited for preschool!"<br />
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We had a few practice rounds with his super cool spider man back pack, and when the time came he marched right into class, hung his pack in his cubby ("with my NAME Mom!") and promptly found his name mat on the floor and sat right down. Eli THRIVES on structure and rules. He loves the routine of his class, and comes home chanting rules while he runs around the house. The current favorite is "Dot dot, not a lot" (for glue application. Very serious.)<br />
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I would say that Porter and I are at a loss during the afternoons Eli is gone, but since Porter naps most of that time I must admit I have no problem filling a couple of kid-free hours. What HAS been an adjustment is not being present for three hours of Eli's daily life. Up to this point we have been together ALL DAY LONG, but now I don't even know what he eats at snack time or who he hangs out with at recess (we're still working on learning kids' names). </div>
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Just knowing that he goes to preschool has made Eli bolder and braver. Because he's such a big boy church isn't as hard, riding his bike is a breeze, he can dunk his head underwater, and things aren't as scary. The biggest perk on my end is that he can go to the bathroom (and all that entails) without any help or requiring me to keep him company. He dresses himself, puts on his own shoes (on the right feet!), and can climb on the counter to get whatever he needs. The whole experience is giving him a healthy dollop of confidence that we just love.<br />
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Go Eli go!</div>
The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-90486302725515477102017-09-10T23:17:00.001-07:002017-09-10T23:17:58.097-07:00Things to Remember: Porter at 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Height: 37.5"<br />
Weight: 35 lbs<br />
Favorite food: Popsicles<br />
Favorite show: Chuuuuugington! Chugga chugga chugga! Chugga chugga chugga!<br />
Favorite phrase: What da HECK?<br />
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Oh my Porter boy. What's the male version of "sassy"? Willful? Stubborn? Strong personality? A force to be reckoned with? All of these things are my sturdy little two year-old.<br />
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It probably comes from being the second child, but Porter seems way more independent than Eli was at this age. The phrase, "MeSELF! MeSELF!" is his war cry, and heaven help you if you try to lend a hand. All summer he's been insisting on buckling his car seat himself and now it has escalated to opening the car door, climbing in, and hoisting his chunkiness into the seat WITHOUT MOM TOUCHING HIM. It's gotten to the point where sometimes I can't even kiss his boo-boos better without him saying, "No! MeSELF!" and insisting that I pucker-up but remain still, so that he can bring the injured area to my lips all on his own.<br />
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Porter loves trucks, cars, planes, helicopters and boats as all little boys do, but he has a special place in his heart for jeeps. He never fails to point one out while we are driving and will scream, "jeep! JEEP! JEEEEEEEEEEEP!" until you also acknowledge it.<br />
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This kid has no fear. By two Eli knew that if stepped one toe into the street that "cars would get him" and he would never have dreamed of leaving my side in the store or church. But Porter is a runner. No matter how deep or urgent your voice gets the only way to stop him is to catch him. Now I understand why all those moms have kid leashes!<br />
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Porter loves loves loves his Dad. He loves me too, but Zach and I are pretty sure that his greatest love is accessories. It's rare that you'll find him without a hat, headband, or necklace of some sort.<br />
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These two cute brothers have a very extreme relationship. They are either getting along beautifully, making me want dozens of children, or someone is screaming/crying. There is very little in-between. They share a passion for superheros, legos, play doh, and bike riding. Porter idolizes and follows Eli around everywhere, which Eli either loves or hates. Sharing is spotty, affection is frequent. Basically, they're brothers.<br />
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Porter's love language is touch. Not a gentle caress or sweet hugs or anything like that. More like constant wrestling. He tends to throw himself on the object of his affection, squeeze tightly, and then keep pushing until something happens. He loves running into me while I'm standing, or he'll come up and give me a solid slap on my thigh. I look down ready to get all angry (because, ow!) and he'll just be sitting there smiling up at me with love in his eyes.</div>
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We can't imagine our lives without Porter- he brings so much animation and fun into our family. He loves hard, plays hard, and then.... crashes hard. We love him.<br />
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<br />The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-18631528364425244162017-09-07T15:27:00.000-07:002017-09-07T15:27:06.513-07:00Give me ALL THE REUNIONS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I feel like I start out all blogs, "Last month we..." </div>
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because I'm always at least a month behind. But here we go anyway.</div>
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Last month we had another fabulous cluster of fabulous family reunion with fabulous people that we love with really fabulous food. Life doesn't get much better my friends. </div>
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Round one was with the Judkins in Park City. There was daily swimming, lots of cousin time, and even some gondola riding. My kids were basically in heaven. And with all the couples taking turns making delicious food, I was right there with them.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4e0R2IwwPs/WapF1ulIBBI/AAAAAAAAFko/zbHhbS7-9mokXZ7NFVshqk6CJo0Xmx1JgCLcBGAs/s1600/20170805_121601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4e0R2IwwPs/WapF1ulIBBI/AAAAAAAAFko/zbHhbS7-9mokXZ7NFVshqk6CJo0Xmx1JgCLcBGAs/s400/20170805_121601.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Porter was fearless. He would jump, go under, and come up smiling. He would live in the pool if we let him.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0WliVoFMQ9g/WapF2A8_eRI/AAAAAAAAFks/MIy_xPfjgloB2xttE6alnybSdHtkQaaSACLcBGAs/s1600/20170805_121712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0WliVoFMQ9g/WapF2A8_eRI/AAAAAAAAFks/MIy_xPfjgloB2xttE6alnybSdHtkQaaSACLcBGAs/s400/20170805_121712.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eli still isn't thrilled when his face gets wet, but the introduction of goggles solved that.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3CTcxmuonmU/WapIk6Fw56I/AAAAAAAAFmM/VrSFdt99UbQEwX-Unh_I1BQDfjRrQ58GwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3CTcxmuonmU/WapIk6Fw56I/AAAAAAAAFmM/VrSFdt99UbQEwX-Unh_I1BQDfjRrQ58GwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_5797.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best friends 4 lyfe</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Movie time was a huge highlight</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out in their PJs</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gSZIgjMCSO4/WapF6DxskpI/AAAAAAAAFk4/zYPRFWVqw1MnkxCyBryKzBAWyAUIzhmcACLcBGAs/s1600/20170806_114909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gSZIgjMCSO4/WapF6DxskpI/AAAAAAAAFk4/zYPRFWVqw1MnkxCyBryKzBAWyAUIzhmcACLcBGAs/s400/20170806_114909.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We rode this *free* gondola up and down at least 4 times. Ah parenthood.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QccYVkoTaDk/WapF6O6gR2I/AAAAAAAAFk0/Bfi7qkqMJxEJLS2IpLgHUCJoRWS0p_FEACLcBGAs/s1600/20170806_125236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QccYVkoTaDk/WapF6O6gR2I/AAAAAAAAFk0/Bfi7qkqMJxEJLS2IpLgHUCJoRWS0p_FEACLcBGAs/s400/20170806_125236.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All his ice cream dreams coming true.</td></tr>
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We love you Judkins! Sometimes I really can't believe my luck when I think about the family that I married into. So fun, so energetic, and SO MUCH LOVE!<br />
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Between the reunions we had three days where Zach had to go back to work and my dad was on a business trip so it was just me and my mom in Provo. It was the most relaxing three days of my entire summer. Without fail our usual trips to Utah and crammed to the gills with places to go and places to see, so it was inexpressibly wonderful to just chill with my mom and do the little things, like going to the fabric store, checking out Chip cookies, going to Movie Night in Rock Canyon Bowl:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Fg58Hsldx4/WapGW7LC8DI/AAAAAAAAFlI/2pSEd7rwdxgUYxJHIjv_pvovS_J6JqgkACLcBGAs/s1600/20170807_200533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Fg58Hsldx4/WapGW7LC8DI/AAAAAAAAFlI/2pSEd7rwdxgUYxJHIjv_pvovS_J6JqgkACLcBGAs/s320/20170807_200533.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pmj2vj1YgdM/WapGT_RxyaI/AAAAAAAAFlE/qpVUOT6WRykSMbEiB-ZuyPfqREvENbFFgCLcBGAs/s1600/20170807_201919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pmj2vj1YgdM/WapGT_RxyaI/AAAAAAAAFlE/qpVUOT6WRykSMbEiB-ZuyPfqREvENbFFgCLcBGAs/s320/20170807_201919.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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They were showing "Trolls". You could not find happier children.</div>
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learning how to can peaches:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EpS-NS3hB5E/WapGQ2fExMI/AAAAAAAAFlA/yu2FaO6e0x8_rORUHoWs6jJxxeTl6ct1QCLcBGAs/s1600/20170808_162211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EpS-NS3hB5E/WapGQ2fExMI/AAAAAAAAFlA/yu2FaO6e0x8_rORUHoWs6jJxxeTl6ct1QCLcBGAs/s320/20170808_162211.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm basically a domestic goddess now</td></tr>
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spending a whole morning with my friends and their adorable children in Salt Lake<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfizmfnnmgU/WapG1QWI5sI/AAAAAAAAFlQ/vrzNBTElk7ssgLhatzIQ9aa0t-mnFqonQCLcBGAs/s1600/20170809_131853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kfizmfnnmgU/WapG1QWI5sI/AAAAAAAAFlQ/vrzNBTElk7ssgLhatzIQ9aa0t-mnFqonQCLcBGAs/s400/20170809_131853.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My how we've multiplied!</td></tr>
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checking out the new splash pad in Orem (awesomest ever)<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bSUFZEheHas/WapG61EYwAI/AAAAAAAAFlU/-MHg4mGEO74dZ6AM8SyiqkldCiGZRBtHwCLcBGAs/s1600/20170809_150229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bSUFZEheHas/WapG61EYwAI/AAAAAAAAFlU/-MHg4mGEO74dZ6AM8SyiqkldCiGZRBtHwCLcBGAs/s320/20170809_150229.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UIqnE7BhNXI/WapGrcIjUNI/AAAAAAAAFlM/yCZvnPimRPcS5B4_S_TxhUWfa5J8bKeKgCLcBGAs/s1600/20170809_154632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UIqnE7BhNXI/WapGrcIjUNI/AAAAAAAAFlM/yCZvnPimRPcS5B4_S_TxhUWfa5J8bKeKgCLcBGAs/s320/20170809_154632.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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and visiting Aunt Jerica's sweet new work at the Provo Mall (hello Neighborhood Art Center!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vnQiL_TJMAQ/WapHOJxpS6I/AAAAAAAAFlc/E68_ZHYqM4kzwEhcDXyTvvE2GNOFUXpZwCLcBGAs/s1600/20170811_134541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vnQiL_TJMAQ/WapHOJxpS6I/AAAAAAAAFlc/E68_ZHYqM4kzwEhcDXyTvvE2GNOFUXpZwCLcBGAs/s400/20170811_134541.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this rare documentation of my kids actually sharing well!</td></tr>
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It was wonderful and relaxing, but that's not to say we weren't thrilled when Zach came back and we got to hang out with the Maglebys in Midway!<br />
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We were the lucky ones who got to share a condo with G-Grandma and G-Grandpa, who had all the treats and the coolest ride. We loved chatting with them and probably stayed up a little later than we should have. Who says Grandmas can't party?<br />
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Grandpa Speed Racer!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kNs7D0FKmEA/WapHq_ve_II/AAAAAAAAFlo/ule-VETs5DkY5qDvRUxbcByxhHjaxon3ACLcBGAs/s1600/20170812_084852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kNs7D0FKmEA/WapHq_ve_II/AAAAAAAAFlo/ule-VETs5DkY5qDvRUxbcByxhHjaxon3ACLcBGAs/s400/20170812_084852.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this picture of my grandma and my boys (ignore Zach). I remember so many mornings like this growing up when we'd come to visit!</td></tr>
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The kids were in awe of the pancakes at the Homestead. They must've been really something, because they powered them through a four hour swim afterwards!<br />
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Before we left we had an early birthday BBQ for Porter. I have to keep reminding myself that at this age, they really don't care, as long as they get cake. I <i>think</i> he had a good time!<br />
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Uncle Hans at the grill!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute cousins!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cake decorating is still not my thing, but it tasted aMAYzing.</td></tr>
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Now that we're back in Elko for the longest stint of the year, we really miss our wonderful families. Thanks for being fabulous guys!The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-64959055588715616052017-09-01T22:34:00.000-07:002017-09-01T22:34:35.801-07:00The Other Side-ish of the World Part IV: London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I learned a lot from this trip, and one of the things I learned was never plan to spend less than a day anywhere. Ever. But London was on the way back from Baku, we had to stop at Heathrow anyway, and Zach had never been, so plan I did.</div>
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We had a total of 10 waking hours in London, and we USED them. Aside from a few hours in the British Museum all we could really do was walk to and take selfies in front of major tourist attractions. And, of course, eat. So, enjoy our selfie/foodie roll:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6GjdhqXcJGU/WaeoS14ZU-I/AAAAAAAAFhM/bfE53pClUNgV4Q1fdDgcBAj-gaKps-KLACLcBGAs/s1600/20170721_112549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6GjdhqXcJGU/WaeoS14ZU-I/AAAAAAAAFhM/bfE53pClUNgV4Q1fdDgcBAj-gaKps-KLACLcBGAs/s400/20170721_112549.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Figuring out the Underground</td></tr>
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Fish and Chips (not stellar) and Spotted Dick (stellar name)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Superman?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British Museum</td></tr>
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Zach had WAY too much fun in the British Museum. As if we already didn't give off the total tourist vibe.<br />
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We missed Zach's brother Gabe and his wife Jerica by two days. We wish we could've gone to the play with you guys!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street performers at Trafalga Square</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St James Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went to London to visit the Queen! Or at least to stand outside Buckingham Palace.</td></tr>
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Westminster Abby and Big Ben</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower of London</td></tr>
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Some of the best food of the trip/my life. AMAZING Beef Wellington!</div>
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After yet another stressful flight near-cancellation we were sooooooo happy to land back in good ol' Salt Lake City. It was so wonderful to be with our boys again. As you can see, they were thrilled to see us after the initial shock and, in Porter's case, slight resentment.<br />
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We could never have done this trip with out our amazing parents and siblings, who did such a good job making sure our boys didn't suffer in our absence. Heck, let's just say it- they spoiled them rotten. Thanks a million you guys!The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-50818503725456869352017-09-01T22:29:00.000-07:002017-09-01T22:29:49.423-07:00The Other Side of the World Part III: Baku<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Baku is a fascinating place. It has changed hands back and forth between Iran, the Ottomans, and Russia until finally becoming it's own state after the dissolution of the Soviet Block. Like Georgia it was a huge variety of architecture, but unlike Georgia there is a lot of oil money floating around, so there are new Vegas-style towers and high-rises and ultra modern structures mixed in with the ancient stone walls and Soviet apartment buildings.</div>
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The people there were so nice, and we always felt very safe. They were, however MUCH better bargainers and dealers than we were, which we learned over and over again every time we tried to buy something.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_ePfO6A9xeU/Waek3NtZ4_I/AAAAAAAAFfo/HgAM1hxEud0e_9LWL8F02YyeAe2LnoajgCLcBGAs/s1600/20170717_123013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_ePfO6A9xeU/Waek3NtZ4_I/AAAAAAAAFfo/HgAM1hxEud0e_9LWL8F02YyeAe2LnoajgCLcBGAs/s400/20170717_123013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Here's Zach immediately after being expertly swindled into a high price for cherries at the market.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shops like this were all over the old town.</td></tr>
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Azerbaijan is famous for its rugs, and I was really hoping to bring one home with us. This kindly looking man could sense my desire and somehow made us feel like we got a pretty good deal with the one we finally bought. We learned later that we probably overpaid by about $30. Oh well.<br />
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One of the must-see sights in Baku is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_Tower_(Baku)" target="_blank">Maiden Tower</a>. The inside is a museum, and I appreciated that they had the humility to admit that they weren't entirely sure about the origins of the tower- a temple? Defensive? An observatory? All we know is that it is pretty impressive, complete with a well that goes all the way up to the top and a ceramic pipe system.<br />
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Azeris have a thing for selfies. Seriously. And they are REALLY good at posing. At the top of the Maiden Tower there is even a Selfie Platform so you can fully take advantage of the amazing view.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach and I could probably really up our selfie game.</td></tr>
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Speaking of selfies, we got to have dinner with a pro one evening we were there. What are the odds that we would actually <i>know</i> someone from Baku? But as luck would have it the Judkins family had an exchange student named Ayten 10 years ago from Baku and we were all in town at the same time. We just love her!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please note her skills without comparing them to ours.</td></tr>
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We spent a lot of time in the Old Town district, which was absolutely beautiful. Cool buildings and impressive shopping opportunities were mixed in with ancient castle walls and canons. We never got tired of exploring it!<br />
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In the middle of the Old Town district is the Palace of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirvanshah" target="_blank">Shirvanshahs</a>. The carvings on the outside were so intricate and beautiful! The history of the family and the palace itself was really interesting, if somewhat gory.<br />
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Baku is the lowest capital in the world (92 ft below sea level) and it sits right on the Caspian Sea. They have a beautiful boardwalk boulevard, complete with "The Eye of Baku". We loved walking around it!<br />
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We mentioned that Baku was famous for it's carpets, right? There is even a carpet museum, which was way cooler than it sounds. It was basically a historical art gallery, but all the paintings were actually rugs. There were some really beautiful and impressive ones in there!<br />
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Of course we had to visit Anthon at his job in the embassy. Zach and I were both crazy curious to go through a US embassy after all the spy movies we've seen. It was not quite what we expected. Security was high, and you definitely can't go running in claiming asylum as an American. We were not allowed to take pictures outside, but Anthon looked pretty official in his office!<br />
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Apparently Baku is ranked 8th in the top 10 party cities of the world with an excellent night life. We didn't hit the clubs, but we saw some beautiful sites. Below is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs%27_Lane" target="_blank">Martyrs Lane</a> leading to the Eternal Flame Memorial.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful view!</td></tr>
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The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_Towers" target="_blank">Flame Towers</a> put on an LED show every night. Zach made sure to catch the actual flame display to lay on the love.<br />
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Finally, the food. It's really a miracle we saw any sights at all because we were so busy eating ALL THE FOOD. Baku has a great variety of all different cuisines. And while we loved the traditional Azeri food, we both agree that this Russian restaurant stole first prize for our dining experience in Baku:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are at a traditional Azeri breakfast- super fresh bread with all the best toppings!</td></tr>
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We really can't say enough to thank Anthon and Melissa for planning, directing, and hosting us on this epic adventure. We can't even put HALF the pictures of all the good times they provided on this blog. They put so much thought and effort into the trip and thanks to them we had a wonderful time! We were so sad to leave for London without them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dear Anthon and Melissa: you guys are THE BEST.</td></tr>
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Next up: London!The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-26389417742744094662017-09-01T22:22:00.001-07:002017-09-01T22:22:33.648-07:00The Other Side of the World Part II: Azerbaijan<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For your reference</td></tr>
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Our first stop in Azerbaijan was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaki,_Azerbaijan" target="_blank">Shaki</a>, which was a major stop on the silk trade route. Some of the original caravan inns and stalls are still standing. <br />
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The Summer Palace of the Shaki Kahns was perhaps the most beautiful thing I saw all trip. The outside is all mosaic tile and stained glass windows, and the inside was covered in floor to ceiling murals and intricate designs. Absolutely breathtaking.<br />
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From Shaki we drove to Gabala, where we stopped at a resort in the mountains. We were surprised to find such large climate and terrain variety in Azerbaijan. Although near sea level, the huge mountains reminded us of Sundance. </div>
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Our last stop before reaching Baku was a small monastery called Diri Baba. There were no signs or directions, and once you got there you were free to wander inside and on top of this random structure in the middle of nowhere!<br />
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Baku itself will be its own separate post, but we were able to see quite a lot of Azerbaijan on some day trips from the city. Melissa was incredibly brave and drove us out to see the sights- no small feat when you have a toddler in tow and the traffic is bonkers! <br />
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<b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanar_Dag" target="_blank">Yanar Dag</a></b><br />
Azerbaijan is known as "The Land of Fire" and this is one of the reasons why:<br />
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There are gas deposits here and there that have been constantly burning for decades and no one seems to mind. There's also nothing to stop you from getting as close up as you dare.<br />
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<b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ateshgah_of_Baku" target="_blank">Ateshgah Fire Temple</a></b><br />
Azerbaijan once had a large Zoroastrian population, with fire being the primary symbol of the religion. The Ateshgah Temple houses an "eternal flame" and a pretty interesting mock-up of what the temple would have been like in it's hey day. Some of the displays of stinky, starving monks practicing self-punishment were a little too realistic for my taste, but very informative.<br />
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<b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gobustan_National_Park" target="_blank">Gobustan</a> Petroglyphs</b><br />
Coming from Utah, I'm pretty used to the whole petroglyph thing, but this place had over 6,000 carvings, all over 5,000 years-old. So cool!<br />
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<b>Gobustan <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud_volcano" target="_blank">Mud Volacanoes</a></b><br />
I felt this was an incredibly unique experience. The mud volcanoes are not too big, and they're not hot, but there is definitely mud bubbling up constantly, sometimes with enough force to cover anyone nearby with really smooth and slimy goop. Apparently every so often one of the volcanoes will really explode and shoot flames up 15 meters high and cover the area mud. I'm both glad and disappointed we missed that.<br />
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The strange thing about this site is that despite being one of the 50 Natural Wonders of the World, there are very few directions on how to get there, the road is AWFUL (all dirt, mostly washed out, and steep at the end) and then once you arrive there's no sign, no parking, and no admission fee. <br />
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We love Azerbaijan! Next post: BakuThe Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-90770008836588541582017-08-31T11:18:00.000-07:002017-08-31T11:18:08.684-07:00The Other Side of the World Part 1: Tbilisi, Georgia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"So where are you guys going on this big trip?"</div>
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"Well first we're headed to Georgia..."</div>
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~Slightly disappointed look~</div>
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"Oh nice! I have a [relative, friend] who lives there. Peaches!"</div>
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"Right! But we're going to the country, not the state"</div>
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~Confused look~</div>
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"Ohhhh... the country. Where is that again? And um... why on earth are you going there?"</div>
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We had this exact exchange with friends and family dozens of times before we started off on our Grand Adventure to the Other Side of the World. It's a very understandable reaction, despite how wonderful a place it really is. </div>
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First of all, here's Georgia:</div>
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And why, of all the places in the world we could go, did we choose to go there? Enter: Anthon and Melissa! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dream Team in Vegas, circa 2011</td></tr>
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These awesome cousins of ours are stationed with the State Department at the US Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan. Last year we made a pact that we would visit them and to everyone's surprise, we followed through. The plan: meet in Tbilisi, Georgia, and travel our way over to Baku.</div>
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It was tough to say goodbye to Eli and Porter for 10 whole days, but we knew that they were in the best of hands. I am positive that they had way more fun hanging out with grandparents and cousins than they would have had traveling with us. </div>
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There's no sugarcoating it- hauling across 12 time zones is brutal, but after a few stressful flight cancellations and lots and lots of airplane/port time we arrived at the Tbilisi airport where Zach got his very first stamp in his very first passport. Anthon was there to pick up his somewhat disoriented and exhausted travel buddies and took us back to our super nice Airbnb downtown.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi Mom! We made it!</td></tr>
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As part of the old Soviet Block, Georgia is an interesting mix of ancient buildings, utilitarian Soviet structures, and "New Georgia" construction where they are attempting to reestablish their identity as an independent country. Our apartment building was from the Soviet era, complete with a sketchy elevator that was not afraid to close on you. The outside may look hodgepodge, but the host did a great job on the interior. It was comfortable, clean, and had an awesome view.</div>
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<b>DAY ONE</b><br />
We did a lot of walking in Tbilisi, especially the first day in an attempt to kick the jet lag. Here are some of the sights we hit on foot:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Peace" target="_blank">Bridge of Peace</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A downtown area cafe</td></tr>
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Tbilisi is full of churches and cathedrals, but the one that makes it into all the skylines and painting is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Trinity_Cathedral_of_Tbilisi" target="_blank">Holy Trinity Cathedral</a> (Sameba). It is so hard to communicate just how MASSIVE this building was! Not as ornate as the Vatican, but still very beautiful inside and out.</div>
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Standing over Tbilisi is the Mother of Georgia, who welcomes friends with a bowl of wine in one hand and wards off enemies with a sword in the other. An inspiring mom-multitasker for sure. We took a cable car to the hill to see her up close and in person. <br />
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I would have taken taken a picture up close, but you are SO close that the view was, shall we say, slightly inappropriate.<br />
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We walked along the old Karikala Fortress and ducked into an ancient cathedral or two on the way. Fun fact: to be respectful, women are required to cover their heads and wear a "skirt" provided at the door. Occasionally even the guys had to don them, as shorts were often not allowed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View towards the Kura river</td></tr>
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<br />Zach loved Tbilisi because there were snacks EVERYWHERE. Vendors sold cups and buckets of sliced fruit everywhere you looked.<br />
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One unique food that we got to try was Churchkhela, which is basically a string of nuts dipped in thickened grape juice. It's a little waxy, but not bad!<br />
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Another favorite was Turkish ice cream, which was also everywhere. It tastes like a slightly gummier version of gelato. Delicious.<br />
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One of the best things about traveling with Anthon and Melissa is they share our love of food. Because the food is so cheap in Georgia (think:one third the price) we tried EVERYTHING. This lunch at Josper Grill competes for the top three meals of the trip for us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint "Lemonade"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salad course</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Give me all the grilled meats!</td></tr>
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Despite being extra full we still got bubble waffles for dessert, because why not?<br />
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In the evening we took the funicular up to a sort of fair ground, complete with bumper cars, bull-riding, and Zach's first ferris wheel ride. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FUNicular</td></tr>
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I'm amazed we didn't collapse with exhaustion on that first day, but thanks to a lot of coca-cola and the hype of traveling with friends we made it through. I think all of us were amazed at how much we could do without kids!<br />
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<b>DAY TWO</b><br />
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We started the day off with Khachapuri, traditional Georgian bread, usually filled with cheese, meat, beans, or vegetables and occasionally topped with an egg. So good!<br />
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We took a taxi over to Drybridge Market, and before I go on, I must say that taxis were even cheaper than the food. We spent more on one 3 km taxi ride in London than our entire time in Tbilisi. Uber is the BOMB.<br />
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Drybridge Market had everything you could think- used electronics, old Soviet war medals, glassware, jewelry, handi-craft, you name it. My personal favorite was the entire park filled with paintings- Zach and I splurged and bought our favorites.<br />
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In the afternoon we traveled to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gori_Fortress" target="_blank">Gori Fortress</a>. You'd think that a building that dates back to sometime in the 13th century would be heavily protected and preserved, but you'd be wrong. There was an identifying sign, but other than that you could go anywhere and climb on anything. Price: free.<br />
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From Gori we drove to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uplistsikhe" target="_blank">Uplishtsikhe</a>, which was THE COOLEST. This was a town carved right into the rock dating back to the Iron Age and has been added to over the centuries. I've never seen anything like it in my life. Price: practically free.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Escape tunnel!</td></tr>
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On the way back to Tbilisi we stopped by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jvari_(monastery)" target="_blank">Jvari Monastery</a>. The building was beautiful and the view was even better. Obviously we weren't the only ones who thought so- we saw at least three wedding parties in less than an hour.<br />
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Dinner that night was one for the books. We ate at the Schuchmann Wine Bar in the cellar of a museum and it was so, so delicious! And beautiful!<br />
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Can I remember what everything was called? No. </div>
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Can I tell you my stomach was soooo happy? Yes.</div>
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To top off the evening we participated in a Georgian tradition: the bathhouse.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the outside (the domes in the back)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our suite. The water on the right is painfully hot sulfur springs direct from the source. On the left, really cold water</td></tr>
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I must admit that the temperatures were a little too extreme for me to be relaxing, but the salt scrub wasn't too bad.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach decided not to opt for the "full body treatment" and kept his suit on.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tbilisi is so beautiful at night!</td></tr>
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<b>DAY 3</b><br />
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We spent the third day driving from Tbilisi to Baku, stopping at all the notable places along the way. A word on driving: CRAZY. We took the country route with narrow roads, no predictable speed limit, occasional cattle herds, and a driver who has "gone native". Anthon both terrified and impressed us with his aggressive driving.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random statues and towers were all over in the middle of nowhere along these roads!</td></tr>
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Behind us here is Signagi, last stop in Georgia. It's on a steep hill with a stunning view. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We stopped for breakfast at a hotel. We admired the view very much until a waiter informed us that they actually didn't serve breakfast. Lame.</td></tr>
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To sum up, we loved Tbilisi. We loved Georgia. We would recommend it to anyone and would definitely go back.<br />
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Next up: Azerbaijan!<br />
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<br />The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-81560995995792073442017-07-10T23:18:00.000-07:002017-07-10T23:18:23.910-07:00Candy & ParadesWhat can we say? We love America. But as proud as we are to be Americans, Elko is even more proud of it's Basque heritage, so they hold their Basque Festival on the 4th of July weekend every year. Hence we didn't technically have an Independence Day Parade to go to on Saturday- it was the Basque Festival parade, complete with strong men competition floats, very nice dancing, and advertising.<br />
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Parades in Elko are all about the candy. The floats are generous, the children are few, (or at least compared to Utah parades) and we were positioned just right to get literally armfuls of candy thrown our way. Eli was hesitant, like he was politely disbelieving that he could just go TAKE THE CANDY, but Porter had no restraint. He was out to collect as much as possible.<br />
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There was a children's parade the morning of the 4th of July, and Eli was <i>so excited</i> that he would be in an <i>actual parade</i>. When it turned out to be a small affair on a sidewalk thru the park with maybe a dozen grandparents looking on he was in no way discouraged. He waved his flag and smiled with gusto, constantly berating me for not bringing candy to throw at the "crowd".<br />
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The parade ended with an Old Fashioned Fourth party, complete with a Watermelon Eating Contest, a Sack Race, Bean Bag Toss, and a Pie Walk. Since there were only about thirty kids there Eli got to compete in and "win" everything. Porter was mostly interested in stuffing his face with watermelon.<br />
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Eli actually did win the pie walk on his first try, and you have never seen such a proud hunter-gatherer. He told everyone he met about how "the other kids didn't win. I WON the apple pie", and he insisted that we bring it to our friend's house in the evening to share while we watched the fireworks from their deck. <br />
Altogether, an awesome holiday.The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8055380387532664401.post-40885813323843765272017-07-09T22:25:00.000-07:002017-07-09T22:25:35.253-07:00Mr & Mrs Magleby<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Happy for all her sisterly feelings was the day on which Clarissa got rid </i></div>
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<i>of her most deserving younger brother. </i></div>
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Ever since Austin returned from his mission in glory I've been anxiously awaiting the day that he would bring home "the one". Finally, last year, it happened- he introduced us to a beautiful girl named Aloura and was as happy as I've ever seen him. So on May 17th we packed it up and headed out to Manti for their wedding. <br />
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The groom was dashing and the bride looked like a princess. The Manti Temple was an experience in itself- so much beautiful architecture and history! It was a wonderful, breezy, slightly frigid morning at the temple.<br />
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Sibs</div>
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The receptions was lovely, with good food, family, and friends. My favorite part, aside from the cream puffs, was getting these handsome boys together. There's just something about little boys in matching bow tie outfits that I can't. even. handle.<br />
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Porter walked around like this most of the night. It was adorable.</div>
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One of the best parts of a family wedding is that you get to hang out with some of your favorite people before and afterwards. We stayed at my parents house along with my grandparents, and it was wonderful for me to watch my kids get to know my Grandma and Grandpa.<br />
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We also got to see my Dad's "new" office and have snacks from the top secret stash in the fancy conference room and walk along the hidden trail to an undiscovered waterfall. Needless to say the boys were very impressed with Grandpa's job, especially when you took into account that he was mere seconds away from a DUCK POND.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MMqeu-ZJwtw/WWJjvjp9rjI/AAAAAAAADyI/B07BU1MsMAYDksCZr2r_JkOEidBIZVs3QCEwYBhgL/s1600/20170519_150139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MMqeu-ZJwtw/WWJjvjp9rjI/AAAAAAAADyI/B07BU1MsMAYDksCZr2r_JkOEidBIZVs3QCEwYBhgL/s400/20170519_150139.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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Another great thing about being at a wedding in Provo is being near some of our favorite places. We got to take Eli and Porter "up into the mountain" at Rock Canyon, and guys, there were BUGS (something of great interest around these parts). And since picking up rocks is one of Porter's top 3 favorite things and Eli is always "training" to climb like an explorer we had a hard time convincing them to come home again. <br />
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Anyway. To the happy couple: Mazel tov. May you live happily ever after.</div>
The Judkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18307011521983686925noreply@blogger.com0