Adventures in a Hotel Room

Friday morning kicked off with an early appointment at the dermatologist. For some reason, I always go to this appointment without thinking much of it but then return home pretty traumatized. The doctor removed skin off both of my hands. Yes, my hands. The right palm and left pinkie finger, to be precise. I wasn't prepared for getting a shot of local anesthetic in my hands, and it was significantly more unpleasant than getting a shot just about anywhere else. I also had a spot taken off my back, but that is pretty par for the course. Once it was over, though, it wasn't such a big thing. Even when the anesthetic wore off, it didn't hurt all that bad. Washing my hands and shampooing my hair have proven to be a little tricky with open wounds on my hands, but as long as the biopsies come back clean, I'll be able to put it all behind me very soon.

When I got back home, we switched gears and packed up the truck for a quick overnighter in Prescott. Dylan was due to speak at an industry round table event at Embry-Riddle that afternoon, and then we had a birthday party to attend on Saturday. I'm not sure what an industry round table is, except that it involves people that really love their chosen career. I have no idea what that's like. But, I'm sure glad that Dylan does!

Gavin was super amped to be staying at a hotel. We quickly unloaded and set up the pull-out bed and pack 'n play for the boys before Dylan left for his event. We were at a place downtown, and I had hoped to bring the boys to the park and then to find something to eat. It turns out, they were having so much fun being in a hotel room, that I could hardly get them packed into the stroller and down to the lobby. When I finally did, we went into the Walgreens' next door and left with a cup of Easy Mac, and then went right back up to our room, per Gavin's request. We spent more time in a small hotel room than I'd ever hoped to spend in one small place. It reminded me of those 12-hour shifts in the Target pharmacy. But the boys were happy, so I couldn't complain. Eventually we put Graham to sleep, and then Gavin and I huddled up on the other side of the room to quietly watch YouTube and read. Dylan showed up a little while later with Chipotle, and we ate the best dinner I've ever eaten on a hotel room floor. We fit in one episode of Big, Little Lies before Dylan was off to drink beer with his buddies at Lizard's while the rest of us were snug in our beds.

Gavin knows that road trips are always made better with a run through Dutch Bros.

Playing with Graham in baby jail

Easy Mac for dinner- how special.

Something about driving his cars around this fold out bed was so much better than driving them anywhere else.

He was pretty happy to roll around too

Awkward family photo

I hadn't noticed that beautiful painting behind the bed till now

Saturday was all fun and games. First, we checked out the Embry-Riddle flight line to show Gavin the airplanes that Dylan flew as a college kid. Dylan worked at dispatch in college (the 5am shift for minimum wage, nonetheless), so he had an in with the flight supervisor. We even got out on the ramp and climbed inside a Cessna. From there, we took a walk around Watson Lake, and then Gavin and I had a lunch date at Panera while Graham slept in the truck and Dylan went thru In 'n Out. Next up was Avery and Everly's birthday party at the zoo. What a fun party! We caught up with some of our Prescott friends that we hadn't seen in a very long time, and the boys loved seeing the animals and playing on the playground. Graham absolutely insisted on crawling around, so he just barreled through people all afternoon and got absolutely filthy. "Your baby is cracking me up," I heard people say more than once. Yeah, he cracks me up, too. All the time. At the ripe old age of 14 months, however, I'd prefer that he cracked people up while on two feet. I have deja vu every day while constantly lifting up a gigantic baby from off the ground. Let's hope nobody blows a disc before he gets the hang of walking. Good thing he's the sweetest and cutest little guy. I think we'll keep him.

Future pilot? 

Stopping for a snack break on our wilderness walk

Graham was so tired but had a grand old time

My favorite lunch date

Good times at the zoo birthday party

Super busy all the time

Too tired to stand up on the way back to the car

Little lizard, big lizard

By the time we got back in the truck to head home, we were all beat. So beat that we even stopped for a 4pm gas station coffee. The boys, somehow, defied exhaustion and didn't sleep a wink on the ride home. My little freaks of nature at least did us the favor of sleeping pretty soundly all night until about 5:20am this morning. After Dylan had come in around 12:30 and then Graham threw a hotel party from 2-3am the night before, I was at least glad for some solid sleep.

Today was another winner, as far as Sundays go. It was an easy morning, a little jog for me, and drone flying for Dylan and Gavin. We took the RZR out on a walk and then teamed up with the fam across the street for a trip down to the river. Apparently we bought a boat. I vaguely remember something about that transaction happening a few months ago. My brother had a little boat for camping and then got a new one, so we bought the old one. Anyway, we took both boats with us, but the current was too strong for the tiny motors, so no boating was to be had. The boys had a grand old time playing in the water. Even Graham plopped right in and starting throwing rocks in the water. And that is why camping is such a great thing with this gaggle of boys. They can stay entertained in the great outdoors for such a long time. Maybe one of these days we'll get that trailer out again...

Brothers sharing a moment. Gavin just loves Graham lately, which is new and awesome. Like, it's the best. He laughs at Graham and hugs him and pats his head and plays with him all the time. He's vacillated between indifference and disdain until now, and I am a happy mom.

He sat here throwing rocks for such a long time.

This was the only boat ride these guys got today.

They don't come sweeter than this!

Actually, I don't know...these guys are pretty sweet, too!

Kristin takes better pictures of my kids than I ever can.

A cousin fishing adventure!

Wait, is Graham drinking a beer?

I suppose after a weekend as great as this, we should probably try to do something responsible tomorrow. Maybe...we'll see. We did manage to clear off some walls today, and the paint guy is coming in the morning to take a look at things. It's happening in baby steps...but we're starting to see some progress around here. Anyway, we'll send Dylan off on a trip later this week, but for now, I think we'll fire up Netflix and close out the weekend on a high note.