Molly turns 4!

Molly just had a birthday and is now a big four-year-old! This year her birthday fell on the Friday before Easter, with Bode's birthday following on Monday. We had a lot to celebrate in those few days!

We of course took some pictures to document the birthday girl turning four.

I wasn't sure how her birthday would turn out with social distancing and all of the limitations with the virus. Thankfully, she ended up having a really great birthday and it was so fun to celebrate her! Her day started with a trip with her dad to get donuts (her favorite). Then her preschool teacher dropped off a little present and birthday crown. Sean and I surprised she and Bode with a bouncy house we rented for their birthdays and set up in our backyard. The bouncy house was a HUGE hit with all of the kids and they played on it all day. Molly had been saying she really wants to play at the park "when the virus is over" so it was fun to see her playing and having a great time. 

The birthday kiddos

Our neighborhood started putting on drive-by birthday parades every week or so and Molly and Bode's parade happened to fall on Molly's birthday. It was fun that they both got to celebrate together and it was so fun for them to sit and have the line of cars pass and throw them treats and honk and yell out happy birthday. They felt pretty awesome! We are very fortunate to live where we do and be surrounded by so many awesome friends and neighbors. 

After the parade, we got take out from Chubby's at her request. She wanted their mac and cheese and scones for dinner. She opened a bunch of presents after dinner and was really excited about the toy vacuum, camera, legos, and little girl perfume she got.

Molly loves a tv show called "True and the Rainbow Kingdom" that she watches often. She has been asking for a True birthday cake for a long time. This cake was so much fun for me to make. I thought it turned out so cute and she loved it!

With candles :)

I am SO happy this girl is ours! We love her sweet, fun personality. I love that she is girly, but brave. She is my sidekick and loves to be with me and help me with whatever I am doing, but is also independent and can spend hours finding things to do and entertain herself. She adores her brothers and is such a happy kid. It is very, very rare for her to throw a tantrum. She is shy but kind and loyal. She loves to laugh and makes us all happy with her cute little voice. I love her so much!

Molly's four-year questionnaire

Corona Arch

Not long after we got home from Mexico, Coronavirus really took off in the United States. Within a couple of weeks, school was closed, Sean was working from home, and we were home almost all of the time. It was quite an adjustment for all of us! Pretty early into the pandemic, our family decided to take a day trip south and head to Moab to go hiking and for a change of scenery. We stayed away from the national parks (which were still open at the time). We went on a hike just outside of Moab to Corona Arch. Quite the appropriate name for the circumstances! The weather at home was still cold and lousy, so it felt so nice to be somewhere warmer and sunny. We took Charlie with us and we had a great day together. The hike was awesome and so beautiful. I keep telling my kids I am so glad they enjoy hiking because it's one of my favorite things to do together. 

We had fun yelling and listening for our echos while under the arch. Such beautiful scenery!

After the hike we stopped by some petroglyphs on the side of the road we had passed earlier. It is amazing to me these have survived for so long.

Next we drove through Moab and headed to do a little off roading. The boys were excited to show me the trail "Fins 'n Things." They have come with Sean before and though my dad and brothers grew up coming here, I had never been on any of the off-roading trails. It was really fun and definitely a little nerve wracking in a few spots. The trail was nearly deserted (very unusual for that time of year) and the views were incredible! I haven't always appreciated the red rocks of southern Utah, but I absolutely love them now and think they are so beautiful. Utah is such an awesome place with so many diverse landscapes. 

At the end of the trail we let the kids play around and climb the rocks for a bit, which they loved and helped get some wiggles out before driving home.  

This day trip really boosted our morale. I love taking little adventures like this with our crew!