HIGH Fitness at City Creek

They had a big fundraiser at City Creek with the opening of Albion Fit. It was a blast to work out with so many people, especially since I had just gotten certified!

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HIGH Fitness Instructor Certification

A few months ago, my good friend, neighbor, and High Fitness instructor Holly and I started discussing the idea of me getting certified to teach High and possibly team teaching together. I went back on the forth on the idea for a while, unfortunately I waited too long and the Utah one filled up and passed by. Then I realized there was one in Arizona right around our anniversary, so I decided to sign up for the training and make an anniversary weekend out of it with TJ!

It was the first time TJ and I had left the kids together before; the first trip without kids we’ve ever had since having kids. We did leave Eva for one night when I was in the hospital having Finn, but that’s it. So, I think it was time! We left out of Provo on Thursday, and I couldn’t get over how easy it was to fly with my kids! It’s been FIVE YEARS since I’ve flown sans kids. I literally had a small carry on (which TJ carried) and my book. BTOML. I read 100 pages on the airplane and didn’t have to change a diaper in the teeny airplane bathroom. I still can’t get over it.

Thursday night we met my brother and his wife for dinner, then relaxed outside for the evening. Friday we spent the entire day being incredibly lazy. Well, TJ worked a lot. But I laid out by the pool and read for hours. Take me back! Friday evening we met our good friends Ryan & Kacy for dinner and stayed up way too late talking about our funny college memories.

On Saturday, moms got free French toast at Kneaders so we headed there for breakfast (Kacy & I gave the toast to our husbands lol… I wasn’t about to eat unlimited French toast before working out all day long), at which point I headed to the gym for the High Fitness class before the training. The class was amazing. A packed house taught by Amber, one of the creators of the class and a bunch of other great instructors.

My friend Natalie got certified with me so it was really fun having her by my side the whole day, it really took away a lot of the nerves! Fun fact: Natalie and I were in the same Stake back in Kentucky, so we kind of grew up together and we sang in a children’s choir together for a bunch of years. We both moved out to Utah and have done 21 day fix together this year and now are both doing High! Yay!

After the class, we had a lunch break so Natalie and I went back and took a quick shower and changed (we were soaked after the first class). Then from 12-7 we were in the training learning choreography and pretty much what it takes to become an instructor. We then broke into groups and had to teach the rest of the class songs, while we were being graded. I passed with flying colors… hurray! It was a nerve-wracking day but one of the best ever. I literally held back tears several times because I was just so excited and happy for this new stage of life!

To celebrate, Natalie and I headed out to dinner right after at Grimaldi’s (I really wanted to eat at Shake Shack, but their grill was down… WHAT?) and split a pizza and canolli (we were starving after working out all day)! It was a perfect ending to a perfect weekend!

It was Mother’s Day when we came home, and I was so happy to see the kids! We sure missed them but were so grateful they were safe and happy with their Uncle & Aunt (who sent me lots of snaps per my request!). I definitely cried a lot when we left, it was so hard to leave Finn for some reason. But the weekend away with TJ was so needed and the training was an incredible experience!

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Push through the nap.

Occasionally we have days where the weather is just too perfect or we have something really fun planned smack dab in the middle of Finn’s nap time so we decide to skip it and just push through! 95% of the time it’s worth it. We don’t do it often, but on the days we do, we make memories. One Monday TJ was out of town and I took the kids to a new park and walking trail. Then I had promised to take Eva to pick out a new toy for completing her positivity/no fuss chart which led us to the mall play place. And then instead of heading home and having Finn take a late nap, I just kept driving west instead of getting on i-15 N and took the kids to the lake. The bugs were horrendous but it was sooooo gorgeous down there!

When I first had Eva and became a mom, I was incredibly strict with routines/schedules. That first summer TJ was gone and so I really stuck to it because it was the only way I had some sanity in my life. And as much as I believe structure and routines are SO good and extremely necessary for kids, I also a huge believer in getting out of your comfort zones, occasionally throwing out those routines, and just living in the moment when the moment calls! So find that balance! You won’t regret it!

Mehraban Wetland Park

We explored a cute little park one Saturday afternoon while TJ was getting his haircut. It had really nice trails and a duckpond. We love finding new places like this, especially ones that are close!

Gardner Village’s Fairyland

Gardner Village currently has fairies throughout the area, hidden in trees and in shop windows. We had playgroup up there one afternoon and it was a hit!

Wrapping Up April

Somehow April is over and May will be over in a week! Here are the rest of the photos from the month that didn’t get their own blog post!

We watched tons of Jazz basketball games in April as they made it to the playoffs. TJ even got to attend one of the games on the sixth row!

Finn had a really bad cold early April, double ear infection in both ears! TJ’s parents watched Eva for me one whole day which was such a relief. When we picked her up, Finn did a little mowing.

We got a cilantro plant from the dollar section at Target. It grew so incredibly fast, then died. I don’t know if we overwatered it or what, but that was very short lived. I was so excited and then crushed to get rid of it.

Eva’s fancy outfit. She even is wearing pink high heels.

The last photo I have of Finn with his classic two bottom teeth smile. He got a lot of new teeth in April.

She’s always dressed up so fancy. This one is a blanket style train.

I can’t get this photo to turn right now, oh well. But they spent every sunny day outside!

A new hair style I tried out on Eva. I thought it was so cute!

Ready to watch Moana… aka “NANA”!

The Dry Bar

On a Friday night in May when TJ was out of town, I got a babysitter and got to celebrate a birthday for a new but dear friend of mine! We have been serving in the same calling this year and it’s been so fun to get to know each other! We had dinner in Provo then went to the Dry Bar, a comedy club downtown with clean comedians. The venue was so cool and the comedians did not disappoint. In fact, I laughed so much, my face hurt from smiling so much at the end of the night! You definitely have to check it out. The next season of shows start in June.

Hike to the G

We tried out the trail that leads you up to the “G” in Pleasant Grove. It starts at the same place as the falls trail, but was definitely more steep and a harder hike with kids. It was the first hike Eva had done on the side of a mountain where you look down at the valley, so I think that scared her a bit. That being said, we didn’t make it to the G but we definitely got close! I am so proud of that little hiker of mine! I got quite the workout with Finn on my back, but my ergo is still so comfortable with him back there, I’m blown away at how good of a carrier it is! And sadly, I don’t have a photo of TJ with us, but he did join us for the hike… don’t worry! We do not do hikes like this alone!

The Dinosaur Museum

One Monday in May, we watched Eva’s buddy for the afternoon and since it was rainy, I took them to the museum. Finn pretty much had the best time of his life and roared 100% of the time while he walked around. Isn’t this photo hilarious?

The Tulip Festival

The second half of April was actually pretty rainy and cold, so I felt like the Tulip Festival didn’t have too many awesome days like they did last year. But thankfully, one Monday it brightened up for us, and I took the kids with my friend and her kids. It was a beautiful day, and the gardens did not disappoint, as usual. I can’t believe that this place is virtually in our backyard. We are so luck to have Thanksgiving Point so close and to have a pass!