Quinn and Cora

Having these two little girls to call my own has to be one of the sweetest gifts I've ever known. I know I'm going to blink and they're going to be as big as the boys, with teenage brothers and so many friends and commitments and things, so for now I'm just enjoying the heck out of them being two and three. (Although if you ask Coco, she's "free too wike Kinny.") Last Saturday we put curlers in their hair in preparation for church the next morning and although their silky strands didn't hold a single curl, they looked so gosh darn darling that I don't regret it at all. I love you baby girls, so glad we're Wiggy women together. 

Released

(Soooooo random, but this was the super-healthy meal we were eating when the Bishop called at 8:30 pm Thursday and said, "Something has come up, can I come over?" I don't think I'll ever think of our hilarious drive-thru night again without remembering how I nearly threw it all up when he said I was going to be released, haha!)

I was three months pregnant with Cora when I was called to serve in the newly-reorganized Relief Society Presidency in our ward. We were still new to Los Angeles and I felt lonelier and less connected than I've ever felt in my life. I had no idea at the time how this calling would change my experience in this city and in this ward; I had no idea how it would change my life. I dove in feet first, fully committed to giving all of my time, all of my energy, all of myself to this new responsibility. I started meeting others and serving others, and oh my goodness did I start loving others. When Coco joined our family, she became the Relief Society mascot and from day one accompanied me on all of my service adventures. I heard that someone in Elders Quorum joked a few weeks back that no one in the ward served more than Cora because she was always on my hip as I ran around doing my duty, and I laughed so hard because it's true. That baby has been such an angel and has allowed us to do so much good. All of my kids have, really. They've logged more hospital and nursing home visits, more storehouse runs, more meal and relief deliveries, more babysitting jobs, more hours spent patiently waiting for Mom to get off another phone call then just about any group of kids I know. Wigginton's are helpers, and boy do they know it! I love them for being my wingmen. 

Now, after nearly three years of serving, serving, serving, I am being released. James was just called as the new Ward Mission Leader and I've been asked to serve by his side. I'm thrilled for him because he is so faithful and so good and with him at the helm, I know amazing things will happen. But if you want to know the truth, I'm still mourning my release just a little. In my experience, being released from a calling allows you to see how much it's become a part of you, and Relief Society and I have become so intertwined that it's hard to determine what is me and what is my calling. It's uncomfortable and actually really sad to think about letting it go. I keep telling myself that my feelings are valid and the sadness I feel is actually a beautiful indication of how much I've loved the women around me. It would be tragic if I wasn't a little heartbroken, right? Because how lucky have I been to have a birds eye view of all the amazing ways the Westwood women care for one another? I've seen miracles. I've seen the hand of the Lord. I know without a doubt that our Savior is real and that He loves us all and I've gotten to know Him so much better over the last three years. I love Him. I love our Relief Society. I will truly miss being in the mix of it all. 

That being said, I know myself well enough to know that I'm proooooobably going to keep busy, I hope so anyway. I'm a doer through and through and I hope jumping into this new calling feet first feels as natural as my last opportunity did. I recently found a quote by Marjorie Hinckley and afterwards all I could say was an audible "Amen!" I'll cry a few more earnest tears and then ward mission, I'm coming for ya.  

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know that I was really here and that I really lived."  

Downtown with Dad

We've lived in Los Angeles for three years and even I found it hard to believe that James has not ventured downtown even once during our tenure. Isn't that nuts? (hashtag: still working on that work life balance) Well, that all changed last week when his city-lovin' family showed him all our favorite haunts. We visited old favorites like the City Hall observation deck and Olvera Street, stopped by Grand Central Market and Angels Flight for the first time since T and Evie were babies, and went to The Broad which was a magnificent first for all of us. I get so much energy from the buildings and people, the smells and the sights of downtown. I know I still live in a big city but every once in a while I just crave a good skyscraper, you know what I'm saying?! It was a good day. 

In ranked order: chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, caramel.

Their Olvera Street spoils. T decided he'd rather not spend his money on anything in the market, but the other three couldn't wait to hand over the cash. I'm still regretting that flute we let Quinny buy but other than that, it was great! 

Best smile and best photobomb go to the owner of this candy shop, hahaha!

This watermelon limeade was so refreshing on such a hot, muggy downtown day. I forgot how much hotter it was here than in Westwood and did not dress accordingly.

Coco mostly cried during the whole ride up Angels Flight because she was scared. James and I have cloned two sets of people: the blondies and the brownies. She's most definitely a brownie.

The Broad was absolutely incredible. I love taking the kids to art museums and discussing not only what they see but how different pieces of art make them feel, what they think the artists were trying to convey and why they think it's relevant. Their insights are always so complex and cool and I realize every time how deep and mature they really are, all four of them. I could go to this museum again and again, it was bright and lovely and beautiful. 

Quinn was convinced she was crying because she was stuck in a tree!!

I so wish I had this balloon dog statue in my backyard. How incredible would that be?!

Put two hands way up if this print is meant just for you!

The infinity room was incredible! For a half a second Everett and Coco were both wrapped tightly around my body, but with my arm around them they calmed and realized how cool this exhibit really was. T kept saying, "It's like this is saying that our family is going to be together forever!" Yep T, I know that is true! I'm so glad we were able to squeeze our way into this incredible exhibit. Oh, what a downtown day!

Great Wolf Lodge

First things first: if you're heading to Disneyland, or Knott's Berry Farm, or Great Wolf Lodge or basically ANYWHERE in the Anaheim area I urge you to run, not walk, to Sweet Rolled Tacos. Noni sent me the tip on this place after seeing it advertised online and to be honest, my expectations were high on how cute the ice cream tacos would be and low on how they would actually taste, because have you ever noticed that sometimes the cutest desserts are not actually the tastiest? But in this situation I was pleasantly surprised when the ice cream was sweet and creamy and the waffle shell was light and crispy and together they were sooooo delicious (and cute, but I expected that all along). James and I were so impressed that we tried to talk the manager into opening up shop in West LA, hopefully he takes our advice and they'll be here soon because it's a place I'd love to visit again.

For years now, we've heard about the incredible Great Wolf Lodge, basically the go-to staycation destination for 99% of families in Los Angeles. It's located in Garden Grove, right down the block from Anaheim and Disney, and is an indoor waterpark that can only be accessed by staying overnight in the connecting hotel. We decided to surprise the kids by taking them here on our first full day with Dad on vacation. To say they were thrilled is an understatement, Talmage and Everett legitimately started jumping and hugging and squealing with excitement until they knocked each other over and their joy turned into a playful wrestling match. Quinn and Cora followed suit, not really knowing what was in store, but excited by whatever made their brothers so excited! 

Overall, the experience was great. Talmage and Everett have both concluded that this trip was the highlight of their summer (I knew it would be, hence my insistence that James be a part of this memory) and Quinny can't stop talking about the fun and fast slides. There was plenty to do for every age group, but Talmage definitely got the most out of this place because he's tall enough and fearless enough to go on every ride and slide and attraction they offered. James and I agreed that we both needed about a dozen hot showers after leaving the park because there were way too many kids in diapers (and the pools had to be cleared and shocked more times than I'd like to admit) but those were adult-only concerns, the kids were in heaven and we were dubbed best parents. #winning

Maybe they could use this as their ad and we could get free ice cream tacos for a year or something. Just a thought!

We didn't get any pictures in the water park because I never wanted to deal with my phone getting wet or lost but here we are with our Great Wolf Ears right before we checked it out for the first time. One blue-eyed Mama surrounded by brown as far as the eye can see!

Story and picture time with these two friends was so much fun for the kids. One of the funniest moments of this trip was seeing Coco's reaction to me trying to get her in this picture. Let's just say T's sincere smile is over the screaming happening in the background! That chicken baby!

Sunday Scoot

James had last week off of work and we were determined to squeeze out all of its (and his) goodness. The first weekend he was in Sacramento and the second he was in New York, but we got all of his weekdays and goodness we had fun on our staycation. We kicked off the week with Mommy's choice, which was an evening stroll and swing and scoot in Santa Monica. I love living close to the beach and mixing up our weekly walks with visits to the sandy ocean path. The breeze was cool, the night was gorgeous, and muscle beach definitely put on a show for us! It was a great night.

All five of my people on the swings. Super bummed that the sixth swing is broken, but I give a pretty mean under-dog so it's probably for the best.

Above: The view behind me 

Below: The view in front of me

Both SOOOOO good!

Flips off the board

Something I love so very much about Talmage Scott is that he's always surprising me with his enthusiasm, his confidence and his ability. He makes life so interesting because I never know exactly what he'll say, think or do next. Like when he started doing flips off the diving board...I definitely didn't see that coming! I know my reaction probably egged him on (and maybe I should have been more responsible and worried about his noggin) but I couldn't help but squeal and clap with delight every time that long and lean body flipped in the air and splashed into the water. Alls well that ends well and there were no ER visits so phew!, and he now has a new skill to add to his resume. That boy is full of adventure and I'm so glad he's mine.

Salty hair and sandy toes

We only have two beach days left this summer and I just found out one of them is going to be cut short because of a back-to-school event which makes me adore these pictures from last Friday even more (and also makes me just a tad bitter that schedules are messing with my precious summer, but you knew that). Last week was all about Quinny and the boogie board. She got smashed by a wave earlier this season so has been hesitant to get back on the board, but Friday she was all about catching waves with her girlfriends and it was so cute. Other notables from this beach trip were Everett talking a whole slew of kids into playing over/under with him, Talmage deciding he needs to sport the lifeguard/football player sunscreen under his eyes after another week of turning pink and Cora sporting some new and unwelcome 'tude. I love the beach!  

It's not that I don't want pictures of my boys, ah contraire I'll take a thousand please and thank you. It's just that my girls are always under toe since they're little while the boys are enjoying the independence that comes with age so they're not available when I pull out my camera. Oh well, here is a picture of them from afar playing with their buddies in the waves. 

See what I'm saying about attitude?! This girl is throwing shade in my direction.

Boarding Babes!

I love her concentration when she's waiting for a perfect wave. 

This little mama found a water gun somewhere on the beach and decided to go around spraying one and all. How she knew to hold it up to her eye for aim I'll just never know. She's getting spicier by the second, but boy is she cute. (And tan!)