Madeline’s First Trip: A Road Trip and a Wedding

Last Thursday, we embarked on a journey that had been months in the making—we were headed to Durango, Colorado, for the wedding of two of our dearest friends, Hayden and Victoria. It was a small, intimate ceremony, and we were honored to be included. They knew it would be close to Madeline’s birthday, so there was absolutely no pressure for us to come. But we love them both so much that we wanted to do everything we could to be there. 

Alison has been friends with Victoria since 2009 when they were roommates at the BYU Jerusalem Center. Since then, they've remained incredibly close. Hayden has been part of our lives throughout their courtship, and we’ve seen their relationship grow into something beautiful. We knew we couldn't miss this celebration.

Now, getting to Durango wasn’t the easiest thing. We initially considered flying but quickly realized there were no convenient flight options from Salt Lake City. So, we resigned ourselves to driving—about a six-hour journey—and with a five-week-old baby, we really weren’t sure how it would go.

Thursday arrived with a mix of excitement and a little bit of anxiety. It was my first week back at work, and since it was quarter-end close, I had a lot on my plate. Alison, meanwhile, had the heroic task of getting both herself and Madeline packed. I eventually found time to throw some of my stuff into a bag, and we hit the road around 2:30 PM. We knew we needed to make good time and didn’t want to arrive too late.

Alison took the wheel for the first leg, while I worked from the backseat, using my phone’s hotspot. It wasn’t exactly my ideal way to work, but it was necessary to stay on track with my job and ensure we’d make it to the wedding. Plus, sitting in the back allowed me to keep an eye on Mads, though she didn’t need it—our little champ slept all the way to Moab, without so much as a peep.

We decided to stop in Moab for dinner and to feed Madeline. It was peak dinner time, so the town was bustling. We chose the Moab Diner since it was quick and easy, and we didn’t have to wait for a table. We found a cozy booth where Alison could feed Mads while we ate. It was the perfect little break before continuing our journey.

Once we were all fed and recharged, we hit the road for the rest of the drive. Alison swapped to the backseat to watch Madeline, but she needn’t have worried. Mads slept like a dream the entire way to Durango. The drive was smooth, save for one small hiccup—Madeline had a blowout just as we left Moab. Alison had suspected something was happening, but it was dark, and Mads was wrapped in a blanket, so we didn’t realize the extent of it until we arrived at our hotel. Let’s just say we spent a good chunk of time cleaning both the baby and car seat in the hotel sink!

Once we got everything sorted, we finally got to bed, and Mads did pretty well for her first night away from home. We were exhausted but grateful she adjusted as well as she did.

Friday was all about Hayden and Victoria’s wedding. I had to work from the hotel during the day, which is one of the perks of remote work—I could get everything done while still being there for the wedding. Alison and Mads stayed in the room, enjoying lots of snuggle time, which I know they both loved.

By 4 PM, we were ready to head to the wedding venue, a charming ranch just outside Durango. It was the perfect fall setting, with vibrant leaves and that crisp autumn air. We arrived a little early because I was helping out by filming parts of the ceremony. It’s not really my thing, but I was happy to contribute in any way I could.

Side note: I have to give credit to ChatGPT for helping me pick out my outfit. I uploaded the wedding colors and asked for suggestions—it really nailed the look!

The wedding itself was nothing short of magical. It was small, as I mentioned—fewer than 30 people—but that only made it more intimate and special. The vows were incredibly touching, and you could feel the love in the air. We were so thrilled to witness Hayden and Victoria’s big day.

After the ceremony, there was a delicious dinner, heartfelt toasts, and a bit of dancing. It was a beautiful evening, and we felt so lucky to be part of it.

Saturday morning started early. Madeline was up by 6:20 AM, ready to eat and stretch out after spending the night in a pack-and-play. All things considered, she did great for her first night away from her Snoo (which, apart from the hospital, has been her only sleeping spot). But we were all a bit tired—especially Alison.

We debated whether to try getting Mads back to sleep or to just get an early start, and the latter won out. While Alison fed Mads, I wrangled up breakfast and coffee and then started packing. By 7:30 AM, we were on the road again, which felt like a victory.

When planning this trip, I had dreams of turning it into an adventure, and I had my eye on Monument Valley. It’s one of our favorite places, and since it wasn’t too far from Durango, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. But to make that work, we’d need to spend a third night in a hotel, and the idea of extending our time away didn’t feel quite right. Even though Madeline had handled the trip so well, the thought of another night away from home just didn’t appeal to us. So, we scrapped the Monument Valley plan and decided to head straight home.

Still, I wasn’t ready to completely give up on an adventure, so I suggested stopping at Four Corners. I’ve wanted to visit this spot since I learned about it in elementary school. It’s such a unique place, and since it would only add about an hour to our trip, it seemed like the perfect compromise. Alison agreed, and off we went!

We arrived at the monument with only a few other people around, so we took some photos, then Alison found a bench to feed Mads. By the time she finished, a crowd had gathered, so we timed it perfectly. While they were busy, I walked around and snapped a few more pictures, including some horses out by the trails.

After our Four Corners stop, we hit the road again. Madeline was a total champ, sleeping and staying content for most of the drive. Alison and I sat up front together, enjoying music, conversation, and even a little nap for her.

We made great time and rolled into Moab around 1 PM. We decided to stop at Zax Restaurant for lunch. It was great—good food and a nice, quiet booth where Alison could feed Mads while we ate. Another win: Madeline pooped while we were there, and we managed to avoid another blowout in the car. Small victories!

Everything was going smoothly until we hit a literal roadblock near Soldier Summit. Our ETA kept shifting as we approached, and it looked like there might be an issue ahead. Turns out, there was. Traffic came to a standstill, and we sat there for a while, hoping it would clear up. But as time passed, we noticed cars turning around. Madeline had been sleeping, but once we stopped moving, she woke up—and she was NOT happy.

We weighed our options and decided to join the others in turning around. We ended up taking a detour around Scofield Reservoir, an area we were familiar with since Alison’s grandparents used to have a cabin there. The detour took us past some gorgeous fall foliage, so while Alison fed Madeline, I flew my drone and captured some unexpected, but stunning, shots of the autumn leaves. We didn’t think we’d get to see the fall colors this year, but thanks to the detour, we got an accidental leaf-peeping adventure.

Unfortunately, the detour added about two and a half hours to our trip. By the time we finally made it home, Madeline was DONE with her car seat and let us know it for the last hour of the drive. We couldn’t blame her, but we were all so ready to be home. The only consolation is that the Yankees were playing the Kansas City Royals in the first game of the ALDS. We got to listen to John Sterling and Susan Waldman narrate the game as we drove (at least when we had service). The game was a bit sloppy, but the Yankees came out on top 6-5. Go Yankees!

Once we got home, Alison gave Mads a much-needed bath. After all the blowouts and spit-ups over the last couple of days, it was necessary! After a long day on the road, Alison just wanted some quiet, snuggle time with our baby girl.

Later that evening, while Alison took a break to get ready for bed, I laid Mads down on the bed next to me. We were under the ceiling fan, which she loves right now. She stared at it for a while, then turned her head to look at me, reaching out to touch my face. It was one of those small, perfect moments that I’ll treasure forever. Tex even joined in, licking Mads’ hand, though she wasn’t quite sure what to make of that. She reached out toward him, and when he realized what was happening, he quickly bailed off the bed! It was such a sweet, peaceful moment, just the three of us (plus Tex).

That night, Mads slept like a champ. We all went to bed around 10:30 PM, and for the first time, she slept through the night, waking us up just after 5 AM. Alison fed her, and we put her back down for a bit.

Around 7 AM, I woke up to the sound of Madeline stirring. I could tell she was done with the Snoo, so I picked her up and brought her into the bed with me. She quickly settled in and fell asleep on my chest for a couple of hours. She definitely needed some extra daddy snuggles that morning. It was one of those blissful moments that just felt right—Alison was still fast asleep on my right, Tex was curled up at my feet, and Mads was snoozing peacefully on my chest. I was completely surrounded by my little family, and I couldn’t have asked for a better Sunday morning.

These moments of quiet connection—snuggling with Madeline, hearing Alison breathe softly next to me, and feeling Tex keeping us all company—are what make everything worth it. It’s those simple moments that help the stress and busyness melt away, and I was soaking it all in.

Once everyone was awake, we started the day slowly, still basking in the joy of those early morning cuddles. It was the perfect end to a whirlwind weekend, and I’m so grateful for the little moments that made it truly special.

Sunday turned out to be busier than we had hoped. We needed to swing by IKEA to pick up a few things, which marked Mads’ first trip there. As usual, we thought it would be a quick stop, but IKEA has a way of keeping us longer than expected—probably because I can never resist getting a stuffed animal. This time, it was Pete the polar bear. After IKEA, I still had a Costco and Smith's run to make, but since Madeline was getting a little fussy, I dropped Alison and Mads off at home before finishing up the errands.

Later that evening, Kristin and her girls stopped by for a visit—they had missed us, and we were excited to see them. We decided to take a walk around the island to check out all the Halloween decorations. Daybreak really goes all out for Halloween, and the girls were loving every bit of it. By the time we got back home, everyone was fully in the Halloween spirit, so we popped some popcorn and settled in to watch Muppets Haunted Mansion. It was a fun, laid-back night and the perfect way to wrap up the weekend.