Utah Trip

 Oh...the annual trip to UT.  We love it.  I have so much fun getting to spend some great time with my family.  I love the weather, and by the time we are done with school, I am ready to pretend I don't have a "life" to manage anymore.  This year, we started with a "girls" trip to Paradox, CO, and enjoy some sewing while we were there.  I wish I could say that I was the one that made this super duper hotsy totsy apron, but that was my cute cousin Sierra...she is awesome (and not really my cousin...but my cousins daughter...but she felt like a sister)!  The apron was super cute, and I can't wait to get one made special for me in the mail ;).






Paradox is full of fun..and part of the fun is ranch fun.  So, we all went out and ran in the sprinklers.  Truthfully, I didn't run, i took pictures, and I avoided things like....getting cow poop all over me.  I know, I know, I totally missed out.  Luckily, I had enough fun watching everyone else get crazy.

Maddie didn't plan on running in the sprinklers, but she couldn't help it, and got herself just a little wet.  She loved laughing at her other cousins...getting all wet and crazy dirty.  I have to say, I loved seeing my cousins children.  It warms my heart to see little parts of my cousins, in their sweet kids.  I just LOVE it!

And, yes, while we were there, we sewed.  We sewed and sewed, and made jewelry (and I learned that I should stick to quilting).  Spending this time with my cousins, aunts, and family makes we wax nostalgic.  Our family has been so close all growing up, I love all of them dearly, and I feel so blessed to be able to share a little bit of our lives together.

We were lucky to see some of our friends from Tucson while we were visiting.  The McBride's moved to UT a year ago, and Mitchell and Brenna were great friends.  They have the same birthday, shared the same baptism day (which just happend to be their birthday), and they love playing games together.  I am glad we got a chance to get together and catch up.  It's ones of life's ironies...their family is all in AZ, ours is in UT...but here we are.

We spend some time at a place called, Get Air.  The kids jumped and jumped on trampolines, and loved jumping into the pits.  I even took a turn, and did a couple flips.  I was happy to know I can still flip, and be crazy, yet I am fully aware that I am not longer a kid.

The parks in UT are beautiful.  Everything is green and lush right now.  It TOTALLY makes me home sick, in a big way.  It's kinda crazy to think that kids can actually play outside during the day!

We also went to the Planetarium...the kids all had a blast!

My favorite day of family togetherness was going to Park City and riding the Alpine Slide, the Alpine Coaster, and other goodies.  I took Noah on the Alpine Coaster, and my cup runneth over.  Here is my baby, so sweet and innocent.  He has no idea he is supposed to be scared.  We start going down, and he is silent.  I take it easy, I don't want him to freak out, and I definitely want him to have fun.    When we got to the bottom, he said..."let's do it again."  So, I take him again....and this time, he says he is scared...but when we go, he tells me to go faster.  I can't express how much I loved doing this with him.  Experiening a first with my children is one of my absolute FAVORITES...love it.    We rode it a few more times, and each time he wanted to go harder and faster.  I love it, love him!

Here's Grandma...she works so hard to make everything fun for her kids and grandkids.  All the work, just might wear her out.

G

While Maddie was in town with us (she left after a week to attend girls camp), she and Jessie were joined at the hip.   This is how cousins should be....love it.

 Grandpa liked the Alpine Slide WAY more than the Coaster.  Even though the coaster goes faster, and is wilder, Grandpa likes the DANGER side of the slide.  He likes that you can fall off....he's wild.

Elizabeth and Emma had so much fun spending the day together, conquering all the fun rides.

I love that when I get back home, I get to visit my friends.   Jodi is the best to take some time out of her schedule to come and visit with me.  I sure love all the friends I grew up with.  They are a SERIOUS blessing to me.  I love them all dearly!

And, here is where I realize I didn't take enough pictures.  We did a bunch of stuff while I was there.  But, without a camera phone (which I have back now by the way), I don't have all the little moments.  But, I have these.  I loved my trip back.  Coming back home is always a little bitter sweet.  

.