We’re back. I’m exhausted. The girls went to bed and fell asleep without a single fight. Our little trip was nice. It didn’t start out so great though.
We made the mistake of starting our drive at night. Pulled the kids out of bed, thinking they’d go back to sleep and then miss most of the journey there. Boy, were we wrong! They were awake for the better part of the night from 9pm-3am. Britt screamed for at least 4 of those hours. I wanted to throw myself from the moving car in frustration. We stopped and turned her seat around and that seemed to help immensely. Maybe it worked because she couldn’t see me anymore or maybe because it was darker. Her screaming stint didn’t last much longer after that. Hallelujah! The experts are recommending that you leave kids rear facing longer now anyways. We left her like that the entire trip. It does make me nervous, to have kids rear facing though, because you can’t see them when they’re eating and would have no idea if they are choking.
The girls were amazing on the trip back. Good as gold. And Ash got out with me at every potty stop and used the toilet like a big girl. Success! We won’t mention how she waited too long to get to the potty, when we were at my grandparents house, and peed on Grandma’s rug.
Our visit in Utah was nice. A little too hot for my liking, but enjoyable nonetheless. First we stayed with Tony’s grandparents for two nights and then with mine for three nights. We had a ton of fun. Tony’s grandpa took us down to Fairview where their ancestors settled the town in the 1850’s. It was neat to hear all the stories that Grandpa B. takes such obvious pride and joy in. He took us to the museum, the cemetery, and all the houses that are meaningful. It was cool to get to know a bit more about the heritage my girls have inherited.
We got to see my brother, his wife and their fat baby. Even though it’s only been a month since we saw them, their kid is even bigger!
I also got to see my sister, her husband, and their four kids. It was my first time seeing her youngest! Oh, hello little sweetness! I just love tiny babies. My niece is about 4 months and as dolly as they come. It's so funny to me how you can take two biological sisters (with the same two parents), who are somewhat different physically anyways, and then we each marry two very different guys and our kids look nothing alike! Hahahaha! It makes me smile. Different features, but all so deliciously adorable. That's the thing about genetics. You just never know how it's all gonna come out. I thought my kids would have super dark hair, like me, and even Britt's is gradually lightening....
I was able to sit and chat with my friend Kari, whom I hadn’t seen for 6 years, so that was a ton of fun. I got to meet her youngest kiddos and see her oldest (who was just an infant when I left Utah to go on my mission) again. I had such a good time talking with her. She’s a mile a minute, so lively, and hilarious too. Seriously, one of us needs to move. We both need to be in Utah or both be in Washington or something.
We went to our mission reunion on Friday. We got to hang out and have dinner with several of the people who went to serve in Houston, Texas around the same time we were there. It was good to see Ashley again and finally meet her adorable daughter! Yet another reason to keep my fingers crossed for Tony to get accepted to BYU.
The icing on the cake definitely was staying with my grandparents for three days. I love them. They are so young at heart and love to play. They are in their early 70s, know how to have a good time, and I wish we could see them more. I’m totally jealous of all my cousins who live so close to them and are always just dropping by to talk and laugh with them, or play a couple of card games.
No matter where you go, vacations are so hard to leave behind. Reality is not appealing at all right now!
We made the mistake of starting our drive at night. Pulled the kids out of bed, thinking they’d go back to sleep and then miss most of the journey there. Boy, were we wrong! They were awake for the better part of the night from 9pm-3am. Britt screamed for at least 4 of those hours. I wanted to throw myself from the moving car in frustration. We stopped and turned her seat around and that seemed to help immensely. Maybe it worked because she couldn’t see me anymore or maybe because it was darker. Her screaming stint didn’t last much longer after that. Hallelujah! The experts are recommending that you leave kids rear facing longer now anyways. We left her like that the entire trip. It does make me nervous, to have kids rear facing though, because you can’t see them when they’re eating and would have no idea if they are choking.
(sleeping beauty)
The girls were amazing on the trip back. Good as gold. And Ash got out with me at every potty stop and used the toilet like a big girl. Success! We won’t mention how she waited too long to get to the potty, when we were at my grandparents house, and peed on Grandma’s rug.
Our visit in Utah was nice. A little too hot for my liking, but enjoyable nonetheless. First we stayed with Tony’s grandparents for two nights and then with mine for three nights. We had a ton of fun. Tony’s grandpa took us down to Fairview where their ancestors settled the town in the 1850’s. It was neat to hear all the stories that Grandpa B. takes such obvious pride and joy in. He took us to the museum, the cemetery, and all the houses that are meaningful. It was cool to get to know a bit more about the heritage my girls have inherited.
(had to blur on the last names, for obvious reasons)
I also got to see my sister, her husband, and their four kids. It was my first time seeing her youngest! Oh, hello little sweetness! I just love tiny babies. My niece is about 4 months and as dolly as they come. It's so funny to me how you can take two biological sisters (with the same two parents), who are somewhat different physically anyways, and then we each marry two very different guys and our kids look nothing alike! Hahahaha! It makes me smile. Different features, but all so deliciously adorable. That's the thing about genetics. You just never know how it's all gonna come out. I thought my kids would have super dark hair, like me, and even Britt's is gradually lightening....
I was able to sit and chat with my friend Kari, whom I hadn’t seen for 6 years, so that was a ton of fun. I got to meet her youngest kiddos and see her oldest (who was just an infant when I left Utah to go on my mission) again. I had such a good time talking with her. She’s a mile a minute, so lively, and hilarious too. Seriously, one of us needs to move. We both need to be in Utah or both be in Washington or something.
We went to our mission reunion on Friday. We got to hang out and have dinner with several of the people who went to serve in Houston, Texas around the same time we were there. It was good to see Ashley again and finally meet her adorable daughter! Yet another reason to keep my fingers crossed for Tony to get accepted to BYU.
The icing on the cake definitely was staying with my grandparents for three days. I love them. They are so young at heart and love to play. They are in their early 70s, know how to have a good time, and I wish we could see them more. I’m totally jealous of all my cousins who live so close to them and are always just dropping by to talk and laugh with them, or play a couple of card games.
No matter where you go, vacations are so hard to leave behind. Reality is not appealing at all right now!
(ash was so thrilled to see an "elephant." this was at the fairview museum.)
(explanation)
11 comments:
Sounds like so much fun! I love visiting Utah. I've been wanting to take a trip there, just by myself, to visit friends and stuff. Knock a few things off my turning 30 bucket list.
Glad you're home safe!
So so wonderful to see you. I agree... One of us needs to move. Glad to see you are home safe. :) ps... it scares me to have them rear facing too. **hugs**
I'm so sad we missed you! We will cross our fingers that your hubby will make it into BYU!
That sounds like a great trip. Full of memories, family, friends and sites to see!
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that Tony gets into the school you like.
My kids rarely sleep in the car. I dislike that! I hear you on the screaming bit!
Aside from the hours of screaming on that first night,this sounds like such a wonderful trip! I can see where it would be so hard to leave. My side of the family is scattered and I miss them so much. I am thankful that my husband's people are right here. Glad you made it back safely!
She looks so sweet sleeping - a true sleeping beauty.
Sounds like you had a great time visiting friends and family, apart from all the screaming on the way back. x
What an awesome trip. I love visiting family and old friends. Glad you had a great time. Fingers crossed that Tony gets into BYU.
Welcome back. Sounds like an great trip!
I never liked travelling at night. Nothing to see outside (because of the dark), and it just doesn't feel right.
And I was LOLing at Brit's screaming! Mark screams too when he is bored during traveling. It's funny to think about it right now, but at that time, it was so awful, so annoying!
sounds like it was such a fun trip ... minus the screaming but even that is probably funny now, haha.
but trips like that are the best because of all the awesome memories that are made. some of my best memories involve me in the car with my parents and sisters. some of those memories involved screaming, fighting and crying. but they make me smile now, haha.
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