June 28- July 3 2012

We went on vacation to Utah.  Again.
For the 2nd time this summer.
Weddings and family reunions warrant this type of thing.
This time we decided to drive through the night.
We left when Jake got home from scouts, it was almost 9:00pm.
I was worried about all the fires in Utah making it difficult for us to get through.
But we had a seamless drive there.
Jake and I talked, the kids slept until Fillmore- just three or four hours left on the trip.
There were not a million potty breaks and stops to eat.  Just gas and go.
Jake and I traded off driving and sleeping.  But mostly he drove.  And mostly neither of us slept.
It worked out.  Because just as we suspected, when we arrived -my parents took our children and we both took a nap.

There was a lot of rocking out while at my parents.  A lot.

Sam loves Rock Band so much.  So very much.  He drums and hits the sticks together and says "and 1,2,3" then starts playing.  He has his rock and roll guitar stance down.  He loved it so much that grandma and grandpa sent it home with him.  He just happened to be wearing a shirt that said "born to rock" in these pictures.  I mean come on.  He is my little rock star.  He currently has the temperament for it too.

 There was several days of relaxing and playing.  The children loved the extra attention.  Playing outside, and exploring their large yard.  I loved not having to cook.  Most every meal my Mom made- even according to Sam's specific diet.

There were dates.  Two and a half.  When we stay at my parents there is little need for Jake and I anyway.  The kids want less to do with us and want to hang out with their grandparents, and my parents like us to come visit, but really only because we bring our kids.  So we just leave  and it works out very nicely.
This night we went to the new City Creek in Salt Lake.  
Shopping and then a walk around temple square and ice cream. 

There were play dates with lots of the kids friends.

Johnny, Ethan and Mallory Pearson.

Emilee Page. Kate literally hid in their house when she was told I was at the door.  Her look in this picture says it all.  She adores this friend and was so pleased.

 Anders Lind and Miles and Noah Terry.

Then there was a scenic drive through my mountains complete with a picnic lunch, wild flower picking, dandelion blowing, walking stick collecting, and butterfly watching.

This is a huge reason I love to visit Utah.
Letting my kids play in the mountains seems to me some essential part of being a kid.
Kate and Sam literally frolicked in the meadow we just happened upon. There were hundreds of butterflies  that would fly away as we walked through the grass, wild flowers and dandelions.  The kids all got a kick out of blowing the dandelions, and Kate picked handfuls of flowers just for me.
It was picturesque.
It was perfect.
I wish it was how we spent every Sunday afternoon.
It got surprisingly warm.  We headed back down the mountain.  We discovered our air conditioning was out.  At least we were able to get it fixed before heading to St. George later in the week.

There was also a day with Amy, Kaylie and Audrey.

We had a water party at Grandma's.

Blew bubbles, flew kites, and worked on their tan... I guess... I don't know why they were laying out like this but it was hilarious.

Then there was my fat baby chasing after a kite.
It resulted in my sister (8 months pregnant) rolling on the grass laughing at my fat naked baby chasing a kite.
It is a great memory.

After six way to quick days of being in Heber, we headed to St. George to Jake's Family Reunion.
It was really the reason we went to Utah, but it seemed silly to come 8 hours to St. George without making it four more to see so many family and friends we miss so much, along with enjoy some cool summer nights in the mountains.

Side note.
I know we are a little late to the party.
But I love the i-phone.
Because of it I have way more picture of our trip then I would have had otherwise.  And I have dozens of video clips.  And I played games while we drove through Nevada.  It was way better than when I couldn't get Jake's other smart phone to work and would always accidentally call people in the middle of the night drive trying to get on the Internet.


Until this last six months I had never had the experience of going home to my parents house really.  I mean they just lived at most 45 minutes away since I married Jake, so we'd go visit for the afternoon, but not a week.  I love it.  I love coming home and having my parents all to myself.  It is a new experience for me. They clean and cook for us, watch children, buy our children presents, give us stuff that is awesome they have in their house and don't want anymore, stay up all night talking with us, let us go on dates. I'm making it sound really awesome.  That is because it is.
It was an amazing trip.  Some how things seem a little smoother when we are there.  Our children seem healthier, and our business does better.  We enjoy having Jake around as he will only work about 6 hours a day when we are on vacation instead of his normal 10.  While we were there too we got some lab work back for Sam that basically said his intestines are starting to heal and are not bleeding any more and he is absorbing the fat out of his food again.
I let myself worry less when we are on vacation.


I hear Post Vacation Depression is a real thing.
I believe it.
Especially when you come home and are facing a week in single parentdom while your better half goes to Scout Camp.  And you say to yourself.  I should have just stayed in Utah for the week.