My trip to Utah

I had such an amazing weekend.  With help of my family and friends, I was able to go to Utah to be with my family for my cousin Shealynn's wedding.  This was a big deal for me because there are us 3 granddaughters that were all born in the same year and Shealynn was the last one of us to get married.  A sort of end of an era thing.  I had planned on taking Merrick with me but it would have cost too much so my amazing husband offered to keep both boys for about 5 days straight.  I could not be more grateful to him for doing that for me.  Kayton and Merrick really needed some Daddy time too.  I think it helped Merrick not be so clingy to me too.  

So my mom and I booked our plane tickets together so we could have a girls trip and we drove down to Mesa on Wednesday night.  We had a 7:30 am flight to catch Thursday morning which meant we needed to be there by like 6 am.  My mom came and picked me up at my house that afternoon at 4.  She was a little late so I felt like a kid at Christmas all ready to go and waiting for my ride.  I kept looking out the door and checking my phone to see if she called me yet to say she was coming.  I was a little excited.  That night we went and visited my mom's best friend so we could have a belated birthday treat with her.  We got ice cream and brownie bites then we were suppose to watch a movie, but it was a little too late so we just watched some Carol Burnett comedy sketches.  I laughed a lot and I realized a little more how crazy my mom and her friend are.  So we got to bed late that night but we had so much fun. 

The next morning, we woke up early and my step uncle drove us to the airport.  We got a little lost and forgot to check our bags correctly, but we got through security and got to the plane without too much waiting.  We were on the little airline of like 200 people and it was a nice flight.  My first one since I was like 10 years old.  It was only an hour and a half flight and I was lots of smiles when the plane took off and was still in the giddy little kid at Christmas mode.  I was so excited it was actually happening and that I was on my way to Utah.  

Our plane

Getting on the plane

We landed in Provo and my Grandpa came to pick us up and head back to Aunt Dana's house.  

I knew we were in Provo

It was still like 2 days before the wedding so they were still doing their normal day to day routines.  I ended up hanging out with my Grandma a lot which included going to the mall and watching game shows with her on tv, her favorite thing.  Friday was our prepping and running around for the wedding day.  My mom, Aunt Dana, Shealynn, and I went around and ran errands so she could go to her honeymoon then went back to prep fruit and dip for the reception the next night.  It didn't really take too long and then we had a brilliant idea to go out to dinner with all the older girls in the family.

Grandma peeling grapes from her chair

Cutting pineapples and making dip

Teaching Grandpa the right way to do it

Washing strawberries

Carlie and I pulling grapes off stems

Thanks to Grandma, all of us older, married and graduated from high school girls got to go to Olive Garden together and kind of considered it a bachelorette party for Shealynn.  It was such a fun night and I got to see so much family that I haven't seen in years.  We had fun talking and goofing around and of course the food was delicious.  That night was the first time I got to meet Brianna's baby, Olivia.  She is 6 months old and is just so so cute.  I was excited about that part. 

Back together after 6 years

Amy, Aunt Tina and Olivia

Amanda and Aunt Janene

Aunt Tina and Brianna

Olivia

Everyone together - hasn't happened in a long time

After dinner, we had to go back to the house and finish some of the decorations and anything else we needed to do for the big day.  I stayed up a little late that night talking to Shealynn and Amy about wedding stuff and I captured Shealynn talking to her fiance' the last time the night before her wedding.  I really wanted to connect with Shealynn this weekend and I felt like I did that night and it was nice to be the married one giving advice.  I loved it.  

Talking to Ted one more time

The next day was the big event, which is a whole other entry, and after it was all over, Mom and I had to head back Sunday morning to catch our flight and drive home. We were really tired and ready to go home but at the same time, I was too sad to leave all the fun I was having.  It felt like a long trip but also didn't feel like a long enough break.  I came home feeling so grateful for all the people who helped me get there and loved every minute of it.  Having amazing technology helped me out with being able to Facetime with Nate and the kids so I didn't miss them too much.  

Giant Slip n Slide

We got a call in the middle of the day and got invited to go to our friends house to play with a giant slip n slide with a few families.  I didn't think the kids would like it very much but once we got there they thought it was so cool.  Kayton decided to try it out and Nate gave him a little push to show him how to do it.  After that, he was hooked and he just kept going over and over again.  Merrick on the other hand, we tried to put him in the little pool they had for any little kids that didn't want to go down.  He didn't like that at all.  Then Nate gave him a push down the slip n slide and it looked like fun, but he got down to the end and stood up crying.  The only thing that made him happy as getting to stand on the side and hold the hose to keep the tarp wet.  At least something made him happy.  Our friend Jodi had some awesome stuff to use to make it more fun.  They had big bottles of dish soap to rub on their stomachs so that they would slide better on the tarp.  There was also lots of inflatable toys and stuff for them to sit and slide down on. And of course there was otterpops after. I was so glad they called us to go and they had such a blast. 

 

 

Celebrating Merrick's birthday

Merrick's birthday was on Wednesday so we decided to wait until the weekend to do anything big, but for the night of, we did take him out to DQ to get his favorite.  Ice cream cones!  He was so excited, but he got so dirty too.  

Him in the morning

So dirty, but loved all of it

Then since his birthday is Pioneer Day, we had some family come up from the valley to hang out for the weekend festivities.  We had a BBQ/birthday party at my mom's house on Friday night.  We headed out after nap time and had a blast.  My step sister Christina and her family were there.  They have 3 little boys pretty close to the same age as my kids so they just played and played outside.  They climbed up the tree house, swinging, playing with a rope, sliding, and running around. 

We cooked and got dinner ready and ate.  It was so good with hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken.  The whole works. There was also some of my step dad's coworkers there and they were a lot of fun so I'm glad they were there. 

The grill man - Uncle Craig

The kids table

After dinner we lit the cupcake cake (that I made for him).  He really enjoyed being the one getting attention and got a little shy with everyone singing to him.  He tried so hard to blow out the candles, but Kayton ended up helping him in the end.  Then we dished up and everyone enjoyed the cupcakes, the kids a little too much.  All the kids probably stole 2 cupcakes while none of the parents were looking.  I'm glad everyone enjoyed the dessert.  

Such a cute excited face

Then there was presents!  He was a lucky boy.  Of course Kayton was right there the whole time helping him and making sure he got all the presents open.  He got a car track, cool Spiderman car, dirt bucket and shovel, Kermit the Frog stuffed animal, kitten stuffed animal, and books.  The whole week we were trying to explain it was his birthday and that he was the birthday boy.  So when he got some presents, we said here is a present for your birthday, so later he saw it and grabbed it and said "birthday".  He thought that's what everything was called.  I thought it was cute.  

   It was such a fun night and the kids just kept on playing while we cleaned up and got ready to go.  Thanks to my stepsister who was putting her kids to bed, the boys jumped in the bath with their cousins and then we headed home.  

I wish we could have had a few other people there, but Merrick loved it and we all had fun.  Happy Birthday to my baby boy Merrick! We love you!