Utah Trip

Last week I took a trip to Utah.  I love to go visit family, friends, and "my kids" at least once a year.  This was a extra special trip though because it will most likely be 3 years or so before I see many of these people again.  Each time I see my kids I'm shocked by how much they've grown; I can't imagine what it will be like when 3 years of growing takes place before seeing them next.  

My wonderful brother Jonathan agreed to accompany me on the trip so I didn't have to do the 11+ hour drive by myself.  Last year I drove solo and nearly went crazy from boredom.  Thank you, Jonathan!  You're the best!

I didn't get pictures with everyone I saw (what was I thinking?!), but I'm so glad everyone made time to visit.  It was fun to see everyone!  

  

These are the kids I used to nanny for (aka: "my kids") taking a break after a stroll through the Museum of Art at BYU.  I was so impressed by how into the art they all were.  They studied each piece, noticed details, and read the plaques.  Wow!!

Posing by the beautiful flowers on BYU campus.  Aren't they so darn cute??  (The kids, not the flowers).  Everytime I see them my heart swells with love and affection.  I could brag about their smarts, humor, sensitivity, etc. all day long.  I love you guys!  

Playing with the exhibits in the Eyring Science Center

Look at how big they all are!  When I started working for the family Zack was 3, now he's 8!  He's so funny and smart.  Victoria (11, almost 12) is almost as tall as I am.  She is very mature and well-read.  I would love to be in a book club with that girl!  Ali (9, soon-to-be 10) still has the exact same, sweet face and personality, but is growing taller by the minute. 

After our adventures at BYU, we headed over to Brick Oven to meet the rest of the family for dinner.  I had a great time catching up with Kurt and Tara.  They make me feel like I'm just part of the family.  

We got to go out on the boat with some friends of my aunt and uncle.  Jonathan was digging "surfing."  It's a pretty sweet idea.  It was Jonathan's first time, but he rode the wave like an expert.  

Jonathan and cousin Kiersten

 I'm not sure if Jonathan was a BYU football fan before this trip, but after spending 3 days with my Uncle Jon I think it's impossible not to become one.  They went to a BYU practice, sat in exclusive Legacy seats, bought matching hats from the exclusive Legacy closet, and talked football till the sun went down.

 

The Jonathans

Aside from missing my husband (this was only the 2nd time we've been apart in our nearly 3 years of marriage!), I had a great trip.  When I got home I talked with Justin about all the things I love and miss about Utah.  When I first moved there I remember thinking it was so ugly, but I was astounded at how many areas caught my eye with such brilliant beauty on this trip.  He was surprisingly open-minded and in agreement with a lot of the comments I made.  I never thought in a million years I'd say it, but could Utah be a settling place for us some day?...maybe.  

Feeding the Ducks

I've been watching my sister-in-law's kids a couple days a week this summer.  A couple weeks ago we decided to go feed the ducks.  These ducks must be the most over-fed ducks in the world because they could not have been less interested in the hot dog buns the kids were throwing in the water.  Nevertheless, we had a good time.

Summer Visits

Two of my very best friends from high school (and still today) came to visit a couple of weeks ago.  It was so fun to see both of them.  Unfortunately I didn't think to take any pictures with Joanie, but Katy was on top of it.  

Please save your pennies for a trip to England, girls.  I can't go 3 years without seeing you!

Snapshots

On Sunday I was thinking about some of the great pictures I have of my grandparents when they were young.  This picture is one of them:

Don't you love it?  My grandparents were the epitome of debonaire.  The caption on the back of this photograph doesn't indicate any sort of special occasion, just a snapshot on the way to church.  I love that one of my very favorite pictures of them is a just because, no reason, snapshot.  It got me thinking that maybe I should be taking more snapshots so that someday my grandkids might have something to adore, just as I have this photo.  So, with a couple minutes to spare before church started Justin and I took this just because, no reason, snapshot. 

 It doesn't even come close to comparing with the classy charm of Mamo and Grandad's photo, but I figure that if we take enough there will eventually be one that may appeal to the posterity.    

Handy Man

One of the projects Justin has been working on at the house is Plumbing Improvement. The plumbing at our house is so old and poorly constructed in today's standards that tree roots have made their way into the pipes providing for many clogged sinks, bathtubs, showers, and toilets. Justin has been digging for the bathroom pipe for a couple of days with no luck of finding it. He finally rented a trencher to help him do the digging and sure enough, he found the pipe. With the aide of his handy-dandy machine he actually went right through the pipe.


When he told me that the pipe was busted and that both bathrooms were out of commission I started to think of which neighbor's bathroom we could ask to borrow, how long I could go without showering before my own stench would drive me crazy, etc. To my amazement, my highly skilled, intelligent husband had the pipe fixed in a matter of hours, saving us $800 the professional would have charged. I'm so impressed when he can just figure stuff out like that. It's definitely a talent that I lack.

Teva loves working with Justin. I'm pretty sure she thinks he couldn't do it without her.

San Fran

This post is the first of three from our family vacation.  I couldn't figure out how to switch the order of the posts, but San Francisco was actually our last stop.  

Mmm...Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, a San Francisco MUST

I love all the street performers in S.F.  They are all so talented!

Two lovers in love

I always think of the Rice-a-roni commercials when I see trollies.  "Rice-a-roni, the San Francisco treat. *Ding, ding*"

 

We ate at this neat restaurant, The Rainforest Cafe.  The whole place is decked out like a rainforest.  It reminded me of The Mayan in Utah.

 

I love cousins.  What more can I say?

We got a little bored waiting for our food.  What better way to kill time than...

Whoa!  Jamie and Doug skipped the innocent peck and started to steal 2nd base.  Luckily our food came, so things didn't get too out of hand.

One of my favorite stops in S.F. was H&M.  I discovered this store while living in Austria and have since been to one in N.Y. and now S.F.  It's so great!  I bought a cozy scarf that will serve me well in England.  *Side note:  I've been strangely loving scarves lately.  Loving scarves is not strange in and of itself, but the fact that I'm loving them in the middle of summer constitutes definite strangeness.   

Santa Cruz

The beaches in Pescadero were pretty windy, overcast, and cold all day, but Santa Cruz (only 30 miles south of Pescadero) was warm and sunny.  

  

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

That's one ripped 6 year old!

Silly boys

There was a Chinese acrobat show on the beach.  They did some pretty wild stuff.  Who can balance a table on their toe??  That's crazy!

More acrobatic wonders

The boys had fun playing football, and we, along with many other spectators, had fun watching them. 

So cute!

Justin and I stole away to San Jose to catch a Glenn Beck performance later that night.  It was funny, informative, patriotic, and ultimately quite inspiring.  During the show we learned that our little hometown recently passed a law that states "no person is allowed to detonate a nuclear weapon within city boundaries".  Uh...duh.  But get this...the penalty for breaking this law is a $500 fine.  $500 fine for detonating a nuclear weapon.  Are you kidding me?  

During the show Glenn quoted his favorite line from the declaration of independence.  It is the last line of document and it reads, "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."  Isn't that beautiful?  I've since re-read the entire declaration and am so impressed with it. I truly feel honored to live in a country founded on the principles it establishes.  I have a new desire to learn more about the founding fathers, the great authors of our Declaration of Independence.  What inspired men.  May God continue to bless America.