Trip out West Part 1│Utah

Our trip out west was an adventure. A 5-week adventure that I think will only happen ONCE during my lifetime...this is the first time that the kids and I have been away from Scott for that long...and let me tell you, if there is ONE thing I learned from this trip is that my children need their daddy and I need my husband. It truly made me appreciate how much Scott does for me and for the kids...not just in things like helping me get the kids ready for bed and disciplining, etc...but how much of his love we feel. All sentimentalities aside, the 3 of us have realized that a life without Scott is just not the same...although of course we managed to have some amazing moments with our families and we felt loved during those 5 weeks.

Our trip started crazy, although I had planned and planned and spent time packing for everything we were going to need. We thought we had plenty of time, but somehow we ended up BARELY making it to our flight, we were actually the very last passengers to get on the airplane. Then, I get a phone call from Scott when I'm sitting down in the airplane telling me that we had TOTALLY forgotten to take the car seats. Grreat...

We started our trip in Provo, Utah where my mom and sister live and where my brother is currently living too (he will be moving back to DC in August, he will start a master's in public health at GWU...we are so excited for his return!) :) His girlfriend Misty and my sister Nya came to pick us from the airport and I had to do what I had to do and just put the kids in the car without car seats.

The next day I called Scott's cousin Jana (a.k.a my life-saver) and in a matter of minutes she had two car seats available for me to use for the next 5 weeks! She was kind enough to come drop them off all the way from Salt Lake. (I owe you big Jana! Thanks for everything!)

We had 15 days FULL of non-stop fun! We did so much and I learned to appreciate Utah. It is a BEAUTIFUL state with endless things to do, especially in the outdoors. My brother lived there for 5 years when he was going to BYU, so he knows how to have fun there.

The first day we headed to BYU campus to walk around, it was a hot day and the kids had a blast getting themselves wet on the sprinklers...no humidity meant they were dry in no time! It was nice. I forgot what dry weather felt like.

BYU campus is beautiful and there is so much space every where.

My sister Nya, the kiddos and I. Brielle and Braden wanted to get in that fountain so bad.

These two kids are blessed with wonderful aunts and uncles...except for sometimes Braden and Nya don't get along very well...that might be why I love that picture of them on the left...because they are getting along!:)

I've said this before but Brielle and Braden LOVE their tío Kemchu. He's so much fun!

Here Kem is showing them how to roll down the hill...

After our walk around campus, we headed to J-Dawg's. J-Dawg's is this hot dog place in Provo and it is sooooo gooooood! They were giving free ice cream that day...so the kids were in heaven.

The next day we headed to Squaw Peak. I've always loved going there and looking out at the beautiful scenery.

It was a windy day...Brielle was cold, so she got in the car. Braden was loving life. We brought some kites but it was way too windy to fly them.

Just being silly!:)

The three of us. My poor sister didn't have sunglasses and it was so windy the dirt was getting in her eyes!:)

The next day we headed to the L. Bean Museum. The kids LOVED looking at all the animals and Brielle was especially excited to see all the butterflies and moths. There was a fun discovery room for the kids, we spent a while there playing with all the fun stuff they had there.

Kemchu and us.

Another day, we headed to Thanksgiving Point to the Dinosaur Museum. It was a rip off, if you ask me, but we really did enjoy ourselves and the 4-D movie was fun! We've just been so spoiled here in D.C. where most of all the museums are free...but it was a fun day spent with the family.

The family...minus Scottie.

After dinner on our first Sunday there, we all headed headed to Provo Lake for a quick walk. It was beautiful and we all had such a fun time together. I got to know Misty (my brother's girlfriend) better. She's a wonderful, talented girl and I'm happy that we got spend time with her.

This is one of my favorite pictures of our whole trip! Brielle and Braden love their abuelita and I'm so happy that they got to see her again...it had been a year since we had seen her.

When we got home after Provo Lake, my brother put up his tent in the living room for the kids to sleep in that night...they had a blast and thought their tío Kem was the coolest guy on earth for doing that!

On Monday, Scott's amazing cousin Jana came to pick us up to go hang out with her and her two cute kids, Parker and Macie. Jana's husband is a firefighter and we were lucky enough to go see him at one of the fire stations where he works.

Rob was so kind and my kids thought it was so cool to meet a real firefighter. We had such a fun afternoon in the Fire Station.

We played hide-and-seek. Parker found the perfect place to hide under the stairs and Brielle, Rob and Macie hid by the fire truck while Braden was counting. They all had turns and they had a blast!

Braden even got to wear Rob's cool firefighter hat. He was in heaven!

After the fire station we headed to beautiful Wheeler Farm. We got some yummy Cafe Rio and ate there and then walked around for a while. I loved watching Parker, Brielle, Braden and Macie interact. Parker is just a hoot! He is hilarious and says the cutest things! They all got along so well and had such a fun time together. I love that picture on the top right, where Parker is giving Brielle a hug, it looks like he's eating her arm!

My kids didn't want to be in the picture with me, so I grabbed cute little Macie to be with me in the picture. She seriously is so squeezable and those cheeks are just the cutest!

We had so much fun that day, we got home and my kids crashed. It was so fun to spend time with the Friel Family. Thanks for driving so much, Jana and thanks to Rob for letting us come to the fire station! You guys are an amazing family!:)

We continued to have a great time. The kids loved the park.

Braden loved finding rolly pollies and naming all of them "batman".

Scott's Aunt Penny came to hang out with us for an afternoon. My kids just LOVE Penny. She is an amazing great-aunt to my kids and we all feel so loved by her. She spent quality time with my children and that just meant so much to us. She brought the cutest tiaras for Brielle and made some cute skirts for her. She danced with them, talked with them, laughed with them and was even blowing bubbles with them...and I of course had a great time talking with her...she's just awesome and I hope so badly that my kids will remember the moments we spent with her that afternoon...

We love you Penny!:)

The next day, we headed to the cutest park up in the mountain somewhere in Provo, I don't remember the name. There was this cute creek...we all had a great time putting our feet in the water and sitting enjoying perfect weather. I really can't describe with words, the sweet moments we spent together with my family. Pictures do somewhat justice...but we really had such an enjoyable time together...

...and what is Brielle doing in that picture in the middle right? I have no idea, but I laugh every time I look at that picture!!!:)

After the park with the creek, we headed to Payson Lake for a barbecue with some of my brother's co-workers...it was seriously like a dream going up there...

The beauty of that place is just not describable! It's like picture from National Geographic.

Simply AMAZING!

We had such a fun time there, eating yummy food and talking to some fun people.

It was a great afternoon...

...no words...:)

Our last Sunday there, we went to see our dear friend Heather. Heather served her mission in Miami and I used to go on splits with her all the time...She was one of the BEST missionaries

Miami has ever seen! She worked hard...I had a powerful experience with her one time I went on splits with her...I was 16, I think, and I can say that, that experience really strengthened my testimony of the gospel! We have kept in touch with her through the years and have gotten to know her parents, siblings and husband Ben (who also served his mission there) They are the coolest people you will ever meet!

Brielle and Hailey (Heather's daughter)...Heather, cute little Jessica (Heather's other daughter) and I.

The next day, we met up with my old roommate Betsy for lunch at Arby's and then headed to the park. My kids absolutely LOVE her! Braden wasn't wasting any time and had to give her a big kiss on the cheek!!! ha ha!!! I would be thrilled if Braden found a girl like Betsy one day...she's as good as they come...and she is still available!!!:)

After the park, we headed to her house for some ice cream. It was so fun to spend time with her. It was like the good old days...except I now have two munchkins I have to take with me every where I go!

I loved spending one-on-one with you Bets!!! Love your guts!:)

Man! Now that I'm blogging about our trip, I realize that we did soooo much!!!:)

The next day, Aunt Penny came to pick us up and we headed to visit Aunt Darleen (Scott's great-aunt who then is Brielle and Braden's great-great aunt) isn't that so cool? who is 94 years old!!! and her mind is still as sharp as as 25 year old! Seriously! We had the most enjoyable time with her...she's a mother of 8 (I believe that's what she said), so I couldn't pass the opportunity to ask a mother of 8 and not only that, but a woman who has lived for almost 100 years, what advice she would give a young mother? Her answer wasn't anything elaborate but nonetheless it touched me deeply. She said: "Love them and enjoy them!" Little did she know, how much I was going to need that advice in the next few weeks left of my trip! :)

Later that week, we headed to the Bridal Veil Falls! It's a beautiful walk up there...the weather was so perfect!

Braden was making me laugh so hard that day...I can't even remember what he was saying to make me laugh but he is sure cute.

After the falls, we headed to the BYU Creamery and I have to say that their ice cream is probably the BEST ice cream I have had in a long, long, long time! WOW! It was just amazing!:)

I feel so blessed to have been able to spend that time with my family and especially for my children to create relationships with their abuelita, tío Kem and tía Nya and the rest of our extended family. We spent 15 days of fun!