Utah trip 2013 (Part 2 of 2)

Week 2 was a lot of fun and just as busy as our first week in Utah. I like to be busy on vacation.  What's the point of traveling if you don't get out and do/see new things?  Dan's mom was awesome and totally on board with doing whatever I had planned.  First, we went to the Hogle Zoo.  I had never been before because I didn't have kids when I lived in Utah and until now, we had only visited in the winter.  It was great! 

The best part was getting to go to the zoo with my old roommate, Kathy and her daughters MaryKate and Grace.  Kathy and I met and bonded freshman year and roomed together sophomore and junior years. (I was married to Dan for both my senior year and super-senior year - you don't graduate with 209.5 credits without going to school for 5 years.)  Kathy was amazing roomie: Even as a 19 year old, she was a great cook, fabulous home decorator, a generous friend, and a hilarious chica.

MaryKate and Elena

They had many Lego animal sculptures scattered around the park.  Is "sculptures" the right word?

The splash pad (plus lighthouse slide) was new to the zoo apparently and the kids loved it.  Bummer that is was slightly cool and sprinkling, but kids don't let a little thing like the weather bother them.  Of course Kevin loved the slide and went down it repeatedly, but Elena was not a fan.

Abuelita y los nietos.  Our kids are actually Dan's parents' youngest grandchildren.  But there are 9 1/2 great-grandchildren competing for their attention. :)

My niece Emily is holding great-grandchild #8 (I really hope I'm counting correctly - it's late at night right now).  Baby Jamison is adorable!  His mom Caitlin was so nice to give birth before I had to fly home.  Dan missed meeting him by just a couple days.

4 generation picture!  Great-grandma (Lydia), Abuelita (Barbie), Mom (Caitlin), Dad (Ben)

My cute little man running around in a mall play area.  I actually bought myself 2 shirts, a shirt, and a purse on this day.  It wasn't my birthday or anything.  I must've been feeling the euphoria of being "on vacation". :)  My brother came to the mall with us and it was good to see him again.

Another day, another outing.  The kids were begging to go back to Thanksgiving Point and it was free (with our zoo/science museum card from home).  This time we took cousin Jesse and his sister Emily along and that made it extra fun.  In this picture, Kevin wanted to be under the dinosaur foot like it was crushing him.

Even the big kids can have fun digging for fossils.

It was so hard to pull everyone away from these sand turntables, but this was only the second room and there was so much more to see!

I'm missing a picture of when I was able to visit with Tracy in Lehi, so you'll just have to trust me that it was nice to see her and talk.
On this day, we took the train to Salt Lake City.  Thanks to cousin Sam's tip about buying a certain kind of ticket to travel all day for one price, it was affordable and fun. :)

I'm so so glad that my sisters in law came along too (Barbie stayed behind to help Caitlin with the baby)!

In the Assembly Room at Temple Square

One of the visitor's centers had a model of the temple with the walls cut away to show you what it looks like inside.  It was really cool.

Amy, Kathie, Mom, and me.

The Salt Lake Temple

Cute kids

This was on the roof of the Conference Center.  It is really warm up there in the summer with all the sunlight bouncing off the granite.

Inside the Conference Center checking out the waterfall.

Uncle Lloyd loves babies and babies love him.  Jonah was not an exception!

I don't have a picture of our shopping trip, but on our final afternoon there, I went to an amazing store called The Wood Connection.  I went with Amy and Emily.  I would have bought 75% of the contents of the store if I could have.  (I usually only feel that way in children's book stores.) They sold wood letters and decorations.  Just plain wood, but then you can paint them and cover them in scrapbook paper and feel awesome because you made something.  I spent $50.  Dan thought it was hilarious, "You spent $50 on plain wood letters?"  I love them.  I have already made the first two (pictured below).  I still have a "JOY" for Christmas, a haunted house, and 2 acorns to make when I get a chance.  Next time, I'll have to buy 1 for spring and 1 for summer.

 

We had a big family meal the night before we left.  It was so good to see the family one more time!  Everyone was so sweet to put a pause on the many things going on in their lives (school, work, etc.) and come to hang out at Abuelo and Abuelita's house several times while we were visiting.  And Dan's parents were amazing hosts: great company, good food, toys for the kids to play with, and a very nice car to borrow for our many outings.

Fun in the backyard:

 

 An unplanned grandparent picture.  I just called them all over and snapped away.  This is the best "smile" Kevin could muster after waiting a while for Jonah to finally look up at the camera.  I really like this photo.

We were so sad to say goodbye, but Elena needed to start first grade, so we headed home.I took a quick photo during our layover to record for posterity the time that I traveled with 3 kids by myself. It actually went great.  The hardest part was lugging around the car seat.

The next day was Labor Day, so Dan and I took the kids to the beach. It was, of course, great to see Dan again.  We really missed him while we were in Utah and he was back home working.  Grandad came along to the beach and brought his bodyboard.  It was a big hit with everyone - especially Elena.

The trip to the beach and the general lack of sleep really helped the children to adjust quickly back to EDT.  That was a good thing because Elena had to start school the next day.