60 Hour Road Trip- Part ONE Utah pre-Gma weekend

The first part of our 60 hour road trip brought us to Utah.
We stayed at Gma and Gpa Nielson's house. Oh how I wish Utah was closer. I just love coming to visit. It reminds me so much of my childhood and I think I had a pretty great childhood, why wouldn't I want that same greatness for my own kids?

Sunday we went to church at the VA and visited with Gpa Stewart when it was over. He is such a delight. I wish we lived closer so we could visit more often. Then we went to a combined birthday party at Aunt Kathy and Uncle Gregg's house for a couple of their grandkids.

Monday we hung out at Gma's house enjoying the yards and playground but being cautious about the ditch as the water was going to come in any day. Then we headed down to the farm after dinner. The boys got to see the cows and Bryan even got to help to try to get 2 cows in the trailer. Try being the key word in that sentence. Two cows, not one jumped the ditch to the neighbors to get out of getting in the trailer. Pretty exciting evening down at the farm. My wonderful cousin Jackson washed my disgusting car, that is what he is doing for a job these days.

Tuesday, we headed up to Provo to spend time with Mike and Jake. They had been in AZ for Dedrick's wedding and it was the first chance we had to see them. We were pretty excited to see them since we hadn't seen Mike since he had been home from his mission. We met at the BYU bookstore, of course, bought the new game day shirts and then went bowling in the Wilk. And then headed to Brick Oven for pizza.

Wednesday, Bryan and Matt worked on Matt's brakes and after getting started realized the roters needed to be replaced too. Emily and I took the kids and met Shauni and her kids at Fat Cats in Provo. We thought it had laser tag but it really only had bowling and a small arcade with no prizes. Emily and Shauni headed down to visit with Gpa Stewart and I stayed up in Provo to meet up with Jake and Mike again. Matt brought Bryan to the bookstore and then we met the boys at Cafe Rio for dinner. Then we went to Bridal Veil Falls before going to their flag football game. And then Creamery after the game. Those boys are so much fun and so good to my kids.

Thursday, we got ready to go to the "cabin" in the Pallisade State park. And went to a double baptism for Logan and Cheyenne. We got to the cabin a little later than we would have liked but I am glad we went Thursday night, it gave us all Friday to play in the water.

The new "umbrella" stroller I had shipped to Gma's house

Benny Boo loves to squeeze and hide in little spaces. This box was loads of fun for the kids.

The 2 little boys watching the cows and their dad chasing cows.

The big boys near the cows. This was right before all the excitement of the ditch-jumping cows.

At Fat Cats with Shauni

My 3 big boys climbing the rocks at Bridal Veil Falls on Wednesday

Mike carrying BennyBoo up the rocks through the water

Jake carrying Luke through the water to get to climb the rocks

Julia and I were content to wait at the bottom watching them climb and then the crowd followed them.

Watching and feeding the fish "NO WADING OR SWIMMING PERMITTED"

Three boys had to ride with their cousins but that didn't stop us from stopping at the Provo temple for a quick photo op. Julia had different plans.

So the smiling kids got to come with me and take a decent photo :)

Mike photo-bombing while the boys were trying to get together for a decent photo

Everybody watching the boys play flag football

Mike is in the black and Jake is in the gray, they play on the same team just no official uniforms

Bryan and Julia at Bridal Veil Falls

Mike and Benny before the game. I seriously love those boys.

Bowling with the big boys

Brick Oven after bowling

Mike, Luke, Benjamin, and Jake at Bridal Veil Falls

What you cannot see very well is Jacob tossing a football with my boys as we "hike" up to Bridal Veil Falls

Oh that Benny just smiled and his cousins would do anything he asked in his voice.