Utah trip

Blaine was so nice and drove me and the kids to Utah one weekend, left us there for a week and then came back the next weekend. There were a few things I was headed up to Utah for but our first stop was to my Grandma's house. I am so lucky because I inherited (by luck literally...name pulled out of a hat) my Grandpa's canoe. It meant so much to me to be able to take this home because my Grandpa was a huge outdoors man and while Blaine and I were dating we borrowed his canoe to float down the Jordan River. I knew back then that my Grandpa was proud of me for dating a boy who wanted to canoe down a river with me and he was happy to see his canoe getting some use. So, we strapped it to the top of the car and it now lovingly sits in our driveway!

While there, it was also really wonderful because my Grandma got to meet Cleo for the first time and the two of them share middle names (Virginia). My Grandma made us a delicious lunch and dessert and we were able to stay and visit for a while. I love pictures like this because I know they are just priceless. 

Next we headed down to my brother and sister-in-law's where the kids and I stayed for the week. Nolan had the time of his life playing with cousins. Cleo also got to spend time with her cousins and aunt and uncle which meant she got lots of lovin' too. It was so nice for me too because 1. I love being with family and 2. they were so helpful! I was able to shower and know the kids were ok. I was able to go on jogs and had someone there watching them. And I wasn't on entertainment duty 24/7. They were so helpful and it was just so much fun being able to be there hanging out with everyone for a whole week. Here are some photos from our time at Steve and Tricia's house...

Which was in Cleo and which was is the doll?! :)

My sister-in-law helped me do Cleo's hair in a little ponytail...so stinking cute!

Nolan was walking inside and he saw a pile of grass and said, "Uncle Steve needs to sweep." Then, he just went to work on his own...too bad he swept the pile back onto the driveway! He is such a hard worker though!

Nolan loved bouncing on the trampoline!!!

Oh man...that smile gets me every time.

One of the nights I was there I set up a little reunion for my Dance Company girls. It was so wonderful to see them all and to see what beautiful girls they are. Some of them are married and one of them even has a little baby boy! It was great to get to spend some time with them. I will be forever grateful for the time I was able to spend at Payson HS and for the wonderful students I was able to associate with.

A modern dance shapes photo of course!

Now the real reason we went up to Utah this particular week was because a very good friend of mine from Houston was married!!! Libbi is such an awesome girl and it was so exciting to be able to be in the temple (actually the exact temple and sealing room I was married in) and feel the spirit and see here sealed for time and eternity. It was so special and I was so proud of her. I was also so grateful that she would allow me to be there with her on her special day.

The reception after the wedding was also loads of fun because it ended up being basically a Houston reunion. There were at least a dozen people from my home ward growing up and we were able to sit and reminisce for somewhere near 4 hours I think! It was great to see everyone and what they are doing now and still be able to laugh like we were teenagers! I also was able to see some of the adults that were in my ward growing up, some of the people I really looked up to and admired including my old bishop and his wife who I used to babysit for all the time and now their oldest son is on a mission...what?! That made me feel like I am legitimately getting older...weird!

It was a great trip to Utah as I got to see friends and family. I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.