UTAH TRIP: JUNE 16 to JULY 8, 2009

We had a great time in Utah. I drove the kids alone. I was not worried about the kids doing well, I was worried about me. I had too many long drives as a kid with paper, crayons, a book, and my thoughts I guess. I'm glad that my kids have a TV, DS, and Ipods in this modern age. Incidentally, my ipod saved me, if I had to listen to Dora the whole way, I never would have made it. So, armed with Eddie Vedder and Steve Tyler, I pulled up to Wal-Mart to buy a portable TV for the car, because the one we had broke. As I am paying for it, a $8.00 recycling fee is added to my bill. In these economic times, are you kidding me? And people are wondering why there is a mass exodus out of California, go figure. Anyhow, we took off to Las Vegas where we had a great time visiting with Tina and the kids (and Scott for a second :)). I was so glad to see them one last time because they moved to Pennsylvania at the end of that week. They are going to be there for 5 years and we know visits back and forth will be fewer now. I had decided before I left home that I would go ahead and travel to St. George after the Las Vegas dinner break. I am so glad that I did, because the next day, it was only three hours to my sister's house and we were there! We spent almost two weeks there, and it was so fun. We did steal away two times: Once for Danielle to see her friend Laura and for me to see her mom, Michele, and my friend Laura in Apple Valley. The other time was on Father's Day for a little more Apple Valley fix, there is no better place to be on Father's Day. After church, we made a few stops: the Calverts and Mrs. Cassell, Drew and Danielle's old preschool teacher. She still had the preschool in the downstairs! Drew and Danielle got to go down and reminisce and I cried. I was so glad they got to do that. After a wonderful visit with Mrs. Cassell we went up to Ogden to celebrate with Grandpa Carl. On the way there, we stopped to have lunch with Nana and take her with us. It was a great father's day (except we missed Dean). Other than these few excursions, it was cousin and sister time all day, every day. We went to Spanish Fork pool, and Seven Peaks, and up the canyon and over to Katie's for a BBQ and water balloon fight. It rained other days and that meant making up games inside, saving stray kittens, going to Jumping Jacks, and having to wear a jacket a couple of times when Amber, Paul and I went jogging in the evenings! I loved the cooler weather in June. On the way to pick up Dean at the airport, Brinley and I saw a rainbow! I miss those! Here are some highlights:
It was too funny that when Brinley was up the canyon, she all of a sudden pointed to the mountain in front of us and said, "Mom! Look at that mountain! It has grass all over it!" I have to be honest, it made me a little sad that she thought something was wrong. Such a desert rat!
The day that we were supposed to pick up Dean, Drew wanted to stay one more night and Danielle was at her friend Laura's house for the night. Brinley and I tried to pick up Dean, but his flight was delayed so we headed up to Ogden and Grandpa picked up Dean. Poor Dean, it was a long night for him and Grandpa. But we were able to sleep in and pick up Danielle and meet Drew and my sister's family at Lagoon. First I will give you highlights of Brinley and Zoe's escapades:

Next, here are all the dare-devils and their many adventures:
Here is a video of Drew, Tait and Dean riding the skycoaster. You will have to excuse the rudimentary skills of the videographer...


It was a loooonnnnnggggg day! And it was so fun! We go every year and are never disappointed.The next ten days we spent most of our time in Ogden. Dean and I took one excursion with Nana to go to her early birthday dinner at Log Haven up Millcreek Canyon. We met my other siblings and their spouses. It was great food and fun! Other than that and the fourth of July, we spent the rest of our time up north mostly. Danielle, Drew and Dean went on their annual hike to the cave and Brinley got her first pedicure. It was hilarious how serious she was. She sat so still. They had these cute little chairs there just for kids! We also went swimming at Bri and Mika's a couple of times and Nana's too, which was fun.
Here is Brinley's first pedicure. It was Grandma's treat for the girls and we had a great time.
Our two favorite highlights from staying in Ogden were going to Toads, a go-cart/laser tag/rockwall/arcade/miniature golf place. It was soooo fun. We played two games of laser tag Mattsson vs. Mattsson with Bri and Mika, we played a round of golf, we raced on the go-cart course, and the kids had fun playing in the arcade and climbing the rock wall. We are starving for kid-friendly places like this where we are, so it was fun to experience. I don't have any millionaire friends that I know of, but if you are out there and I just don't know, or if by some strange accident you are a millionaire who has stumbled on our blog, feel free to build one in our area. I think it would do really well, even in these trying economic times. I'm just saying...
Okay, so we are LAME and forgot our camera this day and all we got was this photo from Dean's phone of the kids rock climbing. Thank goodness we did have our camera for our other major highlight for this part of the trip: a trek we took up Inspiration Canyon with with Bri and Mika and their four wheelers and Polaris ranger. It was an incredible ride up to the top and the views were amazing! We were so high that the kids got to play in snow. We loved it!
WE LOVE THE USA!

The Fourth of July Weekend was one of our best of the trip. After Dean went golfing with his dad and Bri, we went to my family's annual 4th of July picnic. It starts out civilized but always ends up wet! That night we went to Stadium of Fire and on the way down we stopped at the BYU Bookstore, another tradition. It was our debut at the Stadium of Fire however, and what better entertainment than the Jonas Brothers, hosted by Glen Beck! We went with the Erikssons and the kids thought it was awesome. We forgot our camera again, and we were not sitting by the older kids, but we got some pictures of Brinley with Dean's phone. She thought she was one of the teenagers around us and would repeat everything they said like: "Oh my gosh, I love this song!" Brinley actually does know a lot of the songs and was boogeying and singing with the best of them. It was fun to watch her feel so big. We did not have very good seats and the olders kids were not that much better but we know next year to wait and see instead of buying the first day. About 2 weeks before the show all kinds of awesome seats opened up that were not available that first day of ticket sales. FYI. The fireworks show at the end was amazing however, and then we were kind of glad we were not closer because we had ash all over us as it was. It was awesome! The next day we lit some fireworks in Grandma and Grandpa's cul-de-sac with Bri and Mika and the kids. That was good fun too. I was reading John Adams by David McCullough at the time and finished it after we got home. I definitely have a new appreciation for our country and the sacrifices so many made to declare and fight for independence, form our government, and write our constitution. I want my kids to know that the constitution was written with inspiration from our Heavenly Father. That he orchestrated the events under which it occured and brought the people together at that time to write it according to his divine wisdom. I hope one day the citizens of this country will all remember the constitution this way. We love the USA!These are Brinley's cousins her age, Zoie (left) and Anna (middle).

Here is Danielle swinging at the pinata. My family always lets the girls go first for food, and through doors, for pinata swinging, etc. However, when Danielle took a swing at it, my uncles and cousins could not believe how hard she hit it. I think they were worried she would break it before everyone got a turn. That's my girl!

This is Dean after Uncle Bob got him good!Plotting the next victim with Uncle Bob...
Danielle and her new cousin Janessa ready to get someone!

You know what? It's not for everybody...
Stadium of Fire

Brinley is much happier and drier now!
Wrestling with Uncle Brian before lighting fireworks.
Alexa and Binz

Grandma and Grandpa got a scooter for the kids to ride while we were there. It is much more powerful than the ones we have at home. The kids loved it.

Grandma and Grandpa's neighbor and Drew's friend, Jackson, joined the fun.

Dean drove us all home on our 14th anniversary. We did go out a few days before to celebrate at Ruby River, one of my favorite restaurants. We went and saw Wolverine afterwards and we really liked it. But, then we've ended up liking all the Marvel movies. Here are some pictures from on the way home.

We miss our friends and family in Utah, but it was good to come home and sleep in our own beds. It was an awesome trip and we are so fortunate to have family that have enough room for us to stay at their houses for free. Thanks Amber, Paul, Grandma, and Grandpa!