Sep 29
Everyone,
(I am playing catch up from our trip to Utah this year to see family. I’m picking a few things to focus on and highlight every week until I am done. Enjoy!)
We were able to celebrate my sister in law’s (MusicAngel) birthday while we were in Utah. We took the kids to an indoor pool. It had a lazy river, a big water slide, a kiddie slide and more. This was so much fun!
Well, everyone had fun but Professor. He really doesn’t like to be splashed by water. And there was a lot of splashing going on. By the automatic water sprayers on the slides, and his cousin Cappy. He started off excited to be in the water. Then he got splashed, and cold, and ended the day sitting next to Grandpa wrapped in a towel to stay warm.
But the rest of us enjoyed the lazy river. Butterfly especially. She is getting to be such a good swimmer and I didn’t even have to worry about her getting in over her head. She even jumped off the diving board and swam to the side all by herself. And she went down the big water slide several times. The lazy river had a whirlpool off to the side and she spent most of the day swimming around there pretending some elaborate story.
After swimming we enjoyed some ice cream at home and then a nice dinner out with our family for MusicAngel’s birthday. What a fun day we had!
Safire
Safiretrips to Utah swimming, Utah
Sep 06
Everyone,
(I am playing catch up from our trip to Utah this year to see family. I’m picking a few things to focus on and highlight every week until I am done. Enjoy!)
Our first day in Utah we decided to kill several birds with one stone and meet EVERYONE we could at a small indoor play land called Jungle Jim’s. It is full of kid friendly rides and kind of overpriced pizza. Of course, the kids had an amazing time. I had a good time flitting around and talking to everyone I could.
Who came? Nana, Grandma, Grandpa, Flower and her sister (The Other Flower), Splats my sister-in-law and her 5 kids (Rabbit, Bear, Finch, Angel and Seraph), Mink and her 3 girls (Spider, Fair and Minnie), and MusicAngel my other sister-in-law and her 2 boys (Cappy and Lev).
Got that?
We rode rides. A lot of rides. Up and down rides.
Round and round rides.
We drove cars.
We had lots of pizza and soda.
We spent time with our cousins.
And we stopped at the candy machines on the way out.
A fun way to say hello to everyone we could!
Safire
SafireCappy, Cousin Camp, cousins, traveling, trips to Utah my family, Utah
Sep 02
Everyone,
Every year when we visit Utah, we take the kids into downtown Salt Lake City and visit the temple there. The center of Salt Lake City is a square block with the temple and gardens on it. Called Temple Square. It is VERY beautiful and I always enjoy going. Plus, it reminds me of the day that Juice and I were married, since we were married at that temple!
As per usual, my friend Mink joined us with her 3 girls, Spider, Fair and Minnie. Flower also joined us to help out. Because frankly, we had 8 kids and 3 adults. That calls for another hand! 
These 2 are becoming such good friends!
After Temple Square, we walked back to the car across the street and saw the Conference Center and the waterfall down the building. Plus, City Creek that runs right past it. I love that creek.
A great day in Salt Lake City, as always!
Safire
SafireSalt Lake City, temple, trips to Utah Nana, temple, Utah
Aug 30
Everyone,
(I am playing catch up from our trip to Utah this year to see family. I’m picking a few things to focus on and highlight every week until I am done. Enjoy!)
Our annual fishing trip with Grandpa continues to be a huge hit with the kids! We always drive up to Trial Lake and fish on the lake for a bit. On the way back down from the mountains, we stop at a family fishing pond and let the kids actually catch a fish. Butterfly caught her first fish when she was 3 years old. It was the boys turn! Cousin Cappy came along and we had a blast.
The night before, we had gone out to dinner for Cappy’s Mom’s birthday. I took the kids outside of the restaurant while the adults finished up. There was a creek running past and we spent most of our time throwing rocks in the creek. So our car ride up the mountain was peppered with questions from the 3 little boys, “Are we going to throw rocks?”
You can’t throw rocks in the lake because that scares the fish. And that makes the fishermen mad. So we found the little stream that ran out of the lake and threw rocks there.
A three year old boy’s dream, let me tell you!
Once we got the fishing poles set up and ready, we fished! We saw an albino fish hugging the shore and a bunch of little fish in the shallows. We also saw a bald eagle fishing. Amazing!
After a nice picnic lunch, we headed down to the fish farm and let everyone catch a fish to take home. (Well, to take to Grandma and Grandpa. They seem to like them!)
Butterfly was the first to catch one, followed closely by each of the boys.
While we were helping the boys catch their fish, Butterfly was dangling her line in the water and just playing around with it. She caught another one, with no bait! Wow were we all surprised!
Then everyone had to get another fish. Pirate was SO happy to help Grandpa with his tools to take the hooks out of the fish. Cappy wasn’t too sure about the whole thing, and Butterfly really wasn’t inrerested in touching the fish once we had put them in a bucket.
We love to fish with Grandpa!
Safire
Safirefishing, traveling, trips to Utah, Uncategorized Grandpa, Utah
Jun 09
Everyone,
Six people take up an entire row of an airplane. It is not enough room for a 2 year old (Pirate) for 4 hours. And it’s not enough room for his Mommy or the other people traveling with him.
Six people make a lot of luggage. Especially when you try to cram stuff for five of the six people into one suitcase. And especially when it decides to pop open and spread that crammed stuff all over the conveyor belt. (It’s a good thing I ran out of time packing and shoved things, namely the underthings, into a plastic bag before tossing it into the suitcase.)
Six people also have a lot of carry-ons. And when 2 of those people are actually carry-on, it creates a handful. As several people reminded me today at the airport. And in the airplane.
Six people do not get on a bus in a timely manner. Especially when you add six people carry-ons and six people popped open luggage. Which is broken now. Rats. Time for new luggage!
Six people eat a handful of blueberries from our very own bushes alarmingly fast.
Six people can be exhausted and excited all at once. There will be six very happy heads resting on pillows tonight.
Safire
PS- We are a family of 6 for the summer!
Juice’s 16 year old niece, Flower, has come to stay with us until August. This is her 3rd summer with us and I am SO excited. I think she is too. And Butterfly as well.
Safireairplane rides, trips to Utah airplane rides, Flower, trips
Jun 08
Everyone,
Tomorrow morning we fly home to Maryland. It’s been a fun trip. In ways, too long (we all miss our house) and in ways not long enough (we didn’t do all we wanted to do).
Today we spent the morning with my Nana, the kids’ Nana-Great. She made us a yummy lunch of pancakes and sausage and then we let the kids play in her yard. My cousins live next door so we were able to see Bee a little and play with her. The kids really got into hide and seek which is a game I normally hate. But if you have a whole yard to yourself to hide in, it’s a great game!
My mom and I got last year’s Cousin Camp photo book done. This year’s is waiting on one or two pictures and then it will be done too.
Auntie L came over to take pictures of the kids with the blankets that she made. Uncle MusicMan and his family came over to spend some time with us too. BFF Mink came by and helped me pack some. We have Flower with us because she is flying back with us tomorrow.
Now the summer can start. We’ve got some great things planned. Can’t wait! See you in the eastern time zone!
Safire
Safiretrips to Utah blankets, Mink, MusicMan, trips, Utah
Jun 07
Everyone,
Today was full. To the brim.
There was a kiddie pool.
There was a leaky hose which doubled as a sprinkler.
There were naps (all around).
There was a trip to the mall and about 50 dresses tried on by me. Nothing bought.
There was a dinner with Grandma and Grandpa.
There was a trampoline.
There were bees.
Safire
SafireJuice's family, P and P pictures, picture taking, trips to Utah bees, pictures, Pirate, Professor, trips, Utah
Jun 05
Everyone,
We are coming into our last few days here in Utah and then it’s back to home and humidity. We’ve loved being here but I think it’s time to go back to our own house and our own routine. I, for one, am looking forward to having different shirts to wear instead of the same thing every.single.day.
Today my Dad and I joined I Heart Faces on their photo walk across America. We had a blast taking pictures and meeting a bunch of people in the group and in Salt Lake. I’ll show some pictures when I get a chance to go through them. Here is one of the last ones I took today of my dad.
When we got home, I had to get everything ready for our annual friend bbq. We had just a few people this time, and were missing some key friends. However, it was still a great time. We all sat around the table and chatted while the kids ran screaming (literally) around the yard. Heaven.
The kids didn’t get to bed until after 10pm tonight so tomorrow is going to be awesome, I can tell.
Safire
Safirefriends, photowalks, picture taking, trips to Utah friends, my Dad, picture taking, Utah
Jun 04
Everyone,
Joining Lolli again this Friday with my best shot of the week.
It was hard to choose one this week because I’ve taken so many and a lot of them I’ve really liked. But this one stood out to me. I have lots of pictures of Butterfly walking away from the camera in scenic places. Let’s just add this one to the many.
This is from the hike we did and I got so sunburned. The mountains still have snow on the tops. If you look at the big mountain in the front, it looks like it has had stitches. It burned 2 years ago while we were visiting and they did that so it wouldn’t erode so badly with the snow run off.
I love Butterfly’s hand running through the grass at the side of the trail. She seems so content to just be walking where she is. I’d like to be like that more often.
Safire
SafireButterfly, Butterfly pictures, GMYBS, trips to Utah Butterfly, GMYBS, hiking, Lolli, trip, Utah
Jun 01
Everyone,
Today was spent playing at Juice’s sister’s house. Juice’s parents were there as well so it was one big crazy time. Between the two of us, we have 8 kids. 7 of them are 5 and younger. Boy did we have a good time.
There was watermelon to eat. There were squirt guns to play with. And there was a toy vacuum for Professor. Butterfly said it was one of her best days ever. And, “Can we please play with cousins more often?” I wish…I wish.
Safire
Safirecousins, Splats and Fam, trips to Utah, twins cousins, Splats, twins, Utah
Older Entries
