Our trip to Utah...

I haven't posted anything for a few weeks, because we went to Utah for vacation, and since we got back (several days ago), I've been running around like crazy, doing laundry, getting groceries, trying to get back into a routine & getting organized, trying to get the kids school supplies, clothes, shoes, going to PJ's school for orientation (which he missed while we were gone) & getting his locker, going to Tessa & Jonah's open houses (those are actually on Monday), getting Jonah registered for soccer, and on and on. I've been running non-stop. And on top of that, I was called to be the 1st counselor in Relief Society at church (they called me the day before our vacation), so I'm trying to get organized with that too. I'm really excited. They are a great group of ladies & it will be really fun working with them.

So, for our vacation...

Neil got off work a little early on Friday, July 31st (my birthday), and we left as soon as he got home, around 4:30 or so. I already had everything packed & ready to go, and had already fed the kids an early dinner. We hopped in the car & drove 4 hours to Kansas City, Missouri (the flights out of there were a LOT less expensive than the ones out of Bentonville). We checked into the hotel around 8:30 or so. We got the executive suite that included a king size bed, a pull-out couch, and a rollaway bed. Well, the rollaway wasn't in the room, so I called down to the front desk to see if someone could bring it up. The lady said that the guy who had the keys to the closet where the rollaways are, just left to pick someone up from the airport (they had a shuttle to & from the airport), and she thought he'd be back within a half hour. Well, our kids were tired and we were going to have to be up at 4:30 a.m., so we just told PJ & Jonah to go to bed in the King, Tessa & Clay in the pull-out couch, and then once the rollaway came, PJ could sleep on that, and Jonah could stay in bed with us (it was big enough). So, we waited, and waited...and waited. In the mean time, Neil laid down on the floor (I just try not to think about all the gross things that are on hotel room floors), and I laid down by Jonah. It's amazing how much space 2 kids can take up on a king-size bed! I was sleeping on about 3 inches on the edge of the bed, hoping not to get kicked off! So, I called again (twice) about the rollaway, before someone finally brought it up. By then it was about 10:15, and PJ and Jonah were out cold, so we didn't want to wake them up. So, poor Neil got to have the hard, uncomfortable rollaway, while PJ & Jonah enjoyed the nice, soft, spacious king-size bed. Although I'm not sure sleeping in the king size bed would have been any better for Neil, because Jonah had a terrible cold & was snoring in my ear all night long, as well as kicking me, elbowing me, and throwing his arms around me all night long. Not much sleep there! Ah, the joys of sleeping in a hotel with 4 kids! :)

So, the next morning we were up at 4:30 a.m., and on our way to the airport by 5:00, for our flight that left around 7 a.m. The kids were all so excited!

We arrived in Salt Lake City around 9 a.m., and Neil's dad & brother came to pick us up. Neil's dad offered for us to borrow his truck while we were in Utah (it can seat 6), so we wouldn't have to rent a minivan, which saved us about $1000 or more. So, we got to Neil's parents house & let the kids just run around and play. They had a blast & got filthy & stinky from riding the 4-wheeler with grandpa, playing in the barn & garden & everything else on the farm. So, after several hours, I had them shower & clean up for the big barbeque that evening. Neil's mom had planned a big family get together for all the extended family that evening, with Neil's aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. We hadn't seen most of them for 3 years (some even longer). It was fun visiting with them and letting all the little kids play together. We also got to see a couple new neices that we hadn't seen yet. Neil's older brother & his wife had a little girl in December, and his youngest sister and her husband had a little girl just 2 weeks before we got there. So, it was great seeing them all.

On Sunday we went to church with Neil's parents. We used to be in that ward, a long time ago, when Neil & I were first married, so we know quite a few people there, so it's fun to catch up with them too. After church, all of Neil's siblings and their families came over again for dinner. Our kids really miss playing with their cousins, and seeing all their aunts & uncles & grandma & grandpa, so we always have so much fun when we get together (which is usually only once a year).

On Monday morning, we got up and headed to Bear Lake. Neil's dad has a camper and a boat that he pulled up there, as well as a tent, sleeping bags, etc. for us to sleep in. We stayed at the KOA, played on the beach every day from about 8:30 a.m., until we were tired, sometime in the afternoon, then we'd head back to the campground to play, relax, play games, go to the park, etc. It was so nice!

The first day on the beach, Neil & his dad put up the little beach cabana, so that we could have some shade. Well, last year it got bent, from the wind. They thought they could make it work...and it did...for about 10 minutes...until a little wind came up, and it plopped over on us. So much for that idea. So we tried to prop it up again. Still no luck. They then decided to take the thing down. I was SO disappointed that I forgot my camera that first day! That was the best enteratainment ever! I was laughing so hard, I thought I was going to wet my pants! It took them a good hour, trying to figure out how to get the dumb thing folded down, since it was bent in several places by then, and they finally had to go get some tools from the truck, and take it completely apart. My stomach hurt from laughing so hard. They didn't seem to find it quite as funny as I did, though. But all the other people on the beach seemed to enjoy it too. :) But later on, we saw a few more cabanas flying away in the wind, so we weren't the only ones.

The best part of being at Bear Lake, was first thing in the morning, when nobody else was on the beach, so we had the whole place to ourselves. Because our kids are early risers, we were up and ready to go by 8:30, and nobody else usually showed up until around 10:30 or so. The kids would just play in the water & sand, and Neil & I would just sit & talk & enjoy watching the kids. We also had fun taking the kids out on the boat, and pulling them behind it, in a double tube. On Wednesday, Neil's dad came back to Bear Lake & brought 2 of the other little cousins to play with ours for a while. Then we all headed back down to Brigham City.

On Thursday, Neil & I took the kids to Salt Lake City. We went to The Living Planet Aquarium, which was a lot of fun. For being a little Aquarium in Utah, it was really cute. It was small, and we were only there for about an hour and a half, but they had all sorts of fun things for the kids to see & touch & learn about. They had jelly fish, octopus, fish, sharks, crabs, etc., and lots of things the kids could touch, like rays, starfish, crabs, and even a shark. They even had some shark eggs that they had cut the side off of, and covered with plastic, so that you could see the baby shark inside (still alive & moving)--it was so cool! After that, we went to The Gateway (an outdoor mall), to meet up with Neil's younger brother for lunch. Then we rode the TRAX to Temple Square and walked around, and let the kids see all the things at the visitors centers, etc. They didn't remember a lot of it, because it's been about 4-1/2 years since we went last, so they really enjoyed it. Once we were done there, we headed back to the truck & drove to the new LDS Temple that was just finished. It was a beautiful temple, but the open house was over, so we just walked around the outside. After that, we met up with my brother & his wife & 2 girls for dinner. Again, it was fun for our kids to see some more of their cousins and get to spend some time together.

On Friday morning, Neil's dad offered to watch our kids for us so we could go over to Logan to go to the temple together. It was so nice! Now that we live 4 hours from the closest temple, it makes it a LOT harder to get there as often, and Neil and I rarely get to go together (we usually take turns), so to be able to go together, and only have to drive a half hour to get there, was GREAT!! (We really miss that!) Then we headed back to Brigham to spend time with the kids & just play & relax. That evening, Neil & I went out on a date. We went to dinner at the place where we had our wedding luncheon, did a little shopping (he always takes me to Deseret Book when we are in Utah, to stock up on the books I love!), and then to see a movie. We was "The Proposal", which was really cute & funny.

On Saturday we had planned to take the kids to the Dinosaur Museum in Ogden, but it was raining, and wasn't letting up (and about half of the museum is outside), so we decided to take the kids to a movie instead. So, Neil, Me, Neil's dad & brother, and our 4 kiddos all split up--some went to see the new Harry Potter movie (PJ & Tessa have been wanting to see that), and the others went to see G-Force. It was a lot of fun!

Later that night, we all headed over to Logan to Neil's older brother's house for a "Fajita & movie night" for all the little cousins to have more time together. It was so much fun! The kids had a blast together, playing outside, on the trampoline & swingset, watching a video on the big screen downstairs, eating treats, etc. And it was so nice catching up with all the adults. It's always hilarious when Neil & his siblings all get together. We have great laughs, as they reminisce about all the funny & embarrassing things they did growing up, and we enjoyed looking at lots of old pictures of them too.

On Sunday we headed to church again, and then just hung out at home afterwards. We had a yummy dinner & then some of the other siblings & their families came by one more time to tell us all goodbye. Our kids had such a fun time, and were very pooped by the end of our vacation!

On Monday morning, we were up at 5:30, so that we could leave by 6:30 to catch our plane in Salt Lake. All our kids were sad to leave, but Jonah & Clay always have the hardest time. They have a very special relationship with Grandpa Checketts & they get so sad when we have to leave. It breaks my heart. They were both sobbing. They'd cry & cry & then calm down for a little bit, & then start crying again, saying, "I'm going to miss Grandpa so much!" Poor little guys. That's one of the hard things about living so far away. But, until next time, we'll just have to be happy with phone visits, video calls on the computer, and emails.

So, then we got back to Kansas City around 1 p.m. on Monday, stopped for some lunch, and then headed back home. Since we got home, it's been a whirlwind of trying to get ready for school (which starts in just a few more days). The kids are so excited. They love school & are looking forward to another year. PJ is starting 7th grade (Jr. High), Tessa is in 4th (her last year at elementary & then she'll be in middle school for 5th & 6th--that's how they have it here), and Jonah will be in 1st grade. Clay is also starting preschool this year, and is SO excited, he can hardly stand it! He is such a smart little guy and is very ready! He's going to have a blast.

So...in a nutshell, that's the past few weeks for us. It was a great trip to Utah, and we had so much fun, spending time with just our own little family, as well as our extended family, but it's always nice to come back home too. And on Wednesday, all our kids will be back at school again, and we'll be back into the routine of school & the busy schedules that go along with it. It's been a great summer, but I can't believe how quickly it has flown by! On to another new school year! :)