Utah 2010

We don't necessarily have a traditional trek back "home" every year. But in hopes of attending a wedding and two reunions one weekend, plus another reunion the next week, we decided to make the drive west again this year. We unfortunately didn't get in on the wedding (it ended up being rescheduled earlier), but we did get in on everything else. Here are some highlights from our trip.

Finally telling my family that we were expecting, and being able to tell them the baby's gender at the same time! (They couldn't believe we waited so long to tell them!)

Packing two garbage bags full of maternity clothes, and two of baby boy clothes to borrow.

Jolie crawling into bed with my parents one night (and my parents being so sweet about it).

Unpacking from one reunion while trying to pack for another one.

Meeting my newest two nieces and nephew for the first time.


All of my sisters finally being all together for an hour on our last night, complete with warm chocolate chip cookies my sister baked that night, and ice cream.


The girls playing with their cousins as if no time had passed.


Staying with my family in a Girls' Camp cabin all together (oh, how I wish my kids would have gone to bed so we could have stayed up with the adults playing a game or watching a movie, though).


Being so exhausted, multiple times, that I just cried.


Staying in a 6-bedroom cabin with Eric's family at Bear Lake.


Eric falling into the Provo River as he was trying to help the girls NOT to.


The girls playing for our whole 3-day trip home with the Polly Pockets, My Little Ponies, and Strawberry Shortcake toys they inherited from their cousin.


Watching my mom on a zipline.


Getting in on $2 Tuesdays at Thanksgiving Point. (Children's Garden)



And on our last night as Eric was putting the kids to bed, Mierae said, "Dad, when you're done with high school, can we move to Utah?" :)

We survived the three family reunions, and even had a great time at them. :)

The Hendriksen Reunion at Hobble Creek: (the girls loved playing with my aunt's dog and getting muddy in the river)






The Hill Reunion at the Heber Valley Camp: (where I ate more than I have my whole pregnancy, and got the chance to catch up with lots of cousins)









The Hull Reunion at Bear Lake (where we found out Eric's cousin's wife, whom we got to know in Washington last summer, is expecting a baby at the same time as us!)







And we also got in on some other Utah fun.

Bean Museum and Provo Bakery (even though we ended up Shirley's Bakery)






Backyard marshmallow roast




Picnic at Canyon Glen





Visiting some old Ohio friends, the Mumfords (Dinner was SO yummy, and we had such a fun time catching up! We seem to only be able to visit one friend each time we're in Utah. We were happy it was you guys!)


And stopping at Young's Jersey Dairy once we made it back across the country to Ohio (Eric isn't smiling because of two ginormous cankers in his mouth.)


As is usually the case, the trip was long and too short at the same time. It was hard to leave, but we were anxious to be done traveling. We are really hoping we won't have to drive to Utah again in the near future, though! Even though driving with kids is easier than flying, that three-day trip home wasn't the funnest. But we are always so glad for the times when we get to be together with our families. We love watching our kids play with their cousins and fall in love again with their grandparents. We miss you all already, and hope to see some of you this coming year!