Trip to Utah

Last week I took the kids and went to Utah! It was a great trip filled with friends and family and fun! A great break from California for a little while!

The Airplane:

This was the part I was most nervous about, but my kids, as always, were perfect angels. On both plane trips, Dawna watched The Incredibles and had orange juice. Life just doesn't get much better than that I guess. I was glad that neither flight was all the way full, so I had three seats all to myself. Lawrence enjoyed cruising across the seats and making faces at the people behind us and occasionally watched the movie. He also enjoyed taking ice out of one cup and putting it in the other--over and over again until his fingers were blue from the cold! But, it kept him well entertained. I realized that the general airport populace in Oakland is a little kinder towards moms alone with kids than the SLC. Maybe it's because the sight of a mom traveling alone with two babies is more unusual and endearing in Oakland? I don't know, but I was escorted past the security line in Oakland and ushered to the elevator, whereas in SLC, I had to wait in the "green circle" line--created for all the slow travelers, like moms with kids. Business travelers or people with no carry-ons get to go in the "blue square" or "black diamond" lines which move a lot faster. I love how even the airport in Utah has allusions to skiing.

Roommate Reunion!

Monday through Wednesday I spent with Valerie and Becca! We had lots of fun, even though the weather wasn't the best. On Monday, we enjoyed shopping and Valerie's famous enchiladas. Then we played Wii games after the kids went to bed... well, mostly... Lawrence didn't really go to sleep, so he got up and used a tube of desitin as a Wii remote. It was pretty hilarious.

On Tuesday, we played bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and play doh. Then, on to the Museum of Art at BYU. They had a great "Games and Gizmos" display with all of Walter Wick's art. It was so fun to look at and enjoy. Then we went to the Skyroom Cafe for Yummy Lunch Day! A little disappointing that they don't make "High in the Sky" anymore and only do buffet style meals, but it was still pretty good.
After delicious Root Beer & BBQ beef sandwiches for dinner, we all stayed up late--like, way later than I've stayed up in a long time--talking and reminiscing and laughing. On Wednesday, we tried to do a driving temple tour, but our plans were interrupted by the biggest snow storm of the season! It was crazy! So, we only got to the Provo and Mt. Timpanogus temples. Then we took pictures, Becca went to the airport, and I went to Lehi.

Sister Sister!

Wednesday night through Saturday I spent with Heather and family in Lehi. May I just say that my big sister is the best. I always leave feeling inspired and uplifted. After the huge snow storm Wednesday night, the kids enjoyed playing outside and making snow angels and building snow castles and just digging around. Dawna's favorite thing about the snow was, "When you eat the snow, it turns into water in your tummy!"
And the next day, here's Dawna standing in almost exactly the same place in the backyard. All the snow was gone, the sun was shining, and Abbie had make a "bag kite" to fly in all the wind. Amazing how the weather changes so quickly out there.
We took a visit to Great Grandma Wightman's. We visited with her and took a walk around the Charlston. Lawrence loved riding on the front of GG's walker while we toured the new additions to the complex.
I really enjoyed watching Heather home school her kids. And she let me participate one day, too! After math lessons and homework were done, I did a "Dr. Booth fruit lecture" for Abbie and Emma. We enjoyed dissecting ten different fruits: Tomato, Avacado, Mango, Blackberries, Strawberries, Pears, Honeydew, Pineapple, Tangelos, and Kiwi. The girls did a wonderful job identifying the exocarp, mesocarp, endocarp, and seeds of each fruit. They also were amazed to learn that maybe, just maybe, a cucumber, a pumpkin, and almonds might also be considered fruit... woah... And the girls were very good sports about doing a writing assignment about their fruit experience.
On Saturday, we all enjoyed going to Discovery Park, aptly named "The castle park" by the girls.
Dawna and Lawrence particularly enjoyed the giant spinny spinner. I think this park was very well designed--the high places were very safe and there were lots of low mazes where toddlers could crawl around.
After a nice picnic there, Heather drove me out to the brand new Draper temple and we walked around the grounds there.
And then, a lovely Spaghetti dinner with fresh salad topped with lentil sprouts (so yummy). And then off to the airport and home again! It was an awesome fun week! Thanks to all who made it possible! Becca--for giving me a side job to pay for the trip, Jon-- for picking me up, dropping me off, and doing all the laundry and "honey do's" I left for you :) Valerie and Heather for letting me stay in your homes. Now, all y'alls come visit me!

... and then on Monday...

We all took a bike ride to Sunol and saw the Little Yosemite, which had a decent amount of water! It was beautiful there! I always forget just how close we are to fun places like this! Emily already posted pictures on her blog from this trip, so I'll just post a couple here:

Those boys, doing their thing... what one does, the other does. They are rarely apart from each other if they are both awake and fed. The boys enjoyed playing in the rocks and sand, but avoided the water. In fact, after getting residual splash on him from Daddy throwing rocks, he wasn't so sure he wanted to participate in that activity anymore...

Dawna... my little beauty... but still not quite enough hair to make a real ponytail. Dawna loved climbing around on the rocks... and I actually didn't feel super paranoid about her falling...weird. Here she is pictured imagining something with a crust of peanut butter sandwich and a banana peel... I really have no idea what she was picturing, but it was pretty cute...

Me and my sweetheart... isn't he adorable?? He was getting me all wet after his little dip in the pool.

And the four of us... I love it when Emily comes because she really appreciates the importance of taking family pictures on outings like this! Plus, she packed us all lunch! Thanks for a fun day, Em!