Utah Days Too Many To Count

Everyone,

We really have been having so much fun here in Utah.  We've been really busy and I'll try to add some pictures in this post.  We'll see if I have enough time though.  This is going to be very very long and I understand if you just scroll through the pictures.  Also, a big announcement at the end!

The zoo was fun.  We went with my very very good friend Zuke from high school and his family.  (Zuke and I were stand partners in orchestra.)  Their boys get along really good with Butterfly and they ran the zoo like it was a race course.  We saw lots of animals and even had the thrilling moment of the cougar really wanting to eat their baby girl.  Apparently bringing a cougar out of it's den, having it hiss and snarl at her, and try to pounce on her happens with every cougar they've ever seen.  She better not go to BYU.  (Mascot is a cougar.)

That day Juice and I were able to get to the temple and out to eat for a date.  I love hanging out with Juice.  He's fun. 

Also that day Juice's nephews came over to my parents house and played rock band in my dad's theater.  They had a great time!

Thursday I watched my nephew Cappy in the morning and then we spent the day with Juice's family.  We took his nephews (minus one) geocaching.  We took family pictures (everyone, minus my sil Splats and her family) and Juice stayed up talking till 6am with everyone.  I took the kids home around 9pm.

Friday we had all of our friends over for a BBQ and had a great time!  At one point there were 13 kids at my mom's...all 5 years old and under.  You'd think we all had babies at the same time!  :)  Here are all the kids, minus 2 who left before I thought to take a picture.  All the older kids enjoyed playing in the sprinklers outside and we all sat and talked about old friends, houses, jobs, etc.  I had a great time.

Saturday we went on our annual trip to Cabela's for all you can eat breakfast.  We fed the fish, saw some animal dioramas, shopped for shorts, and saw some more fish.  Juice and I were able to find some shorts for him to wear since he ripped a hole in his only pair.  I was able to go to a birthday party for my BFF Mink's little girl Fair.  (She was born a few days before Christmas and so she's celebrating her half birthdays in June.)  It poured cats and dogs that day.  Juice went up to the hospital to see Seraph who was not doing too well.  She is better but still needs your prayers.  We also went out to eat with my family.  I had 3 people come up and pat me on the shoulder and tell me, "Bless you."  I must have seemed a little harried that day.

Sunday was Father's Day and we went to church with Juice's family.  I am starting to count down the time until nursery because these boys are driving me crazy in church.  We also went over to my Nana's house.  My aunt counted and out of 39 members of my family, 37 showed up.  My cousin S (who fixed my tire last time) had to be taken to the hospital because a bike tire blew up in his face and he hurt his eye.  He's alright.  The paramedics were a big hit for the little kids...and some of the big "kids". 

Monday I met up with my old college roommates at a park.  We had a picnic lunch and I think I aged 3 years trying to keep the boys from killing themselves.  At least they aren't going to die but I think I am!  We did the same thing last year, only this time around there were 2 new people in the picture.

We took my family pictures that night and they turned out pretty cute.  If you'd like to see them...just email me safirecat at gmail dot com and I'll send you the link.  We also went and visited my sister in law Splats and her family that evening.  We had fun playing!

Tuesday I went to see my cousins and their kids.  It was fun to have 8 kids (Butterfly being the oldest) and 3 cousins and one cousin in law.  We had a blast at the park near the house and had a very nice lunch.  I was glad to get Butterfly to meet some of her second cousins because they are all her age and love princesses, just like she does.

I raced home to put kids to sleep and also get to a whale movie with BFF Mink.  I think we only missed the first few minutes which is good for me.  Poor Mink...I feel bad making her late ALL THE TIME.  The movie was in 3-D and I only got a few of the things in 3-D since I apparently have a hard time seeing artifical 3-D.  It was fun to hang out with her without our kids and walk around Thanksgiving Point.

My brother and sil came over for dinner again and we had a nice time being together.  This was Juice's last night in Utah.  He left at 6am the next morning.

Wednesday I was supposed to go see another cousin but things kept getting in the way.  Instead I took Butterfly horseback riding and out for ice cream.  (Her bribe for being good for the photographer on Monday.)  She had a great time and road Bailey, my uncle's horse in his pasture and in his yard.  My feet have apparently changed since my pregnancy and my boots gave me HUGE blisters on my heals.  They hurt so so bad.  But we had a great time with the horses. 

Thursday I spent the morning with my Nana again and no disasters at her house.  That evening Mink and I went horseback riding with my uncle's horses again...but without kids.  We rode 2 miles down the trail by their house and back.  My horse was very skittery, but I had such a good time.  I love riding.  I wish I could do it more often.  I think I may need new boots though because my blisters were oozing blood after this ride.  Worth it.  :)

Friday morning Mink and I drove to This Is the Place Hertiage Park for a breakfast they were having there.  Well, the breakfast was over by the time we got there and it was 20 dollars a kid!  No way we were paying that!  So we drove up the canyon to a little tiny diner for breakfast.  Well, they couldn't seat 7 (how many we had...kids and all) so we left.  But as we were leaving, a big group left too.  So we went back into the diner and took the table for 6 and held baby Fair.  The biscuts were amazing!  We left with pretty much everyone crying and a huge mess on the floor.  Back to the park for some pony rides and baby animal petting.  We also had really good ice cream, rode the train, bought things at the general store, and didn't spend nearly enough time there. 

Saturday we were supposed to go to Promintary Point but recieved a phone call from my other grandmother's nursing home.  She had been taken to the hospital unresponsive.  My dad went out there to be with her and my mom and I went to the BYU bookstore.  Their toffee peanuts are amazing!  We got ice cream at the creamery and dinner at our favorite sandwich shop in Provo.  My grandmother is doing fine but she had a bad infection.

That night my dad and I did go out to the Great Salt Lake and stayed until almost midnight taking pictures.  We almost got eaten by bugs but luckily my Dad had bug stuff in his camera bag.  

Sunday (yesterday) we went to hear my brother and sil sing in church.  It sounded very nice!  I spent most of the meeting walking the boys in the hall with my mom.  Zuke and his family came over for dinner and the kids played.  We had amazing steaks (thanks Dad) and stayed up talking way too late.  But it was fun.

Today the plan is for me to go out to lunch with Mink for our annual girly lunch without kids and then Bee (remember Bee?) is taking Butterfly ice skating.  I will not be skating because my blisters are still really bad.  My mom has this whole week off so I'm really looking forward to doing some fun things with her.  I do miss Juice and I'm getting anxious to see him again in about a week.  I can't believe our time here is almost over!

If you've made it this far...congrats!  Here's the annoucement.  Remember this girl?

Guess who is coming to stay with us for the rest of the summer?!  I am SO EXCITED!  I love Flower.  And I love her family for letting her come with us on our driving and for letting us keep her for over a month and then put her on a plane by herself to come home.  We are going to be able to do so many cool things this summer now.

Safire 

Utah Day 9-14

Everyone,

It's sad.  I was trying to write every single day for a year but it just didn't happen.  Oh well...here is a catch up post.

Friday we spent the day with my grandparents and enjoyed their company and their lunch!  Thanks Nana and Grandpa!

Saturday we went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house with my grandparents and my bro and sil and Cappy.  Fun but cold outside!  We also took all the kids to get their hair cut.  The first cut for the boys!  Professor screamed through the whole thing (while dripping saliva from his sucker all over the drape and getting hair plastered to his face because of it).  Professor had a bell he was focused on (the place had little cars for them to sit in) and he stood stock still.  Ah, life with twins.  Butterfly also got a trim and a princess hairdo.  They had a slide in the hair cutting place and Professor loved it so much.  He got so excited at the top bouncing on his knees.  He then pitched forward to get on his hands to go down the slide but didn't realize the edge of the slide was right there.  He bashed his head pretty good and had a huge goose egg.  I think he cried more that we were leaving the slide than the goose egg.

Sunday we spent at Juice's parents house, going to church with them and eating a ton of fruit.  I fell asleep in the mother's lounge with one of the boys.  I think I might be tired.  We also raced downtown to see my brother sing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir that morning.  I love to see him up there doing what he loves to do!  We also saw a good friend's drawings and were able to see our Prophet.

Monday we went hiking wth BFF Mink and her girls.  We had a great time until we had to run home so we wouldn't be caught in the thunderstorms that are happening every evening.  It has rained every day since we've been here.  Juice's BFF J came over that evening and we went for yet another hike (this time without the kids).  We also went geocaching which I always find fun.  We found one we had been looking for for over a week so I was excited.  Juice and J stayed up until 1am talking and playing Rock Band. 

Today was another day spent at my grandparents' house for me and a day spent with Juice's family for Juice.  Juice had a great time with his nephews who are visiting from Idaho...mostly because we are here and they have never met our kids.  Their youngest was a baby when we moved to Maryland so it's fun to see how grown up they all seem.

My kids decided to knock over a fake tree of my Nana's and break some glass orniments she had hanging on it for decoration.  They also decided that the orniments should be eaten!!  Ack!  I have no idea if they swallowed anything (probably) and we left soon after that.  I also got a flat in BOB's wheels from a thorn I probably picked up while hiking yesterday.  My awesome cousin S (who is 14?) fixed it for me.  I kind of miss being around my family.

I also got my hair cut today.  Yes, cut means really different.  I have bangs.  It's short.  It's seriously different.  Pictures later since I haven't taken them yet.

Cappy is spending part of the night with us and it's been fun to have all of the cousins together.  They are actually all sleeping (yes, they are asleep) in the same room.  We took some pictures of all the boys in their pjs together and it's so cute!  It has also reinforced that I'd really rather not have triplets.  My boys are running me pretty ragged these days and adding another one to the mix changings the whole dinamic.  Triplet moms are amazing.

We're off to the zoo tomorrow so I'm off to bed!

Safire 

Utah Day 8

Everyone,

Today we had nothing scheduled. It was a weird day for us...we often have every day scheduled. We did think that Juice could paint my parents' deck today but with the weird weather and rain Utah has been getting we figured today would not be a good day for deck painting. (Good thing too because there was a huge thunderstorm this afternoon.)

We thought a movie might be something fun to do instead. We had been wanting to take Butterfly to see "Up" for awhile. What better time to take her when we have built in babysitters for the boys! Because really, movies for them are no an option until they are older. Juice's parents watched the boys this afternoon while we took Butterfly and my mom to see "Up". It's very cute but very adult in places and pretty scary at the end. At least, Butterfly told me it was kind of scary at the end. If the screaming and crawling up my arm to bury her head in my neck wasn't an indication of being scary, I don't know what is.

We spent some time with Grandma and Grandpa (thanks for a fun afternoon!) and got the most awesome grape juice from Grandma to help with our sickies. Yes, we are still sick here. Everyone has runny noses (except for me, I have a sore throat and ear pressure) and Juice seems to be coming off the worst in our little family. Sadly, my dad has pneumonia AGAIN (I think this makes 4 times in a year?) so we are trying not to spread the love.

No one got a good night's sleep last night so I'm hoping that tonight will remedy that. I'm off to bed!

Safire

Utah Day 7

Everyone,

It's a dinosaur! Today we went to the dinosaur museum with my BFF Mink and her two girls. We had so much fun looking at all the dinosaur bones and playing in the wet sand exhibit. (Which Professor promptly ate and grossed Mink out.)

Still it's an awesome museum for around here. We have been to several museums in the past considering the Smithsonian is close for us in Maryland and this one is good.

Juice has been going to the Draper Temple every day in the morning. It's so amazing to be able to walk to the temple. I can see it out my window now and it's very beautiful.

The kids took good naps this afternoon and Juice and I played Rock Band. It's fun to have so much time with him during the day. And our days aren't terribly crowded with things to do so we can spend some actual time together.

It also hailed here this afternoon and I had to explain to Butterfly what the "little balls that are coming out of the sky" were. She's observant.

Safire

Utah Day 6

Everyone,

I've been in Utah for almost a week now. The time seems to be flying by. There is so much I'd like to do and see and I'm anxious to get out and do it. But the kids need time to adjust. I think Professor needs it the most. He has been cross, cranky, clingy all day today. They all have small colds (lucky us, sick AGAIN) but he is really unhappy. Poor kid.

Today my SIL Angel (married to my only sibling) and I went shopping. I don't think I've bought clothes for myself in about 2 years. My church skirt I brought along has a huge hole in the back right across my butt. So. I need something else to wear. We went out shopping today and I think I found something fairly cute. It's knee length and I never wear knee length stuff. My legs are so long I always think that I am showing an insane amount of skin. This one isn't too bad. My mom watched the boys and Butterfly and Juice spent the afternoon at his parents house. It was fun to get out with just Angel and no kids. She got a skirt too.

My mom went through her closet and was cleaning out a bunch of stuff. And hey, I fit into a bunch of stuff she was planning on giving away. So I got a few new capris and a new pair of shorts, a skirt, and a shirt. Nice! Shopping without money is always the best kind of shopping, don't you think? :)

Safire

Utah Day 5

Everyone,

Today was just a down day for us. I thought the kids could use a day at home playing instead of being in the car for a week. The boys took their two naps and went to bed at about 6:30pm. Of course, they screamed for awhile before they fell asleep, but we're getting back into our normal schedule.

My best friend Mink came over with her two kids, Spider and Fair. This is the first time I met Fair and she is so cute! She is 5 and a half months old and so smiley! I love smiley babies. Spider and Butterfly were playing okay together. They are about a year apart. It's interesting to see the difference in age. Butterfly wants to play with Spider but Spider wants to play with whatever Butterfly is playing with. As in she wanted to take the doll that Butterfly was playing with. Still, we had a nice time together and enjoyed our lunch together.

Juice and I were able to get out of the house 2 times today without the kids. It's so nice to have baby sitters in the same house. We went out geocaching but didn't find it. Tonight we went on a date to get some ice cream and found another geocache. We also went to buy dog food. We are so romantic. :)

Safire

Utah Day 4

Everyone,

Views from the road. Literally. I took these while driving. Please excuse the bug splatters on the windows.

A pretty sunset in West Virginia.












I think this is Indianapolis.












The biggest cross I have ever seen.












St. Louis Missouri (my dad took this one, I was driving).












Colorado!

The landscape in Utah.

It was interesting to see the world change outside our windows. We went from mostly tree lined roads to fields then to more fields and flat then to rolling hills then to mountains then in the mountains to the desert. It was fun to see the progression. I have more field pictures but I'll spare you the monotony.

Safire

Utah Day 3

Everyone,

Why is it the last few miles of a trip always seem to take the longest? At least this time the last few miles brought us Juice and a place for the boys to run around in. They found all the toys at Nana's house and are happily sleeping in the same room. Happy for the boys, not so happy for Butterfly. They had baths and turned the water a pretty pink color. All that red rock dust from southern Utah makes a nice color when mixed with water.

This morning we spent the time loading up the car (a lot more involved than you think) and driving around to see Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. We did some geocaching in Dead Horse Point and saw a very cool arch in Canyonlands. (Yesterday we hiked through Arches...it was windy and the hikes we went on were always longer than we thought they'd be.)

I got some great pictures, I think. I haven't really looked through the ones I got today.

The kids were okay until we got on the road to get home. I wanted to drive but that lasted maybe 10 miles. The kids are just used to me being back with them and so I fetched toys and broke up fights between Pirate and Butterfly or Pirate and Professor. It's hard to be the kid in the middle car seat.

Now we are at my parents' house with their really nice soft bed and we are all beat. More tomorrow!

Safire

Utah Day 2

Everyone,
Safire

Utah Day 1

Everyone,

We made it to Utah today.  We are in Moab for a few days to see the arches and then we are headed up to Salt Lake.  Butterfly calls this the "Shiny Rock Place" because we've been talking about being here to look at pretty rocks.  My mom met us here tonight and I love having her around. 

We got here earlier than all the other days of driving (we got here around 4pm as opposed to 7 or 8pm) so we had some free time.  There was a miscomunication with the kennel where Soot was supposed to stay tonight (this lady has to have an hour with me and the dog to get her "acclimated" to her place.  An hour!  She says it's for the good of the animal and I have to counter with it's just an animal and one night!)  We went out to eat at a pizza restaurant (not great) and did a little geocaching in town.  I'm going to have to buy a souvenir t-shirt I think.  Butterfly had her first bright blue snow cone.  Pirate has fallen off the bed about 4 times in an hour so he's no longer allowed on the bed with no supervision.  As in, you have to be next to him at all times.  They are currently sleeping and I hope they will stay that way.

Professor slept in bed with me from about 2:30am on last night.  I did not sleep well and was pretty cross today.  Pirate was also really cross and cried a lot.  Poor kid.  We are all feeling a little done with the car.  Good thing tomorrow we are going hiking. 

I'm going to have to get some new toys for the trip back.  Everyone is tired of what's in the car now.  And we still have a 5 hour drive on Saturday to Salt Lake.  Ugh...I am looking forward to being at my mom's house and just being in one place for awhile.

Safire

PS- Kelly, I got the message...will call you when I get to my mom's house.  :)

Colorful Colorado

Everyone,

This hotel does have high speed internet but I can't figure it out.  So I'm just going to type this online and post it when I get the chance.  Like yesterday's post.  Edited: my dad got it working.

Today was our big driving day.  We went over 700 miles today and made it to Denver around 7pm.  I was excited about getting here for two reasons.  One, mountains!  I love to see the mountains and this is a skyline I know well.  Two, I lived in the Denver area until I was 12.  Well, a month away from being 12.  We got a hotel room near my old house and were able to go by it.  I saw my old elementary school and a few of my old haunts.  My old house looks old.  My parents built it when I was a baby so I guess it's almost 30 years old.  Still, it looks run down.  The trees my dad planted are still there.  And I still remember where all my friends lived. 

Things are also a lot smaller there.  I think I grew a little.

We talked about where we wanted to go for dinner and one place jumped to my mind.  Casa Bonita.  This is a really fun place to eat.  They have cliff divers, mexican dancers, and a mariachi band.  They also have Black Bart's cave which is just a little path through a man made cave.  They have a bunch of scary stuff in it now (which I don't remember) but you can walk through the dragon's mouth, past it's heart (which was beating when I was there...poor Ignacio must have kicked the bucket) and out the other side. 

I remember being terrified of going through the dragon's mouth.  I always took it at a run so I wouldn't be caught in his mouth when he decided to close it.  And I was sure he was going to do it at any second.  I also remember my dad pretending to drop me into the world's largest abyss.  It's a black floor with a bridge 6 inches above it but I was convinced that it was really the abyss and I was going to fall and fall and fall until I grew up and then hit the ground.  Funny what you remember.

Butterfly had a grand time.  She barely ate anything because she was too busy watching the cliff divers, listening to the music or talking about going to the cave.  This could be the reason why she went to bed tonight complaining that her tummy hurt.  Sorry kid...dinner has to be eaten.  She was terrified of the dragon and walked the last half of the cave with her head buried in my back.  She also got a flasher, and watched a puppet show.  Dad wanted to get pictures done in the old picture place but I figured the boys wouldn't let me put them down for one.  I can probably figure out how to do one in photo shop anyway.

The boys were okay.  Considering it was late (after 8pm MST which is like after 10pm for them) and we woke them up to get them inside.  Professor decided half way through dinner he was scared of all the people and the noise and the clapping and curled up in my lap with his head on my chest.  Pirate's eyes were as big as saucers at everything and he just soaked it up.  I'm sure it was a nice change to being in the car all day.

I just fell asleep typing that last sentence so I think I need to go to bed.  Good night!

Safire

A Day in Missouri

Everyone,

I can't find a free internet to post this so I am writing it offline and will post it as I get the chance.

We are in Missouri and two of the three kids are sleeping soundly.  Professor's eyes are red rimmed but he is insisting that I play peekaboo with him over the edge of his pack an play.  I worry that he is stepping on his brother but not enough to go over there and check.  I imagine if Pirate was being stepped on he would protest or move.  I think Professor was the one kid who actually got good sleep in the car today.  Butterfly did not nap at all.  Pirate only napped while I had my hand on him so I spent the day in a very awkward position.  Beyond that, it was a fairly good day.

We left Kelly's this morning after a lovely breakfast of waffles and muffins and cereal.  We made good time across the state, only having to stop once for a pit stop for Butterfly.  She is loving her "magic" markers and her dry erase board.  I am also really really glad I bought some new toys to bring along because she is doing fine with those.  I also bought her a little lap table thing so she could eat on it and play on it.  It's been very handy.  I bought her and the boys some head rests so they could sleep a little more comfortably.  I bought Butterfly a different one than I bought the boys and I love hers so much more.  Links to come, just not right now.

We met up with my friend Karen for lunch.  I told Karen the wrong day and I am feeling very ashamed at myself.  Granted, I keep calling today Wednesday anyway but still.  I am SO SORRY Karen.  Forgive me?  And thanks for the pizza and dog sitting!

We went to a few church history sites today.  I'll talk about them in another post when I can actually put up pictures of all we saw.  It was beautiful.  Peaceful. 

With all that beauty and peace came grass and dirt and rocks and clover flowers to pick.  The boys were filthy.  Butterfly was no pretty picture either.  I decided that since tomorrow is our longest driving day yet, everyone needs a bath.  So, hotel bath here we come!  Butterfly was NOT happy about taking a bath with no toys.  But sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do.  And let me tell you, bathing three kids by myself and getting them all ready by myself is no fun.  I miss Juice.

I am having a fine time but I am looking forward to being at my mom's house and not sitting sideways in the car for hours on end.  Mountains tomorrow!!

Safire

Hello from St. Louis

Everyone,

My good friend has graciously opened her house for us tonight and I have a moment to update you all on our progress.  Let me just say that it's the biggest help for the kids to be able to get out of the car today and run around in a house with other kids and new toys.  Amazing!

Anyway, last night we got into Ohio late and the kids slept amazingly well.  Although Butterfly kept hushing the boys as they cried.  She wanted it to be quiet!  Professor woke up at 4:30 or 5am to eat and went back to bed around 7am.  The hotel was nice...a big room with a fold out bed for Butterfly.  The boys shared the pack and play and they are not going to be able to do that much longer.

We had a really nice breakfast with my cousin and his family who live in Ohio.  I had never met their girls (one is about the same age as Butterfly) and we were on the road by 10am.

Then we drove.  And drove.  And stopped.  Several times.  Butterfly kept having to go to the bathroom about every 20 minutes.  I think because she wanted to get out of the car.  We were about an hour later coming into St. Louis than I wanted but we made it here.  The boys screaming the last hour or so.  We didn't stop because we were close and I knew they would be happier running around the house.

They were.  It's been fun to be here.  We're off tomorrow for some sight seeing and a little bit of an easier day.  I'd like to take Butterfly swimming at the hotel.  I'd like to take all the kids swimming if I can convince my dad to go with us.  I think we would all benefit from a small break from the car. 

Safire