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