Utah Road Trip Sunday

Chased Kariann down Sunday morning after she and I were finally both "ready" at the same time (although I do NOT like how fat my face looks!!!). What a beautiful woman she is! We headed over to Sandy to spend the morning and church service with our old friends the van Zyverden's. Shellie made a yummy homemade soup and bread, and the boys were thrilled to see their old buddies. Wesley especially wanted to hold the baby girl Millie! We caught up  on our lives for a bit, but then it was time to wrap up and bundle up all these little kiddos to get to church on time! It was a full meeting, so we ended up being on the front row of all places. ha! 

After church was just as special b/c we met up with my cousins Meg and Clint Christensen in their home. They are always so gracious and inviting. We laughed and just felt comfortable being in their home. We then headed over to my tia Estela's house where we had a great little dinner spread with all my cousins that were in town. It meant so much to me to see everyone! I roamed and waddled from person to person with hugs and smiles and just wanting to know everything about their lives. Some I hadn't seen in 5 years, or had had children that I had never seen or met! 

Clint read us a Christmas story that the kids loved, and we all just sat around laughing. So fun to just relax and laugh with family members! Made me want to move back to Utah for moments like that. After many hugs and kisses, we wrapped things up and headed back to Kariann's for one last night.

Bright and early the next day we started cleaning up our mess! Did as many chores as we could think of and then loaded up the car for a drive back. We spent a few hours in St George, got lost looking for a Chick Fil A (which made us more delayed) and eventually headed back to AZ, arriving at midnight. Boys were solid travelers and Jared did great driving. I was nervous around Wickenburg that maybe I could go into labor, in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night...but all was well and we survived. Even my swollen and tingling feet and hands made it! So glad we went to Utah, that it snowed, that I saw my family and we were safe! 

Utah Road Trip Wedding

The big wedding! Jared and i left our kids with a babysitter and headed to Temple Square for a wedding dinner at the Joseph Smith Memorial building. It was FREEZING, especially for us Arizonians! Now that I think of it, we should've walked around the temple grounds and enjoyed the lights b/c we never made it back to see them! It was too cold and the boys opted to go home and watch a movie. 

I was thrilled to see my girl Michelle! She was radiant and happy and just beaming. I brought her my homemade pillows "Mr and Mrs" that I had done for her and she was really touched by them. We stayed until everyone had left so that I could have a little one on one time with her (since I knew the next day would be chaos).  I loved being on a date with my special man and also sharing some thoughts and insights with Michelle for her new marriage. 

The next day we bundled up and headed to the temple. Tio Gavin was brave and kind enough to keep the 4 boys at the mall and take them shopping while we attended the sealing. We had arrived with enough time (but got behind a slow couple by the dressing rooms!!!) to go to a live session....but, they closed the doors and told us we were out of luck. I was so bugged! Hard to have a nice spirit after not being successful (even though we traveled all the way from AZ!). Instead we listened to some sealings (which were also full of people) and then sat in the Celestial Room for like an hour. Very ornate and antiqued! I caught a little glimpse of Michelle as she was getting ready for her sealing, which was special :)  The ceremony was simple and lovely and awesome. I was so happy for Michelle and it was great being around her family too.

After some cold wedding pictures (Levi kept saying "temple!!!), we loaded up with the boys to get some lunch at the Brick Oven pizza/pasta. The boys loved it! I ordered tons of pasta, but of course no questions were asked with my huge belly showing. 

We got changed up for the wedding reception, poor Levi just taking naps wherever he could from being off schedule. The reception hall was really pretty, with Christmas lights everywhere, a hot cocoa buffet and of course snacks. I mingled with the family members and tried to stay off my stiletto heels! Our boys were pretty bored and energetic, but we lasted until she cut the cake. Then it as home to a toasty fireplace, movie, a massage for mama and big sleepover on the floor!

Utah Road Trip Sledding

We left for Michelle and Robert Fordham's wedding after Jared got off work on a Wednesday (not 'til 2pm!). We had a long 10 hour drive to Utah, arriving close to 1am to Kariann Sewell's house in South Jordan (Daybreak). The boys traveled really well (of course they did watch 6 movies in the car!) We stopped for Subway in St George and pressed on. The boys were thrilled to see snow for the first time and played in it (even the dirty stuff) at the gas station! 

I loved every minute I had with my old SUU roommate Kariann. We stayed up every night talking 'til late, looking at social media with her single friends, sharing memories over tea (I had hot cocoa), and just building up our friendship again. Our kids got along great with each other, played Monopoly card games and of course played in the snow. How fortunate we were to crash at her house, share meals and then run around as needed. It was crazy snow blizzard weather and so we had to be extra careful and take more time to travel. 

My good friend Julie Boam came all the way down from Layton to visit with me for an afternoon. She took Levi and I out for some last minute Christmas shopping (in the blizzard!) I was so tired with throbbing feet from my cute tall boots that in Target I had to take them off and go barefoot! I loved seeing her and reconnecting with her. She is always so whitty and fresh!

The boys were lucky to have fresh snow on their first day in Utah! They got up early, put on borrowed snow gear and played! Snowmen, caves, snowballs, and forts were just a few. We were lucky to have a neighbor lend us clothing for little Levi. A priceless picture to see he and Isaac in snow for the first time! Tio Gavin drove over from Sandy the next day and went sledding with us. It's a lot of work getting everyone in the snow gear, but he helped out the prego mama. Fresh snow is so beautiful! 

After we got cold and tired from sledding, we then went and had a yummy soup lunch date with our old mission presidents George. It had been several years since Jared had seen them, and I had the opportunity to run into them last year when I went to the Oquirrh Mtn Temple on a business trip. Our boys were very well behaved (even ate the soup) and we had a nice quick visit. As we left, I remember Pte telling Jared that he was not worried about him, like he may be with other Elders. I think that made Jared proud :) 

To finish off the afternoon we enjoyed and indulged on some Dunford Donuts!