Part 2: Operation Survive the Portland Winter

Utah Trip

The next part of my scheme to survive the long, wet and dreary Oregon winter was a trip to Utah for Erin’s wedding.  The kids and I left as soon as we could after their colorguard season was over and made the long drive all in one day.  (No vomiting this time, thank goodness—if you’ll notice, I hadn’t driven to Utah since the vomiting trip last August.)

We packed just as much into this trip as humanly possible.

First, a stop-over in Mantua to see my dad & Ramona.  I had a great visit with my dad and listened to him tell mission stories while Ramona was getting her hair cut.

We were totally impressed by the swing structure they had just built in their back yard.

From Mantua we went to Cindy Lynn’s house where it was all about Kate.

Then, lest we stay too still, we went up to Bountiful for an afternoon with my sisters & a bunch of cousins

and from there went on to an overnight at a fun hotel with a waterslide with some of the cousins.

Rachel, Jenna, & Jared spent the next few days at Andra’s house where she again proved that she is the funnest aunt.

I picked Russ up from the airport and we went to a 3 day seminar at Jeremy’s work.  Jeremy had already taught us a lot of the stuff that we heard there, but there were also some personal things that were really transformative.

When we got back to Cindy Lynn’s house Saturday evening Josh had arrived from Oregon and the whole gang was there.  (These moments where all of my kids are together are really precious to me now that it happens to rarely.)

We drove up to Bountiful Saturday night and spent the night & the next day with Russ’s family.  Josh spent some of that time with grandpa’s wig.

We had a big family dinner at Marilyn’s house.  I just LOVE LOVE LOVE Russ’s family—they are so much fun to hang out with!!!

Sunday night we drove back to Pleasant Grove.  Russ needed to work on Monday and we’d decided that my brother Jeff’s was the best place for that, and that with all of us there it would be too crowded to stay at Cindy Lynn’s.

On Monday afternoon the girls and I went up to Salt Lake to see a production of Les Mis.  It was wonderful and while it made our time there even more hectic I am so glad that now my girls know and love Les Mis too.  Afterwards we did a little shopping.  The girls were both excited to see this.

As we walked back out to the car they were so cute together that I had to take a picture even though it was too dark.  I love the moments that my kids are really enjoying each other!

At Jeff’s house I had to snap a few pictures because this was definitely the obsession of the trip—playing 2048.  There were several moments that everyone was playing it at the same time!

Jeff & Amber’s dog Copper is seriously our favorite dog in the world.  Too bad we can’t clone him.

The next day, Tuesday, was the big day.  Erin & Will’s wedding.  We were so excited, especially once the bridesmaids sashes were done & distributed, recommend-less Cindy Lynn made it into the sealing room, and the slideshow was done. Erin was a beautiful bride and it was a happy chaos outside of the temple.  Being there on this day with our almost-daughter and our almost-family made a heart happy day.

We spent the next day hanging out with Cindy Lynn & Kate, and then on Thursday we left Jenna to spend an extra week with Cindy Lynn, then picked up Ken, Alisyn, & Connor and headed to Washington for the reception at Will’s house.

What a great trip it was, just packed with fun and therapeutic happiness!