Where Have We Been?

When we left on our vacation I originally planned on staying in Idaho until after the 4th of July. But after 3 weeks it was time to come home. Beside the fact that I was freezing and had enough of the wind and the rain I really missed Big Daddy and I think he missed us too.

On the 1st of June we dropped Big Daddy at the Twin Falls airport so he could come back home and work while the rest of us played.

I was really hard to say goodbye to him. Maybe the hardest since we have been married. I am pretty sure that is a good thing!

LaLa wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him either.

And off he went in the wild, gray yonder.

On Friday the 19th of June he was flying into Salt Lake City. So we packed up and hit the road. I felt bad leaving Niece since it was her birthday, and Kirk and Kira were going to be leaving later in the day for their “family” float trip. She felt bad and whined about us leaving. You can read it here.

We really had a wonderful time while we were away and I still have a ton of things to post about.

Here are the kiddos with Aunt Niece on the day we left.

We said goodbye.

Gave some hugs (or tried to wrestle Uncle Kirk).

And some kisses.

The girlies showed off our matching Girly Power bracelets.

Then the kiddos and I hit the road to pick up Big Daddy at the airport. We got there just as his plane landed. We were all very excited to see him waiting at the curb to be picked up. I was so excited I didn’t take any pictures.

We threw his suitcase in the overstuffed ol’burban and we headed downtown.

There is so much of this going on that we had a hard time finding a place to park.

I hope with all the new building going on that SLC doesn’t lose the wonderful details that makes it so beautiful.

Nothing can match the beauty of this.

As we were taking pictures of the kiddos with the Temple in the background a nice lady came up and offered to take a picture of all of us.

I love the Bride platform by the Temple. You know you will get a perfect picture from that spot.

We then headed over to Temple Square…which surprise, surprise had construction going on. There are still things to see.

The last time we were on Temple Square they were still doing construction on the Tabernacle.

We went in and had a lovely Missionary from Russia talk to us. We were there while they did the demonstration about the acoustics of the Tabernacle where they rip a piece of paper and then drop 3 straight pins and a nail and you can hear it anywhere in the building – without using any type of amplification. Those pioneers were pretty amazing engineers.

And of course a visit to Temple Square wouldn’t be complete without seeing this.

After leaving Temple Square we went over to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to look around.

This is the Sunday School Time Capsule that is scheduled to be opened in 2049.

Then we headed here for dinner. Delish!

We had a little trauma and drama while we were there. LaLa had fallen down on the way to the restroom and scraped her knee up. The hostess brought 5 chocolate chip cookies for the kiddos to help cheer her up. It worked until we walked outside and she tripped again. More trauma and drama.

Then we got back in the ol’burban and drove to Provo to spend the rest of the weekend with Big Daddy’s brother and his family.

On Saturday we woke up to…wait for it…clouds and rain. I know. Shocking.

It was a perfect day to visit the Beam Museum on the BYU Campus. It is full of taxidermy animals. Kind of freaky, kind of cool.

They have a sweet Liger there. Napoleon Dynamite would love it.

Plus a ton of other things.

Like this amazing butterfly made up of…well dead butterflies.

Beautiful, but kind of weird at the same time.

Then we had to take pictures of the traditional “Uncle Steven sticking Thomas’ head in the hippo’s mouth”. Aunt Christina has a similar picture on her private blog from a while ago.

Big J trying to open his mouth as big as the hippo.

Since Madagascar is LaLa’s favorite movie we had to get a picture of her with the hippo, but since she was freaked out by the hippo head. Uncle Steven helped me take a sneaky shot. She didn’t know she was quite that close to the head.

I thought it was quite appropriate that there was a cougar there.

And it just so happened we were there on the day they were having a reptile show. I know, so lucky…for the kids. I really hate snakes and lizards.

Of course everyone on got a chance to pet the gila monster

and the ball python. Yippee!

Hens is making sure Roo is paying attention…to him.

We also had the chance to drive up Provo Canyon and see Bridal Veil Falls.

If you can’t tell Ham was freezing.

Then we went back to Steven and Christina’s and hung out for the rest of the evening.

We got up on Father’s Day and had a tasty brunch that Christina fixed (again no pictures. Grrr). Then loaded back in the ol’burban and drove all day. I didn’t take any pictures because I tried to sleep most of the day. Poor Big Daddy spent Father’s Day driving with screaming kids and a snoring wife. It doesn’t get much better than that!

We have been home a couple of days now. Most of the vacation laundry is done…and put away. We have been just hangin’ out in our hermit cave.

Pretending the vacation is still going on.

And it still is!