Dashing out of town

In our mini van

We headed to Utah

To surprise Grandpa

The trip was really brief

For some winter relief

We played in snow and froze to death and we weren't ready to come home.

(who says it all has to rhyme?)

OHHHHHH.....

Loved Park City,

Loved Draper,

Loved to see our friends.

Loved Grandpa's surprised face

Loved Grandma's muffins!

Loved our cousins,

Loved the SNOW

We had so dang much fun

Wish it never ended

Can't wait to go back!

The kids had a BLAST in the winter wonderland! We made record time (10 1/2 hours going the speed limit) so we had extra snow time on Friday!

We went to Park City on Friday night so that Nate's dad wouldn't see us in town until the big SURPRISE on Saturday morning.

After dinner the kids were so excited that they willingly pulled on LAYERS of clothes: Long johns, socks, jeans, turtle-neck, sweatshirt, bibs, more socks, coat, scarf, hat, hoodie, gloves, more gloves, and then stepped into their snow boots...

And stepped out for their first sledding experience!

Cole didn't know if it was going to be too fun after he stepped into the snow, off the deck, and was waist deep in white freezing cold powder! But after a quick rescue, he decided it was going to be a lot of fun!

Nate and Curt designed the sledding trail of dreams!

Braige and Brogan joined us for the festivities... They are part-ay animals!

The kids played for hours! Up and down the hill until WWWAAAYY past bedtime!

So... As it goes, all bedtime rules were out the window... and "PLAY your brains out" took over!

We were mid-nighters on Friday! Because everyone knows that when you get done sledding you have to feel the love of Hot Chocolate melting your stomach... along with steaming buttery popcorn and an old movie... And so we did!

Saturday morning we drove to Draper... for the BIG surprise! And BIG it definitely was! Nate's dad turned 70 on the 16th of January and we couldn't let this landmark birthday go by without a celebration fit for a KING! As good surprises go, a lot of misinformation was flying around... (AKA: B.S.!!!) Dick was so surprised when we all had tickets to go to the Draper, UT temple open house on the same day that mom had barely been able to scrounge up only enough for him and her! And mysteriously, even Anneli and Senja (two of Dick's Finnish friends that he baptized years ago) were in attendance!

It was AWESOME!

Grandpa showing Bailey where the new Finland LDS temple is... He served his mission there and it will ever be a special place for him.

Anneli, Senja, Dick and Linda

Grandpa enjoying the birthday song before the candle ceremony began...

He had just eaten' ribs and potatoes, veggie delight and fruit jello. So Cake and ice cream were definitely in order.

Matt, Nate and Dave enjoying a good laugh... at some seriously funny jokes... on the freezing cold deck in Highland.

Cole, Mckay and Bailey outside with Grandpa and Grandma at their house.

It was so cold... and Mckay had just bit a hole in his tongue... Po McKay...

Bailey felt it of great importance to always remember the huge icicles that had formed on the roof. And so... we will.

This is not an innocent face holding a snow ball!

Again... all rules out the window... go ahead, stay up all night... play outside in the bitter cold.... Eat snow...

One request: Please make sure it isn't yellow.

So as the short lived winter sabbatical was, we didn't get to see everybody that we wanted. But we did get to surprise our OLD grandpa and play a lot with our cousins... and we did get to enjoy lots of snow time and learn the ins and outs of sledding! And we did get to laugh a lot and defy many rules of bed time and wearing our coats... and we did see our dear friend, Mr. Nielson and delivered oranges to Nie from the lovely Dillards. And we did find out that we are related to Mr. Nielson in that visit. Never mind that it is so distant that you are also related to him. And we did get to see that he is happy and positive and still ridiculously good looking and funny! And we did get to share a tear with Nie's mother when she and Mr. Nielson spewed gratitude and begged us to pass it along to EVERYBODY that we see that has touched their lives in life altering ways. And we did get to have grandma's garden picked squash. And we did get to visit the grave site of the honorable Gene Owens whom we love and miss.

So our trip was full and ever so beautiful...

And on the way home we drove right past a gajillion antelope... herds and herds... and then we turned around and drove past them again.

And it was even more of a lovely trip... And we were happier.

And we made killer time STILL! Coming home... going the speed limit... with a potty break or two... and bought a bag of doritos to stink up our car with.

Happy times.

It's always fun for everyone when Grandpa and Grandma Come!

Today we went to the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson. If you want to claim a love for zoos this one will win your heart HANDS DOWN!
This was how our day went:
Get up- Get ready- GO!
"Dad, how are is Tucson?"
"Mom, is Tucson in California?"
"Dad, are we getting close?"
"Grandpa, do you know where Tucson is?"
"Grandma, Have you been to Tucson?"
"Dad, how much longer?"
1 1/2 hours later...
exit 22nd St. go East to McDonalds... aka: the nations most ghetto Golden arches south of Verde Valley (it definitely rivals). Pile out of car and head in for squatting practice in the women's restroom. Stand on one leg to flush el- toilet and then mummify hand with t.p. in preparation of opening the bathroom stall. Magically unwrap hand, turn on water, soap up, rinse and dry hands without touching ANYTHING all the while your nose is strategically positioned down your shirt sniffing out fresher more "non-pollutant" air quality.

Walk or run back to car -passing transients along the way... Except Grandma who had the brains to look up and see what was coming so she turned and took the long way, through the drive through, back to the car to avoid uncomfortable situations.
Exit- Go North to Reid Park Zoo...


Grandpa and Grandma with the kids...

These Giraffes were like the ones on Sesame Street... you know... loving each other with their necks! They were sooo cute!

Look what hatched! Larry , Moe, and Harry.






It's always fun for everyone when Grandpa and Grandma come. They always want to go play and enjoy EVERYTHING while they are here. We made it home in 1 1/2 hours... imagine, the same time it took to get there and not much else changed on that ride either....

"dad, are we getting close to Mesa?"

"mom, how much further?"

"Dad, I have to pee."

"I'm hungry"

"Are we close?"

...... ........ ........

Photographic Documentation

A trip to forever

A few years ago the extraordinary Nate won "employee of the year"! His prize included 2 tickets anywhere in the continental U.S. We tossed around several dream vacations. After all, there is so much to see here in the Land of the FREE.
Meanwhile, Mr. McKay had some dreamy ideas of his own. His eyes twinkled each time he made his wish to visit the Nation's capital. A twinkle recognizable by ANY but felt immensely by his dad and to the core by his mom. His fascinations with the establishment of our freedom, the sacrifice of our forefathers, and the seemingly ancient documents declaring our Independence intrigued McKay so much that he collected all the information he could... whether by book or interview, it was his for the taking. Then he locked it in his clever little mind only to let it escape if sharing the news with others. He never let up on the interest.
Papa Nate couldn't stand it any longer. He cashed in his prize for a treasure... A trip with his buddy... that will last in his memory forever. A trip to D.C.
The day came and the excitement was magical. All of us~ parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and sweet little Bailey and loving Coley~ could hardly wait for McKay and Nate to indulge in the history of our choice land. They spent 6 delightful days visiting the sites and reading and learning and playing and creating memories.