After our trip to Arizona and California, Rich asked me what other adventure the kids and I were going to go on this summer. Last year I embarked on my very first kids and I trip while we left Rich at home because he didn't have vacation time left to use.
We hadn't been out to Utah in two years and I had a nephew and niece that we had never seen, so we decided that the kids and I would drive out and spend some time with my family in Utah.
We stopped at Rich's sister Sharon's house in Denver on our way out, and then finished the drive the next day. The kids did great in the car and we made pretty good time. We even took jojo out with us!
We had a fun time visiting with cousins and my siblings that were in town with spouses and my parents.
I took the girls to the 4th of July Parade in Provo... we found a good spot and even managed to park pretty close. Ashley took over the camera for much of the parade and managed to snap about 700 pictures because I didn't realize it was on the sports setting so each time she took a picture, and held the shutter release down it snapped off 20 pictures or so... lol!
Here are just a few of the pictures she snapped of some of the highlights of the parade:
Kung Foo Panda made an appearance
Scooby Do showed up as well.
The Empire showed up... even the princess hopped on the back.
Fred Flinstone
And probably the only place you would find a big group of missionaries in a parade... but all the Provo Mission Missionaries walked the parade route.
Ashley kept asking when the BYU cheerleaders would show up... this was the closest we got... Cosmo!
The rest of the week we had fun going to the pool, visiting with family, and going to the zoo. Alex even went out shooting with my brother, sister and brother in law. A few more pictures from the zoo...
Rich was able to fly out the following Friday into the Provo airport, and he and I were lucky enough to take the weekend and leave the kids with my parents and we went down to Las Vegas to see some shows, and visit the Hoover Dam. We saw Phantom, and two Cirque Du Soleil Shows- O and Mystere. They were great! We also went on the Hoover Dam tour and got to go down into the Dam and walk around and see more of how it was made and what goes into the operations of the power plant.
It was a wonderful little mini vacation inside of our vacation and we are grateful to my parents for being willing to keep the kids and let us have a little get away.
We drove home in 16 hours and 5 minutes and made the drive with only 2 stops the whole day. I think it's a record for us... :) The kids have gotten so good on road trips and really know the routine and we can make great time.
We are now home to enjoy our 100+ degree temperatures... we normally have about 10 per summer, and we have had 27 days so far this summer that have been 100 degree's or higher.
We hadn't been out to Utah in two years and I had a nephew and niece that we had never seen, so we decided that the kids and I would drive out and spend some time with my family in Utah.
We stopped at Rich's sister Sharon's house in Denver on our way out, and then finished the drive the next day. The kids did great in the car and we made pretty good time. We even took jojo out with us!
We had a fun time visiting with cousins and my siblings that were in town with spouses and my parents.
I took the girls to the 4th of July Parade in Provo... we found a good spot and even managed to park pretty close. Ashley took over the camera for much of the parade and managed to snap about 700 pictures because I didn't realize it was on the sports setting so each time she took a picture, and held the shutter release down it snapped off 20 pictures or so... lol!
Here are just a few of the pictures she snapped of some of the highlights of the parade:
Gymnastics on a flat bed truck while it's moving...
They had a mobile ramp that they would stop and set up every few 100 yards or so.
Very cool old fire truck- it was being pulled by a modern fire truck.
We even had a float with Ariel and Eric from The Little Mermaid
My Alma Mater... OHS Tigers marching band
Ashley loved this little girl with her Betsy Ross costume.
He even had a little trampoline they popped down off the trailor for him to do his traditional dunk.
And the Cannon they shoot off at the BYU football games.
The rest of the week we had fun going to the pool, visiting with family, and going to the zoo. Alex even went out shooting with my brother, sister and brother in law. A few more pictures from the zoo...
Baby Elephant
Smiling Angie
Nathan with Susan's little boy Cooper
Rachel with Vasu
Angie with a smiling Ashley behind her
Alyssa
Posing on the dinosaur
Alex has fun even when he pretends he doesn't
They had some fun digging toys in one little play corner.
Cora... just two months old and so adorable and precious!
Susan with Cooper
Here's the crew all charging ahead to the train for a train ride.
We saw some sibling rivalry at play... it was a real cat fight
On the train at last for a fun little train ride.
I think Mom enjoyed it just as much as the kids.
Rich was able to fly out the following Friday into the Provo airport, and he and I were lucky enough to take the weekend and leave the kids with my parents and we went down to Las Vegas to see some shows, and visit the Hoover Dam. We saw Phantom, and two Cirque Du Soleil Shows- O and Mystere. They were great! We also went on the Hoover Dam tour and got to go down into the Dam and walk around and see more of how it was made and what goes into the operations of the power plant.
It was a wonderful little mini vacation inside of our vacation and we are grateful to my parents for being willing to keep the kids and let us have a little get away.
We drove home in 16 hours and 5 minutes and made the drive with only 2 stops the whole day. I think it's a record for us... :) The kids have gotten so good on road trips and really know the routine and we can make great time.
We are now home to enjoy our 100+ degree temperatures... we normally have about 10 per summer, and we have had 27 days so far this summer that have been 100 degree's or higher.
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