Since G graduated at the end of April and didn't start work until July, we decided that we would be crazy if we didn't take advantage of our time off and visit family for a while! We ended up going for the entire month of May, and I'm really glad that we did, especially because I think our visits out there are going to lessen greatly now that G has begun his career. But that's okay because I keep telling myself that people can come visit us too!
During the last part of our Utah trip, we celebrated G's Nana's (great grandma's) 105th birthday (can you believe it?!) and went to a cousin's baby shower where it was fun to visit with extended family. We also explored Antelope Island, which I had never been to before, but it was sure beautiful! We saw a few deer, antelope, tons of buffalo, lots of pretty birds, and a few coyotes too! We also walked through the Payson, UT Temple Open House and OH MY it's a beautiful temple! I love seeing the different architecture and decorations throughout each temple, and I especially love the feelings inside. There is no greater peace that I have found than within the walls of a temple. (Click here and scroll down to "Blessings of Temples" if you are curious what I'm talking about.) Although I didn't get any pictures of us at the temple because of the crazy rain storm, we had a lovely time and I'm so glad that we went!
You can bet that we made another trip up to the ranch too! That place is just magical and houses so many good memories for us. We came back a little earlier than our family to go see my SIL Lisa and her baby who were in town from California! It was so much fun to visit with them because we never get to see them!! We take whatever time we can and we just love them so much! For memorial day we had a big BBQ at my parents with my Brewer cousins! It was so much fun to visit with everyone and to celebrate Memorial Day together the best way we know how...eating! ;) We also had a good game of croquet and some crazy trampoline jumping. And I decided my mom is officially the cutest ever when I saw her leading 6 tiny grandbabies/grandcousins around the backyard and through the tall flowers on their "treasure hunt." There is no one like her! It made me remember how awesome she was throughout my childhood when she constantly played and explored with us. I love that woman dearly!
We took a few pool days and played at the Provo Rec Center with our nieces, went to dinner with some Jru friends, filmed a project for my last class ever at BYU and I also took my last final ever! I thought it was pretty neat that I got to end my college experience where I started it, despite having been finishing school online on the other side of the country for the past while. By the time I rushed home, my score had been uploaded (I passed!), so G and I celebrated with some Graham Canyon ice cream at the creamery on 9th! Woohoo!! I still can't believe that I'm finished, but at the same time it feels so so good. I am proud of myself for what I've accomplished and I'm so grateful for the institution that provided me so many opportunities to learn and so much growth. #gocougs!
We had such a great time in Utah. It's always a big struggle for us to balance family and friends and everything else that is always going on (thanks for being patient with us), but we still had a good time! It's funny though, because even though we go "home" to visit our families, we always talk about how it doesn't feel like home for us right now. It feels very familiar and lovely, but you know that feeling when you get home from vacation and feel so good walking into your home? You get excited and just feel so good to be back and like that place missed you too? That's how we felt leaving Utah and arriving in Pennsylvania. That's how we always felt leaving Utah and going home to Alabama. I am really grateful for these feelings that reaffirm to me that we are where we need to be. I'm also so glad that we have felt at home so quickly in these places! It is still a bit strange to wrap our heads around it every time it happens in Utah, though. Life is so much fun and meant for adventuring and I can't help but smile when I think we're doing just that.
^^ My mom is a saint for pushing G and his bum ankle (dang tendinitis!) around at Target! haha. He's such a big kid and always keeps us laughing. After he decided to get his own motorized shopping cart, he kept trying to run us over or play hide and seek. haha. ^^
^^ G worked alllll day knocking over dead trees and chopping them up so that he could make a giant burn pile and have some fun. The pile ended up slightly bigger than what he told his dad it would be, and the explosion it made when it lit up was quite the experience! Boys will be boys? ^^
My Sammy and Jerusalem pals.
Took a celebratory graduation picture with the Y in the background after my last final...
and visited this wonderful family that I used to nanny. No better family! I love them so.
^^ Still shot from my filming for my last class at BYU! ^^
^^ This is my niece, and I know I'm biased and think that all of my nieces are the cutest in the world, but aren't they really?! ^^
We loved all of our family time and our fun month in Utah!
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