The Rest of the Trip

I have to say our trip to Utah last week was one of my very favorite in recent history.  I'm not sure why exactly.  Maybe it was because it was the first time all my siblings were together in two or three years, or because it seemed like we were always busy doing something.  Either way, at the end of our week there, I left feeling extremely satisfied and grateful we had decided to go.

We got to meet our new niece/cousin Alexsi for the first time, and we were all totally enamored!  The boys were especially cute with her--always wanting to hold/feed/burp/sing to her.  It made me really excited for them to have their own little sister soon!

On Wednesday, our first full day in Utah, we had what we dubbed "BYU Day."  My sister and I took our kids and our cute nephew, Blaine, who had flown across the country from Virginia the day before, up to campus.  We stopped by my dad's office in the Wilk to see "Dr. Professor Tooge," as Blaine called him.  Then we shopped in the bookstore and finished off our morning at the Bean Museum.  I have to say I was disappointed in the museum; it wasn't nearly as awesome as I remembered it.  But the boys had a grand time together, so that's what counts, I suppose.

Don't they look fearsome?  ;-)

Showing Off their Elephant Tusks

After a long and busy day, I found my boys asleep together on Ty's bed on Wednesday night.

We spent some more good, quality time with my family on Thursday.  This picture just warms my heart. My big brother reading to my little boys.  His stories came complete with awesome character voices and all.  Love.

Adam and Matt flew into Provo on Thursday night (I had driven out on Tuesday with my grandma and my boys), and we headed up to Salt Lake to spend some time with the Marchants.  Adam's dad works in the Salt Lake Temple on Friday mornings, and we decided to attend a session in the hopes that he might be working in our session.  It wasn't to be, but it was still great to be back in the SLC Temple.  It had been nearly six years since either of us had been in a live session.

I Love This Place!!

 After our session we walked across Temple Square to the new City Creek Center.  It was amazing!

 

Adam's dad took us to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory there, and while we were waiting, we checked out the Disney Store.  One of the employees asked about the baby--gender, when she was due, if she had a name, etc.  And then he made an announcement to the whole store and this flashed up on the giant movie screen in the store.  It was a little embarrassing, but kind of fun, too!

And one more big thanks to our sister-in-law, Angie for taking the kids all day so we could do all that!

On Saturday my cousin, Tyson got married in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.  For the second day in a row, we passed the kids off to another kind sister-in-law (thanks, Susan!!), so we could attend the sealing and luncheon.

Two Temples in Two Days.  Wahoo!

The Wedding Luncheon

After we picked up the boys and headed back down to Utah County for the reception, Ty had a little meltdown because I wanted to listen to the radio.  He is a primary music only kind of guy.  Does it make me a mean mom that I kind of love this picture?

Such Cheesers!

Sunday was a big day for my family.  Little Alexsi was blessed, and my brother, Zac, was ordained an elder.

The Five Kaiser Siblings, Together Again for the First Time in Years!

The Original Kaiser Clan

We are missing Carly and three of her four kids in this one, but this is the rest of the family!

And then we traveled home on Monday.  Man, these kids are traveling in style!  Although our van is equipped with a drop-down DVD player, I had never let the kids watch it until this trip.  It was a total novelty!

And, although the trip home was not nearly so smooth as the trip out (I may have thrown up all over myself and we may have very nearly run out of gas on the freeway), we made it!  Thanks again to everyone who made our vacation so enjoyable!