July Vacation to Utah Part 2

We spent some time in Ogden visiting family. We saw the new (being renovated) Ogden temple.

We also visited the treehouse museum.

Such a fun place.

This was the best. This display was describing a culture that believed that you could do one wish a year that would come true. If you look at the other things that people wished for (no more fighting, world peace, etc.) and the things the girls wished for (Barbie, the beautifulest dress). I love kids.

Independence day!

Chillin' with Grandpa at the parade.

Up to Marc and Miriam's new house for a party.

Loved the new hot tub.

Check out this beautiful, amazing yard! All that grass! Unheard of in Arizona!

Eliza with the birthday girl!

We watched fireworks and did sparklers in Grandma and Grandpa's driveway.

Playing at their house again the next day in celebration of Grandpa's 90th birthday.

Check out that cake. Amazing!

Lots of water games and fun!

Eliza is so excited to be visiting cousins again soon! Love them!

From my journal:

The following day we took my Grandparents out to ice cream in celebration of my Grandpa's 90th birthday in June. It was John's first time going to Farr's and it didn't disappoint.  How crowded it was was a disappointment. We couldn't really relax and chat. Needless to say though the girls loved every minute. John and I played hand and foot with my Grandparents that evening. The girls won! :) We were so happy to be able to spend some quality time with them this trip. My grandpa has to do some daily exercises which we tried to help with. It is so hard to see him struggle to do some simple exercises. Also it is sad to see him forget some things. He would tell us the same story in just a couple of minutes of each other. But really he isn't too bad. We keep praying for him though.

The next day we headed up to Marc and Miriam's new house in Deweyville. It is older than their other house, but has a lot more land. Their yard is really pretty, but the house needs some work. Unfortunately this has been pretty overwhelming for Miriam, but they still ended up putting on a great Fourth of July party. There was great food, water games for the kids, and fun conversation. I am jealous of them despite the work needed on their house. They live in a small town, which a lot of land around. They have a beautiful yard and view. And their kitchen has so much storage space! But needless to say I wouldn't trade my husband and kids for the world and any amount of kitchen storage space. :) That evening we had a fun time doing sparklers in my grandparents' driveway and watching the fireworks across the Ogden valley.

The following day was Saturday and there was a big party for my Grandpa (once again for the 90th birthday celebration). My Grandma had the luncheon catered by Maddox. Yummy! The Armstrongs came up, and we had water games. John and I filled up a cooler with water balloons. Grandma orchestrated a huge water slide, which was super fun. Ellie and Jane were two peas in a pod running and sliding on it. The big kids enjoyed it too (like me)! That evening we got out Grandma's projector and looked at some old slides. Particularly it was enjoyable for me to see the slides of my parents, when they were dating and first married. They looked so happy and in love. It was fun but also sad because I don't feel like they have the best relationship now. Slaterville has really changed through the years. I feel really blessed to have grown up how and where I did. My grandparents have had a long full life. I hope I can look back one day and see as full of a life.

The next day we headed home. The drive was fairly uneventful, although Ellie did throw up, and we ran into some rain storms. It sure was hot when we got home. I turned the thermostat to 89 while we were gone. Apparently it was 115 while we were in Utah, and there was a pretty impressive dust storm.

Since we got home I have done a lot of babysitting. One of the sisters that I am friends with and also visit teach moved yesterday, but she broke her foot a couple of weeks ago. Being immobile while moving doesn't really work. They were also really sick, one of her daughters got stung by a scorpion, and another almost broke her neck (literally). So as friends and RS sisters have kind of rallied around her and her family and my role has been to watch all of the kids. For a couple of days I had nine kids nine and under at my house so she and another mom could pack without the distraction of kids. I have also watched her kids a lot just by themselves. I feel like I have really been blessed in my service. I know I have had an added measure of patience, creativity, and compassion. I have been able to think of games and activities for the kids to do. I have also been able to keep up with the girls preschool on the other days too. I feel like a lot of days we have been making progress with that. Probably due to prayers John and I have been saying about that.