Home Again, Home Again

One of the very few things I don't like about living in South Carolina is that I don't get to see my family very often. Fortunately, I have flight benefits from my airline days and can fly to see family. Consequently, the past couple of years, the kids and I have spent all of July in Utah. We really look forward to it. The kids especially love spending time with their cousins.

This year, my sister, Tiffani, (who lives in Las Vegas) had left her children with my parents while she and her husband, Dave, were on a Baltic cruise, so we got to see them too. 

We met my brother, Erik, and his wife, Shanelle, and kids at the Bean Life Science Museum. I used to take Baylie here a lot when we lived in Utah, but they have really changed a lot and it was very nice.

Jalen was ecstatic to finally get to see his cousin and best bud, Asher. The feeling was mutual.

Jalen, Asher, Lauryn, Clara, Camden and Baylie

Holding the skin of an anaconda.

There were a lot of attack scenarios.

I thought this display of the bears climbing a tree was cute.

Clara with water buffalos.

These made me think of the wolves in Beauty and the Beast.

After the museum, we went to BYU Legacy Hall - or in other words the BYU Hall of Fame. I grew up in a family of major sports fans and even bigger BYU fans. That has mellowed since I married David who doesn't really carry about sports, but I still get excited in a place like Legacy Hall.

When it's not occupied, you can visit the football team meeting room, which is very cool.

National Championship Trophy

View of the practice field.

Legacy Hall is also home to many of the team offices and the athlete study hall. While we were there, we got to meet cornerbacks coach Jenaro Gilford. I didn't get a picture of him, but he was a very gracious person and shook hands with all of us. We also saw some of the incoming freshmen and they were HUGE.

My brother is a teacher/coach at Pleasant Grove High School and we ran into two of his former students that now play basketball for BYU - Malli Valgardson and Sara Hamson (who also plays volleyball).

 

Moe Elewonibi was a friend of mine at BYU. He won the Outland Trophy and went on to play with the Eagles and Redskins, winning a Superbowl. (I took him as my date to my 5-year high school reunion.) It was fun taking a picture of my kids in front of Moe's uniform.

Baylie and I thought it was funny to see a stroller parked in a motorcycle spot.

That evening, we went to a cookout with the financial company that handles my parents' investments. They also handle mine and David's investments - little as they are. The food was amazing! They also had really awesome balloon animals and face painting. Jalen asked for a Batman.

Baylie and Lauryn got unicorns painted on their cheeks and Clara got a snake on her arm.

 

These girls love hanging around together.

One morning my dad and I went and bought everyone kolaches. I became a kolache lover when I lived in Houston and it's awesome that Provo has a kolache place now. It is very popular and sells out fast. By the time my dad and I left, the line to buy kolaches was clear down the sidewalk. 

Cream cheese, bacon and egg, and sausage and egg kolaches

Cream cheese varieties (these are my favorites)

Jalen was a fan, but the girls not so much.

Sausage and egg

This is the first year that David hasn't spent part of the Utah time with us. He has written me a letter every day and had my mom buy me flowers. He also sent her notes and had her leave them around the house for me.

Selfies at Walmart

Go Cougars! I don't root for Gamecocks or Tigers, just Cougars. It's so good to see Cougar gear everywhere.

When my sister and her husband got back, they opened some souvenirs. This Russian hat was a big hit.

Don't I look like a Russian Empress?

The kids and I are a little bit chilly!

But we love being outside.

Poppies

Daisies

I miss these mountains.

I love my parents' backyard and garden.

This is why I love working in the garden at IES!

I also love my parents' front yard.

Provo always has an amazing 4th of July celebration. Part of it includes a balloon festival.

We have been excited to meet our newest (and last) addition, Rowan. She is the sweetest baby and I can't help but smile when I look at her.

David has asked me to send him selfies every day. I do not know how to take a selfie.

I have to throw in this picture.When I was a kid, we used to play outside until dark. When my mom waned us to come home, she would call us home with this cow bell. We lived out of town and you could hear it for miles around.

It is good to be home.