Play, Play, Play

We just got back from a wonderful 10-day Idaho vacation where we play, play, played. It was so great to be around family and to be back in one of Gaupo and I's favorite places. It has been a whole year since we were last in Idaho, and boy were we anxious to go. We left Friday morning around 8:00. Our goal was 7:30, but we had a bit of a rough start and got off late. It was slow going. I don't know exactly why, but seriously that drive seemed to last forever. Then when we were just about done and we had stretched the twins to their limit, we hit construction. It took us FOREVER (or at least it seemed) to get to Swanlake. We were originally going to stop in Virginia, but the exit was closed! Anyway, after much frustration and angry feelings, nursing in the car (while waiting for construction to let us pass through), and getting hot water for a bottle for Kade from Valley Oil in Downey we finally made it. Overall the trip took us 11 hours which doesn't seem too bad but we are use to making it in about 9, so the extra two hours seemed horrible. Once we arrived, got dinner, let the girls play with their cousins, and the twins roll around everything seemed a lot better. The kids went to bed pretty easy and Gaupo and I read a bit of book and talked with Grandma and then we all went to bed.

Me sitting in the back with my kids.

Tia and Kylee in the back.

The next almost 6 days were full of family and fun. Saturday Gaupo helped haul some hay while the rest of us played. A little before noon Jeff and Heidi's family showed up and we had lunch. We are getting to be a pretty big group when all of us gather together. After lunch the kids played in the water. Melanie and Aaron had a big blow-up water slide and a smaller slip-and-slide that the kids played on. All the kids played and played. Us lady adults talked and watched the kids. Gaupo took a nap, and we all enjoyed. Around 5 we had dinner and then went to the pond. I accidentally feel in. I was making a kid switch and the board started wobbling and I didn't want the kids to get dumped off and be scared so I bailed. Surprisingly, the water was refreshing. I enjoyed my time with my nieces, nephews and girls on pond. I love taking the paddle board out on the pond because you are close to the water, and it is fun to stand on. But my favorite thing is taking my nieces and nephews out with me. I can only take 3 max and more often that not I have only one or two. I love that one-on-one time when we can do whatever they want. It helps me get to see their personality and relate to them a little. I have very sweet nieces and nephews and I don't get much time with them, so I love that the paddle board creates a spot where we can be together just for a tiny bit. After the pond we put the kiddo's down for a sleep over. It took forever to get everyone to bed, but we finally got there.

Sunday, we all went to Gaupo's cousin's mission homecoming. We left early so, we could get the babies a nap, let the girls play at Grandma Hammond's before church and make it to church on time. We did and we had a great time. The girls love the toys in the basement and playing on the slides and things. It was fun to visit with a few of the family that come over early too. Then we went to church and had a good meeting there. Then we went and had lunch at Sarah and Gif's. I really enjoyed visiting with some of Gaupo's cousins Brady and his new wife Julia, Conner, and Emma. The kids enjoyed playing with their cousins and overall it was a really good day. We left around 5:30ish so we could get the twins back and get them to bed.

Monday and Tuesday were kind of chill days filled with four-wheeler and side-by-side rides, watching cows, going to the pond, fishing a little, Gaupo hauling some hay, and playing. Gaupo, I, Blaine, James, Kylee, and Tia all went with Grandpa to "take the bull to Bologna." It was actually a bull and two cows, but it was fun to go and watch them weigh the cows and get suckers at the bank.

Kylee, James, Tia, Blaine, and Grandpa in the Semi.

Getting ready to haul the hay.

Blaine holding Abby and Kylee with Kade.

Tia and Blaine in the hot tub.

James and Kylee 

James, Blaine, Kylee, and Tia.

With Gaupo's help Grandpa got all the hay in and on Wednesday he surprised us with a trip to Pocatello. I was trying to do laundry when the announcement was made, so we left clothes in the washer, hung up the load I had out, fed the babies and headed to the restaurant called Figi's. It was a Japanese restaurant where they cook it right in front of you. It was pretty cool to watch. I really enjoyed the food. When Blaine and James got nuggets and fries the girls were pretty jealous that I had them get chicken, shrimp and rice, but Tia loved the rice and actually kind of enjoy the chicken and Kylee loved the Shrimp. It was fun to go eat fancy with everyone and afterward we were treated with a trip to the zoo. We actually had a choice to go to Ross park or to Zoo and originally we were going to do Ross park, but it was kind of chilly so we chose the Zoo. It was fun and I think everyone ended up having a good time there. We saw lots of native animals. They had a swan there and it was amazing to me how majestic it looked. I also like the bison and the grizzly bear. On the way home Gaupo and I stopped at Arctic Circle for Shakes. I miss that place it make the best and they were so good. So creamy and filled with stuff. It was a fun day of play. I don't think I have every done anything like that with Gaupo's family, so it was fun to go play.

James, Aaron, Blaine, Melanie, Grandpa, Grandma, Kylee, Abby, Tia, Guapo, and Kade all seated around the grill at Figi's.

Kade, Abby, Gaupo, and Kylee walking at the zoo.

Grandma and Grandpa and everyone else.

Tia looking for the bear.

Melanie, Tia, Kylee, James, and Blaine watching a Geese parade.

Thursday was a bit crazy trying to celebrate the 4th of July and get things done so we could be ready for the next leg of the trip. We went to the youth breakfast--a Swanlake ward tradition. Then we came home and did some laundry and then went up to the pond to clear rocks off the road, and clean up the cabin and pavilion. It was good to get it all ship shape for my family. We went back down and I changed the laundry and took care of the twins. Then it was pretty much time for lunch. After lunch we went up to the pond to play. I got the kids up there, but the getting took some time, so I needed to get back to feed babies and get them down for a nap. While I did that Gaupo helped the kids then we switched when I was done and I went on the lake with the kids. It was fun but started looking kind of weathery. After getting everything arranged in the shed, I went down and got the last of laundry off the line and then fed babies and waited for my family to arrive.

Tia and James caring for Jackson at the breakfast.

Swinging on the swings after breakfast. Gaupo, Kade, two kids I don't know, Kylee, Blaine, Tia, Gary, James, and Melanie.

The Bryce Clan arrived around 4:30 and we headed up to the pond. We got everyone out on the pond. It was kind of fun being the host and making sure everyone got what they wanted and needed. After a bit Klaire and my mom took the babies and I went out and enjoyed sometime. Then we all came back in for dinner. It was getting kind of late, so I had to run and make Kade a bottle and then come back up. Oma and Grandma fed him while nursed Abby. Then we were eating dinner and Kade's foot started swelling, and a storm was brewing so, Grandma and I got in the side-by-side with the twins and we rushed to the house. We got in just before the rain. I got the twins showered, then the girls, then myself. While I was doing that Gaupo got the car packed and around 8:00PM we headed to Viriginia. We got there and I fed the twins got them in bed and then later got the kids there too. I got to bed after some visiting and treats.

Friday was the start of the Allen Brady Reunion. It didn't start till about 1:00 and so we just spent the morning having breakfast, playing kickball, and enjoying being together. Around 12:00 Mark and Shara got there to start lunch and the reunion was launched. It started with lunch and visiting. Then we cousins got our volleyball on. It was a pretty fun game. After we played that for a good long while we played giant twister. Then the oreo game, and then I am not sure what they did. I had to feed babies and by the time I was done it was visiting time and then headeding to the church for the traditional wiener roast. After the weiner roast was the talent show. During the talent show they showed an arrangement of clips that everyone submitted and we got to vote for most funny and best skills. It was a really fun way to show just little clips of everyone's life. I also am part of a pretty talented family, so it was fun to watch all the fun talents. Kylee, Tia, and I sang 3 little speckled frogs. We have lots of talents, but they are kind of hard to display and the girls really wanted to do something, so that is what we came up with. At the very end, Gaylynn and David taught us the Virginia Reel and then we had root beer floats and headed to sleep. The girls and Gaupo slept out in the tent. The twins and I slept in the red room. I played night games till around 11:00 but had to call it a night because I needed to be ready to take care of my family the next day.

Saturday we started with breakfast at the church. Then family pictures. Then we went to the Arimo cemetery to put the flowers we made on the grave and then headed to the park for park fun and Ultimate Frisbee. When  I got there I needed to feed the babies and Gaupo's favorite part of reunion in the softball or frisbee game, so I fed and took care of kids, but then Kara came over and took over, so I could catch the last few minutes of the frisbee game. I am rusty, but it was still really fun to play and be active. After that it was back to the church for lunch. I got some lunch but then went back to Grandpa-Great's to feed the twins and get them down for a nap. It was just so much easier to do it there than at the church. Then Gaupo came and swapped me places and I got back in time for family history hour. Lisa had picked out some stories from Grandpa-Great's book and planned a fun activity to go with them. It was very well done and very fun. After we cleaned up that and the church it was back t Grandpa-greats for slip-and-slide and waterballoon volleyball. I actually missed the volleyball portion because I needed to feed the babies but I was there for the cousin pic and visiting. Eventually it was time to say good-bye and have everyone pack-up and leave. Then it was time for dinner, baths, showers, and bed for the kids. Then showers, games, and visiting for the big people.

Sunday was church, lunch complete with John, Karen, Grandma and Grandpa Studley, and Aaron Getford. We visited for awhile had popsicle let the kids play and enjoyed the good day. Around 5:30 Jack and Lindsay's family, Klaire and Curtis, and Kitt and Matthew all left for Provo. Then we had dinner and got people to bed. Tia was so wiped she didn't eat anything and went to bed around 6:30. This was good, but apparently not good enough. Around 8:00 we were getting ready to put Kylee to bed and Tia threw-up. So, we had to clean that up and take care of her. She did get a blessing, but it was still a rough night. I ended up sleeping with her out in the playroom and she threw-up at least 4 more times that I can count it could be more. Once again we were aiming to hit the road around 7:30 but the night was too rough and we ended up off more like 8:30. Tia didn't throw-up the whole way home, but she slept a ton and didn't eat hardly anything. She is doing better today, I think she was just exhausted. The trip home was pretty uneventful. We made a little better time by getting home around 7:00. It was still really long and the problem with arriving home is we have a bunch of stuff to take care of and no one to really help us out, so it was kind of exhausting, but we made it and it was great.

It was so awesome to be with family again. We miss being close to family, but we like where we are and Guapo likes his job and is able to provide for us here. I loved being able to play and watch my kids play with their cousins. It was such a good vacation. I am so glad to have a family that wants to spend time together. I love having a good place to go visit and having it filled with people that I love. Family is such a blessing and I feel so blessed to be part of really, really great ones.