We got back earlier this week from our whirlwind Utah trip and haven’t had a moment to breath. I am going to write but pictures will have to wait until later this week.
On Saturday the 2nd, Serra, Mo, and I headed to Vegas around 11am. We thought for sure most people would have started their holiday travel a few days ago but alas we were not so lucky. It was heavy traffic all along the I-15. The first time we stopped for a potty break I was lucky to find a parking place and the V and I ran inside leaving Mo in the car with the windows rolled down. That was in Victorville. By Baker I needed to stop again but it was 115 degrees out and I knew Mo would cook if I left him in the car with the long lines we would have to wait in. I decided to look for an outside bathroom so I could leash him and take him with us, We found one but the conditions were so nasty I had to push Serra in and she refused to use the facilities. The floor was soaked and there were 2 feet of soaked piled up towels and toilet paper in all the stall corners. I was desperate enough. I just cringed and did my thing as quickly as possible. I almost threw up when Mo jumped up on me with his affected paws. Then to top it off there wasn’t even soap to make me feel a little better. We high tailed it out of there and got on our way. It ended up taking us a little over 6 hours. Mom and Dad Anderson ordered us Chinese food and we went to bed early so we could get moving in the morning.
Meanwhile in Santa Paula, Brian completed his 2nd Real Estate Exam scoring in the 90′s. On Monday the 4th he took the 3rd and scored similarly. He spent his little vacation relaxing by himself and catching up on homework.
Sunday, as soon as we were loaded, (noon) we headed to Park City. It took a while since we tried to keep 3 vehicles relatively close together. Mom and Dad Anderson were loaded to the gills with stuff for the cabin and dogs. Serra V watched movies and napped while I listened to books on tape. We met up with Amy Jo who was already in Provo and headed to the cabin trying to make it by dark. Amy Jo was with me and we pulled in about 30 minutes before the other 2 vehicles and found a fallen tree across the driveway blocking our path. What to do? We got out to assess the situation. Too heavy to lift. Too long to roll to either side as it would get caught on other trees. We decided to move it slightly down hill which put it about 5 inches above the driveway. We started jumping on it since there was nothing better to do. To our surprise it broke at a good enough spot to move it to the side. Amy Jo went to the cabin and found a 2×4 and used it as a lever to move it parallel with the drive way. By then it was dark and Dwaine pulled up just as we finished. We unloaded what we needed and turned on the cabin facilities and headed to bed. I didn’t sleep very well as I usually don’t the first night in a different setting. Mo wandering around clicking his toenails on the hard floors didn’t help much either. So I ended up getting up with the sun at 6am and showering and getting myself ready for the day.
The 4th of July. I felt a little guilty leaving the Anderson 3 as they had a ton of work to do to ready the cabin for the reunion later that week, but I had another reunion to get to. Off to highland to visit with the Brower contingency for the day were the V and I. We left Mo to fend for himself at the cabin.
There was a healthy number of folks to visit with. Serra played with her cousins all day without eating hardly anything. She drank a ton though and played so hard I thought she might pass out from the exertion on such a hot day. And it was hot! I must admit Santa Paula was sounding really good by the end of the day. We had a fun day though as we always do and all the hard work David and Barbara put in was much appreciated. Serra A drove back to Logan with us and we dropped Maren in Salt Lake. We were treated with firework shows all along the Wasatch Front. V said Wow! and I want to stop and hold them. We settled in at Serra’s apartment where we were staying for a few days. It was a little strange to be in my old place but not as my place. My ankles and feet were seriously swollen from not putting them up all day.
Tuesday we got to see the property that Mom and Dad put a down on in Paradise. It is really a nice piece of land and I hope everything works out for them. Back in Logan out in front of Julies new place the irrigation waters were a flowing and so we couldn’t resist and took the kids out to ice thier toes. It was plenty hot out and the kids didn’t seem to mind the frigid temps of the water. Serra V stripped down to her undies since every other kid did and got right in.
That night we had tinfoil dinners and smores in Julie and Jareds outdoor fireplace and topped it off with Aggie icecream thanks to Serra A’s tokens.
Wednesday was our visit to Bear Lake. Aunt Lolita was visiting Grandma and so was Kirk Vynette and 5 of their kids. We ended up staying for a dutch oven extravaganza in Uncle Dallas’s yard and boy was that good. I had to have two plates just to sample all the good stuff. Somehow V ended up in her underwear once again running through the sprinklers with some new found cousins.
This was the evening that all the underwearing and hard playing took its toll. Serra V and Olivia both came down with a little bit of a sniffle and didn’t sleep well. V had to be medicated to sleep the rest of the evenings we were traveling. It didn’t seem too bad during the day though. So Thursday we went swimming at the Academy pool in Logan to which Julie is a member. V and bean had a great time and V now looks like a little brown Indian. The girl tans mighty well even with 30SPF. Later that evening V asked Aunt Serra to push her on the swing outside in Kirby’s backyard. At the time Jared’s parents had stopped by and were visiting for a minute. Aunt Serra told V she would as soon as the Kirby’s left. V promptly went up to Margo and said, “You need to leave now.” I was mortified and couldn’t figure our why my child was being so rude until Serra explained why she was in such a hurry for them to go. That made sense and soon enough V was swinging.
Friday we loaded up and headed back to the cabin with one stop in Ogden at a maternity store for me. We arrived at the cabin to a herd of people. The Robison clan were well represented and the Gee’s showed up mostly the next day.
As we were starting dinner that evening I called Brian to check the status of his travel. He informed me that Martin and he got lost on the way to the fly away in Burbank and missed the 3pm bus and the 3:30 bus was delayed until 4pm. At that time, 5:30, he was stuck in traffic and there was simply no way he was going to make the 6pm flight as he wasn’t even at the airport. The country is on high alert because of the bombings in London and he would have to get through security. Everyone was seriously bummed when I told them the bad news. I got a call at 5:59pm from Brian exclaiming he had made it. Apparently, he arrived at the airport at 5:40 and didn’t even try to check in only asked if there was any room on a later flight. The later flight was full and they could only put him on standby but the lady told him if he hurried he might make his 6pm. So off he went and amazingly breezed though security. He was the last guy to get on the plane and they shut the door behind him. The plane was a Delta Dash which meant the seats are even smaller than usual and the other folks on the plane tried to act like someone was already sitting next to them as they saw Brian coming down the isle. He ended up in a window seat with his head crinked to the side due to the curve of the ceiling at the window. But he was just glad to make it.
We met him in Salt Lake at around 9pm. Serra V ran up to him and gave him a big cuddle. As we waited for Adriane to come in as well, we ran into Elder Eyring of the 12. He and his wife were picking someone up. We didn’t approach him as there were plenty of people doing that, but he did give Amy Jo a nod and a hello. She laughed and said she guesses she looks like someone who needs a little encouragement.
Saturday was the Gee family reunion and I enjoyed a nap, some of the boys cut down trees, Brian took 3 naps I think, there was lots of food, and Serra did crafts with Grandma and cousins and played hard all day. She and Maiah really hit it off and played together the whole weekend without a break They are only 6 months apart and the same size. It was fun to watch them have so much fun together.
Sunday we cleaned things up and everyone headed out. We went as far as Vegas and stayed the night there. Monday Brian and I took advantage of Grandma and caught a movie, Batman Returns, and had lunch at Roberto’s, of course. Brian declared his visit was now complete. Grandma tried to run errands with Serra but after getting gas and returning a movie, V declared it was too hot and she wanted to go back to Vegas. (meaning Grandmas house) They made one more stop to get Serra a new necklace since hers broke and that was it. She cried when we got back and told her we had to leave soon. We visited a little longer and then decided we better head home.
We arrived just as it started to get dark. Brian picked up his truck in Calabasas and I stopped by and said hello to the folks before heading home. Now we are recovering while trying to get caught up on everything. Whew!
