Temple Visit

The Friday that we got to Utah we got in really late. My parents picked us up and we drove down to Santaquin. My parents and my sister were the only ones who knew I was coming because I needed to ask if my niece could watch the girls during the temple activities the next day. 

My nephew was going through the temple for the first time. We met there and it was the best feeling ever to walk in and see my sister in law Karen's surprised face! It was a fabulous experience and so much fun to be at the temple with most of my family. 

My dad holding Maddy. You can also see my brother over his shoulder and his family over Maddy's shoulder.

Celebrating Alex!

Alex, Tyler, Karen, Matthew, and Brent.

my sister and her daughters and my dad and Maddy

McKenna, Courtney, Abigail, and my sister Stephanie.

The family- me and Maddy, Tyler, Alex, Karen, Brent, Matthew, my Mom, Courtney, McKenna, my dad, Abi, Steph, and Dan.

Heading back to the car to go to lunch with everyone!

Flight to Utah

The girls and I made a last minute trip out to Utah this month. 

 My nephew Alex left on his mission to Bolivia. 

We were really hoping to get out to see him off but didn't think we would be able to do it. Then the car started giving me issues. I was getting so paranoid about getting stranded (it has happened) that we knew it was time to go back to being a two car family after about 4 years of having only one car. I began looking at minivans and other family type cars. We talked a lot about it and decided that if I flew one way out to Utah, got a car out there where I was finding more of a selection and better prices and had my dad to help me, then I could drive back with the girls and we could make it work.

 So, with only a couple of days planning we made it happen. Doug stayed here and the girls and I flew out on Friday August 3rd. I was a little nervous about it because I hate flying, Maddy had never flown before, it had been years since Abi had flown, I was doing it by myself and we had to switch planes in Vegas, I had never flown Southwest or from Milwaukee before,  and I was worried Maddy would be hard the whole day.
 I was so blessed that day. Our flight got in to Vegas late but there was one row of three left, the girls were so good on both flights, and we got there safely. It was amazing.

The biggest hits of the plane ride were the ring pops I gave them as we were about to takeoff....

and the play dough I got in the dollar section of Target....

Swimmer

Last summer Abi took swimming lessons that didn't work out that well but this year we were able to sign her up with the Red Cross class for only $5. I wasn't sure how well it would go because she was only doing one session and I didn't realize there were levels so I could have done all 3 sessions. BUT it was amazing. When I took her to the water park at six flags at the beginning of August I was shocked. She was swimming underwater, floating, and all the things she couldn't do before and she wasn't plugging her nose anymore. Here she is on the first day....

I was able to stay again on the last day. Here she is swimming part underwater.

This girl loves to swim!

Back!

The girls and I just got back in town and I will be attempting to document the last month over the next few days. We had a lot of fun in Utah visiting family. My mom came back with us for a few days so I may be slow going... but there will be posts coming.