Home Sweet Home

We have been out of town (on the road with the kids) for 2-1/2 weeks! A few words of advice for any of you who may be toying with a similar idea:

1. Gallon-sized zip locks make excellent vomit bags.
2. BYOM (bring your own music...so you're not submitted to the horrors of listening to hours and hours of Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, etc.)
3. No matter what DO NOT FORGET TO BRING ALONG YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR!

We had a great trip, though we are all exhausted and Brad and I are fighting colds. That's not too bad considering all the things that could go wrong while traveling by car for 2+ weeks with five kids.

Here's a little update on our summer tour:

CANADA
We began by driving up to Canada to visit family, camp in Waterton National Park and attend Brad's 20-year high school reunion. There was lots of family in town so there was catching up to be done and plenty of cousins for the kids to play with 24/7. We camped with Carolyn and Tylor and their girls and with Brad's cousin, Dave (who was vacationing on his own and brave/crazy enough to set up his tent in between ours and Carolyn/Tylor's!) Brad fished morning and night, catching a couple of pretty big ones! The kids played hard in and around Waterton Lake, enjoyed their cousins thoroughly and even, by huge coincidence, met up with some of the kids they met last year while we camped in Waterton! I read through the 4th Twilight book (loved it!) and enjoyed visiting with family (loved that, too!)

We saw a TON of wildlife while in Waterton. Including, but not limited to: bears, deer, mountain goats, moose and buffalo.

Brad had a great time at his 20-year reunion! He loved catching up with old friends and reminiscing about their younger years. I had a good time too. A lot of Brad's graduating class went to college together, which is where I met them. It felt a bit like a BYU reunion for me! It was so great to see old friends we'd lost touch with! Brad and his graduating class got to ride on a float in the Cardston parade the weekend of their reunion. Here they are as they passed where we were staked out. The kids were thrilled to see their Dad in a parade and just when they thought it couldn't get any better, he threw them a bunch of Canadian candy (the BEST candy on the planet!)
UTAH
From Canada we drove down to Utah. Yes, most of us had already been to Utah once this summer. But our niece, Cori, got married August 14th and we just couldn't miss that! Cori and Tyler got married in the Salt Lake Temple and Grandpa Brent was their sealer. It was a really neat experience and we wouldn't have missed it for the world.

VANCOUVER
Our next stop was Vancouver, WA. where we spent the night at my parents' house and then left all the kids with them (and the 80-pound dog who they'd already had as a house guest for 2 weeks!) while Brad and I went to MY 20-year high school reunion. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

SEATTLE
Which brings us to Seattle. Let me just say to any of you who may attempt a trip of this nature with five kids, do plan on leaving them with grandma and grandpa for at least 24 hours while you visit another city ALONE! That was the perfect way to wrap up this vacation! We had a good time at my high school reunion (okay, AMY had a good time, BRAD was a good sport and faked it well). The best part, though, was having that time alone together after such a crazy, hectic two weeks.

Here I am with high school friends Marlo, Becky and Dave.

Now we are home and trying to catch up on our lives - it will take weeks, I'm sure! But we had so much fun - lots of quality time with friends and family, and many great memories for years to come!