Trip to Utah

 We started 2017 of great with a visit to Utah.  More specifically, a visit to family members in Utah.

 First stop: Grandma and Grandpa in St. George! We didn't stay too long, but just long enough to eat pizza at the mall and for the kids to empty the toy closet in the basement and scatter the toys around the house. 

Grandpa with Gabe and Elisa

Erik loves it when I take pictures of him eating.

Then we made our way up to see my sister, Lisa in West Jordan! We hit some snow on the way which slowed us down a little bit, but it wasn't too long of a delay:

A portrait of Elisa I drew in pencil on the long ride up.  My drawing skills have seriously declined over the years.  

Snow!  Oh how I'm glad to live in Phoenix where it doesn't snow!

We stopped in Provo on the way.  We didn't bother with visiting BYU campus with all the snow and three kids, but we did stop to eat lunch at J-Dawgs!

Our old (basement) house we lived in for our first three years of marriage.  It is still there!

Mmmm yummy delicious hot dogs!

Then we finally made to to Lisa and Eric's house! The kids were excited to see their cousins, and even more excited to play in the snow!

Despite complaints of the cold, the kids (minus Ian) played in the snow for hours! Especially Gabe.  He wore my snow boots and wondered around the back & front yard for hours by himself.  

I was mostly excited to see my new nephew, Calvin! This was the first time I got to hold him! He barely three months old, if that.  So adorable! He is a calm, sweet baby with a really, really round head! The kids enjoyed holding him too:

Love love love!

Calvin makes my baby look not so much like a baby!

Elisa loves babies!

All smiles!

This goofball always finds the remotes, wherever he may be.  If there is a remote around, he will find it.  And push all of the buttons.

Elisa and Aaliyah enjoying a meal together

Tootsie (Cindy) came over for a little bit.  We laughed at stupid/embarrassing things we had done and argued who had done the most stupid/embarrassing thing.  Lisa wins, by far.

Aaliyah and her new dress that I made her (on a whim, the night before we left).  I love it on her! 

Elisa and her 2nd cousins, Isabelle and Brody.  Elisa was a grumpus for seemingly no reason at all.

This adorable kid stuffed into his car seat.  It was so, so cold, otherwise I would have taken off his coat.

We stopped at McDonalds with all of the kids.  Elisa and Aaliyah enjoying their ice cream!

It was then time to leave for St. George and ultimately home.  But not before stopping at Tootsies (I took a picture but it has disappeared) and Grandpa Ron's!  I had a good time going through old boxes of junk in the garage and finding treasures and reliving old memories! The kids had a great time playing with the toys, and especially playing with Grandpa! 

Just hangin' with Grandpa!

I love taking trips to Utah to see family! It is just as fun as any Disney Trip, to me.  And it never seems long enough.  I'm looking forward to going back this summer and staying for a little longer!