Road Trip: Utah

At the beginning of June I decided to take the kids on a big road trip by myself. I debated back and forth about whether we should actually go or not. Covid was still going on but things had started opening up. I finally decided that if we didn't go that month we wouldn't go at all and the thought of being stuck at home through the entire Summer seemed so bleak and long.  This was also around the time that the riots for Black Lives Matter started going on and I was seeing a lot of posts on our community Facebook site about riots and looting at the stores within 2 minutes from our house.  It was a scary time for me. I think that's what ultimately pushed me towards going.  I just needed a break from it all and everyone we planned on seeing and staying with had been healthy and at home throughout thee weeks before.

So, the second week of June we packed up the car and headed out.  The kids did a great job in the car thanks to their fully charged tablets! Our first stop was in Utah. We stayed with my friend Emily's family and visited other family members while there as well.

The sky was beautiful on the way to Utah.

Katelyn and Juliette!

Visited with my favorites-the Washburns! But somehow only ended up with this picture!!

Went on a hike with the Richards. It was a great hike for kids! Right up until the end when Logan slid down a hill on his belly! :/

Sno-Cones!

Picnic with friends!

I was able to hang out with these besties of mine! We were all friends in college and after and all lived with each other as roommates at some point-except me and Debbie-we met through the other friends! Our Marco Polo chat group saves my sanity on a weekly and sometimes daily basis and it was so fun to be all together again!

Emily has been my best friend since we were Freshmen in High School!! We've been friends ever since and now we each have our own families with three kids each! I miss living by her and it was the BEST to be able to go and stay with her for a few days this summer and to watch our kids play and love Harry Potter together and watch Bluey. It was the best of times and we miss them so much!

We went on a hike with Uncle Tyler and Emi. The kids loved checking out the plants and flowers and learning more about them from Tyler. He was a great teacher! I loved being in the canyon again. I miss these mountains!

We also got to see cousins, Cohen and Mason.  We definitely didn't have enough time with them! The kids could have played all week! We miss being so close to our cousins!

And our last stop in Utah was visiting with Aunt Emily! We did a campfire with s'mores and hot dogs and she let the kids check out her cool Legos!

Snuggled up, watching a show before bedtime!

Our week was so full of friends, family, laughs, and good times! We could have gone home happy after all of the that! But that was only the first third of the trip!