Utah Vacation Recap

WARNING: EXTREMELY LONG POST, TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR THE PAST 3 WEEKS! JUST VIEW PICTURES IF YOU GET BORED!

Evan and I went to Utah for a 2 week vacation while Rob stayed in Minneapolis and continued to work hard at school. We had a great time in Utah visiting with family and friends though we did missed our daddy Rob a lot! We were very spoiled and well taken care of. I think we ate out almost once a day. I am sure it will all show when I step on the scale at my next doctor's appointment!

Evan loved going to the "airplaneport" and flying on the airplane. While we were taking off he started yelling, "faster, faster". Then "hold on tight". I thought it was quite funny, but I think most the people on the flight were thinking "oh great this kid is going to be talking loud the whole flight". Luckily Evan was good and we didn't run into any trouble!

Here are some of the events that took place on our vacation:

My sister-in-law Mindi invited us to Jordanelle Reservoir with her family. Of course we couldn't pass this opportunity up since Evan loves water and boats.

My dad and brother Michael (Mindi's husband) went up with us. Evan loved driving the wave runner, or green boat as Evan called it, with Grandpa Rick.

He also loved riding on the boat and he went on the Ion, which is the big black tube in the pictures, with Michael and Grandpa.

I can't believe that my 2 1/2 is daring enough to go on a tube behind a boat. Supposedly he really liked it and even layed on his stomach and held onto the front handles. Of course we also spent a lot of time throwing rocks into the water and playing in the rocky sand.

We were able to get together with Rob's family and Evan was able to play with (or should I say try to wrestle) his cousins. And Whitney spilled the beans on some very excited news - Stephanie is pregnant and due in March!! So our little girl will have a cousin close to her age! Evan was able to play with Barkley, Rob's parent's dog and eat all the fruit snacks he could ever want!

We also hung out with Rob's high school friends' wives and kids at Haylie's house. It was so good to see them and how all their kids have grown up so fast!

Evan loved having a big backyard to play in at my parents' house and quickly realized how to open the back door. Evan was able to manage to go swimming almost everyday. My parents had a kiddie pool in the backyard and somehow Evan seemed to get in at least once a day! He also loved to play with the drinking fountain in the yard and put his finger over it and spray it "way up high". Evan loves the trampoline and acts like he is doing a flip, but really just flops on his side. One night we went swimming (in a real pool!) at Michael and Mindi's condo. Evan met a girl about his age named Aspen. When she was leaving Evan said, "Bye Asbum. I love you!". It was way too funny! We also went to the Dimple Dell Pool one night with my dad, Michael, and Mindi. It is an indoor pool which was perfect since it was raining. Evan had a fun time playing in the kiddie section of the pool, but didn't like when water got into his eyes. Evan was so sad when the pool closed and we had to leave. He kept asking for "one more".

Evan thinks my brother Tyler is pretty cool so

when Evan saw Tyler playing Guitar Hero he just had to try it too! From then on Evan became obsessed with Guitar Hero. He obviously doesn't get how to play but he sure loves to push the buttons and act like he is playing the guitar. Evan also thanks Tyler for saving a lot of his toy, mostly trucks, cars, motorcycles, so that Evan can play with them when we visit!

There are four of us from high school who are still really close and we always get together when I come into town. Kelley, Cari, and Chelsa have all had their second baby since I saw them last so it was so fun to get together to see their new babes and their other children. Seeing their babies made me a bit excited for my own to come soon! We also were able to get together for our girl's night out at the Porcupine Grill. This has become somewhat of a tradition when I am in town and I always enjoy our girl time together!

We did a lot of shopping while in Utah which Evan wasn't a huge fan of but put up with! One day we headed up to Park City for my mom and I to shop the outlets and my dad, Michael, and Evan to watch the ski jumpers at the Olympic Park. Evan loved watching the ski jumpers jump and land in the water and said "they broke the water".

My mom had this idea to have a baby girl shower while I was in town. I didn't have a baby shower in Utah while I was pregnant with Evan so I agreed to it. So on Saturday my mom hosted a fabulous pink baby shower for me. It was mostly family with a few friends who definitely showered me with numerous gifts! Thanks to all those who came, now my little girl will be dressed as a girl and not as a mini-Evan in all his hand-me-downs! The hard part was trying to get everything home! I ended up taking back twice as much as I had brought!

On one of my sister Stephanie's days off we went to the Hogle Zoo with Steph and Grandma Cindy.

Evan and I were excited to see the elephants because neither of the two zoos in Minnesota have elephants! What a shame, I know!

At the zoo there is a fake elephant that blows water out of it's trunk that Evan thought was the coolest! We also saw the albino alligator that kind-of creeped me out. Evan touched a baby alligator!

Evan kept asking for the lions and we kept looking, but I guess they don't have lions anymore :( But they do have the train ride which is always a must! Especially if you have a train lover with you!

It was so nice seeing and visiting friends and family. My mom had a BBQ at her house with all my family in attendance and my mom's side of the family. My sister Aleisha was in town from Las Vegas with her husband Ryan. It is always nice to see everyone. I also was able to visit my great-grandpa Tyler who is 97 years-old and my grandma Watkins. Two weeks flew by, we had a blast, and now we are back in the humid Mid-West!