Tanners 1st visit to Utah!

So most thought we were crazy doing a road trip to Utah with a 4 week old, but we didn't!

We literally decided one night, "HEY! Danny doesn't have any interviews this week, we have a little bit extra money for gas, we have time and the weather is good... LET'S GO TO UTAH!"

So... two days later we were on the road! We left on a Saturday and drove all day. The trip usually takes Danny and I about 7 1/2 hours, it took us 9 1/2. We stopped a total of 4 times, for about a half hour each time. However, the trip went SO smooth. Tanner slept the ENTIRE time (except when he would wake up to feed and then it was RIGHT back to sleep). We told Brooke we were going to find her cousins and it would take a long time, but if she cried or complained we would turn around and go home, she didn't complain ONCE! She just watched movie after movie. We did have to stop once to go buy dramamine b/c she started getting car sick. Other than that, she was an angel!

We got there around 7:30pm and went to dinner with my Grandma (from CO ironically), but she was staying with my aunt and uncle that live there. Then we headed up to Dave and Mare's so Brooke could play with her cousins for a bit before we made the rest of the hike up to Nate and Brooke's where we stayed.

On Sunday, Danny went to church with Brookie and Nate's family. Danny was rather excited because Pres Packer is in their ward and he got to sit 15 feet away from him. It was also so cute because our nephew Reese was so excited we were there, he dragged his Primary teacher around the building several times to introduce him to Danny. It was so cute. After church we went down to Dave and Mare's (they live in Danny's parents house while they are on their mission in Africa) and had tacos with all of Danny's siblings and their families. It was so fun and so nice! Brookie was in hog-heaven playing with all her cousins again!

Here are some of the cousins and Brookie playing on the tramp (and with Uncle David's chickens, as seen under Dallin's arm)

They were so cute to watch... Brooke grows up a TON when she's with them all...

Just as we left, David was starting to raise chickens. When we left they were TINY chicks... now they are fully grown and crazy! Danny loves this one because it literally cannot see because of it's feathers. They all have names, but I can't remember them.

I don't know what's up with this look, but I don't know who liked the chickens more, the kids or Danny... He was chasing them just as much if not more, than the kids. I on the other hand, get freaked out by them...

Cute cousins! Brooke was so busy playing she wouldn't even smile for me.

Playing ring-around the rosie or pop goes the weazle... something like that. I love how the three youngest are in the middle sitting...

On Monday, it happened that our GREAT friends from Illinois were in town too for a wedding! The fun thing is, they have a little girl that is 2 DAYS younger than Brooke. Then when I was about 9 weeks along, we found out she was pregnant and 3 weeks behind me! We were so excited! Then we found out we were having a girl, and they were having a boy... so close... but then... YUP! We ended up having a boy! She just barely had Ridgon a WEEK earlier, yes he is 10 days old in this picture! (Side note: Melissa is my hero. She traveled cross-country with not only a week old baby, but he is her 4TH kid! She's amazing!)

We met them for lunch at our favorite Chinese/Vietnamese place and then went to a park to let the kids play. Danny and Kendall have been friends since Elementary school too... did I mention that?

The boys talking and the kids playing (up in the top right)

This is Danny holding Brookie and Kendall holding Sadie in the hospital when Sadie was born... back in 2008.

Here is Danny holding Tanner (4 weeks old) and Kendall holding Rigdon (10 days old)... We (the girls) were really excited we got to get another picture like this!

This picture cracks me up... Rigdon was born at a whopping 9 lbs 13 oz... yah.. like I said Melissa is my hero. Tanner is 2 1/2 weeks OLDER than Rigdon, but still looks like a shrimp compared to him... They call him "Big Rig" :)

"Boosom Buddies"

One of our first family pictures that wasn't in the hospital when he was born...

Danny and Brookie playing...

The kiddos...

Danny scaring the kiddos...

Brookie and Sadie saying good-bye

I don't want to bore you with details of each day, but here is a quick breakdown of what we did...
Mon night- Went to our nephews flag football game and ate In-N-Out... yum
Tuesday- went to lunch at Zupas, oil change at Toyota Dealership, fell in love with the 2011 Sienna, dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant with our friends Scott and Martha
Wednesday- I went out with my SIL Brooke to Kid to Kid, got some great clothes for Brooke and Tanner for cheap, went to Plato's Closet (fought for a purse... and later won! ;) Dinner and games with Danny's cousin Natalie and husband Benji and their family... got to see Aunt Ruby!
Thurs- went to lunch with our friends Nate and Ellen at In-N-Out (their first time there) and convinced them to drive to CO for Tanner's blessing (YEAH!) Went to dinner at Danny's sister house and one of Brooke's favorite cousins!

This is Evan seeing his newest little cousin... he was so cute.

Dallin getting his turn...

Kenna getting hers...

One of Brooke's favorite cousins...Kenna. They are so cute together. They're 18 months apart.

This picture is more funny once you know the description... Brooke came and told me one morning while I was getting ready, "I gave Tanner his binky!" I had just put him down to sleep and usually when she does this, it involves her shoving it in his mouth and end up doing more harm than good... but she's a cute little helper and big sister. So I ran in and found this....

So funny right?

On Friday, we went to the ever so yummy J-Dawgs... we all had forgotten how good they really are! We even bought some "special sauce" to take home to CO...

Tanner wasn't too impressed with the place... but he loved it a couple hours later ;)

On our way over to let Brooke play at Dave and Mare's house, Brookie said (without being prompted or talked to) "I want to go see Grandma Sugar." Break my heart... that is what she calls Danny's mom. They're currently in Africa serving their 7 month of an 18 month mission. We all sighed and awed and explained how we remember them in our prayers to protect them on their mission... that they were still on their mission and were WAY far away. She took it like a champ and said "Ok. I want to go play with Julsie!" lol...

On Friday night, we got $5 buck pizza and went to my cousins house to play and have some fun. Steve found a gun and Tanner became a shooter...

We turned on Snow White for Brooke and it soon became a dance party when Snow White and the dwarfs started dancing...

I love this picture of Brooke holding Tanner. She ALWAYS wants to hold him, "pet him", kiss him and cuddle with him.

Saturday morning, we were brave and met up with our friends the Notts (who had been sick all week) for breakfast at Denny's. We had some fun and some good laughs...

watching their cute kids and...

watching Merrill climb all over the place... lol ;) Nothing was safe... gotta love toddlers ;)

After saying goodbye to the Nott's, we went up to see Danny's oldest sister (and sibling) Laura. She is currently pregnant and we are all SOOO excited for them. She is due in Feb. Doesn't she look so cute?! BTW... Audrey (her daughter) is going to be SO GORGEOUS when she grows up... she's becoming more beautiful every time we see her.

After a visit with Laura and Scott and Audrey, we headed down to our nephews tackle football game. Man those games are INTENSE! I don't know what's more fun, watching the actual game or all the parents getting into it! It was really fun.

Ryley is number 3... that's him in the middle and Danny is on the right in front of the girl in the red and Danny's brother Nate is on the left.

Tanner amazingly slept through all the football game noise.

After the game, we went back to Nate and Brooke's, packed up the car and headed down to Dave and Mare's one last time and let Brooke get out the last of energy before we made the drive back home that night. We got to eat Cafe Rio and just chill. It was nice.

The trek home, we decided to go at night since Tanner had been doing 8pm to 3 am sleeping stints (and since we put an additional 500 miles on the car while BEING IN UTAH, Tanner started to hate his carseat...) and to go through Wyoming to try to "push" the speed limit a little more. The trip home was a little harder... Brooke got constipated and on top of it.. she won't go "poo-poo" in public restrooms. So we had to stop 3 times within an hour because she would wake up CRY INCONSOLABLY, fall asleep again go in her pull-up. We ended up changing her pull up 3 times... Then we had to pull over two more times to nurse and then pull over another time to get gas. So the trip home, we had 6 stops and it took us 10 hours. We were VERY happy to finally pull in the driveway. My mom was an angel and took care of Brooke while we went and caught up on some sleep.

Overall, we had a VERY busy and jam packed schedule while there (there were only 2 meals the entire week that wasn't "booked" with someone), but had SO much fun. We loved seeing everyone and showing off our cute little new Tanner. We don't know when we'll be back, most likely not until next summer. Until then... it was a great fix.

See... now do you think I'm crazy for doing that kind of a trip with our daughter and 4 week old son?