July Utah Trip 2011

Shortly after we got back from Hawaii (like 2 weeks), we headed off to Utah! Our trip was for several purposes, but the main one being Dan's parents coming home from their mission to Africa!!! They had come home for 2 weeks when Wendy passed away, but decided they needed to go back and finish things up. When they returned they found out that the area they were serving would have been closed for up to a year {I think} if they hadn't gone back. They stayed for about a month to train the new couple and get things all transferred over and done.

They actually came home on Monday, the 4th. So we headed over the Friday night before and drove through the night. (Our favorite way since the kids just sleep (as do I), and then Dan takes a nap once we get there.)

Saturday afternoon though, we went to Seven Peaks with Denny and the kids and Dave & Mare with their kids. We had a great afternoon playing in the water. Mare and I would mostly stay at the kiddie area and watch all 9 kids (at times less when the boys would alternate which kid to take to the next ride). It was so fun. I only wish Wendy could have been there to see how cute her kids were.

{Brooke loved the water, and especially the slide}

{Dallin and Lydia holding hands while walking back. So cute! I love how all the cousins get along! ALL 26 OF THEM!!!}

{Evan would try to slide down the ramp like a slide, but since the cement isn't slippery, he would just bum scoot down...}

{I was pretty sure he was going to have a very distended tummy after the day was over since he was swallowing so much water! He would like to act like a whale or dolphin and fill his mouth up, jump up to the side of the pool and spit it out in an arch form... It made me laugh over and over!}

{Tanner (who was free to get in luckily) just liked sitting in the water and splashing.}

{Brooke however, did dare to go down some fun tube slides with us... she would be quite nervous on the ride, but when we got off she would want to go RIGHT BACK ON!}

{Taking a little break for some snacks!}

{We left a little early from the water park to go to my cousins house for a BBQ and to watch the Stadium of Fire, fireworks! Food was great! Company was even better!}

{The view from their BACKYARD to watch the fireworks. They were the BEST seats! SOOO fun!}

{POST WATER PARK DAY, waiting for the fireworks to start... I just love Tan's face...}

{We got all curled up and waited for them to start, but of course, with the long day we had, Brooke totally fell asleep before they started and slept through them ALL! This is where the hard week started.... she came down with a fever at this point...}

{My cute boy entertaining himself (in the dark minus the flash) with Dan's phone}

{SO FUN! I have a firework setting on my camera... this is one of my fav's I was able to get! We could hear the music from the stadium too...}

{Monday came, and we all woke up so excited to go to the airport. This was on our way... Luckily Brooke was feeling well at this point, but her fever would only stay down with medication}

{We all dressed in orange, in honor of Wendy, to go meet Mom & Dad Kimball at the airport. I made the flag banner and a couple others made signs and brought fun things to greet them with!}

{waiting....}

{They walked around the corner and we started cheering! Mom immediately put her hands to her face and Dad just grinned! I'm so sad this is so blurry...}

{Again, I'm so sad this is blurry, but I love their look here... Such sadness, joy and gratitude all in one!}

{They got to the bottom and we all just stood there... it was kinda funny. No one knew quite what to do. Then Dan yelled "well SOMEONE GO HUG THEM!" AND THEN THE STAMPEDE OF HUGS BEGAN! :D}

{Tanner was born while they were gone, and so the funeral was the first they got to see of their 23rd grandchild... We had some making up to do for lost time!}

{Brooke calls Dan's parents "Grandma & Grandpa Sugar". She was SOOO excited to see Grandma Sugar and give her hugs and play with her. Before we even left for home, she asked Grandma if she could jump on the tramp with her.}

{Sweet Dallin showing Grandma he lost some teeth}

{I'm pretty sure that whoever was watching this moment made everyone chocked up...}

{Tanner was just as happy as could be!}

{Playing ring-around-the-rosie's}

{Bestest of cousins, and buds!}

{Everyone together... even the little random girl on the bottom left who was wearing orange too, came to get in the picture!}

{The sea of orange up the escalator}

{Our family with Grandma and Grandpa Sugar!}

{We all decided to stop by the cemetery on our way home... we were one of the last to get there and when we pulled up this is what we saw...}

{Kenna and Grandma}

{ (auntie)Brooke, Nate, Dan and Dad Kimball}

{Kenna putting a flower on her Mom's grave}

{the flower...}

{Mom was completely always surrounded by the grandkids... She loved it}

{The budding young photographer Kenna...}

{Julie's reaction to the "close-up" Kenna took of her... :D }

{Mare and Brooke, aren't I just the luckiest to have the most beautiful SIL's!?}

{Uncle Larry, Mom's brother, was driving to one of his kids house and saw a "sea of orange" on the hill and knew it was all us...}

{Dan brought a balloon to put on the grave}

{Aren't we all so cute in our orange get up!?}

{Just enjoying being with everyone...}

{The whole family, in our orange, at Wendy's grave.}

{Sweet Denny and Evan}

{We all went home to enjoy our various fast food lunches (Cafe Rio, In-N-Out, etc) and Mom and Dad showed us the gift they received from one of their branches before they left! Aren't they so cute?!}

{While we were there, we picked up the "new" care we bought. We bought Wendy's old car from Denny and Dan drove it home on the 4th. He had to go back to Denver during the week to work. We have named the car "Diesel", as that was one of Wendy's nicknames.}

{The rest of the day was spent playing and enjoying each other.}

{Mom read stories to the girls, Brooke, Bella?, Kenna and Julianne}

{We had a BBQ that night and I made a strawberry shortcake and made it all festive for the 4th!}

The week while Dan was gone, was quite the long one. Both kids got sick with fevers, coughs and ear infections. My pediatrician was a DREAM and worked with me over state lines. She would talk with me every time I called and walk me through things I could do, and then eventually called in a prescription without them having to be seen at a $100< urgent care visit. Brooke had her fever for 7 days... and would sleep almost NON-STOP! It was crazy... That's why I didn't take more pix during the week.

{However, during the week, we were able to meet at a park with all our old dinner group friends (minus the Powells in IL). They were all so nice to still let us come and keep our distance... It was so great to see everyone! How I miss doing dinner group!}

{The Friday after they got home, Dan flew back on a buddy pass and we got some food and headed over to the splash park with the family! This is Evan and Dad.}

{Tanner and Grandma Sugar}

{Swings!}

{Surprisingly this was Tan's first time in a swing!}

{Needless to say, he LOVED it!}

{Julianne, Mom, Julie and Hayes}

{Grandpa pushing Kenna and Brooke on the swings}

{For some reason, they started screaming and hooting and hollering... Grandpa would cover his ears and that would make them laugh and spur them on more!}

{Bella was so excited when she taught Tanner how to clap!}

{My fo-hawk boy in the grass!}

{Lydia and Bella!}

The Saturday after they got home, Wendy's sweet friends and neighbors put together a 5K run/walk and fundraiser for the Mack family. It was amazing! They had shirts made, and things donated. We expected to go run/walk with some friends and such, but when we showed up there were 600 PEOPLE!!! It was amazing and such a tribute to the kind of person Wendy was.

**There is a video at the bottom to show the beginning of the race.**

{Brooke mostly hung out with me. She started running with Dan, but then decided she wanted to walk with me and Tanner and the stroller.}

{Tanner and I}

{Denny, David, Mare, Julie and Sayer}

{Mom and Dad and I were all at the back with the grandkids and some strollers.}

{Dallin and Kenna and Evan all got to ride on the 4 wheeler, along with some of their cousins}

{"After the run the ladies had planned a "croc walk" where Croc's had kindly donated orange crocs for all who signed up (I think they even ran out of them). It was a sight to see as a long line of orange feet and balloons and shirts snaked around the park as we walked and then gathered to release our balloons. Before we released them, Julie, Melissa, and Natalie shared a few words about Wendy, I will never forget these moments. Wendy's parents had returned from their mission just days before and were able to be there for all of this and I couldn't help being very grateful that they could experience that too. What an incredible day, what an amazing group of friends." (From Denny's blog) }

{Waiting to release the balloons}

{Julie said a few words}

{..and then the balloons were released}

{After the croc walk and all, there wever carnival type activities going on that you could purchase tickets for. Kenna and Brooke loved the bounce house}

{Kenna is just like her Mom, always willing and right there to lend a hand and help. She helped Brooke get up the ladder to go down the bounce house slide...}

{Audrey, Evan and Brooke riding the train}

{Brooke even was abe to get her face painted}

{She got a unicorn and an ice cream cone}

{Brooke even shared her snow cone with Tanner}

{Brooke LOVED riding the ponies... This has a lot of meaning for Denny and his family. As the night she passed away, their ward did a carnival where Wendy waited in the cold wind so she could watch Evan ride his first pony. Everything at the fundraiser was 100% donated. These are even the same ponies that were there that night.}

{All the cousins just running from one activity to the next!}

{Mom and Dad walking to the car to head home...}

{All my SIL's minus Laura (and Wendy of course). They all mean so much to me and are so beautiful! I look up to each one of them. They gave me the opportunity to sing with them in the homecoming program at church. We all sang "The Olive Tree". Which, if I remember right, they say (including Wendy) at David's farewell. It was quite emotional as there is a line in the song that says "Heaven's eyes smile down as we declare"... We ALL had tears and got choked up.}

{The morning we left, Uncle David brought their kitties back over and Brooke FELL IN LOVE WITH ROSIE! When we came home, she told us she wanted to get 2 kitties, one named Megamind, one named Minion...}

Overall, the trip was great. Looking back, the first thing I remember are the good times and fun things that happened. I don't remember all the days of dealing with fevers, and coughs... I'm glad I stayed as I debated taking the kids home. It feels good to have Mom and Dad back.

This is the video of the beginning of the 5K race.