Utah Trip

A few weeks ago we hit a big milestone.  Matthew finished his second year of medical school.  Woo Hoo!!  We are halfway done and I couldn't be more proud of my husband.  He has worked so hard and long and has sacrificed lots of sleep and family time into studying and cramming for tests and finals.  We had a two week break before summer term began and had nothing planned.  Yes, nothing.  I was feeling kind of bad that this was his one break this summer and we were doing zip.  So on a whim we decided we wanted to drive to Utah. So we literally packed up and drove out the next day. I'm so glad we did, it was just what we needed.

We drove out on Sunday, May 20th (our 6 year anniversary!) and stayed the night in St. George.  We actually did that on purpose so we were in the perfect spot to see the way cool solar eclipse that night.  I'm so glad we planned that right because it was really neat to see in person.  You had to have special glasses to look at the sun which we didn't but some other nice spectators let us borrow theirs. We saw the moon pass right over the sun until all you see was the "ring of fire" as they call it where it's just the outline of the sun.  Cool experience!

The first half of the trip we stayed with my grandparents in Orem.  They were so nice and willing to let us stay with them on such short notice.  Austin has only met them a couple of times but he took right to them and loved playing with them.  We had a cousins party with all my cousins who are still in the area and had fun catching up with everyone.  We also spent a lot of time with Matthew's sister Aubrey who live in the area. Her son Aaron and Austin are less than a year apart and love playing with each other. And since we last saw each other, Aubrey and I both had babies so it was fun for us to meet each other's babies.

Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum

My sister Ciera got to meet Kensley for the first time

Austin trying to figure out how to do a cartwheel

Thanks Allens!

The second half of our trip we stayed with Matthew's parents in Salt Lake.  Austin loved it over there because there are so many toys.  I don't think he was ever bored!  

Kensley and Aubrey's new baby Declan

 Love that face!

 Playing play dough with Nonna. 

Me and my two fabulous sister-in-laws

The weather in Utah was so pretty! We did as much as we could outside.  Austin loved this little bike and rode it as much as he could despite his facial expression. 

 Kensley meets Granny for the first time

All of Matthew's siblings plus spouses with grandparents in the middle.

 Austin couldn't get enough of the trampoline.  I think just about everyone took a turn going outside to jump with him.

 So happy to meet each other's babies. Declan is 1 month, Kensley is 4 months

 Walking around Temple Square. Austin was pretty excited to visit a temple so close up.  We also walked around the new mall across the street from the temple and wow!   It's very amazing and I want to go back.

Austin and Aaron played so well together!

 Getting ice-cream from the ice-cream truck They both loved that and thought that was the coolest thing ever!

We only planned on staying in Utah for a week but we ended up staying for the whole two weeks since we were having such a good time.  I'm so glad we did.  Both kids did really great on the road trip there and back and I'm so glad that so much family got to meet Kensley.