Spoiled!!

We were never bored in Utah which is saying a lot coming from being inside all day every day in Texas with this blasted heat. We have felt so spoiled not only to have so many fun people to hang out with but with so many fun places to go as well. We met up with Aunt Brooke and the kids at Hogle Zoo one day and gratefully Jess let me borrow her double stroller. I am always impressed with how much Hogle zoo has improved since I was a kid.
They had a great dinosaur exhibit that both intrigued and terrified some children. Sadie was fascinated and we searched all afternoon for the enormous T-Rex. We found him!
Jack was more on the terrified side and could only stare in disbelief at the enormity and terror the monster in front of him beheld.
The next day we met up with Jess and the kiddos at This is the Place Park which is another place I was totally impressed with. There was nothing there when I was a kid. They had train rides, and trolley tours, animals and pony rides.
The heat of the day started to get to me a little. Sometimes I have to remember I'm pregnant and take it easy.
The hills at hogle zoo really wore me out. I feel like when I'm pregnant my body totally rejects any form of exercise. I don't know how these women run and do their spinning classes when their 8 months prego. It's ridiculous. I'm only jealous, that's all.
Jess eventually took her kids home and I took mine over for a pony ride before we headed home ourselves. Of course we spotted an ice cream store and had to get one of those too.

They only had one size...BIG. I'm used to getting Sadie a kiddie cone. It took her FOREVER to finish this cone and she eventually had to throw the cone part away. It was too much for her. I never thought I would ever have to throw away extra ice cream when it came to Sadie.

Makeshift Double Stroller

There was no way I was going to take my double stroller plus the car seats and all of our luggage to Utah for the summer. I feel like Sadie is old enough to walk these days and she'll have to be once this new baby arrives. Of course every once in a while she "just can't walk anymore" and this is what happens.

Temple Square

I love walking on the grounds at Temple Square. Chase's flight was cancelled so we were able to spend a little extra time together. Temple Square seemed to be a good place to visit that night.
The best part was running into Brecca Bowen, my mission president's daughter who was then 13 when I was serving. She now has a baby and is pregnant with her second. Made me feel VERY old!! I saw her and knew she had to be a Bowen. It was wonderful talking to her and getting an update on her parents.
Trying to keep Jack out of the water was a challenge and eventually we gave up trying. He just loves it too much.

The Weber 2011

We made our yearly pilgrimage to the holy land this summer. You can't go to Utah with out spending at least two to three days up the Weber. It was on the top of our list while Chase was in town and it held up to every expectation. We love it up there!
The Olson's joined us this year and the kids had a fantastic time playing in the river and hiking to the waterfall. They only stayed the afternoon and even though we thought Sadie would go through Ruby withdrawals, she had the horses to keep her company. Year after year, she continues to be obsessed with the ponies.
She of course named one particular pony that continued to come over to her whenever she was seen with a handful of grass. The others weren't amused but "Rose Petal" was quite taken with her. She was the only horse that would eat our left over corn on the cob.
I was cracking up while listening to Sadie talk to Miss Rose Petal. "There you go girl, easy, easy, that's a good girl. Come on girl, eat the grass." Sadie continues to wonder why she still hasn't gotten a horse even though every time she throws a penny in a fountain, she wishes for one. We've had many discussions over "realistic wishes." They seem to be going in one ear and out the other. She REALLY wants a horse.
I love taking pictures of the kids at the cabin. It's just so beautiful and you see them in their raw, unprimped state. I enjoy capturing their smiles and thrills with nature's every encounter. Of course there were ponies, but we saw beavers, and a nest full of baby birds as well.
If I didn't always sleep so horribly up there we would have a hard time leaving. We always have such fantastic late night talks with Pops and CC after the kids are asleep and I could go on and on about Pop's special eggs in the morning. He even made a pregnancy run for me all the way to Oakley to get me some much craved nacho cheese Doritos. What a father in law!
We love you WEBER. We'll see you next year!

Utah in a nutshell

With Jack and Mom (ridiculous cough and allergies) on the mend we sat around in our pajamas a lot the first couple of days in Utah. Instead of rushing out to see family and friends, we went to bed at 9 every night and did our best to get better ASAP. I love this pic of Sadie and CC in their silky pajamas playing with the dollhouse.
The best part of staying at the Cannons is Leslie living right around the corner. As soon as we started feeling better we walked over there for a play date which translated into Les and me talking (and drinking her delicious smoothies)and the girls playing off and on in between Iphone experimentation. What would we do with out our friends and our smart phones?
Em and Pat are moving from New Hampshire to New York and their apartment won't be renovated until September. This was great news for me because that meant I got to hang out with Emily the ENTIRE time I was in Utah. The last time I saw her was two years ago at Rosemary Beach. It was perfect timing to have her there at the same time. It made for lots of cousin time and late night talks. Love my sisters!!
I was in desperate need for a haircut and did just that before we got Etherington family pictures taken. It's the shortest it's ever been and the easiest hair ever!! Just blow dry and flat iron. Now I know why the majority of Mom's have short hair. I've finally joined the ranks or low maintenance moms. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing:-)
Connie planned a fun little trip on the front runner to Ogden. I knew Jack and Sadie would be excited to ride a real train. I was a little worried I would get sick because I usually did on the metro in D.C., especially when I was pregnant.
Everything went very smoothly. Connie brought all sorts of games and toys to play with and the kids watched out the window for horses and big trucks. I think SLC is pretty cool for having such a convenient way for people to get SLC from Ogden.
Once we got there the kids found the old trains to climb on and play with. We ran around and played for about an hour and then got back on the train to go back home. It was funny to ride a train just to ride but it ended up being fun for the kids and I enjoyed talking with Connie and Jar.
Jack checked out in the car ride home. I put him on Cate's old bed and we snuggled until he woke up. It was heavenly!!
Lizzie was ripe and ready to pop with her second baby so we headed out to her neck of the woods to take a dip in the Dalton's pool. Sadie was brave enough to jump off the diving board and the rest of the time we attempted to keep the three two year olds from drowning and NOT running on the slippery, wet cement.
Jack, Eloise and Alice are so fun to watch together because they are all the same size and all ridiculously full of life. I'm glad our kids will have so many cousins. I never had a lot of cousins. There are thirteen combined from both my mom and dad's sides. Not very many. I have a feeling at the rate we are going, there will be quite a few Etherington and Cannon cousins in the next 10 years. There won't be a beach house big enough!
My parents have an AMAZING children's book collection. A day didn't pass with out everyone snuggling up on the couch for some old classics. When the kids got bored from playing with Jane's old Barbies and Lincoln Logs, they were often found on the couch looking at books or being read to.
We always laugh about the fact that when my parents pass (morbid thought I know) we'll probably fight more over who gets which children's book than over who inherits the furniture, silver or whatever else they leave behind. Books bring back so many memories of my dad sitting in the hallway in between mine and Lizzie's doors to read to us while we fell asleep at night.

The East High 98ers met up at the Dodo one night and it was heavenly hanging out with all of them. I sometimes imagine how much fun I would have if I lived in Utah playing with all these fun women and their children. I feel fortunate that we've all stayed close and still get along swimmingly. We had such a fun class of people. It's always great to be reunited. I didn't get home until WAY too late that night:-)
Utah's weather was absolutely delightful compared to any weather but especially Texas' unbearable heat. We spent every waking moment outdoors. We went to zoos, arboretums, parks, ran threw sprinklers, wheeler farm, and climbed trees...of course. Summers are meant to be played outdoors and we did just that.
One particular park that has been around forever that I've never experienced fully is Liberty Park. They have a whole little oasis of water tunnels and splash pools for the kids to run around in. I met up with some old San Diego friends and it was so fun to see new children and discover how big the once babies had grown.
Sadie and Jack had so much fun becoming best friends with their cousins. Sadie and Ruby particularly hit it off. They spent their days playing Barbies, searching for snails outside, searching for Grandpa, jumping on Grandpa, and dancing to music in the kitchen.
They are such giggly little girls together. It was so fun watching them form such a fun attachment. Having us all under one roof was overwhelming at times but it was worth the chaos watching all these kids play together. I'm sure (I know) we drove Mimi and Grandpa to the point of hysterics and Em and I are both so grateful they opened their home up to us and provided such a fun setting.
Chase left after the first week and Jack really clung onto Uncle Nick. Anytime he came over he wouldn't leave him alone. Nick was such a great sport to carry him around everywhere even though he has two kids of his own. I always notice a difference in uncles once they have their own children. Chase used to be the favorite uncle on the Cannon side and it has quickly turned to the younger brothers with no children because they aren't as burned out. Nick still has the fun, playful energy of a childless uncle. He's just too much fun and Jack couldn't get enough of him.
After Lizzie had her baby we took Alice for the day to give her a much needed break and nap. She is such a fun kid. We spent the morning at Laird park and made cookies. I even got to sing her to sleep for a nap which was a fun "Aunt Abby" moment for me. I have to admit I was envying all the family Lizzie has around when she has a baby. I feel like I get a week when my parents come out and then I'm completely on my own with the new baby. I need a sister to move to Austin! I'll take a pseudo one. Jules?
Speaking of sisters, we got in a lot of Gardner time as well. Jess was my pseudo sister in D.C. when all we had was each other to lean on. She and Lizzie have never forgotten their baby years with Moriah Mecham and learning to share, not hit and play together. They are such great little buddies now.
The Beckstroms also overlapped a little on our Utah trip so we got to hang out with them a little as well. Andrea's little girls are ridiculously cute and they all had a ton of fun playing.
Mimi and Grandpa took us to the Tracy Aviary to look at some birds. The older kids seemed to be interested but Jack was more into any body of water or rock nearby. We headed over to the rides afterwards and the kids had a blast.
It was hard to explain to them that we had to pay for each ride and they could only ride each one once. This was a hard concept for Jack who wanted to ride the cars and planes over and over again.
If it weren't for Mimi needing to catch a flight to New York we probably would have given in and purchased more tickets. It's so hard to say no to those faces.
Jack's obsession with water reached a new level under Grandpa's watch. Em and I were cooking dinner and Dad happened to mention how much fun Spence and Jack were having in the bathroom. I assumed he was talking about them playing with the sink. We ware baffled by the fact that he knew they were playing in the toilet and didn't seem to worry or care one bit about sanitation, giardia, and water all over the floor. Grandpa only cares that they are having fun. Gross!!
Grandpa also happens to make THE BEST pancakes known to man. Somehow he makes them flat and crispy and oh so delicious that they were requested every morning by Sadie (and secretly by myself). I watched him carefully and may have mastered his chef's secret but I still don't think anything can compare and I'm not talking about pancakes here.
Chase came back into town to help me fly home with the kids and recreate in Bear Lake with the Gardners. The night before our flight we all met up Millcreek Canyon to make s'mores with all the kiddos. There's nothing like s'mores when your pregnant. They taste SO good. The fire was hypnotizing for the little kids and I was a little worried the little ones would get too close but we got through the night burn free.

Em's kids were all sick. Andrew especially had the runs so we whisked Ruby away to have a little fun after she'd been inside all day with her sick brothers. Turns out Andrew actually had giardia. Poor little guy couldn't keep anything down and lost a ton of weight but once they got his infection taken care of it got better.



What a great family I have. Such a fun trip. It's nice to be back home and sleeping in our beds but we will miss those cool summer days and conversations rich with laughter. I miss everyone already!!<