Heading Home

We left Roosevelt on Friday, August 14th. We decided to take three days to come home, and we planned on staying in Denver that night. We stopped for lunch in Grand Junction so we could see where the Chipmans lived and hang out with them one more time.
We got to Denver right around dinnertime, and we planned to take the kids to eat at Casa Bonita. We had previously told them all about how cool the place is, and everyone was excited to eat there. We didn't think about the fact that it was a Friday night and maybe everyone in Denver would have the same idea as us. We pulled into the parking lot and saw that tons of people were waiting to get in. Plan B - we went across the street and ate at Qdoba.
We left Saturday morning with the destination of Council Bluffs, IA, so we could see Winter Quarters the next day. Noah felt queasy since he woke up, and then he threw up all across Nebraska. Poor kid - throwing up while riding in a car is awful! Luckily no one else got sick.
We got to our hotel in Council Bluffs that night. It was a Quality Inn, and we soon began to wonder about the quality of this Quality Inn - hallways and rooms that smelled like smoke, a toilet that ran all night, a bathtub that didn't plug, and a swimming pool with a cracked and bubbled floor. We were glad to leave!
We didn't time things right, so we didn't make it to church the next morning, but we did get to see the visitor's center and the temple grounds in Winter Quarters. What a neat place! It is truly full of the spirit of the pioneers.

Dressing up like pioneers in the visitor's center



We ate lunch on the temple grounds, then made it the rest of the way home. We were welcomed home that night by a refrigerator that quit working sometime during our trip. Nice.

This was a kind of trial road trip to see how everyone did with such a long drive. I was initially really nervous about it, especially while 7 months pregnant, but it turned out just fine. We saw friends and family and we made some great memories. We'd totally do it again. . . but not for awhile.

Roosevelt

We spent the last leg of our trip at Chris' parents' house in Roosevelt. We were so happy to have Sharene, Shelleen, and their kids with us too!

We spent time at the school playground (Annie with Brielle and Ariah) . . .





. . . and in the neighbor's dune buggy (1 - Noah, Brig, Grandpa 2 - Annie, Brielle, Chris
3 - Brielle, Hudson, Grandpa).


Noah was so still that the hummingbirds would land on his hand. He just had to watch out for the hornets!


Playing with Tede


Brielle, Ariah, and Hudson. Two-year old cousins!

Arches

On Monday, the 9th, Chris and his dad took Annie, Noah, and Brigham to Arches while I kept Hudson. I didn't want to be hiking around in 90 degree weather while I was 7 months pregnant! Hudson and I got to spend some time with Chris' mom, Sharene, Shelleen, and their kids. We then met everyone else back in Roosevelt on Tuesday night. This was the first time for the kids at Arches, and they had a great time!

Holding up North Window!


Noah holding up North Window and the 3 kids imitating the Three Gossips


Brig under Balanced Rock and Noah trying to support a balanced rock in Park Avenue


Moonlit hike to Delicate Arch


Annie and Brig in the lower "O" of Double O arch. Landscape arch is still standing - I'm glad the kids got to see it may not be around much longer.


Annie and Brig on the Landscape arch trail. Red rocks, blue sky and dark shadows are typical here.


Brigham swinging on a tree near Turret Arch, Grandpa resting in the shade of Sand Dune Arch

The cabin

After we left Green River on Friday, August 7th, we spent the weekend at Chris' family's cabin up Hobble Creek canyon. We met the Chipmans there as well as some of Chris' family.

Cookouts (including dough boys - YUM), mixing with a hornet's nest, games, and lots and lots of talking. So Fun!



Weight and Chipman reunion - Yay!

Our time in Green River

My sister, Laurie and her son, Rowdy, as well as my brother Lynn's family, were at my parents' house for part of the time with us. The kids were so excited to spend time with their cousins!

At the splash park

This is when we went to the Sweetwater County fair. Good times. This last picture is of a watusi. I want to giggle every time I see this picture or even say the name. Can you believe those horns??



Annie, my mom, Hannah, and Lexi made a fruit pizza. Y.U.M.



Kayla read a lot of books to Hudson



Annie was in heaven with all of her girl cousins! We made fabric-wrapped initials one afternoon.



Water fight!



Pinata!! If you look closely at Hudson, you'll see his red mouth. This was a pretty typical look for the kids during the week thanks to my mom's famous homemade popsicles.



Hudson, my dad, Kayla, my mom, Hannah, Aubrie, Lexi, Noah, Annie, and Brigham



We stayed a couple of days with my parents after everyone else left. These pics are when Chris took the boys hiking in the mountains around Green River.







Noah was really hoping to see a rattlesnake on their hike, and look - he got his wish!