First Few Days in Utah

So after a very long drive across the country, we found ourselves winding down the canyons of Northern Utah. It was great to see the mountains again; they even still had quit a bit of snow on them! Everything was so green and beautiful. The reservoirs were overflowing. The streams and rivers bubbling. The cows, horses, and sheep were grazing. I can tell you Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan are nice and even kind of pretty at times, but none of them can even hold a candle to the mountains and valleys of Utah. I was practically crying all the way down Provo Canyon, which in addition to being beautiful, has a long of great memories for us. I found a song a couple months ago that was my theme song for the few months as I got ready to come home. It is called "Coming Home" by Due West from Trek: A Nashville Tribute to the Pioneers. I would have added it to my playlist but I cannot figure out how to do it. Maybe someday I'll be tech savvy enough to figure it out. We spent a beautiful evening in Provo at Chris and Shanna's and the next morning at church with them. That afternoon we headed to St. George. As we stepped out of the car in St. George, the 100+++ degree heat hit me, I took a gasping breath and Daniel asked if I was still envious of living in Utah. I violently shook my head. I love the redrock country but Utah Valley still feels more like home to me. We spent the night and next day with Jake and Amanda. We had a great time with them. We all went to the Main Street water park and let the kids play.

 

And play they did. They loved the streams and waterfalls.

 

Kyla and Sammy were like two peas in a pod and seemed to be always disappearing where I couldn't see them, but Daniel and Amanda always seemed to know where they were.

 

Behind Nora and Myka is a very soaking wet Amanda and Chad.

 

Shaea brought her boys over too, and it was fun to see them also.

 

 

That evening Amy and Matt invited us over for a BBQ and swimming. Nate and Candy were there and the kids had a great time playing with all their cousins. The swimming pool was just a titch deep for nervous Nora so she was a little hesitant but still stayed in and swam for a long time with her floaties on. Once Kyla got in she was unstoppable, especially once Daniel got in and started tossing the kids around. The boys kept begging for him to throw them, but he could get Kyla much higher than any of them. Sometimes she is so fearless it scares me.

 

Thanks so much Amy and Amanda for the great hospitality, we sure appreciate it!Pictures I wish I had taken: Morgan, Sammy, Nora, and Kyla all lined up on an air mattress for their sleepover; Myka with the ponies she couldn't stop talking about for the next 4 weeks; just more pictures with the kids and their cousins.