Park Slides and Piggy Back Rides: July 2010

The kiddos and I headed to Montana last week to see my parents and my brother and his family. This was our first trip to see them since they moved there about a year and a half ago. The drive to see them before their move was a short 5 hour drive, but this trip was 12 hours. I was nervous going to a place I'd never been to before by myself with the kids, so I prayed really hard that everything would go smoothly and it couldn't have gone any better (on the way there). The kids were so excited and got up early in the morning and were wide awake the whole trip, with no naps, I didn't really expect Ian to take a nap, but I thought for sure Morgan would konk out, but they were just too excited. Our portable DVD player broke and I had planned to have them watch movies for a good portion of the way, so I was not prepared with enough toys and books.

We had a fun visit and went out to the lake with my brothers boat that he bought on eBay last year. He has had a ton of trouble with it, and was nervous about taking it out, it stalled on us a couple of times, so instead of being stranded out in the middle of the lake he decided to take it in. The next day he went a bought a brand new boat with all the bells and whistles, so we took it out for F.H.E. on our last night there and went for a ride and found a nice beach and cooked hot dogs and smores. During our visit we also went swimming at an outdoor pool in a very small town. Ian went fishing with his grandpa, and didn't catch any fish on the first outing, but the second outing was a big hit (pictures will be posted later of the fishing trip, they are on my parents camera, and I'm waiting for my mom to send me the pictures.) I had a great time visiting with my mom and going through some of Nana's jewelry (she passed away last September). I also brought home a set of her china, a picture of France that she and my grandpa had bought on one of their trips their, and an anniversary clock.

Our trip home was not quite as pleasant as the trip their. Morgan was grumpy from the beginning of the trip and bothering Ian something fierce. When I threatened to stop the car, and have them both walk (isn't that was parent's are supposed to do on a trip), they settled down for a little bit, but it didn't last too long. That darn DVD player :(. Morgan didn't fall asleep until Idaho Falls (9 hours into our trip), and by this time I was in the midst of a meltdown too. Next time I will make sure that I have a working DVD player and more toys and books, and hopefully Jeff can come with us too.

Enjoying the ride to Montana

My youngest sisters girls were there for a visit, we had a girls day out!

Morgan's first boat ride - she LOVED it!

This was on the old boat

The new boat!

Mom ready for her turn on the new boat

My brother and his family - and Morgan

The older kids playing in the lake

Eating 'Smores

Morgan being silly on our way home

Of course Ian had to be in on the silliness too

And...finally she's out!

Stay tuned for the fishing pictures...you won't believe how big they were!

We had a fun 4th of July this year (celebrating on the 3rd). A couple days before the 3rd, I had decided that I should try running a 5K on my treadmill. I did it with no problem so I thought that it would be fun and a huge motivator for me to do the West Jordan 5K on Saturday morning. Now, I think I'm hooked and will continue to do a few 5K's and work my way up to a 10K and my goal is to run the half-marathon next summer in my home town. After the race we came home and got ready to go to the West Jordan parade. This was our first time going to the parade, since moving here. The kids had a blast running out for the candy and we enjoyed watching the floats. We (Jeff and I) came home and had a nap, and then I got things ready for our BBQ with my sis and her fam. Later that night we went and watched the fireworks in the Murray High School Stadium, we didn't have to get their super early and it didn't take us forever to get out of there.

Here are some pics from our day: