Idaho Trip

Date: Feb 22-25th

We were back from Vegas for a few days

before I hopped on a plane and headed up to Idaho.

This trip was a solo trip though.

Just some quiet quality time with my Mom and siblings.
Unfortunately I didn't take many pictures.
Just memories in my heart!

Thursday Feb 22:

My flight to Idaho is always the CRACK of dawn.
Like literally!
I walked onto the tarmac and up the plane ramp in the dark!
But boy was the sunrise gorgeous from above
as we were leaving the Valley of the Sun!

Jordan was already in town.

So I literally had to wake him up at 8:30am,

to come grab me from the airport!

Then we had a super nice chill day with Mom.

We were able to continue going through pictures,

recording her tell us random stories we hadn't heard,

and just laughing and chatting.

It was such a feel good afternoon.

Later after Brad got home from work,

Mom wanted to take us over to the cemetery and show us their plots.

I was actually excited to do this.

So we loaded up and went for a little drive.

Mom rarely gets out.

So she loves these little moments.

Then we grabbed pick up for dinner

and had a quaint little dinner at home together!

Eventually we got Mom to go to bed

(she's like a little kid that keeps coming out of her room lol)

then Jordan and I stayed up way too late just chatting and hanging out!

Friday Feb 23rd:

I got up and made breakfast for everyone.

Brad had already left for work.

So it was another chill day.

Mom had a few visitors stop by.

Her nurse makes a daily visit to change our bandages.

But overall it was just another good day hanging out, laughing and chatting.

Then Uncle Jerald and Kelly drove up from UT for a visit.

That was fun to chat with them.

I hadn't seen them in a couple of years!

It finally started snowing on Friday!!
It's been such a weird mild winter there!

That night Jordan and I went and got take out again

and we all ate at home.

Later we picked up Lyndsay from the airport!

Bring on sibling #3 for the weekend!

After we put the parents to bed,
us kids stayed up watching the Olympics.
Gold Medal Game of Curling to be exact.
Ya who knew he actually watched a curling match and even googled the rules to follow along! lol

Saturday Feb 24th:

I just love the pic of these two!

That afternoon Jordan headed back to UT to catch his flight to CA.

He was supposed to ride the shuttle but then decided to take one of Mom's cars

and leave it in SLC until he flew back to ID in a couple of weeks.

A couple hours later he called us in shock

to tell us that he just passed a big wreck on the freeway

and as he got closer to it he realized it was the EXACT shuttle he was supposed to be on!!!

Crazy!  All the passengers were ok with minor injuries.

But phew that he wasn't on that shuttle after all!

A few pics before Jordan left!

That night Lyndsay and I met up with Luke's family

to do an early birthday dinner for Jeslynn!

It's always a fun time with this cute crew!

Jeslynn wanted to ride back to Mom's house with me and Lynds.

We had to swing through Cafe Rio to pick up dinner for Mom, Brad and Brooke.

Who was landing at the airport at that very moment too!

Well we were driving back with their take out

and POP....yep we got a flat tire!!

So I hurried and called Luke while Lynds pulled over into an empty parking lot.

They had us call AAA while Brad and Luke gathered up the supplies to come rescue us.

As we were waiting we sent them pictures to give them incentive to hurry!

"You better hurry!  We're getting hungry for your dinner!"

"Our best stranded faces"

We actually had so much fun chilling in the car the 3 of us.
We rocked out to music, listened to Jeslynn's deafening singing
and just had our own little car party! lol

Eventually the men arrived to same the women in distress!
I think Luke was secretly happy to utilize his man skills!

Until Brad decided to shield him from the wind...making for a very precarious situation! hahaha

And just then an old beat up suburban pulled in

with a lovely redneck fellow who just happened to be carrying along

the jack of all jacks!

He had our car on its side in about 2.7 seconds! lol

The man later told us he actually pulled in because he saw

"what looked like a man mounting another man so I had to check it out!"

We all about died laughing!!!! Well except for Luke!! lol

The boys finally finished our tire
the exact same time that AAA pulled in to tow us!
That guy was pleased to see we did his job for him! lol

Then it was back to Mom's house to give them their not so fresh dinner!
Hey we tried! lol

Luke's fam had to run out as soon as we got home.
So we chilled with Brooke and chatted late that night
I had to leave super early on Sunday morning to head to the airport.
Dad picked me up from Mom's house...to drive me the 2 miles to the airport! lol
But hey at least I finally got to see him this trip too!

Then it was an easy breezy flight back to PHX
where my rowdy happy crew picked me up and we rushed
to Taylee's final soccer game of the weekend tourney.
They won!
Then we cruised on back to Anthem!

I'm so grateful for the chance I had to get another weekend with my Mom
and then the added bonus of having extra siblings there too!!
It was such an awesome fulfilling weekend!!

Vegas Trip

Date: Feb 16-18th

Ryan's best friend was getting married in Reno/Tahoe area.

We figured it was just too much of hassle to get all of us there.

So Ryan decided to drive to Vegas and take their Allegiant flight up to Reno.

Which meant I decided at the last minute for me and the littles to ride with him

and crash with the Gravens for the weekend until he flew back!

We drove straight to the Vegas airport and dropped off Ryan.
Then the girls and I headed on to Lyndsay's.
We got there in time to all load up to surprise Kyrrigan at school pick up!
She loved having so many people there to get her!!
Laiklyn was in heaven being with her girly cousins!
However Aaron was overrun with a houseful of 6 girls! lol

Little cuties holding hands walking from school to the car

How many blondies can fit on one trike?! lol

Hmmm which ones are really the sisters? lol

Lynds and I escaped the next day during naps for a little sister pedi session!

So fun!

Then Saturday evening we went to the Seaquest Aquarium.

The kids loved it!!

Starving tired little girls on the drive home.
But still sucked into the movie!

Ryan got back to Vegas early afternoon

and we loaded up and made the trek back to Phoenix!

It was a fun little quick getaway!

Arizona State Map Project

Date: Feb 14th

In addition to everything else going on for Valentine's Day,

Taylee's Arizona State Map project was due.

Her teacher had sent home the packet the previous week

explaining what was expected.

I had to take a double take when I saw the page

that was a full on sugar cookie recipe.

HUH!?

Oh yes it was an edible state map the size of a cookie sheet!! lol

Honestly it was one of the more time consuming and stressful

school projects we've done so far!

Who knew you had to have baking skills to get an A grade?! lol

Anyway it turned out great!

So she carefully had to carry this beast into school that morning

along with all her valentine treats too!

And yes WE she got an A! :)

More Valentine's Celebrations

Date: Feb 14th

We (ok maybe it's just me!) love holidays!!

Any reason to celebrate and get a treat

is a good thing in my book! lol

Daddy was cute and left everyone a balloon and flowers 

Then while I was rushing around getting everyone ready for school

he even made breakfast!

I told him what I had planned and he made it happen!

Heart Pancakes and chocolate dipped strawberries!

(I love that instead of using the heart cookie cutter he hand carved the pancakes! lol)

On Valentine's Day

everyone gets their final Love Box treat

in addition to another bucket full of treats!

So we moved to the living room next to see what loot they scored!

Then it was festive outfits for everyone and off to school and work!

Me and the littles walk the big kids each morning!

I love that they still want us to!

Failed attempt at a girls only selfie! lol

Then the littles and I headed back home so I could get ready

and off to the library for story time!

Then we played at home the rest of the afternoon.

The balloons were such a hit.

Until Eastlie got too excited and bit hers! lol

That night Ryan and I even snuck in a quick dinner date.

Ahhh I just love my special time with the family and then my hubby alone!

Such a great couple of days!