Our Utah Adventure Comes To An End

We are home! We have been home for a couple of days, but the flu bug hit our home and we have been out of commission. So I will try to remember the details of the remainder of our adventures so I can share them everyone.

Torie sure enjoyed having Sadie visit her while in Utah. They spent a lot of time talking and just being silly. After 2 months they had a lot of catching up to do.

Torie and Sadie pulled branches off of Mom's Weeping Willow tree and made hula skirts. They made up a dance and performed for Mom, Dad, and I. They did a pretty good job! It is so wonderful that my kids have good friends to "hang" with! I really enjoy all their friends.

On the day that Tara and Sadie left home, Ron flew into town. It was so good to see him! 3 weeks is too long to be apart! Most of the kids were just as excited to see him as I was, Taralee on the other hand wasn't quite sure of him. She just kept looking at him like "I think I know you." Once Ron got there we just kinda hung out with the family. He and my Dad and Torie went to Spanish Fork on the morning of the 24th to watch Porter run in the "Speedy Spaniard", a mile fun run that Porter was really excited about running. He did a really good job, out of about 100 kids Porter got 21st. That night we found ourselves back in Spanish Fork with Stacey and Kirk and their kids. After really good pizza, Ron and Kirk took the kids out to the "hills" to go shooting. Isn't it funny in AZ we go out to the desert to shoot in Utah they go to the hills. Anyway, they had a blast! We then waited around for fireworks. It took forever for them to start we were about the leave because it was after 10:00pm but I am glad we waited. This was probably the best fireworks show I have ever seen. Well worth the wait.

Then on Friday July 25th Mom, Dad, Ron, and I went back to Salt Lake and the Conference Center for a wonderful concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Osmond Family. I really enjoyed this concert. Pres. Monson and his wife were at this concert also. It was really neat to be sitting there talking and having it very loud around you and then all of a sudden silence. Even though we could not see him at first we knew that the Prophet had just entered. What a neat experience. It was kinda different though being in the conference center for something other than General Conference. At first it was hard to clap after the songs. Then when the Osmonds were singing some of their old songs from the 70's tie died lights were dancing around on the organ pipes kinda different but fun.

Saturday morning it was time for us to pick up Bryndee and Joselyn from EFY. They had a blast! I will let you read Bryndee's blog to learn more about her time but here are a few pictures from her week.

Bryndee and Joselyn after registering. They were in search of their dorm room.

Bryndee and Joselyn during a class. It is so good to see them enjoying the scriptures!

Bryndee and her new found friends!

On of the advantages to having your brother-in-law direct EFY, you get your own personal spy. We have lots of pictures of Bryndee and her friends dancing with really cute guys! At one of the classes on dating, Chad called Bryndee up on the stage in front of everyone (about 800 youth) and had her do a role play about dating and the importance about waiting till 16. After this Chad and Cassie had numerous guys ask them when their niece would be 16. Sorry boys, not for a couple of years! Thank goodness I am not ready to cross this bridge!

Cassie and Bryn!

Another advantage to having Chad direct was that Torie and Reagan got to go and help judge the skits. This just gave her a taste of EFY and she can't wait till she is old enough to go and enjoy the fun.

Apparently sleeping is not an option at EFY. After a week of fun and no sleep this is Bryndee and Joselyn just minutes after arriving home.

Saturday being our only day to spend as a family Ron wanted to take the kids on a Pioneer trail that he found a couple years ago. I was not too keen on this idea because we were going to spend lots of time together in the car Monday on our drive home, but Ron won and I am really glad he stood firm. Because we just got through with the pioneer trek in June he really wanted Bryndee to witness first hand the "Rocky Ridge" and the trails that the pioneers had to cross. At one point you can see the actual path the pioneers walked and the ruts that were created by the hand carts. It was a really neat experience for us all. At the end of the trail you end up in "Emigration Canyon". This is the place were Brigham Young announced this is the place. A state monument is there and a recreated pioneer village is also there. It is an actual village with real pioneer homes that were relocated to that spot. I think we would have really enjoyed it if it had not been so dang hot. I think I would like to go back in the spring or fall some time.

Ron and the kids on the start of the pioneer trail.

In the village they have little crafts for the kids to do. Here they are branding leather.
They had a barber shop where Porter was given an "shave"
Abby on a pony ride. Porter, Torie, and Kymber on their pony ride.

Sunday was a day spent with family. We barbecued for dinner with Mom, Dad, Stacey and her family, Cassie and her family, Aunt Micky, Uncle Bryant, and some of their family. It was really good to see them again. Then 4:00am (3:00 Az time) Monday morning we started our journey home. At about 2:00 pm we drove into our garage and at 3:00 I was back in the car taking Bryndee to the high school for cheer practice. Nothing like being thrown right back into the fire right? Thanks Mom and Dad for having us and or ciaos for the month of July. We really enjoyed ourselves. Enjoy the peace and quiet, and if you miss the noise I know where you can find some.