Once Abby put out there an open invite to Phoenix for Spring Break, Jon and I's wheels got turning. We had bagged the idea of Disneyland this spring to save the money. We were trying to think of another spot to steal away to, so Phoenix it was! (who are we kidding? I think we spent just as much) They'd picked Phoenix because it's warm. Abby and I have spent several spring breaks in Phoenix with Rachel, Linda and Grandma Taylor so it seemed fitting to go back.
Abby told me she'd made a countdown chain and once I booked the same hotel and told the kids our plans, I knew we'd have to do the same with the constant asking how far away. It was fun to rip down one more square each morning at breakfast and see what was left before we took off.
Abby and I were chuckling about that Seinfeld: We're gonna be a the pool..... we're gonna be all over the shuffleboard court.....
The days leading up seemed crazy with Primary meetings and getting things covered and settled. It felt great pulling out of the driveway, finally off! I told Jon I think it was the first trip we've gone on where I did not make a single list, just packed as I remembered things. It was so cold and snowy as we left, even white out conditions as we drove, I was excited to feel the 85 degree weather Arizona promised.
We arrived at the lovely Hurricane house in time to play a little, go out for dinner and hit the grocery store to fill the cooler. Sunday was beautiful. The boys sure love to play in the backyard up that climbing wall! They have a "fort" up there I have yet to see. We took a drive to a favorite climbing spot and let the kids run around and climb.
There are some neat big holes in the rock they were pretending were their bedrooms.
We have a picture of Paisley on this same stump from about 2 years ago.
When we got back I started dinner, the Boci's would be arriving soon! So exciting! It was fun to have them finally arrive, the vacation felt officially under way! I made a spaghetti dinner, everyone watched Tron, while Abby and I gabbed in the kitchen, of course. All the little kids piled in the family room for bed, I think they were too excited to fall asleep for a while.
We all got up and headed out first thing. We sure were thankful for the borrowed DVD players, thanks to Devron! The boys were so excited I think they started five movies before they finally settled on one they could commit to the end. We stopped in Henderson, Nevada at a nice little park for a picnic lunch. That GPS of the Boci's sure came in handy! The kids were glad to run around for a bit and Abby and I were noticing how there were NO KIDS. Any given park on a Monday in Provo would have a significant amount. We had it all to ourselves.
Next stop, Hoover Dam! I was a little suprised at the crowds. Not huge, but more people than I expected. We were in a slow line for the parking garage and the guy motioned for the Boci's in front of us and us as well to proceed off to more parking. I asked Jon, "Why are we so privelaged?" He responded, "Because we're white!" (our cars...)
It was such great weather, just perfect to walk out to the dam. Yikes! That is a deep drop-off! I was holding Zeke and he kept trying to scramble out of my arms almost like he wanted to dive over the wall. I was holding onto him so tight! I was so nervous seeing Adren and Eli hopping up on the wall to look over. Too many kids to keep track of!
We walked across the border to the Arizona side, then crossed to walk along the water side. It's quite a bit lower than it has been in the past, just so you know. It is an amazing thing to see, especially the giant bridge that was built to connect the two mountains.
Everyone say, "Dam!"
The next span of drive time was hard on little Zeke. He is not as interested in the movies as the older kids and was constantly reaching for things I wasn't sure of what he wanted. I found myself handing him snacks and treats just to appease him for five minutes, only to see him get messier and messier. That's a long drive through Joshua Tree forest.
We stopped at a gas station to let everyone run around for a little bit and get "suicide" Icee's. There was this funny statue of a prisoner chained to a safe, chained to a tree and told about how the jails would fill so they'd chain men to this "Jail Tree".
The kids would push a button and a recording would play on about it. I was thinking how miserable that would be to sit there chained in the heat.
We finally arrived in beautiful Phoenix that evening. Our hotel was great! The kids went bonkers over the room, a loft upstairs for them, with a TV and their own bathroom! They were even able to unpack for the week, each having their own dresser or side table! It had a kitchen downstairs, and was just perfect for our week long stay. I don't think it's a place I would have found and booked on my own. Way to go, Boci's! We all checked out each others rooms, the kids squealing with delight. Paisley just couldn't believe we'd made it to the HOTEL! Fun times!
I think we went right out for dinner. Matt found us an IHOP (eventually) with that trusty GPS! The kids licked their plates clean and half were asleep when we got back to the room.
This great hotel served a complimentary breakfast each morning which saved such a hassle! It was so nice to head down each morning to a hot breakfast, kids could grab what they wanted and we were off! One morning I made Zeke a waffle, and gave him a little carton of milk to drink. He was so insistent on pouring that milk over his waffle and getting so upset when I'd stop him. I finally let him just do it, and he ate almost his entire waffle swimming in milk. Paisley would come down with her purse and the hotel Bible tucked under her arm. I sat with Graham on the last morning as he chatted away telling me all sorts of things. He told me how he goes to school. I asked him if his mom teaches him, and he replied he teaches himself. He's done three days so far and has taught himself how to open the car. That little Graham wearing his Indiana Jones hat the whole trip a real gem.
Adren and Eli were of course dying to swim. I know this because they told me every 30 seconds from the moment we entered Arizona. When I came out from breakfast they were already suited up. We were a little worried about keeping track of all of these kids! I could see one of the inflatables was ruined that we brought and Matt had just bought one that required to be filled at a gas station so we headed out to the local Kmart around the corner and I stocked up on pool toys, swim diapers and the like. I was dismayed when we got to the checkout to realize I'd left my debit card with Jon! Nice Matt swooped in and covered for me. As we stopped for him to fill up the swim floater at a gas station a shady looking guy walked over and immediately started crying about a sick baby and needed money. As we drove away we were chuckling about how he could just cry on demand. (we did give him $)
We took over the entire pool area.That place was littered with towels, sandals, goggles- and the inflatables! It was ok because the entire week we were there I saw one lady come out and lay by the pool and maybe two men that talked at a table for a minute. I was joking at the end of the day we should just pile our stuff behind the BBQ counter. In the room I asked Jon where all the pool stuff was, he replied, "Behind the BBQ counter!" Gufaw! We spent the entire day laying around, reading magazines, I took a nice nap, soaking up lots of sun. The weather was just perfect! The kids would hop back and forth between the hot tub and the big pool. Adren and Eli were just giddy to have Grayson around. At one point I asked out loud, "What time is it?" to Abby's reply, "Who cares?" Yeah! Who cares!
We had to care at some point because we were wanting to hit the Easter Pageant in Mesa that evening. We scrambled to get out of there and followed the Boci's to Mesa. (that GPS!) We stopped at Church's Chicken for dinner. It was so HOT inside that little restaurant we couldn't possibly eat in there! Must be all that frying. It had a patio but nothing was out there. Recourse-full Abby whipped out her pic-nic blanket out on that patio and we did the same. We were in the shade and it was real nice.
The crowd at the Mesa temple was quite large. We had to drive around a bit for parking but I enjoyed looking at all of the cute little houses. It was a gorgeous night and the temple looked loveley. We found a really great spot on a hill so we could see great. It was a great pageant and very well done. It was actually the dress-rehearsal but you'd never know the difference. The kids would roll around on the grass and play on the steps, then come back on the blanket and watched. That sweet little Callie kept sidling up to me and plunking herself in my lap. She's a snuggly one.
The ending number was especially great with the stage full, everyone singing, the angels lit up above with trumpets as Christ rises above.
We got out of there pretty quick and met up at the Dairy Queen for an ice cream before we headed back to the hotel. It was just lovely to be sitting outside in view of the temple not chilly at all. Katrina, Mallerie, Ava, Abby and I were laughing at how since it was a soundtrack the people on stage seemed to be just moving along with so they could have been talking on the phone with an ear bud to their wife during the whole performance. "So on the way home you need me to pick up milk, diapers....." All while moving their arms around to the soundtrack.
Once again when we arrived to the hotel we were carrying sleeping kids up to bed.
Wednesday started with the lovely breakfast, pool time, and some basketball. There was a court right next to the pool the boys could check out balls from the front desk. It was nice they were right there to keep an eye on.
Jon and Matt ran to the store and got stuff to BBQ hamburgers and steaks poolside. I've never used all the amenities the hotel has to offer!
We all happened to bring kites and it was windy enough to fly them. (great minds...) The Boci's kites went right up. Ours were really struggling and Abby learned me it's all about the string- you buy the separate string that lets you unwind quickly. Matt got that sucker up high in no time.
The boys decided to go to the Diamond Back game at Chase Stadium and us girls wanted to do some shopping. We found an outdoor mall they dropped us at and went on to their game. I'm so glad they got to do that! There's nothing like an outdoor game, with the lights and all.
Jon said he went all out and got the boys cotton candy, hotdogs, peanuts- The Works! Soon enough Adren had stuffed himself and wasn't feeling well and threw up in the bathroom. After that he started stuffing his face with cotton candy again. Jon asked him if he was feeling ok for that. He replied, "Yeah! I feel great!"
They came back with a hat and bat as tokens to remind them of the fun.
Us gals, on the other hand found a Target next to the mall and ended up spending most of the time there! Those Boci gals know how to shop! It was fun to not feel rushed and look at everything and find some stuff. Ava was a real gem and would push around Paisley and Zeke and at one point Paisley and Callie were playing Hide and Seek by the shoes. I'd completely forget I had kids with me when Mallerie would holler, "I've got them!" When we headed back to the mall it was almost closing time. Paisley, Zeke and Callie enjoyed dancing on a stage with a large screen behind it playing music videos. We found a Paradise Bakery for dinner, then sat outdoors in front of a huge roaring fireplace chatting until the boys arrived. What a fun night with Katrina, Mallarie & Ava!
Everyone was out cold when we got back to the hotel.
Thursday morning at breakfast we were trying to decide what to do. We all had received enough sun by the pool. I feared we'd grow immune to the sunblock. We gathered the pamphlets in the lobby. Jon suggested the nearby airplane hangar because our boys had enjoyed the one up in Ogden. Abby replied, "Are you being serious?" We decided on the local Zoo and Aquarium. It was literally a straight shot behind the hotel.
Again, perfect weather.
It's a dusty place and I could imagine the unpleasant heat in the middle of summer. We made the slow circle starting at the aquarium, a log ride, a train ride, then on to the animals. Once again, Katrina, Mallerie and Ava were always pushing a stroller or looking after our kids. Such peachy pies.
Eli got soaked!
We were bugged when at lunch they wouldn't let us bring in our coolers. Do you know how much money we've spent here already? They wanted moooooore.
We pic-nic'd on the blankets out in some crab grass and weeds by the parking lot. Doesn't sound pretty? It wasn't. We finished up the animal rounds and ended up at the playground/petting zoo. Those goats kept chewing on the kids shirts. There were giant turtles roaming around and at one point I heard Jon holler, "Look at me!" He was lifting up a turtle! Whoa!
Grayson feeding the giraffe's
The turtles were freakishly fast!
That evening the hotel boasted a hot dog BBQ. We got the kids plates loaded up with food and desserts and planned to have a BBQ of our own~ "Bobby Q's". A place everyone had been noticing right by the hotel. I still remember laying back on the lounge chair near the pool, waiting to head out to dinner. It was just a gorgeous, perfect evening. Ahhhhhh.
Abby's older girls were so great! They took on all these kids, no problem. Such sweet, thoughtful girls.
Bobby-Q's did not dissapoint. The ambiance alone was great. One of those dimly lit, twinkling lights strung out on the patio, old brick walls- it was great. It was so great for a chance to sit, just the four of us and have a conversation! It felt strange to not be constantly looking around counting heads. Matt and Abby are always a good time to hang out with and laugh with. My favorite people! All our food ordered was de-lish! Ribs, steaks, shredded pork, shrimp- all if it sooooo tasty. And desert! Apple cobbler and death by chocolate. We thought that is what the man next to us may have ordered since he was slumped over and was taken out by paramedics on a stretcher.
We went on to do a little mall shopping and then a movie! Can you believe it? We went out on a date while on vacation! Yay for the Boci's!
When we got back to the Boci's room most of the kids were asleep. They'd watched a movie and popped pop corn and had a great time. Katrina was so very sweet - and Mallerie, and Ava! Really, they had such a great attitude about babysitting and were so kind and thoughtful. What great girls! Much appreciated! Love those people!
Matt helped Jon and I lug all our sleeping kids back to our room.
Friday was a little sad for all of us. We ate breakfast and packed up our room. No small feat after a whole week. I figured I'd be about ready for it all to come to a close, but I wasn't. Neither were the kids.
The car ride, again was rough for little Zekey. He couldn't take a proper nap and I think by now with all this sitting his little bum had gotten sore. It seemed he was saturating his diapers every 10 minutes. I couldn't keep up. We all stopped for lunch at a rest stop with a Subway and McDonnalds because by now we were done with our coolers. On to the Grand Canyon!
Once again, we picked one of the most dangerous destinations in the country. As soon as we pulled up to a spot the kids scampered out of the cars and ran, slipping and sliding all over the gravel while us adults are yelling, "STOP!" It's gorgeous, but good greif! At one point Eli was too close to the edge for me to even dare go out and grab him!
Yimma Himma!
There were lots of great places to stop, we got to see the sun setting in the large expanse. Jon and I were commenting on how surprised people must have been hundreds of years ago to be galloping along on a horse, then Woah, boy! Because it's so flat then the canyon just drops down.
We stopped in right at closing time at a little shop and got some little keep sakes. Hopefully the kids will remember that visit. It sure gives me the heeby-jeebies.
We piled in the vans and off to Hurricane. At one point we stopped in at a gas station for bathroom breaks and stock up on snacks since it was dinner time. We were fine on gas and pressed on. And on. And on. It was dark when we came to another gas station and pulled in, we were at about 1/4 tank. The station was closed and took cash only. As we pulled out we could see a string of cars behind us pulling in. We figured we'd come across another soon enough. That drive in the night was so beautiful. It was almost a full moon and I loved looking out at the mountains in the bright moonlight and bright stars. I was tempted to pull over and walk around, I could sense the quietness. We started winding and winding uphill through forest and soon enough the gas light went on. I pulled out the map and it seemed we should be close to the Utah border, but I couldn't tell. Jon didn't have any service on his phone, but the Boci's were up ahead. I assumed they were in the same boat we were. I was trying to calculate how many miles we could go before we ran out. Then what? Send the husbands on foot? What if the Boci's didn't notice we fell behind? Most the kids were asleep. More and more winding, every time I thought we were coming out of the forest it kept winding. We were starting to really worry! It was late, and all we wanted was to get to Hurricane and get the kids settled in bed. I was wondering if the Boci's were worried, or with that trusty GPS they could see we'd make it just fine. Right when we'd gone about 36 miles after the gas light went on, we came to a little gas station by a small hotel. The men filled up while Katrina, Mallerie and I set off to find a restroom. The station was closed and we followed some handmade signs pointing to some port-a-potties around the corner. We were saying this is what horror movies are made of. We were so grateful to have made it and re-fuel!
When we made it to Hurricane, with the gas stress, Ava getting car sick, and Matt hit a bunny, our fun level was dipping. We got all the sleepy kids beds made up and everyone settled. Boy did bed feel good that night!
The next morning the Boci's were off in a hurry to catch the Goulding girls play in Sandy. I was torn to miss it or stay another day relaxing. We were sad to see them off, they sure are fun to vacation with! Hooray Boci's!
The rest of that day was lovely. Lots of relaxing and laundry. At one point Jon dissappeared to the back room and reappeared with a shaved head and face. Refreshing! I took Paisley out for her first pedicure. She was so sweet, grinning up at me with her little toes barely reaching in the soaking bath. I didn't realize she dropped her sucker in the water until I noticed she was acting strange and had big crocodile tears she was holding back. The nice lady gave her another. I chose silver sparkles, she chose gold. Afterward we went next door to the Sweetooth Fairy and picked out cupcakes. When we got home Jon took the boys back to the climbing place. They wanted to see if their names they'd engraved were still there.
They brought back treats and we all piled on the couch and watched Tangled. I hadn't seen it before. It's real cute.
We took our time heading out the next day. We got the place all shined up and fresh. It felt good leaving it nice and clean. We are soooo grateful to have that option to stay there!
It almost seemed strange coming home and getting back to the old routine. I was glad I'd worked hard beforehand to leave a clean house to come home to. We got everything unpacked and put back together before bed and set for the week.
Such a fun fun time! I'm so very glad we did it! And so very glad to have such a fun sister and family to do it with! We'll have to do more vacations together in the future!
Abby told me she'd made a countdown chain and once I booked the same hotel and told the kids our plans, I knew we'd have to do the same with the constant asking how far away. It was fun to rip down one more square each morning at breakfast and see what was left before we took off.
Abby and I were chuckling about that Seinfeld: We're gonna be a the pool..... we're gonna be all over the shuffleboard court.....
The days leading up seemed crazy with Primary meetings and getting things covered and settled. It felt great pulling out of the driveway, finally off! I told Jon I think it was the first trip we've gone on where I did not make a single list, just packed as I remembered things. It was so cold and snowy as we left, even white out conditions as we drove, I was excited to feel the 85 degree weather Arizona promised.
We arrived at the lovely Hurricane house in time to play a little, go out for dinner and hit the grocery store to fill the cooler. Sunday was beautiful. The boys sure love to play in the backyard up that climbing wall! They have a "fort" up there I have yet to see. We took a drive to a favorite climbing spot and let the kids run around and climb.
There are some neat big holes in the rock they were pretending were their bedrooms.
When we got back I started dinner, the Boci's would be arriving soon! So exciting! It was fun to have them finally arrive, the vacation felt officially under way! I made a spaghetti dinner, everyone watched Tron, while Abby and I gabbed in the kitchen, of course. All the little kids piled in the family room for bed, I think they were too excited to fall asleep for a while.
We all got up and headed out first thing. We sure were thankful for the borrowed DVD players, thanks to Devron! The boys were so excited I think they started five movies before they finally settled on one they could commit to the end. We stopped in Henderson, Nevada at a nice little park for a picnic lunch. That GPS of the Boci's sure came in handy! The kids were glad to run around for a bit and Abby and I were noticing how there were NO KIDS. Any given park on a Monday in Provo would have a significant amount. We had it all to ourselves.
Next stop, Hoover Dam! I was a little suprised at the crowds. Not huge, but more people than I expected. We were in a slow line for the parking garage and the guy motioned for the Boci's in front of us and us as well to proceed off to more parking. I asked Jon, "Why are we so privelaged?" He responded, "Because we're white!" (our cars...)
It was such great weather, just perfect to walk out to the dam. Yikes! That is a deep drop-off! I was holding Zeke and he kept trying to scramble out of my arms almost like he wanted to dive over the wall. I was holding onto him so tight! I was so nervous seeing Adren and Eli hopping up on the wall to look over. Too many kids to keep track of!
We walked across the border to the Arizona side, then crossed to walk along the water side. It's quite a bit lower than it has been in the past, just so you know. It is an amazing thing to see, especially the giant bridge that was built to connect the two mountains.
The next span of drive time was hard on little Zeke. He is not as interested in the movies as the older kids and was constantly reaching for things I wasn't sure of what he wanted. I found myself handing him snacks and treats just to appease him for five minutes, only to see him get messier and messier. That's a long drive through Joshua Tree forest.
We stopped at a gas station to let everyone run around for a little bit and get "suicide" Icee's. There was this funny statue of a prisoner chained to a safe, chained to a tree and told about how the jails would fill so they'd chain men to this "Jail Tree".
The kids would push a button and a recording would play on about it. I was thinking how miserable that would be to sit there chained in the heat.
We finally arrived in beautiful Phoenix that evening. Our hotel was great! The kids went bonkers over the room, a loft upstairs for them, with a TV and their own bathroom! They were even able to unpack for the week, each having their own dresser or side table! It had a kitchen downstairs, and was just perfect for our week long stay. I don't think it's a place I would have found and booked on my own. Way to go, Boci's! We all checked out each others rooms, the kids squealing with delight. Paisley just couldn't believe we'd made it to the HOTEL! Fun times!
I think we went right out for dinner. Matt found us an IHOP (eventually) with that trusty GPS! The kids licked their plates clean and half were asleep when we got back to the room.
This great hotel served a complimentary breakfast each morning which saved such a hassle! It was so nice to head down each morning to a hot breakfast, kids could grab what they wanted and we were off! One morning I made Zeke a waffle, and gave him a little carton of milk to drink. He was so insistent on pouring that milk over his waffle and getting so upset when I'd stop him. I finally let him just do it, and he ate almost his entire waffle swimming in milk. Paisley would come down with her purse and the hotel Bible tucked under her arm. I sat with Graham on the last morning as he chatted away telling me all sorts of things. He told me how he goes to school. I asked him if his mom teaches him, and he replied he teaches himself. He's done three days so far and has taught himself how to open the car. That little Graham wearing his Indiana Jones hat the whole trip a real gem.
Adren and Eli were of course dying to swim. I know this because they told me every 30 seconds from the moment we entered Arizona. When I came out from breakfast they were already suited up. We were a little worried about keeping track of all of these kids! I could see one of the inflatables was ruined that we brought and Matt had just bought one that required to be filled at a gas station so we headed out to the local Kmart around the corner and I stocked up on pool toys, swim diapers and the like. I was dismayed when we got to the checkout to realize I'd left my debit card with Jon! Nice Matt swooped in and covered for me. As we stopped for him to fill up the swim floater at a gas station a shady looking guy walked over and immediately started crying about a sick baby and needed money. As we drove away we were chuckling about how he could just cry on demand. (we did give him $)
We took over the entire pool area.That place was littered with towels, sandals, goggles- and the inflatables! It was ok because the entire week we were there I saw one lady come out and lay by the pool and maybe two men that talked at a table for a minute. I was joking at the end of the day we should just pile our stuff behind the BBQ counter. In the room I asked Jon where all the pool stuff was, he replied, "Behind the BBQ counter!" Gufaw! We spent the entire day laying around, reading magazines, I took a nice nap, soaking up lots of sun. The weather was just perfect! The kids would hop back and forth between the hot tub and the big pool. Adren and Eli were just giddy to have Grayson around. At one point I asked out loud, "What time is it?" to Abby's reply, "Who cares?" Yeah! Who cares!
We had to care at some point because we were wanting to hit the Easter Pageant in Mesa that evening. We scrambled to get out of there and followed the Boci's to Mesa. (that GPS!) We stopped at Church's Chicken for dinner. It was so HOT inside that little restaurant we couldn't possibly eat in there! Must be all that frying. It had a patio but nothing was out there. Recourse-full Abby whipped out her pic-nic blanket out on that patio and we did the same. We were in the shade and it was real nice.
The crowd at the Mesa temple was quite large. We had to drive around a bit for parking but I enjoyed looking at all of the cute little houses. It was a gorgeous night and the temple looked loveley. We found a really great spot on a hill so we could see great. It was a great pageant and very well done. It was actually the dress-rehearsal but you'd never know the difference. The kids would roll around on the grass and play on the steps, then come back on the blanket and watched. That sweet little Callie kept sidling up to me and plunking herself in my lap. She's a snuggly one.
The ending number was especially great with the stage full, everyone singing, the angels lit up above with trumpets as Christ rises above.
We got out of there pretty quick and met up at the Dairy Queen for an ice cream before we headed back to the hotel. It was just lovely to be sitting outside in view of the temple not chilly at all. Katrina, Mallerie, Ava, Abby and I were laughing at how since it was a soundtrack the people on stage seemed to be just moving along with so they could have been talking on the phone with an ear bud to their wife during the whole performance. "So on the way home you need me to pick up milk, diapers....." All while moving their arms around to the soundtrack.
Once again when we arrived to the hotel we were carrying sleeping kids up to bed.
Wednesday started with the lovely breakfast, pool time, and some basketball. There was a court right next to the pool the boys could check out balls from the front desk. It was nice they were right there to keep an eye on.
Jon and Matt ran to the store and got stuff to BBQ hamburgers and steaks poolside. I've never used all the amenities the hotel has to offer!
We all happened to bring kites and it was windy enough to fly them. (great minds...) The Boci's kites went right up. Ours were really struggling and Abby learned me it's all about the string- you buy the separate string that lets you unwind quickly. Matt got that sucker up high in no time.
The boys decided to go to the Diamond Back game at Chase Stadium and us girls wanted to do some shopping. We found an outdoor mall they dropped us at and went on to their game. I'm so glad they got to do that! There's nothing like an outdoor game, with the lights and all.
Jon said he went all out and got the boys cotton candy, hotdogs, peanuts- The Works! Soon enough Adren had stuffed himself and wasn't feeling well and threw up in the bathroom. After that he started stuffing his face with cotton candy again. Jon asked him if he was feeling ok for that. He replied, "Yeah! I feel great!"
They came back with a hat and bat as tokens to remind them of the fun.
Us gals, on the other hand found a Target next to the mall and ended up spending most of the time there! Those Boci gals know how to shop! It was fun to not feel rushed and look at everything and find some stuff. Ava was a real gem and would push around Paisley and Zeke and at one point Paisley and Callie were playing Hide and Seek by the shoes. I'd completely forget I had kids with me when Mallerie would holler, "I've got them!" When we headed back to the mall it was almost closing time. Paisley, Zeke and Callie enjoyed dancing on a stage with a large screen behind it playing music videos. We found a Paradise Bakery for dinner, then sat outdoors in front of a huge roaring fireplace chatting until the boys arrived. What a fun night with Katrina, Mallarie & Ava!
Everyone was out cold when we got back to the hotel.
Thursday morning at breakfast we were trying to decide what to do. We all had received enough sun by the pool. I feared we'd grow immune to the sunblock. We gathered the pamphlets in the lobby. Jon suggested the nearby airplane hangar because our boys had enjoyed the one up in Ogden. Abby replied, "Are you being serious?" We decided on the local Zoo and Aquarium. It was literally a straight shot behind the hotel.
Again, perfect weather.
It's a dusty place and I could imagine the unpleasant heat in the middle of summer. We made the slow circle starting at the aquarium, a log ride, a train ride, then on to the animals. Once again, Katrina, Mallerie and Ava were always pushing a stroller or looking after our kids. Such peachy pies.
We pic-nic'd on the blankets out in some crab grass and weeds by the parking lot. Doesn't sound pretty? It wasn't. We finished up the animal rounds and ended up at the playground/petting zoo. Those goats kept chewing on the kids shirts. There were giant turtles roaming around and at one point I heard Jon holler, "Look at me!" He was lifting up a turtle! Whoa!
That evening the hotel boasted a hot dog BBQ. We got the kids plates loaded up with food and desserts and planned to have a BBQ of our own~ "Bobby Q's". A place everyone had been noticing right by the hotel. I still remember laying back on the lounge chair near the pool, waiting to head out to dinner. It was just a gorgeous, perfect evening. Ahhhhhh.
Abby's older girls were so great! They took on all these kids, no problem. Such sweet, thoughtful girls.
Bobby-Q's did not dissapoint. The ambiance alone was great. One of those dimly lit, twinkling lights strung out on the patio, old brick walls- it was great. It was so great for a chance to sit, just the four of us and have a conversation! It felt strange to not be constantly looking around counting heads. Matt and Abby are always a good time to hang out with and laugh with. My favorite people! All our food ordered was de-lish! Ribs, steaks, shredded pork, shrimp- all if it sooooo tasty. And desert! Apple cobbler and death by chocolate. We thought that is what the man next to us may have ordered since he was slumped over and was taken out by paramedics on a stretcher.
We went on to do a little mall shopping and then a movie! Can you believe it? We went out on a date while on vacation! Yay for the Boci's!
When we got back to the Boci's room most of the kids were asleep. They'd watched a movie and popped pop corn and had a great time. Katrina was so very sweet - and Mallerie, and Ava! Really, they had such a great attitude about babysitting and were so kind and thoughtful. What great girls! Much appreciated! Love those people!
Matt helped Jon and I lug all our sleeping kids back to our room.
Friday was a little sad for all of us. We ate breakfast and packed up our room. No small feat after a whole week. I figured I'd be about ready for it all to come to a close, but I wasn't. Neither were the kids.
The car ride, again was rough for little Zekey. He couldn't take a proper nap and I think by now with all this sitting his little bum had gotten sore. It seemed he was saturating his diapers every 10 minutes. I couldn't keep up. We all stopped for lunch at a rest stop with a Subway and McDonnalds because by now we were done with our coolers. On to the Grand Canyon!
Once again, we picked one of the most dangerous destinations in the country. As soon as we pulled up to a spot the kids scampered out of the cars and ran, slipping and sliding all over the gravel while us adults are yelling, "STOP!" It's gorgeous, but good greif! At one point Eli was too close to the edge for me to even dare go out and grab him!
There were lots of great places to stop, we got to see the sun setting in the large expanse. Jon and I were commenting on how surprised people must have been hundreds of years ago to be galloping along on a horse, then Woah, boy! Because it's so flat then the canyon just drops down.
We stopped in right at closing time at a little shop and got some little keep sakes. Hopefully the kids will remember that visit. It sure gives me the heeby-jeebies.
We piled in the vans and off to Hurricane. At one point we stopped in at a gas station for bathroom breaks and stock up on snacks since it was dinner time. We were fine on gas and pressed on. And on. And on. It was dark when we came to another gas station and pulled in, we were at about 1/4 tank. The station was closed and took cash only. As we pulled out we could see a string of cars behind us pulling in. We figured we'd come across another soon enough. That drive in the night was so beautiful. It was almost a full moon and I loved looking out at the mountains in the bright moonlight and bright stars. I was tempted to pull over and walk around, I could sense the quietness. We started winding and winding uphill through forest and soon enough the gas light went on. I pulled out the map and it seemed we should be close to the Utah border, but I couldn't tell. Jon didn't have any service on his phone, but the Boci's were up ahead. I assumed they were in the same boat we were. I was trying to calculate how many miles we could go before we ran out. Then what? Send the husbands on foot? What if the Boci's didn't notice we fell behind? Most the kids were asleep. More and more winding, every time I thought we were coming out of the forest it kept winding. We were starting to really worry! It was late, and all we wanted was to get to Hurricane and get the kids settled in bed. I was wondering if the Boci's were worried, or with that trusty GPS they could see we'd make it just fine. Right when we'd gone about 36 miles after the gas light went on, we came to a little gas station by a small hotel. The men filled up while Katrina, Mallerie and I set off to find a restroom. The station was closed and we followed some handmade signs pointing to some port-a-potties around the corner. We were saying this is what horror movies are made of. We were so grateful to have made it and re-fuel!
When we made it to Hurricane, with the gas stress, Ava getting car sick, and Matt hit a bunny, our fun level was dipping. We got all the sleepy kids beds made up and everyone settled. Boy did bed feel good that night!
The next morning the Boci's were off in a hurry to catch the Goulding girls play in Sandy. I was torn to miss it or stay another day relaxing. We were sad to see them off, they sure are fun to vacation with! Hooray Boci's!
The rest of that day was lovely. Lots of relaxing and laundry. At one point Jon dissappeared to the back room and reappeared with a shaved head and face. Refreshing! I took Paisley out for her first pedicure. She was so sweet, grinning up at me with her little toes barely reaching in the soaking bath. I didn't realize she dropped her sucker in the water until I noticed she was acting strange and had big crocodile tears she was holding back. The nice lady gave her another. I chose silver sparkles, she chose gold. Afterward we went next door to the Sweetooth Fairy and picked out cupcakes. When we got home Jon took the boys back to the climbing place. They wanted to see if their names they'd engraved were still there.
They brought back treats and we all piled on the couch and watched Tangled. I hadn't seen it before. It's real cute.
We took our time heading out the next day. We got the place all shined up and fresh. It felt good leaving it nice and clean. We are soooo grateful to have that option to stay there!
It almost seemed strange coming home and getting back to the old routine. I was glad I'd worked hard beforehand to leave a clean house to come home to. We got everything unpacked and put back together before bed and set for the week.
Such a fun fun time! I'm so very glad we did it! And so very glad to have such a fun sister and family to do it with! We'll have to do more vacations together in the future!