Big Trip Out West in June of 2009

Going to Utah isn't an every year event, but it just so happens that we went last year and will be going again this year. I've been summoned to help my mother with her reunion since she's in charge this year. I figured that it was probably about time to blog about last years before I attend this years! I'm excited to head out west this year because I love visiting with all my dear family and friends and hiking, camping, and exploring some of my old haunts. This year I get to visit my dear friend Amy who has just moved back to Utah after living here in Bloomington and before Utah, we are actually going to Idaho to visit grandma and grandpa Waite. It's been over 4 years since our last trip to Idaho and we are very excited to get back!!!!
Wow this baby is loaded with lots of pictures! To start off this big trip out west, I first drove to Kansas to spend a week with my sister and family that live there. Becky was visiting for the month of June and we wanted to spend some time together.
We played in the pool...(including Becky)

Isn't Becky's little girl just darling!

Spencer took Kaitlyn for wagon rides. It was so cute.

We also went to Topeka to visit my brother Dan and his family. We rode the carousel there and...

posed the Kansas style (of course it's the Wizard of Oz)...

We also swam at Dan and Kat's...

I just had to. Like father like son is the title of this picture. This is my brother's little boy. needless to say the diaper managed to find it's way off and on went the bum scratchin'.

Grandma also organized a Tea Party. Thank you Madalyn for the idea!

My sister and I made these over the top tea party hats for fun.

Grandma with all the little girls! We painted our fingernails and toenails and put on make-up. This was a big deal people!

We had lovely refreshments served on my mother's china. I made Lemon Shortbread Cookies served with Lemon Sorbet and Strawberries! Oh yeah, it was YUM!

I managed to do a Girl's Night Out with my friends from High School and the wives too.

Then the journey began to Utah. My sister and I would drive in her van with our kids combined and would caravan with my brother Dan and his family in their van. My parents would follow in their van with my little brother Josh and his wife 2 days later. We drove 12 hours straight to Grand Junction the first day. My sister and I stayed at a family's home that is acquainted with my father. I won't say their name for privacy, but I must say that they had one of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen with such pretty views! Yeah, that is the house.

We got up the next morning and drove 4 more hours to Spanish Fork, Utah to drop me and the kids off at a meeting point. I was heading straight down to my father's family (Reynolds) reunion. I was going to ride down with some cousins since my sister was going to come the following day. The Reynolds reunion is like a 3 day event. Even though I see my brother and his family more than the family out west, my kids still don't see their cousins often enough so they are always excited to see one another whenever they get the chance. This is Spencer and Ella.

This is me and my cozy cuz, Joselyn. I'm very close with my cousin and her family. My aunt Judy's family is the one family I got to know the best. I love Joselyn and her sisters like they were my own sisters! She is 8 months pregnant in this picture. This year I'll get to meet her little baby for the first time!!!

They always do an auction at the Reynolds Reunion to try to provide funds for the following reunion. You make stuff or buy stuff to donate and then let the auction do it's thing. Dan won the auction for this finely knitted hat. Dan can't do a picture unless there is dramatic facial expressions involved.

This is my aunt Judy who was in charge of the reunion this year.

My dad and his siblings. They are all still living! This is really wonderful people!

The whole gang (well I should say half if not less than that. this is all that showed).

After the reunion, I had a one week break before the next weekend which would be the Tuckett Reunion, my mother's family. I spent the week with my sister Becky and my dear friends. It was great! Becky and I met up with my good friend Erin, from Kansas, at Thanksgiving Point. She now lives in Utah with her husband and family.

The animals are so cute at this farm.

We did pony rides too.

This is Erin's little girl. I think she is just soo darn cute. I love this picture of her with Spencer. I don't give names for some people for privacy reasons.

I think Erin is a walking model. She would laugh her head off at that but it's true. She will literally be having a baby while I'm out there so this year's visit might be in the hospital!!

After visiting with Erin, my sister took me to Provo, home of BYU, to visit with my friend Megan. Megan was my next door neighbor when we lived in our townhouse in Bloomington. She of course now resides in Provo with her family. She has twin daughters who were less than a year younger than Rachel. They were good buds! I hope that I can see them this year. Don't you love this view of the mountains. Just playing at the park, no big deal. There's just giant beauty all around you to enjoy. I love love love the Midwest. It was where I was born and raised, but I do love the mountains and miss them terribly. I've been to Utah so many times that I recognize them all and have a few favorite views that I love and can't wait to see when I'm there again!

It was a hot day!

Oh Megan! Thank you for teaching me how to quilt. You are a life saver and I miss you terribly!

Megan then drove me to Amanda's. We spent the night with the Thygersons for 2 nights if I remember correctly. The Thygerson's lived in Bloomington as well and were our family. We did everything together and I still miss Thanksgiving dinners with them! Rachel loved seeing her best friend Logan again. They barely know each other now, but they were the bestest friends for the first 4 years of their life!

Love you Manda.

Unfortunately, Spencer and I spent most of our time hugging toilets while we were with the Thygersons. At least none of them got our sickness, but what a bummer that we didn't' get to hang out more! We'll be staying with them again this year. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

On Wednesday, I met up with all my family (siblings and parents that were out in Utah for the reunions just doing our own things in between) and we went to the Gardner Mill. That is my great great great grandfather. One of his mills is still standing and it's now turned into a little pioneer village. It's in South Jordan if any one's interested. We go there every time we're in Utah. There's a little restaurant in the actual mill. There is a circular room that is filled with 8 booths to represent his 8 wives. In each booth there are trinkets from each of the women. We can go and see pictures of our Norwegian grandmother and a braided lock of her hair. It's pretty cool. We also went Mini Golfing and then out to dinner at a yummy pizza place. I headed back to Becky's for the remainder of my stay in Utah.

Saying good-bye to Kyler and Kaitlyn. Becky and her kids didn't come to the Tuckett reunion.

The Tuckett reunion was up in East Canyon and it's just a one day thing, but you can camp for the night and then leave the next morning which is what we did. This picture is horrible because it was taken from inside the van while moving, but it's just so beautiful that I just had to attempt to capture it.

You know, I realize that my family is crazy (me included), but that's why I love them. I miss hanging out with them. Everyone was able to come to Utah except Jess and his wife. She was sorta in the middle of having a baby and being in the hospital during this time. I have no idea who's coming this year.

My mother and 2 of her sisters. She comes from a family of 10, but her eldest brother has already passed. She is very close to these 2 sisters and they would all KILL me if they knew that I posted this!

That's All Folks!