We took a road trip to Utah for Independence Day to show off Anna. The boys did pretty well on the drive except they never fell asleep so we started off a little on the cranky side but being smothered with love from a dozen relatives quickly took care of that!
The first stop was Granny and Pepaw's house. The boys didn't want to leave. They talked about them for months last time we visited and it looks as if they will again. Here's Anna Ruth with her great grandma Ruth!
The love is palpable.
The boys tanked up on about three cups of chocolate milk each!
We sure wish we lived closer.
My managed to visit with my cousins for a couple of hours. We grew up together as they let me be another sister half of our childhood. They are both gorgeous, talented women who I love!
We took the boys down to Provo to see BYU campus. I wanted to take them to the bookstore and get some little football shirts or something but it was closed. It was Saturday the 3rd and they were preparing for the Stadium of Fire fireworks event that night. We did get to go into the building where Josh and I first met. I nursed Anna on a bench outside while Josh took the boys into the Eyring Science Center to see the dinosaur bones and models of the planets. They were in heaven. We walked down Maser hill to eat at Brick Oven but the wait was over an hour so we ordered a pizza, salad, and root beers to go and ate them picnic style on Maser Hill. Michael says he wants to go the "Blue School" and play football someday. He kept looking at the mountains and laid on his back staring at the blue sky. He said he never wants the sky to die because it is so beautiful. By the way, Sam wants to go to the "Red School," the University of Utah where Josh went. Maybe the boys will face off in football some day!
Josh said he fell in love again with another beautiful lady on campus this trip, Anna!
Next stop was Grandma Anna and Grandpa Gail. The boys played in that cardboard box for hours while Grandpa grilled up some hamburgers. We went to church with Grandma and she was tickled to death to introduce baby Georgianna to her friends.
That looks like a lot of kids!
We stayed with Becky and Brent who graciously let us stay in their basement while they had other company and got ready for their own vacation.
The batman costume was a highlight of their house. Sam wore it during the day and when he went to sleep . . . Michael wore it! He said he could get all of the bad guys in his dark bedroom when he was wearing the batman costume. Indeed, he slept very soundly that night! Maybe I should get him some Batman pj's! He snuck upstairs to show off the costume and have some cherries and a glass of milk. Who doesn't love staying with family!
We saw Aunt Brenda and Uncle Jim. The boys love her warm smile and the monster trucks she had for them kept them busy on the ride home!
We had some down time between visits and drove up to the bop of the point of the mountain. We saw Utah county to the south and Salt Lake county to the north. We also saw four-foot tall reflective posts on the fire hydrants. I guess the snow can get that deep up there. I would be afraid my house would just blow right off the top of the mountain, but it was a gorgeous view!
We called our friends from Virginia who have a new baby of their own and went to Cafe Rio for dinner so I could try out the famed pork salad. It was enormous and delicious! We miss them!
On the way home we stopped at the base of the Sierra mountains so I could nurse Anna. It was raining a little and Josh took the boys out to look at the Truckee River. They had the adventure of their lives looking up the canyon and down at the river.
Everywhere we went the boys didn't want to leave. They have never felt so much love! I enjoyed watching them feel at home in strangers' homes because they were loved members of the family and they could feel that they belonged. I want them to hold onto that. They are part of something much bigger than our little family. They are loved by so many and we are so grateful for that!
Now, here's the latest excitement around here: Happy Talk!
She's had a cold and I felt a little bump on her gums, but I didn't know it would come so fast. She is the most cheerful baby I've ever met. She laughs when I clean out her nose! She brings a smile to our faces all day long. I've had her to the doctor twice to check for ear infections but I guess she's been pulling at here ears because she's been teething. Hopefully she'll be feeling better soon.
In other news, here we are making acorn men last Saturday. 
The boys got the idea out of a book about Autumn and have been asking to make them since last winter. 
We had to wait for the acorns to grow, make a trip to the craft store for pipe cleaners and Styrofoam, and F I N A L L Y they were ready to make! They have pin-heads because the only acorns I could find here are these tall, skinny ones.
