I hit the road once again for my annual UT trip. My kids get 2 weeks off for Spring Break during tax season, so we left dad buried in tax returns and headed up north for an adventure! Unfortunately 30min into this great adventure my DVD player went out! It was making this weird grinding noise, so we had to disconnect it which meant no: DVD, GPS, or radio for 6 hours.....back to the old way of life. The kids played hangman, tic tac toe, and ultimately resorted to making faces to passing drivers! Thank goodness it got fixed in Orem!
First stop:
LAS VEGAS with the SHIPP'S
We love going to the Shipp's. My kids call them their Las Vegas cousins. Julie is my dear friend from Nursing School who knows exactly what I went through during those 2 years during the program. It can be described with one word...I will give you a hint: it's not the word "bliss".
We joined them for church. I was watching Luke and Tyler play hangman. Tyler's hangman message was "I love Sunday's so much" then I read Luke's message "I don't like my sisters".....hmmmm.
Sunday evening we took a stroll to see the Hoover Dam, it was really neat. Kamryn was so scared, but the other kids loved it.
Salisbury's facing their fear of heights!
Hoover Dam
We drove down on the dam, the large bridge behind us is what we were on before overlooking it.
The morning I was leaving was Julie's birthday, so I was able to take her to breakfast. I felt so lucky to have shared a bit of her birthday with her!
Meredith & Julie eating sandwiches and muffins!
My 2nd & 6th (on the way home) stop:
CEDAR CITY, UT with the MARSHALL'S
Salisbury's & Marshall's
My kids love going to their Aunt Liz's. She always does something fun with us. Right when we pulled into town we headed up into the camp grounds to ride the Razor and roasted hot dogs and had smores! YUM!
Kennedy & Luke
Are the King and Queen of the Rock!
Kamryn...this pose killed me...too cute!
Uncle Jeremy surprised us when he flew into the camp with the Razor! The kids loved riding in it.
Time for Smores!
Luke & Drew
Me & My baby Sis!
The kids watching a show in the car.....love the cousin cuddles!
Cedar City has this indoor aquatic center that my kids think is such a blast!
Brynn, Kennedy, Luke, Drew, Karson, Davey, & Kamryn
Liz brought her underwater camera.....the girls had a hay day with it.
Kennedy
Meredith, Kennedy, & Brynn
Davey & Kamryn.....I love how their holding hands! (They were up that night till past 11pm giggling in their beds, cute girls)
Brynn & Kennedy....we tried many times trying to get Brynn's eye's open and this is as big as she could get them!
Third Stop:
OREM, UT with the DECKER'S
This is another family that my kids think are their cousins. I love it because their mom is one of my best friends, we go back 21 years! We have a lot of great stories to tell together.....I always look forward to this stop. We got to see their new beautiful house and my kids loved their pool table, trampoline, and of course the theatre room!
This is one of my favorite days on the trip....our annual event of all day shopping! We line up our day and fill it with all the stores I don't get in CA. It's a blast.
Dinner time.....this was the scene we left Dave (Kristen's Husband) with while we snuck out to a movie. Thanks Dave for taking one for the team and letting Kristen and I have a night out at the movies, something we never get to do with each other! Tucking all these rascals into bed I am sure was a lot of work!
Kamryn & Emery--both 4yrs old! They were so cute together licking the cake beater. They played so darling together and then by the last day they started falsely accusing each other of things, Kristen and I had to laugh!
Kenzi, Kennedy, & Brynn
Kristen was such a sweet host, both my kids birthday's landed on the dates I was at her house. She was so nice and got them both a gift and went out of her way to make them each feel special!
Luke opening up a gift from Camden Decker
Drew, Luke, & Camden
Fourth Stop:
WEST JORDAN, UT with the BROWN'S
My brother Trent and his wife Janell opened their very own cupcake store in South Jordan called One Sweet Slice. It was SOOOOOO cute! Janell is a rock star! She makes such yummy cupcakes and her decorating job is off the charts! I loved being there and especially eating her cupcakes.....any one who knows me knows I am a cake girl!
Janell & Meredith outside her shop!
Inside One Sweet Slice! Seriously so cute!
Brynn & Kennedy
Since this day was Luke's real birthday, they threw him a little party at the shop with all the cousins!
Happy 9th Birthday Luke
Drew, Kennedy, Brynn, Addi, Kamryn, Luke, Sadie, Kayson, & Becca
Loving the Baker's Hat!
Brynn and Kennedy love the show Cake Boss, so they were thrilled to get their hands on Fondant and decorate their own cupcakes for the party!
Visit to TEMPLE SQUARE with the SALISBURY'S
This had to be the highlight of the trip for me. Taking my kids back to where Travis and I got married 14 yrs ago was so awesome.
On top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building! This is probably my favorite spot on Temple Square! The view of the Temple is incredible.
Salisbury kids are together forever!
My kids remember from our wedding video Travis kissing me here.....Drew wanted his turn! Aw, I love that!
Luke wanted to "jump" where dad jumps in the wedding video! Priceless!
My 3 baby girls!
I loved seeing their reflections in the Reflection Pool!
We met up with Trevor (Travis's brother) & Karin for a few hours to roam Temple Square together.
Kennedy, Rachel, & Brynn
Trying out the Spanish Dancing at the Church Museum
Look at all these Salisbury's in the pioneer bunks!
Drew, Jakob, Luke, Josh, (Hyrum was missing), Rachel, Kennedy, Kamryn, Brynn, Lissa
Kamryn was so tired by the end of walking around Temple Square!
Fifth Stop:
KAYSVILLE, UT with the BROWN'S
This is always a fun stop because I have a lot of family in Kaysville. We went to Get Air, had a family dinner, and was able to go on a girls night with my sister Mishaun, and my sis-inlaw Kelli! I love getting some hang time with them. My sister has 5 boys so she took my 2 boys for the weekend to play at her house! That was an awesome gesture and my boys loved every second of being over there!
Siblings
Leroy, Trent, Mishaun, Meredith
Madison, Brynn, & Kennedy
GIRL COUSINS ROCK!
Sadie, Dakota, Riley, & Kamryn
These are just a couple of the Barnes boys....Drew, Jake, Luke, & John.
We made some wonderful memories, thanks for housing the tax widow and 5 kids!
