The last five days!

By this point, as I try to recap our amazing trip to Utah, I can hardly remember which day was which.   The whole week has sorta become a blur of awesomeness in my mind!  

Here are a few more highlights:

The food in Utah is AMAZING!    For starters, John's brothers (Aaron and Jordan) were smoking everything they could get their hands on.   One night we had smoked ribs (though Luce made those;), another night we had smoked SALMON, and another- get this...smoked PIZZA!    It was all so delicious.    When they weren't "smoking something" (haha, doesn't that sound funny?) we were enjoying one of the fabulous restaurants in town.   I tried Cafe Rio, Papa Murphy's AND the Sweet Tooth Fairy - all for the first time!!!

I love this picture above that shows one of our oldest nephews (a giant of a 14 year old) sitting at the kiddie table with his little cousins.   What a guy!!!!

On Monday night we all gathered at Jordan and Luci's house for a fireworks show unlike any other.  For weeks, no MONTHS, Jordan had been anticipating the week of pioneer days, when he would legally be allowed to shoot off his own fireworks.    This was to be the climax, the pinnacle, the denouement, if you will, of the week.  Really...this was the very reason we travelled down to Utah when we did! 

I'll admit, I was slightly nervous that I'd either be hugely underwhelmed by it all, or that I'd get blown up by this group of amateurs handling such a large quantity of explosives.    

 In the end- it was pretty much spectacular!

Luci had invited a few other families, which helped make it feel like a true party.  

Aaron and Jordan strategically placed all of their fireworks precisely where they should be, and made all the preparations.  As we waited for the sun to go down, the younger kids shot off smaller fireworks that rained down parachute men on us from high in the sky.   They loved it!

As soon as it was dark enough, Jord and Aaron got to work.  It was truly one of the most enjoyable firework shows I've ever seen.   They were literally just a few yards away from us, and as we looked up at the sky and saw those awesome lights, we could (at the same time) feel the residue of the fireworks falling on us.    In our hair, on our faces, and all around us!    (We had no idea how much rained down on us until the next day when we discovered that Jordan's cul de sac looked like the site of some wild party;)    

It was really such a treat!   

Oh, speaking of treats!   Another first for me during this trip came when Luci took Gina and I to her favorite little place for manicures and pedicures.     Yup, I had NEVER before had anyone rub my feet and apply nail polish, or cut my finger nails for me.    The Verdict?   I don't know if I'll ever happily do those things for myself again.    Sigh..darn the small town I live in.    Where am I supposed to go now to have my feet... you know...pedicured?

On Tuesday, we left Pleasant Grove, and went out to stay in Heber City.    What a spectacular place this is.    Rumor is, there are several General Authorities who have homes in this small(ish) town.
 Cool eh?  

 Aaron and Gina's home is stunning.   And beautiful.   And so so fun for kids!

Theirs is the type of home that once you go in, you never really want to leave.  Like, EVER!

In fact every time we did leave, say to a park or something, Nate would burst into tears and John and I would have to reassure him that we were a) going to do something fun and b) that we were going to come back!   haha

One night Aaron lit up his gas fuelled fireplace on his back deck and we roasted marshmallows while the sun went down.    There we sat, enjoying a beautiful Utah evening and I couldn't help but think of how happy I felt, surrounded by these people who had extended such love to us.   It made me feel slightly emotional, and deeply grateful, but that's just what happens when I get around a glowing fire. ;)

But I sure DO love them! 

Tuesday was a particular highlight for me, as John and I were able to go back in to Salt Lake City and attend the Temple there.    What a grand and spectacular temple!!!!   I'd never attended a session here before, but it was on my bucket list of things to do so... Check and CHECK!!!   Luci babysat our kids for us, and Aaron and Gina got up early and left their house at 6:30 am to travel there and attend the session with us!    That made it extra special for me.     (Though, I imagine they were extra tired after;)

That same evening, we all gathered at a park Gina had told us about called "Vivian Park."   President Monson has actually talked about this park as it was where he spent many of his summer months as a boy.   (If you recall his Conference talk in which he and an old buddy once started a grass fire?   It was at Vivian Park.)     I loved seeing the park for that reason, but I also loved going there because it was BEAUTIFUL!!!!   I could almost imagine it was my Waterton;)

There was a shallow creek that ran right past us, and provided a great spot for the kids to wade and explore.

Aaron and Gina introduced us to the amazing method of "Milk Can Cooking."  You basically throw a bunch of vegetables of all varieties, meat, and a bit of broth into a large can and steam it over a gas stove.    Oh.my.goodness it was SOOO great!!!   There was a tonne of steamed food to enjoy such as cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, corn on the cob, ham and a few different types of sausage.    

It was the best outdoor cooking method I've seen!    

Weiner roasts = Lame

Milk Can Cooking = Totally Awesome and Delicious!!!

The kids enjoyed eating outside, and it was such a perfect evening.  

After dinner, the kids all made their own "Fruit Boats" and floated them down the river, in an effort to see who's would float the best.   There is some serious creativity in those cute little brains, I'll tell you that!    

Jordan and Luci were leaving the next day for a trip of their own, so we said some goodbyes to them,  and returned to Aaron and Gina's to enjoy one last day at their house.  

That Wednesday was a fun day.   The kids kept themselves occupied playing with the huge array of toys, and games, and watching movies in Uncle Aaron's theatre grade movie room!  A former school roommate of Gina's came to visit.  She knew John during John's freshman year of school and had some funny memories about him.    

After that Gina took me to Park City so that I could experience the shopping.    The outlet stores there were almost overwhelming, there were so many, and the deals were good!   (I think I bought something from every store we went into, so it's a very good thing we only went in a few stores.  haha)

We got back to Gina's just in time to turn around and leave again for a pretty unbelievable dinner at Tucanos.    Holy Cow that place!!!!    There was SOO much to eat!   I ate SOOO much.

There were Chicken Hearts just being brought to you on a skewer!   Yup, I ate one;)  

It was so much fun to just visit with Aaron and Gina (sans kids) and what was super cool was that as we drove home there were people and communities shooting off fireworks because of Pioneer Day. 

  I guess you could say it helped us end our trip with a bang!   

We got up early Thursday morning, threw our stuff in the van and, thanks to Aarons amazing generosity (and good taste;), we enjoyed a breakfast at Kneaders, which was delicious.  

 You guys!!!  How is everyone in Utah not 900 pounds!!!?????   

We drove straight home, stopping only twice to gas up.   After 12+ hours in a van with 4 crazy kids I can not tell you how refreshing and delightful this blessed sight was:

And this one too:

We were home!

 (Not that all of us wanted to be home, (just ask the kids;) 

But, none the less we were home!

  

If I were to list of the things I will miss about Utah, it would be 1: The Food,   2:  The fun things to do, and 3: the amazing family who live there.  (Note- those things are not listed in order of importance;)    

As we left Utah, as we arrived back home, and as I reflect on our week while journaling I am filled with gratitude for what John's brothers, their wives and their awesome kids shared with us this past week and a half.    They opened up their homes, fed our bellies, showered us with kindness, spent a fortune on us, put up with our kiddos, and took time off of work and away from their own schedules to make us feel so very loved.     

They are phenomenal people, that's for sure.  And we love them.   

And I concede, we love Utah too;)