Escaping the Heat - June Highlights

The kids and I were in Utah from June 15 - July 5th to visit with family and escape the summer heat in Arizona!  Brandon came for the first weekend, then flew home to work for a couple weeks and then flew back to meet us over the holiday weekend.  I thought it was a good amount of time to be there - it was long enough to have the kids be on their worst & best behavior and be sick and healthy again.  :)

This drive up and back, we did during the day rather than driving all night, and can I just say that our kids are amazing little travelers in the car!  On the way up, we went through St. George and stayed the night there so that we could go to "Little Mermaid" at Tuacahn Theater with my mom, who drove down to meet us.  Rachel was entertained the entire time, and got to stay up the latest she ever has - midnight!  She was very concerned that King Triton destroyed all of Ariel's treasures - so very concerned that she talked about it for days.  She got to meet Ariel & Prince Eric after the show, and Rachel told Ariel she had a beautiful voice.  Rachel is very much into princesses these days!!  A few times while in Utah, when she came upstairs first thing in the morning, she'd say, "Nana, the princess is awake!"  (My mom also gave Rachel all the princess barbies for her birthday.)

Rachel also got to go with Kennedy to the Princess Festival at Thanksgiving Point on a date with Grandma Nancy.  Aunt Marilyn & Allie came too, and they all wore princess dresses, high heels, and talked about princess things, I'm sure.  They had a wonderful time and Rachel told me all about all the Princesses at the Festival.  I can't say that she has a favorite - it changes between Belle, Ariel, & Rapunzel, I think.  The princesses weren't quite as good as the ones at Disneyland in my opinion, but what a fun adventure for the little princess cousins!

Other highlights included:

- A trip to the Atrium with Nana, Cindy & Logan

- A few different stops to my favorite jumping place, "Jump On It" 

- Rachel FINALLY rode on Papa's motorcycle - she has always been so terrified of even sitting on it, but she found enough courage for a quick ride

- Coming home in a different vehicle and trading in our Altima while in Utah (more on that later!)

- On the way home we found the best little park in Kanab, Utah - it had the most darling playground and splashpad, which provided a good break for the kids to get out and play for a little bit

Happy Birthday, Papa!  Rachel made sure that Nana got him a motorcycle cake since she knew that's what kind he would want!  She must have had some red frosting - yuck!

Nana feeding the birds at the Atrium (birdlady, perhaps?)

Kiddos at the Atrium

The City Park in Kanab was darling!!  It was the perfect time to take a break and get soaked. 

What a good daddy!

Gas Station Stop