Sometimes a project is just so big and daunting that you just don't want to tackle it. I feel that way about most Christmas scrapbook projects. That's how I feel about blogging our 2 and a 1/2 week Utah trip. So I will probably spend several days adding on to it. Feel free to skip parts, look at pictures, or come back to it later.
The flight was very exciting for the boys as this was their first memorable trip on a plane. Having a portable DVD player helped the flight go by faster too.
We flew into Vegas VERY LATE Weds. night June 11th. Once we got off the plane,(at 1 am. York time) with all our car seats, carry-ons, and tired children, we had to walk through half the airport to get to the car rental place, then take a bus to actually pick up the car, then drive to the hotel. By the time we were in our hotel room putting kids to bed, it was 3 am. York time! The kids were so good though and didn't complain or cry at all.
The next morning we ate breakfast and went down to the pool. That was nice to relax for a while.
Serena's first time in a pool. She liked it as we had suspected.
After checking out, we cruised the strip, first by car, then by foot. We started out at Treasure Island so we could show Hayden the pirate show. Well, he got to see the ships, but the shows are only at night, and apparently they cater to a gay crowd now (not so great for kids!). We showed them the Venetian which I really like. The inside mall with the water and real-looking sky are my favorite.
Next we went to the Bellaggio to show the kids the fountain show. These guys should have been in
Ocean's 11.
Our last stop was the M&M store. The kids were really tired, but boy did they perk up when we walked in there! About 4 or 5 stories of M&M merchandise, most of it overpriced. Like a pound of choose-your-own M&M's-$10.99/lb.!
Some things were really cute though.
Notice the orange M&M face next to Connor.
We left Vegas early evening to visit our friends Jay and Willow and there kids in Overton (an hour north of Vegas).
It is very different there. We went from green trees and grass everywhere to ...sand everywhere! Jay wasn't kidding when he asked if we liked sand! The boys loved it! Whenever they got a chance they were out in the yard exploring. Hayden was excited that he got to see a lizard before we left.
On Friday Jay was nice to take off work, so after a relaxing and delicious breakfast, we all drove to Lake Mead to feed the fish and do a little swimming.
This is what the water looked like after we started throwing in some bread. There were so many carp, the kids were petting them and Jay tried to step on them!
Then it was time to go swimming. The lake has gone down 100 ft. in the past six years, so there's not really an easy place to get in the water anymore. In fact, they have to keep moving the boat dock further down. So when Mike went to get in the water with Connor on his shoulders, he immediately sunk in the mud to his knees! Jay grabbed Connor from him as he tried to suction his legs out of the muck. He had to go back in to retrieve his flip flops. So Jay tried another spot, same problem. We thought we were done, but Jay kept exploring until they found a narrow passageway where he didn't sink (we're not sure why, maybe a different kind of soil). So we got to cool off in the lake (the desert is pretty hot this time of year!), Hayden was happy. He even had a mud fight with Jay-unprecidented! And even if we wouldn't have been able to get in the water, the scenery was beautiful and I'm glad we got to see it.
Their oldest daughter Cheyenne who is 4, loved holding Serena. She will be a great babysitter! Their second daughter is in the Elmo bathing suit- that's Adria. Her and Connor were fast friends, so were Hayden and Cheyenne.
This is a family picture on Sat. morning before we left. The girls love getting their picture taken! Brianna is the baby, she is 9 months. When I asked them if they were done having kids, they said, "oh no!" They are going to have 6 or 7! Wow. Willow is such a great mom and so much more patient than I am. That actually doesn't seem too big for them because they both come from big families, but I am an only child so having 4 seems like too many for me!
I'm going to end this entry here and pick up on a new entry because it's getting too long.
This is a close-up of the spot on Temple Square where Mike said he loved me for the first time, and where he proposed to me. I had the idea after we came back to York of a picture with Mike on his knee holding my hand, and the 3 kids faded in the backround. They were probably watching the event from heaven, cheering Dad on!
I had two spiritual experiences today that helped jump start my spiritual growth. The first was during a segment of video clips that talked about the family. The first scene was a couple with a week old baby girl (which I immedietely could relate to). The father asked, "What is the most important thing we can teach our daughter?" (I remember having a similar thought after having Hayden.) The mother responded, "that she is loved, that she is a daughter of Heavenly Father, and that families can be together forever." Then a quote appeared on the screen stating that parents have a sacred responsibility to raise their children in love and righteousness. That stood out to me like a flashing red light-I have a SACRED responsibility, a duty from God, a blessing from God to be a good mother to these kids. God has entrusted them to me. I need to be more patient.
The other segments were tear-jerking too as they talked about fathers playing with the kids, love of grandma and grandpa, dealing with grandpa's death (which choked Mike up), and then missing both grandparents.
The other spiritual experience was during the movie The Testaments. It brought the scriptures to life about the life and death of Christ and faith and the love Jesus has for us. I realized the importance of not just reading the scriptures, but becoming a part of them. At one point, I pictured Jesus looking at me and saying, "Angie, it's okay, I forgive you, go and sin no more." (When Christ visited the Nephites and looked at Jacob who had struggled with his testimony.) I also cried when Jesus healed the people, especially Jacob's father. The point when they showed the Crucifixion of Christ and the turmoil in the Americas was very traumatic. I held Hayden's leg through it because I wanted him to feel comforted. He didn't push it away until the storms were over and Jesus was resurrected. I also liked the part when Jesus sat with the children-it made me remember how I need to be like a little child.
The rest of the day was filled with beauty, natural and artistic. I was much pleased. I tried to capture the beauty through the camera, but I don't think the pictures will describe those emotions.
This one was Mike's favorite. 
Pebbles in My Pocket
Then it was time to drive up to Bridal Veil Falls and have our picnic lunch.
After that stop we drove further up the canyon and onto the River Loop to a place called Cascade Springs.
By then it was pretty hot and getting late in the afternoon, so we drove down the other side of the mountain to Heber where we got some famous thick shakes at Granny's.
