On the 18th, we returned home from an 18 day trip through Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California and then back again. We drove over 2500 miles and lived to tell the tale. I'll be catching up Instagram and chatbooks over the next few days. [We did pretty awesome on our license plate game.]
We started our trip driving the "burb" and were loaded down. A kid in every seat and the car top carrier full. We didn't leave Cheyenne until 12:00 and soon discovered/remembered that stopping to nurse a baby is a 1.5 hour stop no matter how you think you can go faster. We drove to my grandparent's cabin in Scofield, Utah for the 2018 Lindstrom Family Reunion. It took us 12 hours to drive a 8 hour drive. The next day is a bit of a blur to me as I was having insane allergies and the medicine knocked me out (picture evidence included). We did make friends with a bat though and the kids loved playing with cousins.
We borrowed my uncle's boat and went out two different days for some boating fun!
More cabin shenanigans. We sure do love being together.
Grand Dad and Grandma came up to spend the day one day. Brynlee and Grandma had countless air hockey games and Brynlee loved every second. The big kids went fishing with Grand Dad and were catching fish left and right. It was a great time!
Slime-making was another highlight. We had such a fun reunion and can't wait to do it again soon!
Sunday morning, August 5th, we left the cabin and began our 10 hour drive to Ronnie's Mom's house in California. This drive took us 15 hours but we did stop for a sacrament meeting in Nephi. We loved being in SoCal! A beach day was a highlight for sure. We also loved all of our cousin time.
We spent lots of time at Grandma's pool! Devynee and Brynlee had swim lessons the week we were there and Kendree, Easton and Hallee got to play for that time. Brynlee especially became quite the little fish while we were there.
On August 9th, we went to Rose Hills Cemetery to visit Ray's grave and see the gravestone (it had recently been set). It doesn't seem real that a year has gone by since he passed away. We miss him everyday!
I was able to meet up with some pretty great people while in SoCal. My good friend since junior high, Michelle, and my cousin, Sister Jensen who is serving a mission near where we were staying. It was so great to see them both!
Our last hoorah in Cali was a family party. Grandma brought out the big stuff and had a friend come to face painting. The girls were all unicorns and loved every second. Easton went with a sports theme and Hallee loved her butterfly.
While we were in California, we became the proud owners of a 12 passenger Ford Transit. [yes, we are now THAT family] I love the space it gives us! We've been looking for about 4 months and thought we had one lined up to get before this trip but it fell through. It was great to find what we wanted halfway through the trip.
We left California on Saturday, August 11 and drove to Pleasant Grove Utah to stay with Grammy. This was another 10 hour drive that took us 15 hours. We did get to stop and see our good friends the Ellis family (no pictures though!). It was great to see Grammy for a while on Sunday morning as well.
After attending a sacrament meeting with the Griffey family, we left Utah Valley to head to Star Valley for Ronnie's firm's office open house and time with our Star Valley cousins. We stopped at the Logan Temple for a nursing break. It is beautiful! Sydnee was thrilled to sleep in a rock n play at Aunt Erica's and slept so well. All of my kids loved feeding Lander his bottle. Poor Lander fell through his chair at the pool but didn't seem to mind at all. The kids loved spending time with cousins and even slept (for some of the night) out on the trampoline one night.
We met up with my friend Caroline Gordon and her cute boys for lunch in Star Valley one day. It ended up being customer appreciation day at the drive in which meant free food! It was so great to see her! Yay for long term friendships!
We met up with Chelsea Eyre and her kids for some crazy bowling. I don't think they knew what to do with us when we had 11 kids bowling and 14 kids there. It was so great to see Chelsea in the flesh since she abandoned me and fun to catch up with her family as well!
While in Star Valley, we went to Idaho Falls one day and got to see dear Jill Reading and her kids at the splash park! I loved getting to spend time with her and am glad I have a reason to come up and see her. Everyone leaves Cheyenne and I have to work so hard to see them!
After the splash park, we headed to the Idaho Falls zoo and had a great time. Aunt Sarah had shown up for the fun by this time and boy was she a lifesaver to Erica and me. She is the best. WE got a sister picture to end the night. And when we finally got back to Erica's house at 11:30 p.m., every kid was asleep.
We had a great time in Star Valley and left Saturday morning to drive home. A 6.5 hour drive took us 11 hours but we got to spend some time with the Lakes! And we had a quick dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's as well. We had a great trip, but it sure is nice to be home.
I think it's safe to say that Sydnee is loved...
First day of school! We have a 1st, 3rd and 5th grader! Brynlee and Hallee are excited to be my big helpers at home. Sydnee is content being the most chill and amazing baby ever. Here's to a great year!
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