We drove to Utah!

Utah is BEAUTIFUL! The skies! The mountains! The weather! The people!!

We drove up to Utah to visit friends from DC---The Tolleys and got to see so many friends and family members. It was a dream to have Freddie play with his cousins and with my friend's kids...and to do so much of it OUTSIDE, yay. It was a fantastic trip.

Collin and the kids and I left late at night and drove 4 hours north to Page--and camped in our car. We intended on being in the woods, but decided to stay in the Walmart parking lot instead because then we could get up and brush our teeth, eat breakfast close by and get back on the road early. It worked out great. We laid the seats down in our 4 Runner and put out blankets and pillows. We slept w the windows and doors open. There were a ton of other people with the same idea!

After a great weekend, Collin flew back home for work and we stayed a few more days and then drove home (JUST ME and the kids.) It was tough at times...took us 18 hours instead of 9.5....and two days...and lots of crying Hattie....BUT we stopped lots and had tons of fun! It was great and SO WORTH IT! Freddie loves road trips and does great. He helps pump the gas and every other thing. He had a couple of frustrated/tired of being in the car times at the very end. We stopped at a random petting zoo along the way and petted AND FED a camel, Zebras, giant huge bull, (just SAW) ostriches, peecocks, lambs, and the usual goats and chickens, cows, donkeys! IT WAS SO COOL.

There was also a Hollywood set museum.....so weird but fun...see pictures below. My favorite town was Beaver, UT. They claim the best tasting water in America...and I'll totally back them up. (Another great thing about Utah....can drink water straight from the tap...always hydrated.) And the people were generally just cool. Great rest stop there too.

But probably my most favorite part of the trip was on the way back, driving AROUND Flagstaff (on the 40 West); the kids were asleep, the skies were grey and it was just POURING RAIN. I love that town. Love it. It fills my soul. The rain was spiritual and enchanting.

Well, here are tons of photos from the trip....









picnic in kanab


My cousin, Ilene's, gorgeous yard and garden. Freddie just played and played and played. Heaven.

This girl, too.


Road side fruit stands yummm.


Uncle Dave. Had pupusas for lunch. SO DELICIOUS. Collin doesn't love em but ooooo I do.





Met up with the Ewells! Hadn't seen them since we lived in Provo 4.5 years ago! I love this picture so much.








THE TOLLEYS!!!!!!!!! IT WAS even more amazing than I imagined!!! Kids all played and we took care of our babies and talked and talked. It was the best. 

Madeleine, Sophie, Frederick, Harriet and Claire! MY heart is bursting looking at this photo and thinking about it! So glad we got to see them. Can't wait to see my other best friend from DC, ERIN, and her posse this January!!!!!!!!!!








HAPPY 27th BDAY, ILENE!!!

Dropping daddyo at the super strange Provo Airport

Deer creek lake w Ahpings, Schultz, Ingleys. We stayed the night at my cousins, Ete and Sarahs, house in Heber UT. I loved the area and their home.




FRED DRIVING this Bike.....best thing of his life! hehe



My happy happy guy.

Back to Natalie's parent's home once more to say goodbye. Her kids are so sweet and funny and creative. I love them so much. And her. so so much.

Naked rain dancing. oh yeah!

Thanksgiving Point with my good friend, Jayden, who just moved up to Utah a month ago. This place was so awesome!!! Freddie loved his pony ride and we all loved being outside, letting Hattie roll around in the grass, and having all the kids play together.

Kaelir, Freddie and Maelo





I had such an incredible time staying at Ilenes home and spending so much time with her, talking, cooking, eating, and playing with our babies. She's 32 weeks pregnant and helped ME so much. She is the epitome of a loving mother and friend.


Walk to the park across from their home on our last night there....



Then we stayed up late and watched Misss Pettigrew lives for a day and Psych. Hehe fun. The next day we spent the morning packing up and playing a little more, and then hit the road, right at nap time!!!

The amazing Center Street Temple in Provo...



UNREAL skies



Took us FOREVER to get to Page (just 4 hrs away...but took us 8-9.) I just didn't time/plan my stops very well and everyone was crying and exhasted. But we did have fun too. We stopped at Perry's lodge for the night and it was ADORABLE and fun. The TUB was a dream for me. A stand alone deep tub with the legs and all. I took a bath, dont you worry. I'm a bath lover. Fred at 11pm. Time for sleep.


My angels the next morning....


So it was like 6am and I (being the stellar mom that I am..) LEFT my kids asleep in the hotel room and ran out to the car to grab something....well I had FORGOTTEN my room key and was LOCKED out. And FAR from the office....I was pretty much freaking out and trying to knock on the window to wake up fred but PRAYING hattie wouldn't wake up and fall off the bed....when the nicest guy...in charge of the landscaping...came up and let me in w his universal key. THANK THE HEAVENS. haha. He probably thought I was crazy/a burglar at first.

Our little place....the Joey Bishop room. Don't know anything about him but I loved it. I totally want to come back to this place and stay here again w Collin. The breakfast was cheap and DELICIOUS, there was a cute little pool (I didn't DARE try that on my own w the kids...), a barn where they play movies for everyone at night, and it was all just romantic and sweet.




My cuties....we were about to start our second day and I was SO tired (despite the fun cute awesome place we stayed at, I was stressed and slept little, under the circumstances) and was trying to talk myself out of just staying there forever.

But after checking out the Hollywood set museum....honestly my pictures make this place look so much better than it was...haha....we hit the road again. I was a lot smarter this part of the trip.






My good little creep.....getting ready for Haaaallllllloweeeeeennnnnnnnn

He was so mad because a lady was holding him up and he wanted to do it all by himself....(above)

below..most terrifying moment....

stop at this little preschool to play and rest in Tuba City...






Flagstaff in the rain...





WE'RE HOME!!!