The Detour

You know when you have an awesome idea, and then you just go through with it without really thinking? Yeah we did that. We drove 12 hours to visit Utah for about a day and a half!

Everyone was leaving Canada for home, and Steve’s parents were getting ready to drive to Utah to catch a flight to visit Maren. We had planned to stay in Canada for the rest of our break and just relax, even if everyone would be out of the house. But as Kami and Brad were packing to leave the next morning…Steve and I thought to ourselves “We have 4 days left of vacation…well why are we staying here!! Lets go to Utah too!!” With Jonathan and Ashley there and more of our extended family in Utah…it was just too hard to resist! Even if that meant we would only actually be in Utah to play for 36 hours. We knew it was spontaneous, and looking back on it now, it may have not been the smartest trip. Because we would be driving for more of the time than actually being with our families! So worth it though!

We called the trip to Utah our “detour” back home. Haha

So on our detour, we texted Jonathan and Ashley and they were so excited!! They didn’t get to go home for Christmas this year, so it was great to have us there for a little bit.  Now that I think about it, we totally should have surprised them! Aw that would have been fun. I guess I have always wanted to do that. I’ll find a time to do that though. We were even lucky enough that they had the weekend off! Alright!

We broke the drive into two parts, so that traveling wouldn’t be too hard on Graham. We had just extended his weekend in the car seat about 12 hours...yikes. How rude of us! But Brad and Kami let us stay with them in their hotel room in Idaho Falls, and then we drove the rest of the way early in the morning. We made our hotel stay a fun family evening by taking another try in the pool! This time, the pool was nice and warm and we felt good about swimming with the baby! Oh gosh, it was so fun! He is super content in water!

Every time we drive to Canada we pass the tiniest dinosaur museum in the smallest town in the world. And there is this giant dinosaur out front that I have always wanted to take a picture with. And finally we got it! Scratched that major itch. 

What was up with the skies this trip?! It was breathtaking the entire trip! Seriously it was so beautiful!

Our first day we finished our drive into Salt Lake, and met up with Jonathan and Ashley at Tammy's house. Oh, this was all just so spontaneous! Spontaneity always gets my happy adrenaline running! I can say we all were so delighted with this surprising visit. We knew we had alot to fit into these 36 hours. We wanted to get to see as many people as we could, while making it quality time. It seems like hefty order, but we were willing to jam it all in there. 

Ashley has been dating this guy, Trent, and he came over to meet us! It was so fun to get to know him! We all went to lunch at Olive Garden, and we had our great friend Kevin join us! He seriously loved that baby somethin' fierce. I had no idea how natural Kevin is with babies! Our table was so loud, but then again that's the way it is when we are all together haha. Kevin has the most contagious and outrageous laugh, and we were laughing so much! He also managed to get Ashley and I to sing. At the table. He loves our voices together and he doesn't hesitate to pressure us into using a talent we have. I don't mind singing in front of others, but when I'm put on the spot I tend to get a little shy! Kevin is so good at reminding me that just because I'm not doing anything with my voice now, doesn't mean nobody wants to hear it. It actually motivates me to try and use my voice more in the future! I just have to figure out how I want to use it. It will happen though :)

Aunt Lori and Nan doting on that baby! There was a lot of that this trip. 

After lunch we went to Lori's house! Where we would be having Steve's parents and Scott and Carisa's family there to hangout! It was like we didn't even leave Canada! One of the reasons why we wanted to go Utah was to introduce Graham to more of his family. Seeing our extended family was such a treat!  

She was so sweet with Graham! He really liked her, he was talking up a storm with Nan!

We came home to Tammy's and played games with Jonathan, Ashley, Trent, Landan, Corin, and Tammy! They are obsessed with Hand and Foot, and we got them obsessed with our new favorite game. Quirkle! Probably because of the catch phrases that we made up with it..."Quirk it!" and "Quirk it like its hott!" And also because its fun :)

The next day was another whirlwind. It went, Anna's baby shower, then we wanted to go see Grandma and Greg's family, then back to Tammy's for games with as many of our friends that we could get! Crazy day? It was!

Anna's having a baby!! She looked happy and ready for motherhood. Also to have her baby out. And she was just starting her 3rd trimester haha!! She was much more ready for it all to start than I was at that point! I didn't mind the extra time to mentally prepare myself. It was so fun and there were a lot of people from my childhood there.

At Uncle Greg's to see everyone! Grandma was so itching to meet her 12th grandchild! Her 13th and 14th are sittin' in Kelsey and Corin right now haha!  

We are almost there with meeting everyone! This is a long process. I'm sure with everyone's first child, you always make it a big deal. But we still have my Dad, Olivia, Haley, and Brittany to go see! Golly gee wiz! Why does my family have to be so far away from me! 

Just a few of our friends we got to play games with us! Missin' you Alayne! 

So tuckered out from meeting lots of new people in just a day and a half! He had no idea that we would be driving another 14 hours in the morning. And have to say bye to his "Auntie Mommy" and silly Uncle Jonathan! 

Cousins in being all matchy matchy! 

We had Graham and Beckham play together on the floor. Gosh that baby is so cute. He was rolling all over the blanket, and we had Graham siting on his tummy across from him. And then Graham rolled over on to his back!!! Perhaps Graham saw Beckham rolling all around and thought he'd give it a try haha. You can just imagine how Steve and I reacted to that. 

Going to bed that night, we were so tired. We had to get up super early so we could make it home in good time. Enough for Steve to get a good night's rest for work the next day. The drive was probably the worst trip so far for the baby Graham's. He cried a lot, but he was so forgiving for us the next day! We were so happy we made that short trip regardless!