BIG summer trip - MO and CO

This is actually at home before we left for our trip. 

But, I couldn't forget Daniel's first time on the swing! He had a blast and loves to swing whenever we are at the park now.  He has grown and changed SO much - more about that later. 

I usually wake up Daniel and feed him around 10-11 when I go to bed so he'll sleep longer.  Gordon loves to go and get him up for me because he's all snuggly and tired and super cute.  I just love his little stink eye in the last one.  :)

Spencer and his buddy doing a lemonade stand.  He was at her house playing and when I came to pick him up, I was greeted with this cute scene.  They are such good friends. 

Gordon took the boys to the store and out to dinner one evening before we left.  I wasn't feeling great and opted to stay home and relax.  They sent me these pictures while they were out.  Such cute boys. 

Daniel is such a smiley baby, but this picture makes him look like a grump.  He looks like "what are you bothering ME for?!" Hilarious. 

Spencer gave his first talk in Primary all on his own without any help up there.  These were his papers he read from.  He did SUCH a great job. We were both so excited for him but we both forgot to record it!  He did awesome. 

OKAY - on to the trip. 

We debated for a long time whether or not to fly or drive to do this family trip.  Ever since I started having problems with vertigo (2 1/2 years ago) I have been very leery of flying.  It all started after a flight - so I have been very nervous about trying to fly again.  But, after re-visiting all of the doctors - re-doing tests, doing new scans ... all to find out we still don't know what is causing this ... the recommendation from the doctors was "give it a try" and they really didn't think it was the flight that caused it.  I really didn't think it was the flight that caused it, but it is such an awful, awful feeling that I was scared.  Finally, I decided to go for it.  Awesome Gordon was totally willing to drive the forever long drive - just left the decision up to me.  Once it was made, we booked tickets - got any medications I could take while nursing and off we went.  And it was AWESOME!  The flights went very smoothly and nothing worsened.  I had about 15 minutes of feeling like I was bouncing when I walked when we landed in MO, but it went away quickly, thankfully.  I still have no idea what is causing this craziness, but I am so grateful for all of the things I can do easily.  SO grateful I can care for my cute boys, and that they are boys that allow me to rest during the middle of the day so that I am not dizzy at night.  If I push it too much during the day, I feel like I'm walking on a ship rocking in the ocean at night.  Not good.  

Enough about that. 

On to the fun pictures of our trip. 

First stop, Colorado to visit with all of Gordon's siblings and parents.  His parents sent us an email in the Spring telling us that they had a "happy announcement" that they wanted everyone to come and hear in person.  They offered to help everyone travel out to CO for a little mini reunion.  We all arrived Wednesday or Thursday and stayed at their home and played thru Sunday.  We stayed an additional week visiting G&G and Taylor and Steph and family South of Denver.  

Having all of stay in their house was a little crazy at times, but totally fun.  The grandkids had a blast.  They just took off and played in the morning after breakfast and we had to beg them to stop playing to eat their meals.  They all slept well.  :) 

Grandma had chore cards for the kids to choose from in the mornings.  After they did their assignments, they got to choose a few prizes from her prize bag.  They loved it!

And ... the big announcement was ....

they paid off their mortgage.  

I have to admit, nothing that we expected (we all guessed mission, moving, change of career) but totally exciting.  It was fun to watch them light it on fire.  How would that be to have no housing payment? Wow.

Grandma got a cake with everyone's names on it to have a "happy birthday to us all!" party afterward.  The kids were stoked about the cake.  

The next day we visited the local town museum that has different exhibits throughout the year.  At the time, there was a Lego exhibit up.  It was awesome.  They had some amazing Lego creations to look at, but the coolest part for the kids was the big Lego creating room.  They had TONS of legos for the kids to use - separated into different bins to make different things -- bridges, houses, cars, towns, it was pretty cool.  Spencer's favorite thing was building cars and racing them down this long ramp.

At the top of the museum was a big dress up area.  They had fun with that.  :)

Afterward, Chick-fil-A for lunch!!!

The next day, we spent the morning at the park playing and picnicking together.  Afterward, we visited the gravesite of Aaron, Gordon's little brother who passed away when he was 3 months old from SIDS.  It was very sweet to be there and feel the sweet spirit as we talked about him and Grandma and Grandpa shared with all of the grandkids all about Aaron and where he is now, and that they will be able to meet him someday.  I'm so grateful we know that. 

Sunday, we all went to church with G&G.  Here she is walking her little crew down the hall to class.  They had a blast.  :)

Daddy found some of his boxes of things from his school days and he and Spencer had fun looking through all of them.  Spencer clung onto an old soccer medal and wore it around his neck everywhere for about 3 days. 

Daniel was rolling over when we left on our trip, but at G&G Dix's house, he started to roll EVERYWHERE to get the things he wanted.  He changed so much on this trip!  

A few Daniel highlights as of now:  (almost 8 months)

**Loves to smile.  He's such a happy baby.

**He says "mama mama" all the time.  I'm sure he doesn't know what it means yet, but it still makes me smile.  

**He's doing much better with his dairy allergy stuff.  He was having bloody stools (a sign of dairy allergy) and now that I've been off of dairy for about 2 months, he has been free and clear and doing great for a long time now.  SO great. 

**He can SIT UP!  He learned that at G&G Thorne's house.  He loves to just sit and play and play.  We surround him with toys and he has a blast.  He loves to have his whole basket of toys to choose from.  

**He weighs 20 pounds. I weighed him this morning.  He was 18 at his 4 month check up, but I knew he had gotten a bit heavier over the trip.  Yep!  He's filling out!

**He is done with his helmet!!!  We did our 2 month check up yesterday (they expected him to wear it for 4 months) and his measurements had improved a ton and she said he was officially done!  He got a graduation certificate and everything.  

After the rest of the family left, Spencer discovered G&G Dix's jacuzzi bath tub.  He could spend a good 45 minutes in there everyday.  So fun.

After a few more days visiting with G&G Dix, we headed down South to Taylor and Stephanie's to spend a few days.  It was so relaxing and fun to just let the kids play and enjoy their beautiful home and neighborhood.  The kids had a blast (most of the time, of course the typical competitive boys occasionally sparked up) and we had a good time as well.  

Saturday, Steph and I went to a little mini flea market that was awesome.  If I lived there, I would be there every Saturday.  Such cool stuff.  

I got a necklace, unfortunately, there wasn't enough room on the plane to bring home the furniture  I fell in love with. :(

Cute guy relaxing on the couch.

Fun day at Chuck-E-Cheese with the cousins!!!

We arrived in MO Sunday evening and everyone came to G&G Thorne's house for dinner to hang out. They just moved into a new home and it is awesome.  It was fun to see their new place and a perfect place to visit and stay.  The whole basement is great guest quarters.  Some couches to relax and watch TV or play games, and a room and bathroom for us to use.  

Gordon's birthday was the next day and we all went bowling and had a blast.  I'm pretty sure I didn't break 100, but we all had fun. :)

Fun at the spray park!

My sister, Kathy, and her kids came down from Iowa for the week while we were there.  It was so fun to chat and catch up and see all of the kids.  They have all changed SO  much in the past few years, of course.  But, it was great to see them.  :)

Spencer likes action shots.  :)

Whenever you're in town, you have to go to Hunan Gardens ... a yummy Chinese restaurant.  They know our family when we come in.  And they have this awesome fish tank at the front.  It used to be filled with tons of cool fish and now this HUGE pirana is all that remains.  

Daddy stayed the first week with us in MO, but then had to get back to work.  (We used 2 weeks of his paternity leave for the trip.  Apple gives us 6 weeks to use throughout this year for Daniel.  It's been so great!!!)

The first week I borrowed my nephew, Tyler's, car while he was on a Scout high adventure.  But, the second week I had to rent a red Jeep.  Bummer.  :)

Becky and I took our kids to Crown Center in KC to see a Curious George exhibit and then to lunch at this awesome burger place.  You order your meal on a phone (see below) and then a little train drives around the top of the restaurant and delivers your meal in a box to your table.  It is awesome and the kids loved it.  Spencer loved pretending to call on the phone.  :)

Another morning, Becky, Jen and I all visited the new KC temple that is minutes from my parents home.  It's crazy that there is a temple that close now!  It was beautiful and such a fun way to spend the morning.  Sweet Ella watched the kiddos for us while we were there.  

I was flipping through a little local magazine that comes to my parents house one morning and I found this --- check out the kid in the green shirt.  Spencer has a twin!

Saying good bye at the airport.  :(

We were sad to end this fest of fun - but it was time to get back to real life.  We are so excited that the travel went well and are grateful to be traveling again!!!

Since we didn't know how the travel would go, Gordon flew back to MO to pick us up and fly back to CA with us.  He was a trooper.  Up at 3 am to leave CA, stop in AZ and come to KC.  Only to turn around an hour later and head back with us.  We love that guy.  :)