Family Summer Vacation 2009

For our family vacation this year we decided to visit our families in Idaho and Utah. It doesn't sound too exciting, but it's a great idea for people with a small budget (a.k.a. us) since we don't have to worry about the expense of hotels and food (not to mention free babysitting). In addition to the benefits of catching up with family, Utah and Boise have a wealth of things to do after living in Tri-Cites for the last 10 months. So put all of that together and it made for a great time.

In Boise, we went on a short hike with the Colletts up to a waterfall where we had a picnic and the girls had fun playing in the water with their cousin Courtney.

Maddy really liked dessert.

Jared hiking with the girls.

In Utah the girls enjoyed seeing the animals on the farm at Thanksgiving Point. Abby especially loved the pony ride; she went on it three times.

The girls loved riding around on the golf cart and seeing the gardens at Thanksgiving Point with their cousin Jonathan. Most of all they enjoyed playing in the Noah's Ark wading pool in the children's garden. Abby got completely soaked and loved it!

Our family at the secret garden.

Maddy riding on grandpa's shoulders at the farm.

Maddy trying out a trike at the recumbent trike shop. While on vacation we found out that our blue car had broken down, and since we don't have any trike shops near us, Jared decided to buy a trike so that he can pedal to work and leave me with the car at home.

The girls watching fish at the aquarium. You can tell they are pretty fascinated since they wouldn't even turn around for the picture. Abby loved the turtles and said "turtle" for the first time. Abby liked touching a real star fish, and watching the octopus and sharks.

Grandpa spent a day taking the kids around BYU. Here they are at the Widtsoe Blding looking at fish. He also took them to the dinosaur and the Bean Museums.

For old times sake Jared and I decided to visit our favorite Provo grocery store--Macey's. The girls loved driving the car cart and getting ice cream. Jared and I were happy to find a good deal on some water containers for our food storage.

Since we wanted the girls to have the experience of seeing the inside of a temple again, we took them and their cousins to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. Afterwards we decided to take a trip to the near by Kennecott Copper Mine. Here is a tire from one of the trucks they use to carry rock.

Abby swimming with her cousins in Grandma's backyard.

Here are Abby and Maddy who decided to jump in a hammock with me at my parents' cabin. They both loved the cabin, especially when we had FHE around the camp fire and sang songs. Abby roasted a marshmallow and made her first smore. She was very proud of herself.

It was fun to be back in Provo and remember the "good old days" when were were dating and newly weds. In addition to doing activities with the girls, my mom and Stephen were nice enough to watch the girls for us so that Jared and I were able to go do sealings and go out on a date to the dollar theater.

I don't have any pictures of it, but on Saturday we met Jared's family in Salt Lake and saw the play Treasure Island at Hale Centre Theatre. It was very well done with an amazing set in which the actors actually fell off the ship into real water when they went overboard. We had a nice dinner afterwards and then met up with his family again on Sunday for our nephew William's baby blessing. After church we drove back to Boise and then drove the rest of the way home on Sunday. As fun as vacations are, it is nice to be back home again. The girls were pretty worn out from all our traveling, but are doing much better now that they are back in their own beds and are on a better sleep routine.