Every August, for as long as I can possibly remember, my mom has taken a trip to Utah for Education Week at BYU. This was her vacation every year.
At first it began as a trip for her to take with some of her best friends.
They would meet up at Ed Week every summer and leave their hubbies at home with the kids.
Then the kids got older and were able to attend themselves...and we did.
It soon became a family vacation for everyone in the families.
The adults would attend classes together and so would the kids.
Then I lived here and worked here.
Employees at BYU oft times dread the 'take-over' of campus and Provo that happens for one week every August. It's crazier than any other week in the year
(Women's Conference may be the one exception).
But I still loved it because it was a week that my parents and brother came for a visit!
Last year I didn't think my parents would come due to my mom's health, but she was determined. She came with my dad and she attended a few classes here and there.
That wasn't the case this year. I knew they weren't going to make it,
so Rand and I planned a trip to Cali instead.
It was a good week to do it because it happened to be the first week
that my mom would be on dialysis.
For those who don't know, my mom is currently on the donor list for a kidney transplant.
She was born with only one good kidney and the other never developed.
After a life time of wear and tear, it's finally time.
We've been aware this day was coming for about 5 years or so now, but it finally arrived.
It was so good to be at home and I'm especially glad that I could be there that week as she went through all of this. I wish I lived closer so I could go with her to some of her dialysis treatments since my brother and dad just simply can't take that much time off work each week (3 days a week for 2 hours each session). And little kids aren't allowed, so my sister-in-law is
out too due to my nephews.
So, back to our trip: it was fun to go home!
I LOVED seeing my family. Aside from my oldest brothers family, younger brother and a few cousins, all my family and extended family (both sides) live in the Sacramento area.
So going home to California affords me being able to see everyone!
The first day there I was able to attend a bridal shower for my cousin David's fiance, Ashley.
In doing so I got to see tons of my cousins (which is always a blast!)
Unfortunately...no camera with me at it. :o(
I also got to see my Grandma (mom's mom).
Rand and I drove to her home and picked her up for a visit with my mom at our house.
My mom had just had her small surgery to have her tubes put in for her dialysis treatments.
You can see where they were inserted in the picture below.
The night before the tubes were put in we made a family trip out to my cousins new business.
It's called 'Brain Freeze' and it's a frozen yogurt place in Lincoln.
If you are out there...check it out, it's some good stuff.
We met up with my cousin Erin and her hubby (one of my best friends growing up) Justin.
My nephew Hyrum was wired that night and all he wanted was for people to go on walks with him to the fountain, or for Rand to continuously throw him in the air.
Another highlight to the trip: seeing my nephews!
I don't see these two nearly enough since they are in Cali.
Most the time they were happy to be around us...
But on a few occasions it turned out more like this:
But anytime Grandpa is around, Hyrum is in heaven!
He loves my dad so much. For a while my parents were watching him a few days a week when Lacey and Shaun were both working. Hyrum would walk through the door calling for Grandpa.
Sometimes my dad would be in his office working with the door locked so he wouldn't be disturbed, and Hyrum would sit outside the door begging Grandpa to open it. ha ha.
I spent a few late nights working on these blankets for Hyrum and Efraim.
I had made a blanket for my other brothers kids and thought it was time I did one for them too.
But I couldn't do it while they were there, so I would stay up
super late some night (3 AM) working on them.
But they turned out great!
Hyrum LOVES Handy-Manny.
He is obsessed with fixing things and using tools (like father like son).
It made the theme for his blanket easy to decide.
Hyrum is still too young to care, so I just chose some 'boy' colors.
I think Efraim is a happy customer!
Hyrum is just happy as long as he has a tool in his hand!
If you notice, he is 'sawing' his blanket.
(and yes, Handy Manny is on in the background!)
Hyrum's other favorite person: Rand.
This kid has so much energy, and I think Rand is a good person for that.
He came in the house looking for Rand to play with everyday.
This day we took Rand to him.
We also took a trip as a family to the Sacramento Temple to do a session.
Always a must on a trip home.
I love this picture.
Besides the temple itself...this tree is my favorite thing there.
It is so fitting for this temple because these trees are all over back home.
As soon as I knew we'd be heading to Cali during warm weather
(a first since our wedding reception),
I've been planning our trip to Great America!
I found a cheap ticket deal on-line for $25 a person and roped my brother and his friend into going with us. It was a blast...as usual.
As always, the first and last (and a few in-between) ride we went on was 'Top Gun'.
They now call it 'Flight Deck', but that's just silly. It will always be Top Gun to me.
(That's like calling Candlestick Park by some other name...not happening!)
I'd been telling Rand about a few of these rides and how awesome they were.
I think (and by that I mean 'know') he doubted me on this.
But Top Gun pulled through for me...he loved it.
If it wasn't a 'risk of loss'...I'm sure he'd be wearing his maverick glasses during the ride!
Kev and Weston ready for takeoff!
For those who haven't been on the ride...here's a little taste of it!
It was hard to keep the camera steady, but after a few attempts I finally got it!
p.s. This is a ride you want to do from the very front or the very back...middle seats don't cut it!
You just get to a point in the day were you are sick of walking...the sky tram is the only way to get from point A to point B at that time.
(I know, the sunglasses are huge. But they were only $5!)
This is the new Survivor ride (new since I'd been there).
It was actually a pretty fun ride and we went on it a couple times.
The 'wheel' spins as the ride goes back and forth on the track.
Action shots.
You sit on a seat (like a bike seat) and a harness come up against your back to lock you in.
Be careful, if you aren't ready for it...it can come as a kidney shot (ask Rand).
Had to do the Rip Roaring Rapids as well!
I think Kev took the brunt of it.
We decided to stop at the games center so Rand and I could play a little air hockey.
We NEVER pass up a chance to play!
Weston decided to first try out his strength with the arm wrestling.
I think those machines are there to make guys feel better! ha ha.
Then it was time to get down to business!
Our games get a little out of control.
Typical game includes: trash talking (of course), the puck flying off the table AT LEAST once, and possible sliding of the losing players paddle across the table at the end of the game.
This game had two of those: trash talking and flying pucks. In fact, Rand almost nailed a little boy walking by. You should have seen his face as the puck flew across in front of him!
Alas...Heavenly Father took control of this competitive, trash talking couple!
When things were at their highest intensity with a tie score...the game turned off!
Cruel...yes!
Necessary for a continued day of fun...probably.
(Seriously though...it's not the first time we've had this happen! It happens often. One night we played air hockey, QB football challenge and basketball shoot-out challenge and
tied on all of them! How is that possible?!)
We weren't able to go on the 'Invertigo' ride because it had just broke down the week before with people on it. They were stuck for like 4 or 5 hours, suspended in the air and had to be rescued by fire crews. Fun ride...but glad I didn't have to deal with the thought of it happening again.
I always told Rand how much bigger Great America is than Lagoon in Utah. Though I do think it is a little bigger, it wasn't as big as I remember it being when I was younger.
But location wise (Cali vs. Utah), I still say it wins! :o)
It was tons of fun to be in Cali.
We also went kayaking at Natomas, but no camera!
It was beautiful too. I'll remember next time!
This is another 'must' when I go home during warm weather.
I can't wait until my next trip out there were I get to see more of my family...
including this little chunkster!
(L - R: Me, Lauren, Laurens friend Courtney, Brian, Eric (one of the twins), Tobin, Emily, Kevin, Chad, Rand)
