more Utah

 On Saturday, July 6th, we barely caught the train up to Salt Lake City from the Provo station.  It was a miracle we made it.  We wanted to tour temple square with the kids and Grandma.  This is our family in front of the Christus statue in the visitor's center.

 The Salt Lake Temple

 Riding on a train was on our list of summer to-do's.  I am so glad we got to do this with Grandma Cathy, it really was such a fun way to travel!

 Jake and Erik

This was on our way up to Salt Lake.  Everyone was really excited to ride.  We rode on the 2nd floor.

That night Aunt April and Grandma Cathy (thank you so much!!) watched the kids while Jake and I went to my cousin's wedding reception.  I got to see a lot of cousins, Aunts & Uncles, that I rarely get to see.  So fun!

On Sunday we were ready for church early so we loaded up the kids and checked out the Provo temple.  It was really neat to walk around the grounds of this temple.  It's the closest one to BYU, so it was the one we frequented while we lived there.  It was good to be back again.

We got to go to church with April & Jason, and their family, and Evan, and Cathy in April's ward.  Afterwards we met up at Cathy's for dinner and cousins time.  

After dinner we took a walk to the historical Provo tabernacle that is now being renovated to become a temple.  We went to stake conference here when Nick was a baby. 

Fireworks, BYU, and horseback riding -1st day in Utah

We started our trip to Utah on July 4th, early!  It was probably the easiest long drive we've ever had as a family.  No doubt that was mostly due to our caravan with my parents and Aunt Amanda.  The kids took turns switching vehicles.  We split up when we got to Salt Lake City.  My parents headed over to be with my mom's other sister and brother, Aunt Velma & Uncle Ed.  We headed down to Provo to meet up with April, her family, and Evan for some spectacular fireworks and pizza at a park.  The fireworks were bursting right above us, I don't think I've ever seen anything like it.  In Sacramento, those are only legal at a fireworks show. 

 We stayed the night at Grandma Cathy's apartment even though she was still out of town.  The arrangements worked out great.  While we were waiting for her to come back from Seattle that afternoon, we spent the morning at BYU to show the kids where we used to go to school.  This is them in front of the Harold B Lee library where Grandma Lina used to work when she went to school there too. 

 In the early afternoon we roped Jason into horseback riding lessons for our kids.  They were in heaven, especially Annelise!!!  I think it was the best day of her life. 

 Here's Carly and Julia.  We had such a great time with April's kids, they are so sweet.  Katelyn brought out a pink cowboy hat for the girls to wear while they were riding to make them feel like real cowgirls.  What a thoughtful sweetheart!

 Here's Nick and Isaac.  Nick stayed in the saddle long enough to earn his horseback riding belt loop for cub scouts, which he was really excited about.

 Here's Erik and Leah.  Erik was always hunting down Leah to see what she was doing. 

Jack was so great to let the little kids try out his popper gun.  Isaac loved it!

After Grandma Cathy was safely back in Provo, we had such a big thunderstorm with lots of wind!  When it tapered off after a couple of hours we headed to Cafe Rio for dinner.  Jake and I lived in Provo for the first 4 years of our marriage and we had never been before, although we have always heard great things about it.  Grandma Cathy had never been either.  Wow!  so good!!