Our Yearly Vacation.

Tim took the entire week off so we could have a family vacation. The last vacation we had was 1 year ago when we went to San Diego, so we figured it was about time for another one. Here's how our week went.

Monday: Stay home and clean.

We cleaned out a closet that, when we moved in we had stuffed boxes of miscellaneous S.T.U.F.F. into, and said to ourselves, "We'll get to that later." That "later" was one year and 3 months later. 'Bout time.

Tuesday: Drive down to St. George where it's "warm" (meaning - above 30 degrees).

We have never taken the kids anywhere further then about a 45 minute drive, so we were a little worried for the 4-5 hour drive down ~ and for good reason. They did OK most of the way, but the last hour of the trip Mia screamed her head off. Jack did OK cause we stopped in Cedar City and got a bite to eat with his Aunties (Farah and Eenie).

Jeanie (Eenie), Sara (Farah), and Jack-Jack at Chili's.

Sara gave him this fuzzy, lime green hat, and I would have her know that he WEARS IT EVERYWHERE! He even made ME wear it around today. Thanks Sara.

We also remembered why we sleep AT HOME ~ NO EXCEPTIONS. They both woke every hour or so during the night to cry, and Jackson kept saying, "Jack go MY house." We got a room with 2 queen beds, and somehow (AHEM) Jackson, Mia, and I ended up on one, and Tim ended up sound asleep on the other.


WEDNESDAY: Go to breakfast. Meet up with Tim's cousin and family. Shopping at the outlets. Play at the Snow Canyon sand dunes.

It was definitely warmer down there then it was up in Salt Lake, and we all wore light jackets. Jackson loved the sand, and we even ended up bringing some back home via his shoes and clothes.

Here is Jackson - in DIRE need of a nap.

THURSDAY: Drive home. Go to Brad Paisley Concert.

The drive home was OK, until the last hour and a half when Mia was screaming, but we, I mean, the kids made it alive. My mom came and babysat so Tim and I could go to the Brad Paisley Concert, and I will say this ... It was awesome! And he is so much better online, I mean, in concert! We had a blast, because, frankly - we don't get out enough. He's quite a bit shorter in real life then I imagined, but he puts on a great show. We also got to see Chuck Wicks (Stealing Cinderella) and Rodney Atkins (Watching You and Going Through Hell) in the opening acts.

We were running late, so we didn't get pictures of us, but I wore boots, a huge belt buckle, and a hat!

Yee-haw!

Since we were running late, we also forgot to bring our camera, so all we had was our cell phones.

FRIDAY: Free back facial. Temple.

I was Rachel's "model" for her test on back facials, and so I got one for free, and it was so awesome! (I highly recommend going to see Rachel if you want anything done!) Then, Tim and I got a babysitter (aka Tim's dad) and we went to the temple. I know. 2 babysitters in ONE WEEK! That's a first for us!

SATURDAY: Monthly girlfriends lunch. Ward Chili Cook-off.

I went to the standing lunch with some girlfriends at Rumbi Island Grill. We sat and talked and ate for 2.5 hours, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. While I was gone, Tim cooked some of his "famous" dutch chili., which, ironically, I had never tasted before. We went to the cook-off, and he entered it along with about 25 other people. I was one of six judges, and we tasted a LOT of chili that night. I didn't say anything about Tim's, because I didn't want to be bias. I also didn't tell the other judges that it was his either ... and despite all this, he came home with the the first place blue ribbon, which he was so incredibly proud of. He was beaming and boasting so much that I just had to giggle. He even posed for a picture. If you know Tim, you know why I'm giggling.

Can you see the pride radiating from every pore?

RECAP:

It was an awesome week, and I'm sorry Tim has to go back to work tomorrow, but at the same time, it takes a vacation and all the eating out, sleeping in hotels, and messed up schedules to really make me appreciate my every day life and routine. It was just the break I needed to get back into the swing of things. I think I'm gonna make it to spring.