Road Trip

I had to prep myself mentally for months before I felt sure enough to make the drive.

One driver.
One toddler.
10 hours through the Nevada wilderness.

Honestly, I was more concerned about myself falling asleep than I was about Evan. He's always been a rock star travel buddy. He was still awesome on this drive, but it was a new challenge for my patience with him with him being as chatty as he is nowadays. Between "Old McDonald had a farm," "There was an old lady who swallowed a fly," a CD of favorite primary songs including all 10 verses of Follow the Prophet, reading books to himself, a book on tape for myself, a few pit stops for food and gas and diaper changes, and constantly handing back food and drinks to my endlessly hungry/thirsty child...we successfully made it to Utah and back on our own. I felt so accomplished. I can do anything. Not really.

Day 1 (Saturday) was the reason why we went on this trip. My niece Eleanor's adoption was finalized recently so she was able to go to the temple and be sealed with her parents. Evan adores Baby "Nuh nuh nor" and  I loved being able to meet her in person and see more of her personality. My cousins watched Evan while the rest of us went to the temple. Uncle Floyd performed the sealing and I think everyone was crying at some point or another. Except maybe not Nate.

After the temple we picked up Evan and some Cafe Rio and went to my parents' house with Chelsie's family for lunch and games. Then Saturday night we had a Garrett family get-together for Grandma's 80th birthday. It was nice of her to schedule her birthday while we were in town so I could see lots of Garrett family. Family is the biggest thing I miss about living in Utah.

Since Evan missed the temple on Saturday, we took him there for a few minutes on Sunday. I love this picture. It might not seem like much, but it's pretty unusual to have a picture of Evan just standing alone, let alone on a field in front of a temple. Makes me happy to see some growing-up independence.

Wow, what an artistic photographer

Evan LOVED swimming with his family on Monday at the AF rec center pool. I chose to be the lame side-line mom and let my dad take Evan in the water. Evan has been in the pool a lot but not very often where he can reach the bottom. Walking around in the pool was a new experience for him. He still talks about how Chelsie played choo choo train with him in the water and said "Choo choo!"

Mom and two Grandmas watching Eleanor's first pool experience. She rocked it.

Evan would not get off this horse at Great Grandma Garrett's house

We kept busy Tuesday at the Bean Museum in Provo with some of my cousins and their kids. Then we hit up Bridal Veil Falls for a quick walk and then stopped at the food court at the Wilkinson Center for lunch. I was surprised to not feel as old as I thought I would on BYU campus. Granted, I'm still younger than Isaiah was when he finished school there. The rest of our time in Utah was spent playing lots of games, eating food I didn't have to cook, Grandma playing Jumbo Elephant on the piano while Evan danced around, and trying to keep kids on a semi-regular sleeping pattern. And now anytime we go on a semi-long drive Evan is convinced we're going to Utah.

Wait, is that a clear picture of me and my child, taken on MY camera?