Centerville

After the campout, many of us went up to my cousins, Wendy's and Angela's baby shower. It was so fun seeing my Mom's family again and catching up with a few of my closest cousins. Wendy and I are the same age, and she was married about a year before me. She and her husband Brian have been trying for years to have kids, and finally started the adoption process- which is when they found out they were expecting! I'm beyond thrilled for them. Just wish I could have taken ANY pictures. :(

The next night, we had family night with most everyone who was around. My little niece in Germany had been hospitalized that morning for appendicitis, and so we were making cards to send her via our family's blog. 

It was wonderful being around my sisters again. It would be so fun to live closer to them!

 The next night, Grandma and Grandpa brought out UNO Attack, which was a hit!

 

The kids thought the cards spitting randomly out at them were hilarious.

Afterwards, we had to go out for "brown toppers." So fun!

Jeannine wasted no time in becoming Nora's favorite aunt. Nora had her Auntie wrapped around her little finger, getting pushed on swings, picking flowers together and reading stories on end.

The boys loved having Grandpa and so many others who were willing to read stories with them, too.

And they were thrilled to have a seemingly endless supply of Legos and Bionicles to play with all week. Paul enjoyed having this one on one time with his boys.

We took the kids up to the Book of Mormon Interactive Exhibit at the Church History Museum, which was a hit. They had fun fishing, building towers and knocking them down, and playing in the kitchen/garden area. By the time they were done playing, we didn't have the energy to go through the Church's International Art Competition that was there too. I saw this piece on our way through, and instantly fell in love with it (There was a group standing nearby when we took this pic, and Paul was trying to be stealth with his phone, hence the terrible quality). So I convinced Paul to go back with me so we could spend some more time just looking around. While we were gone, my Mom took all three kids and took them on a scavenger hunt, which they loved.

 We were so glad we went back! So much amazing talent, and some really beautiful testimonies shared.

I'd really like to enter the competition someday. I think it would be cool if I could do it this year, but realistically, it may not be my time yet.

Another day, we spent splashing around at the community center pool near my parent's house. With the higher altitude, we were all feeling a bit closer to the sun, so it was nice to be able to go indoors or out.

 Nora took a little warming up, but soon was the bravest of them all.

 Miriam and her two kids joined us. Anna and Johnny also made great strides in their bravery around the splashy water. 

 Benjamin on the pirate ship. It was a pretty impressive pool! I think I still have about two more posts from the trip. We really packed a lot in!