A Utah Vacation!

We took a vacation in Utah this summer! Not to be confused with the many, many, many trips that we take to Utah all the time to visit family and friends, this was an actual vacation. With excursions and poolside relaxing and national parks galore! So I must blog about it accordingly. 

Day 1 and 2 were spent getting to Adam, who had left at 4:00 in the morning on Sunday, navigated his first solo layover flawlessly, flew over the Grand Canyon, 

stayed overnight with Grandma and Grandpa (they are always so kind to host him when he's exhuasted and help him get situated at camp), 

and he then spent the week at BYU at the Y We Sing a capella camp. We heard from him exactly once. But that meant he was having fun and too busy to think much about his phone, which is always the goal!

Our drive started on Thursday, and I should probably see if this post could be sponsored by Maverick, because we spent an embarrasing amount of money raiding the gas station for snacks throughout this trip. 

But we drove the father's truck, which saved us money and wear and tear on my car, and we needed to stay sane somehow! (Truthfully, the truck was perfectly comfy on the way out when there were only four of us in it, and there is no way that we could have hauled all of our bodies and luggage and hiking gear in my new car. The truck for the win!) 

Thursday's drive through Nebraska included a nice crazy rainstorm and a beautiful sunset, 

a good night's sleep in a hotel somewhere in Wyoming, 

and back in the car we went on Friday!

With all the traditional stops and dinosaur kisses and rock treasures along the way. 

Emma was very concerned about her hair. 

Noah was very concerned about the pressure that the altitude change put on his chips! 

We were all concerned about getting to Adam's concert in time, but we made it into Utah with time to spare! 

We met up with Auntie Al and Grandma and Grandpa for a quick height measurement 

and dinner, and took the mandatory trip around the block to pay homage to the humble beginnings of our little family. The Brown Apartment cost us $450 a month, with a generous $40 a month knocked off because Jason mowed that little square of grass in the summer and we attempted to shovel the snow off the sidewalks and driveway in the winter. I pushed Leah all over Provo from this apartment, sometimes balancing a laudry basket on her stroller, or stuffing the stroller basket full of books from the nearby library that looks like a castle. I wonder if the mustard yellow countertops and radiant heating are still inside these units. 

I believe our upgraded Crescent Arms two-bedroom aparment, where Leah and Adam came home from the hospital, was closer to $525 a month, and boy did those rooms feel spacious. Nevermind the horribly stained carpet, the soft flooring around the toilet, or the portable dishwasher that we were so excited to own because we thought two people and a baby need a dishwasher. We had a balcony! We had a washer and dryer down the hall! We climbed onto the roof to watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks show while the baby slept on the 4th of July! We were living the good life on 100 North in Provo! 

I will forever more think of the Provo City Center Temple as Leah's temple, because she spent her Fridays there her freshman year at BYU! 

We even had a bit of time to walk around downtown Provo.

Yikes! The smoke from the wildfires in Utah was really gross and alarming. 

But we made it to Utah! Next up- Adam's concert!