Making childhood memories- the Sanpete way.

Yesterday on facebook some family members demanded that I blog. (thanks guys!) As luck would have it, I actually have something to blog about. Soooooo, you asked for it!

My wonderful grandpa had a little surgery on his hand Tuesday and needed someone to drive him home to Spring City afterward. What a perfect reason to go on down and take a little family excursion.

When I was in the throes of my anxiety I couldn’t handle going down there (I know, It’s crazy. But, I was a little crazy, so there it is.) Mia also struggles with the same problem, but we discovered that a dose of Benadryl helps her out a lot. Thank you makers of Benadryl.

Anyway- I’m happy to report that this little road trip went perfectly. I loved it so much that in the car on the way home I got a little teary about finally getting the spend a night under my grandparents roof again. It felt just as good as when I was little. Some things never change.

Here’s our trip in photos.

In the afternoon there was a thunderstorm… the kids watched it from the porch and O made a fort to keep jessie safe from the rain. She loved the huge backyard- treed three cats, barked at roosters and actually liked the horses until the kids started feeding them and she freaked out about those huge horsey teeth being so close to her kids’ hands. She’s a little protective that way.

The kids wanted a bath in Grandma’s Kajuzzi tub (that’s how Mia said it when she was just little and it stuck.) I was fixing dinner so I sent them down to get started. When I went down to check on them I discovered that Mia had spilled the shampoo bottle into the water and then started the jets. There was about a foot of water at the bottom of the tub topped by at least two feet of bubbles. Sheesh. At least it was a good photo opportunity even if it took forever to clean up.

Bubble Freaks.

(does this picture freak you out as much as it does me? {{{{{shudders}}}}}}

After dinner, we played some pool.

and Owen talked Mitch into a game of chess. Grandpa has the coolest chess set.

At dusk we headed to The Basin Drive In (located in exciting Mount Pleasant.)

I LOVE Drive ins. When the huz and I were dating before his mission and then again after Mia was born, the Art City and Pioneer drive ins were a staple. Oh man, the memories. You don’t need to know the mushy details but good times were had for sure. Fast forward to this drive in- we found ourselves packed into a Buick with two kids, a dog, mosquitos and 20 bucks worth of snacks. Different, but equally fun. I’m so glad my kids got to have the drive in experience. I don’t know how a kid can grow up properly without that.

*** thoughts on Super 8 **** My reaction was mixed. I loved the parts with the kids, they were such great characters. Sympathetic and hilarious (Chompers was my favorite.) There was a hint of ET and even some Stand By Me. I think the girl actress (Elle Fanning, Dakota’s little sister) was unbelievable. In the best way. The explosions and train wrecks were also unbelievable, but not in a good way. A little restraint might have helped out there. I wish they’d kept the alien as a nebulous creepy presence and left out the huge swirling magnetic ship at the end. Too much CGI starts to really annoy me real quick. It’s a good movie, but not great. Not SIGNS. (which I need to watch again now.)

Mitch slept on the back porch with the puppy doggers and the kids and I were downstairs in the guest room. Morning came much too soon followed by a big breakfast and a ramble around town with the dog.

Owen said he loved the wide open space and the way the air smelled. It really is so beautiful and peaceful there. (bonus to anyone who spots the super cool cloud shape in one of these photos. Totally real.)

The past month has been so stressful for our family with Mitch’s broken foot and the financial troubles that came along with it. This little trip was just what the doctor ordered for us to relax and enjoy a simple summer road trip together.