Utah Part 2

After a few amazing days with the Robertson Family the kids and I headed up to Jared and Ashley's to be with the Cambra family for a day or 2. 

Payton and Scarlett slept most the way. Mckinley was awake and happy then she finally fell asleep.

We got Jared and Ashley's house and the kids just played outside for a long time. They had fun playing with Sofia and Ada.

I love this picture because as you can see Sofia is putting some ribbon around Scarlett's eyes and Ada is squirting them both with a water gun, and Payton is picking his nose. I wish he would stop.

Sunday morning we just chilled until church. That afternoon Hinckley was blessed at the church. 

Payton and Mckinley hanging out on the chair together. She sure does love her big brother. 

Stockton looking like such a stud in his white shirt and tie from Auntie Mal. Scarlett passed out in Grandpa's arms. 1:00 church is rough on kids that need naps.

Payton and Stockton looking handsome together. Payton sure does love all the new baby cousins. 

Mckinley playing with Uncle Josh.

Mckinley quickly learned that Stockton's baby seat was a lot of fun to sit in and bounce in. She is a silly girl!

My parents stayed in a hotel room so we were able to take the kids all swimming. They loved it. At this point in the vacation Payton and Scarlett were becoming a lot more comfortable in the water in their life vests.  

Vacationing without dad means all 3 kids are pretty attached to mom. It's nice to be so loved and needed but it's not always easy.

Stockton is in the stripes and Hinckley is in the more solid looking blue. These two little guys are about two weeks apart. 

Mckinley really did like the little babies. They were so good. I just love them to pieces. 

Stockton making goofy faces. 

Out off all my parents grandkids which now days is 8, 3 of them are boys. Here are the 3. Payton, Hinckley and Stockton. He's such a good helper. 

My kids crashed at the hotel with my sister and her family while I was playing games till late at night. We ended up staying there for the night. 

Scarlett loves holding the babies also. Hinckley has quite content sitting with her. 

Danny, Jacie and Olivia  and Josh all left Sunday night, Mom and Dad left early Monday morning. Stef, Dawson, Sofia and Stockton and me and my kids stayed until later Monday in the day so we could spend more time with Jared, Ashley, Ada, and Hinckley. Then we drove down to St George. 

Mckinley enjoyed a break out of the car during our 4 hour drive down to St George.

Uncle Danny sharing his popcorn with Mckinley.

We stayed down in St George with my sister for a few days. We just relaxed and did nothing it was nice. Danny, Jacie and Olivia came and hung out when ever they were not working. 

Stockton being such a big boy and holding his bottle. This is him super full after finishing his bottle.

My sister is such a great mom. I love being able to spend time with her and her family. It's fun having kids about the same age. My kids adore their Aunt Stef.

Olivia is such a doll. Stef and I babysat her one night so that Danny and Jacie could go out on a date. It was fun to have her all to ourselves without her mom and dad around. 

Olivia being super cute and smiling at Auntie Mal

Olivia and Scarlett

Scarlett holding Olivia, Mckinley and Sofia

Olivia showing off her big smiles, and Stockton being forced to sit in the bumbo. 

After being in St George for 4 days the kids and I headed back home with the help of Uncle Sean and Uncle Brady. It was nice having them come along and help me with the kids. They were forced to answer all my questions about their dating life. I think they didn't mind though. 

It was such a fun vacation and we wished Josh was with us. The kids enjoyed spending lots of time with their cousins on both sides of the family and I loved spending time with everyone. 

Utah trip Part 1

Over a year ago if not 2 years ago the Robertson family planned to head to Utah for the 4th of July in 2013 to celebrate Grandpa Great's 90th birthday and to attend the Johnson family reunion. The way Josh's work schedule works is he can bid for weeks off in February of that year, but there is no guarantee that he will get it off. He tried for the 2 weeks before and after the 4th of July but got denied. He then waited till 90 days away and asked for some days before and after the 4th but got denied again. At this point we were pretty bugged and upset that he couldn't get any time off. We told the family the unfortunate news that we would not be able to come to Utah. It was frustrating because it's not easy to get all 12 kids together with the parents. We hated being the ones that had to miss out. There was nothing we could do, Josh tried talking to his work, but they would not budge. Josh's sister then called and asked me if I would be willing to come without Josh if she, her husband and daughter drove out with me and the kids. Josh and I talked about it and he told me I should go. I felt really bad leaving him home alone while we were off with his family having fun. But we figured out the details and the kids and I headed to Utah with the Lewis family. 

As we drove from my house to Kanab we stopped in St George and slept for a little bit at my sisters house. We spent a few hours with her and her family. We got to meet baby Stockton. Payton enjoyed holding Stockton.

My brother Danny came over that morning so we could meet baby Olivia. It was so fun being able to meet these cute little babies.

Payton, Stockton, Sofia, Scarlett, Olivia and Mckinley

Auntie Mal enjoying Olivia before heading out to Kanab for a few days. 

After spending a few hours with my sister, brother and their cute kids we all packed back into the car and drove to Kanab to be with Josh's family. As a family we rented this beautiful home that could fit all 30+ of us. It was on land so we had tons of space all around us and no one even close to us. The home had a beautiful pool that we spent a lot of time in. 

Payton was a fish! He loved being free and swimming all over with his cousins in his life vest.

On the 4th we headed into town and met up with the extended family to watch the parade. 

I had so many amazing helpers the whole time. Mckinley was very attached to me, but anytime people would steal her from me and she couldn't see me anymore she was fine. 

Uncle Sean taking care of Mckinley for me.

Mckinley loving on Auntie Shannon

A good chunk of our gang, but not everyone.

Grandma helping hold Mckinley will she slept through the parade. 

Grandpa Robertson made a rocket launcher and taught everyone how to make their own rockets. Payton LOVED it. Unlce Michael helped Payton which I am so thankful for!

The rocket launcher was a huge hit and it was a lot of fun for the kids and grown men.

In the Robertson family their is no such thing as just swimming around in the pool. Someone is always coming up with some kind of fun activity or challenge. This was a huge round of chicken fighting. It was basically all the dads with 1 of their kids. Since Josh wasn't their Uncle Brady filled in as Payton's dad for the chicken fight. Payton LOVED it. The smile on his face was the best. I honestly can't express how thankful I am for each person that helped me with me kids!

(Payton is in the blue and black life vest with a black shirt under it)

Of course there was the slide that people would form a train and all go down together.

Then there was the kids inter tube. The contest was diving into the tube.

It was very entertaining to watch grown men dive into a little kids $.50 tube. 

Just about each morning the kids would look out the big windows and see a number of bunnies out in the grass. This house was super beautiful and it was awesome having no one near us. We were able to be as loud as we wanted.

Friday night we celebrated Great grandpa Johnson's 90th birthday and had the whole extended family out at the house. Annette's Uncle Bob brought his horses and that was a huge hit. Scarlett is the only one of my kids that went for a ride. She loved it!

This is Grandpa and Grandma Great!

 These are Josh's grandparents, which is his mom's parents. 

These two pictures just melt my heart. I hope we can all be as happily in love with our spouse so many years later.

Awe!

This is a group picture of Grandpa and Grandpa Great with their 3 kids, plus most of their kids kids, and most of their kids kids kids. I believe that would be 4 generations! Pretty amazing to have so many of us together. 

Utah trip to be continued...