Utah Summer Trip--Good Times!

Here we are on our way OUT to Utah, three cheers for a road trip!!!

Here we are, 2.5 weeks later, on our way BACK from Utah, three cheers for coaxing family members to drive back to Minnesota with us!!!

And here are a few things that happened in between:

We walked the beautiful grounds at the Logan Temple.

Mike taught the twins the fine art of leg wrestling. (I can't remember who won, probably Quinn intervened and triumphed)

Mae & Max went fishing while at the cabin. You like Mae's fishing hat? We all decided it looks like it belongs to Cookie Monster! I was worried it would blow off and then we'd have tears, but Mae kept it on.

Max found a warm spring at Mike's family reunion in Saratoga Springs, UT. After stepping one foot in and then two, he decided it wouldn't do to just splash in the stream, he must lay down in it. Very amusing for all of us.

The kids went 4-Wheelin' with Pa at the Whitesides Family Cabin.
(sorry I didn't get a pic with Gran driving the 4-wheeler, she really cruises and the kids love it!)

Here's Quinn, cooling off in Grandma's hot tub. Mae also went for a swim, sitting safely on the stairs. Max refused to put his swimsuit on the entire trip, but as you can see from the photo above, not wearing a swimsuit did not stop him from immersing himself in warm, shallow waters.

Pa took Quinn for a ride around the neighborhood in Logan, UT on the motorcycle (it used to be my brother C's until his wife surprised him with a Harley-Davidson a few years ago. Bu-bye Honda, Hello Hog!)

Here's a pic of Mike's river rafting trip in ID/Montana with his siblings. Mike is not in this pic because he's the one snapping it. What a loaded raft!

A day at Mt. Rushmore on the way back to MN. Fun, fun day! Very cool carvings.

Almost all the cousins (Maren was running to the canoe) on their way to the lake. Jess's great kids, Anna, Maren and Kira and my three make all the grandkids on my fam's side. They had such a fun time together!! We miss you cousins!!!

Mae, playing dress up with cousin Natalie's old dance recital outfits. I'm not sure what the "bunny" is doing here. Playing dead? Love that fluffy little tush!

The favorite toy tractor at Grandma and Grandpa's. There is a pic of Mike playing on this same tractor when he was Quinn's age. Some toys are timeless!

Mae, taking a break from life on our road trip out to UT. We borrowed 2 portable DVD players and while I was rather bent on sticking to books and window gazing, I was VERY grateful to be able to put on a movie when we still had 4 hours to go, it was dark, and the twins were DONE!
(Please note that Mae is not wearing a hairbow in this picture. Rare.)

I feel like I blinked and my glorious 18 day summer vacation was over. It was so fun to see family and to be in beautiful Utah. I miss you all very much and look forward to the day when we live closer than a 20 hour van ride! The good news is that Ty and Connie are hanging out with us for a few more days before heading back to Cache Valley. I don't think I could have handled it had we come back to MN empty handed. Having Ty & Connie in the 'way back' made me feel like my summer vacation was lingering a little longer.

whew. Well, this post has taken me about 2 hours, all of naptime. I 'aint no speed machine! I hope you enjoy all these pics! :)