Fall Break in Sunny G

On Wednesday my sister and I packed up all our kiddos (9 total!) and drove down to St George (in 2 cars). It was so fun to meet up on the road in Fillmore, anticipate our big weekend, and then finally arrive! We unpacked and within minutes all our children were immediately playing together on scooters and trikes, finding fun toys unique to the SG house, exploring the yard and brush for golf balls, and rediscovering my parents' beautiful vacation home. It was next to impossible to get the kids to bed that night—they were just too excited.

During our stay the girls slept together, the boys slept together, and the babies slept in their cribs!

and the dollies slept together too of course

On Thursday my sis and I did bike rides in the morning (taking turns staying home with the kids) and then Cec took the 7 older kids to the Sand Hollow pool while the babies napped at home with me. Then we popped over to Target for our traditional "small prize outing" and dinner at In N Out.

This trip was boy heaven for my Bentley. Eth and Will are the coolest big kids to him and they are awesome at playing iPad games, Legos, and catch outside, and basically saying any and every silly thing to make each other laugh.

Friday was our busiest day. After my morning bike ride, we packed everyone up and went for a hike in Snow Canyon. 2 moms and 9 kids! It started out great but my Olivia quickly lost steam. She was a bit of a challenge but we pressed on. We found a fun lava tube to climb around in and then hiked back to the car. Livs was so slow during the hike back that I finally threw her on my back and carried her piggy back while I had Luke in the Bjorn on my belly. Wow—that was an awesome workout! Ethan took over for me during the last section which totally saved me. And then we went to the playground to eat lunch and hopefully wear the kids out even more!

Soon after we welcomed my parents and the hubbies who had hitched a ride with them. After getting settled, all the other adults went for bike rides, Ethan babysat sleeping babes, and I took a big group of kids to the Sunbrook pool. We also had a fun "late night" that night with everyone (minus Luke) gathered together watching Madagascar 3. Great movie! I had never seen it—I'm pretty sure I sent Joseph with the 3 big kids when Luke was tiny and I was dying for a good nap :)

Saturday morning we hit the Rosenbrunch Wildlife Museum where we saw millions of dollars worth of "taxidermied" animals (NOT stuffed animals like they teach you at the place :) I think my kids have been there at least a few times but it was a first for me—pretty cool place, especially if you have Chandler the animal expert there to offer up 101 facts about the wildlife. After lunch Joseph and I went for a bike ride but 1) I was fighting a chest cold, had laryngitis and couldn't breathe too well, and 2) my rear tire was having issues and kept losing air. I was hoping to venture up Snow Canyon with Joseph but it just wasn't meant to be that day. I did get 12 miles in so that counts for something. Next time I am down there I'll do it! In the later afternoon we sent our hubbies and big kids to Hotel Transylvania (I heard they all loved it but kids aren't very harsh critics :) while we shopped at TJ Maxx with the babies. Once the kids were in bed for the night, Cec and Chad and Joseph and I even escaped over to the hot tub on a quick double date leaving my parents to listen for any wakeful kiddos.

 

On Sunday we went to church (an hour of stake conference which we didn't know they were holding) packed our cars to the hilt, and drove home.

The whole weekend was busy and active and beautiful. We loved the warmth and sunshine, the happy sounds of kids playing Legos, dolls, and the iPad, and riding golf carts and scooters in the garage. The view from the house of red rock and Pine Mountain against the rich blue sky was as gorgeous as ever and a favorite sight of mine. So glad we could indulge in few more days of summer-like weather with so much family before returning to the north and the cold side of autumn.