Vacation in Idaho and Utah

Rayna's newest phrase is "in the whole world." The coolest trick in the whole world. The yummiest milk in the whole world. The best vacation in the whole world! We seriously had the most wonderful time visiting everyone for an entire month!

We went to Boise first to see my family. The kids were in heaven with everyone at their beck and call and endless trips to the park.

We celebrated Megan's birthday, and Rayna loved singing the birthday song and keeping Megan's presents a surprise.

We went shoe shopping, which we thought would be fun and exciting for Rayna. Well, it was a lot of things, but fun and exciting aren't how any of us would describe it. Eventually we made it out with some much-needed shoes, and eventually we forced them onto her feet, and eventually she decided she liked them! 

We left the kiddos at home one afternoon (with a babysitter!) and floated on the Boise River. 

And swam in a friend's pool

My birthday fell in the middle of our trip, and my family treated me to a wonderful day!

We went to the library for stories and play time.

Rayna got to make her own pizza for lunch one day, and she surprised us by actually eating it! I am sure that Danny out-ate her for the entire trip. One of my kids is still transitioning to solids, and it isn't Danny...haha! But apparently kids can survive on sippy cups of milk and the occasional nibble of food. 

We visited the aquarium and fed the fish. Rayna wanted to eat the seaweed paper (I should have let her!) but when she saw the "Dory-fish" coming to nibble on it, she was mesmerized.

Danny loved it too.

One evening the kids convinced their Grammy to give them sprinkles for a snack.

They LOVED them!

Maybe it's the sprinkles that keep her alive.

Going back in time a week or two... We stayed with my grandparents for a few days at the start of our trip. I love how she cuddled right up to my grandpa, and I love that she has all of her little toys lined up on the couch so they can watch the movie too. :)

Rayna rode her amusement park rides for the first time ever when we visited Lagoon. She was tired out of her mind, but she did pretty well, considering! We got her so excited for the Bulgy the Whale ride. But as I watched her from the side, I saw her face crumple a little more with every pass, and pretty soon she was full-out sobbing. Poor child!

She calmed down for some other rides and she loved them!

Well, as much as you can love a ride while you're falling asleep...

Back in Boise, the kids loved swimming in their little pool outside.

We took them to Roaring Springs, which felt awesome on a hot summer day. :) (Mom, that was for you.)

I love the cooking blog, OurBestBites.com. So when I read that one of the authors was going to be at the new Deseret Book in Boise while I was in town, I was so excited!!! Some mocked me for my enthusiasm, but I don't care. I tried to act natural, but I did have one "starstruck" moment... Someone else asked Sara (we're on a first name basis now, nbd) where she was from, and I answered... before she did. What, I'm a fan, ok??

The kids got to stay home with Grandpa one night while my mom and I went to a play. The theater was up in the mountains, and we drove right through the middle of the forest fire to get there. What can we say, we're die-hards!

As a final request before leaving Boise, Rayna wanted to make cupcakes with pink frosting. And if Rayna asks, Grammy always delivers. Both kids loved them!

After our stay in Boise, the kids and I met up with Bowman in Utah. It was crazytown (18 grandkids ages 10 and under), but in a good way! Every one of the Mitchell siblings had a baby in 2011 (6 babies in the same year) and they were reunited for the first time since the pre-existence! Haha. This is my best attempt at a picture of all six. I know others got better pictures where they were all smiling together, and better yet, all crying together. :) So sweet!

In the middle of the chaos of taking the babies' pictures, Rayna told me, "Take a picture of my sad face."

We went on a family hike/walk through the International Peace Gardens in Salt Lake. Danny was having the time of his life in this backpack. Imagine a squirming, wiggling octopus digging little chubby feet into the small of your back while doing happy puppy panting in your ear, and you've got it. Pure joy!

We took the kids to the Church History Museum and they loved it. Rayna would have worn the skirt for the rest of her life if she could have.

Dancing in the mirror. She was so happy.

Touching the fountains at the Conference Center.

Danny is a "holder-onto-stuff" kind of boy. We somehow lost his precious hammer in Boise... :( But anyway, he always wants to be holding something in his hand that he can carry around for a day or two. One afternoon before his nap, he found my mascara tube. He wasn't happy to let it go, so let him keep it when I put him to sleep, thinking, "What could happen? It's not like he can open it."

Bowman and his brothers went camping for a couple of days, so the sister-in-laws took the kids to the children's museum in Ogden. It was a hit! There were tons of things to do, like "milking" a cow...

riding horses...

playing school...

(I cannot get over the little school dress-ups!)

(Maylee and Rayna loved when Grandma played "Teacher")

making sushi... (again, I love the dress-ups! There were different ones at all of the exhibits)

and being a policeman.

The last day of our trip was the first day of the Brigham City temple open house, so we got tickets! It was beautiful!! Look here to learn more about temples and why we have them. The temple was lovely, inside and out, and even the little kids liked looking at the fancy lights and beautiful artwork. Of course, I think the hands-down favorite for them was the fountain outside. All the kids were obsessed :)

Such a wonderful family!

The vacation was looong, but we did so many fun things! We wore our kids out, and when we made it back to the Detroit airport, Rayna's patience had run thin. Bowman was pushing Danny in the stroller and decided to take it down the escalator. I tried to tell him to take the elevator instead, but he was already on before I could finish my sentence. Rayna had my back though, and she shouted for the whole airport to hear, "Dad!!! Don't do dat! Dat make me NERVOUS!!!"

We love our families so much! Thank you all for the fun adventures! Next time, let's have the party in Michigan. :)