Our trip-Part 3

Wow, I sure am making our trip seem a lot more exciting than it really was by breaking post's into parts, huh?

On July 4th, we hopped over to the other side of Mt. Timpanogos to Jerry's parents home. We had a really nice BBQ with the Johnson's and the Jurgens came too! We didn't do any other cool 4th of July related stuff (no parades, no fireworks, etc.) but we still had a great holiday and a wonderful visit with family and friends.

Joey and Jerry. BFF's :)

Some of the Johnson's: Nephew's Corbin and Riley. Brother-in-Law Brad, Niece Haley.

More Johnson's: Russ, Becky and two of their boys: Thayne and Jordan.


Jonah and the Jurgens's boys, Sam and Will.

Sam loves being a leader, and Jonah loves following. They got along really great.






The following day, we went back to my Grandparents cabin for a couple of hours to see my sisters and mom. This is a really bad picture (both the set up and I look pretty awful) but it was nice to have us all together, even if it was only for a couple of hours.

to be continued...

Our trip-Part 2

When we got to Utah, we were able to spend one day up in Midway at my Grandparents cabin. It's a really small cabin, but it's one of my favorite places on this earth! We had such a good time spending time with my mom, Aunt Jenny and kids, my Nana & Papa, and my sister Emily and her family.

Papa bear (my grandfather) and Oliver. (Oliver's middle name is Jack, after Papa)


Ollie and Jerry. Seriously, what is with Jerry's eyes always being half closed in pictures. Anyway, they really really had fun together. I feel so bad that Jerry is missing all these cute baby months with Ollie!

Just hanging out in the mountains. Eating, talking, playing games, what could be better?

Our trip-Part 1

We got to see Jerry for 4 days!!! It was so nice, but went by so fast. We met Jerry in Salt Lake and spent the fourth of July weekend together.

I flew from Atlanta to Kansas (where my sister lives), then we (She and I and our families) got in her van and drove to Utah. It wasn't an easy trip, but it couldn't have gone better! I had lots of help, and was surrounded by lots of patient and helpful fliers on the way to Kansas, and the boys were so good! The drive went really well too. It took us 2 days in the car, and considering we had 4 kids under the age of 4, it went really well.

We're home!

Ok, ok, we've been home for like 4 days. I know this should be the post with all the stories and pictures of everything we did on our trip. But it isn't. This is the post that informs you that this isn't that post. Savvy? I will post that post. Soon.

Just to tell you how much free time I've had since we got home (in which I would have uploaded pictures and written such post), I haven't even unpacked my suitcase yet. (ok, I've technically taken everything out of my suitcase-looking for clean clothes-but I haven't put anything away. Everything is strewn all over my bedroom floor and all over the whole house. I don't call anything unpacked until things are put away and suitcases are put back in closet.)

Anyway...I hope everyone had a nice fourth of July, WE DID!!!

Celebrate

Yesterday I was having a pretty down day. I've been trying to keep a really positive attitude throughout this whole summer of Jerry being gone, but the blues, as they do for everyone, just caught up to me. I've been reading a lot of romantic books, and watching chick flick movies, and let me tell you, if you are lonely, that is a really bad idea. Yesterday I watched "Valentines Day" and it just put me over the top. I was worn out from the kids, who have been particularly difficult the past couple of days, feeling lonely from all the romantic propaganda I've been exposing myself to, I hadn't even showered for the day, the house was totally trashed, and it was time to fix dinner (which I had no idea what to make, nor food with which to make it) Needless to say, I was at a low point. So I told myself, "Katie, you've got to snap out of this!" (even though I REALLY didn't want to. I just wanted to go climb into bed with a pint of ice cream, start reading another novel, and wallow in my self pity). Well, the needs of the children called, so even though I REALLY didn't feel like it, off I went to wade through the piles of dirty dishes in my kitchen to try to find something to make for dinner. I turned on the radio, thinking "ok, find a fun upbeat song, and get your groove on. That usually always works to change your mood" I turned from one radio station to another, until finally I heard Madonna's "Holiday". I started willing myself to sing along and even try to move my body a bit, but when Jonah came in and spilled spaghetti sauce all over the floor, it was the last straw and I just starting crying. So here I was crying and a total mess, but I was still trying to sing along to the song on the radio, when this scene from "The Wedding Singer" popped into my head:



I started laughing out loud so hard, realizing that I was living that scene almost exactly. I felt much better the rest of the night. So if your feeling down, just have a dance party; even if you don't feel like it! Life is funny!