Going to Utah

Summer has been long and hot. I am actually getting tired of the sun believe it or not. BUT it is also the season of making new memories with traveling and spending time with loved ones.

Savannah and I visited my family in Utah for a family reunion. I don't remember the last time I was with all my siblings at once. Jake, Sasha, and Patti came too. I haven't seen them in a year since we moved from Wisconsin. We went to my granddaughter Harmony's birthday party and it took her awhile before she realized I was related to her as a form of grandma. She really had a lot of fun getting to know Auntie Savannah though.

My mom took us to Chubby's where they had pastrami burgers and beer battered fries (surprising since this is Utah) and you guessed it, FRY SAUCE. Oh how I missed this! It was a fun little place and they had it decorated cute. It was fun to visit with her and go shopping together.

My sister Tina and her husband Kipp hosted the reunion at a cabin in Big Cottonwood Canyon. I loved the smells and the familiar summer air that the mountains bring. Sights of snow caps on the top still trickling with water as they melt. Creeks with glass clear water that had small fish swimming in them were in just about every corner of the landscape.

The mountains were such a sight for sore eyes. The last time I visited Utah I didn't at all feel homesick to return, but this past year I have been feeling it. I think it is more to be near my family than anything. That and just to go on a Sunday drive up the mountains or through Park City. I really miss re-experiencing some of my childhood. Perhaps my feelings of homesickness is that in Texas there really isn't any where you can drive to for sightseeing in an afternoon on a Sunday like you can in Wisconsin and Utah.

During the day we visited and had a BBQ - we reminisced about Dad and our memories. Got to know the younger generations better and see how they've grown. And we got A LOT lot of group pictures - some candid, some not. There were 30+ people at once so you can imagine how that went...like herding kittens! After others that had traveled left for the night we played a Telestrations game (similar to pictionary and telephone but mixed together) and Apples to Apples and laughed so hard we were turning red.

It was like old times being with Jennifer - after all we shared a bedroom together for several years growing up. She had rented a cabin nearby and we sat by the fire then watched The Others. Being with her and her family was nice, I don't get to see them nearly enough.

I spent extra time with my sister, Monica, just hanging out and being with each other. We had fun playing in the water with her granddaughter and visited Logan where we ate at the 1914 Bluebird Restaurant that had an old fashioned soda called Ironport. We went in an antique store and saw a lot of things from our childhood like the Sears Wish Book catalog we'd spend hours as kids wishing about Christmas. (Does this mean we are officially old?) Then we went to the movies to see The Lion King. We had planned to get ice cream at Aggies Ice Cream on the Utah State University campus but we were already so full that day from lunch that when we ordered what we thought was a regular sized ice cream cone you can imagine our eyes when we found out our "regular" sized cone was so humongous! We were soooo stuffed!

My brothers haven't changed much other than a little less hair (he he). They are still funny and I love their personalities. Marty, who is just a couple years older than me, I haven't seen for at least 10 years. I really like it when we are all together. It brings back a lot from my childhood with feelings of completeness. I only wish Charlie could have came too. 

Until next time. I really could have spent another week there and if I had maybe I'd not come back LOL! Here are some of my favorite photos...

Harmony Love

Piggy backs!

Me and Jennifer

 

Top Left to Right: John, Marty, Monica, Matt, Tina

Bottom Left to Right: Me, Mom, Jennifer

Group photo

See this water! 

 

Ha ha! this one is hilarious! Monica is the only one that got it right!

Love the tall trees. And the sky. And the jet stream. And the moon. And the blue. And the green. One tree looks like it has aged. Kind of like a family photo, right? 

Rocky landscapes fill your eyes with wonder, don't they?

Outside of the Bluebird Cafe "since 1914" the sign says

Inside the Bluebird Cafe where they had the soda fountains.

  

Me, Savannah, and Monica being super silly!

Life in Texas Continues...

Well half the year is past already. We've been here a year come next week. I don't have much to say other than I enjoying my job (minus lack of parking space), Savannah has finished her Freshman year with outstanding grades and Staar testing scores, and Charlie changed jobs (this still under construction...to be continued). Having some family time here and there has been good too - especially when there are more the merrier. Growing up with a household of 7 kids, I thoroughly enjoy it.

Texas doesn't feel like home yet though. Will it ever? I felt so at home in WI so why is this so different? I am still trying to find the beauty in living here - there is a lot of traffic and people which equals a lot of rubbish and pavement. What I like most here is the amount of sunshine. My being NEEDS sunshine. Always has. I don't like big cities yet here I am. But in the beauty I do find I try to relish in it. Here are some memories of the year so far.

Savannah turned 15. I know. Already? 

At the diner, waiting on breakfast with the "Grands"

We took a tour on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad  as something new to try. I don't believe we will do it again however. We sat in the train a good while waiting for other trains who had priority above the tourist train. Kind of felt like the usual 5:00 traffic. It took us a lot longer to get into Fort Worth than it should have, but it was an adventure for all of us. 

Me - sitting on a bull at the Fort Worth Stockyards. Unfortunately we came to the stockyards by way of the aforementioned train so we missed the daily schedule of the cattle drive. We stopped for a cold brew at the Cattlemen's Steakhouse where Charlie and I had "calf fries" (I won't tell you what these are) - and the atmosphere reminded me of what a saloon would be like. It was a lot of fun but I want to go back and spend more time so I can see the armadillo races and visit all the shops. Note to self - next time we bring our own transportation. 

We found out that Garfield has hyperthyroidism. He has to take medication twice a day forever. He is feeling better now.

We re-stained our deck. Look how pretty it is when the rain comes. 

Savannah all ready for the 9th Grade Banquet Dance - isn't she lovely?

Goodbye 2018

Soooo...Thanksgiving and Christmas were very different for us this year. We spent the holidays with much more family than we have in a long time.

Thanksgiving was so warm and the fall here lasts a long time so it really felt nice. We were invited to dinner at Valerie's (Brittany's mom) house in Eagle Mountain. Funny how you find the same names of cities in new states when you move. We even joked about possibly moving there just for old time's sake. Their house is right on a lake and it was just lovely. It was great to get to know them.

Next day I spent shopping with Sue (Charlie's mom) for Black Friday (not early of course!) and really had a good time. In preparation for Christmas Savannah and I baked a few dozen Christmas cookies and though there wasn't any snow it really helped to bring in the holiday spirit. It was fun to see the two together making memories.

My mom flew out to spend Christmas with us from Utah. We always have an open door for her so it really feels like she is here more often than not (being that she just visited in September). Again no snow but the drive we took to see lights on Christmas eve and the carol singing in the car was so fun and I'll never forget it.

Christmas day was so warm not just the weather but the family getting together at Sue's for dinner and gift exchanging.

For me it has always been emotionally hard to say good bye to all the gatherings when they are over but plans are in the mix for new ones to come. So now that my blues have passed I will look forward to what 2019 has to bring.