Utah Trip Days 1 - 4

We started summer off real quick.  The week after school was out we headed up to Utah.  Alexa was going to EFY (Especially For Youth - a church program up at BYU for kids 14-18.  Lot's of motivational classes, activities and dances.)  Since she was going up to Utah and most of our girls haven't been to Utah we decided to make a week of it.  We first went up to stay with Grandma and Grandpa Gibb in Prescott to shorten the length of the drive.  The girls always love going up there.  On Saturday we drove up to American Fork and stayed with the Dad's life long best friend, Marque Trosper and his ADORABLE family.  It was so great to see them and they were so hospitable.  We spent Saturday evening and Sunday with them.  They live in a great ward - we felt very welcome there.  As you can tell by the picture, Maya fell in LOVE with their baby, Dax.  And McKenna and Leah acted like they had been friends for years.  I just hate that we live so far.  It felt like visiting family.  Marque and Sarah were so gracious to let us stay there.  We just wish Tim would have been with us but he had to work.  Marque and Sarah even made sure that we could see more friends.  Jason Valderrama (another childhood friend of Tim's) and his family came over Sunday evening.  It was so fun to visit with them and again the kids just got along so great like they had known each other for years.  Such a great start to our trip.  On Monday morning we got Alexa over to BYU to check in for EFY, said our good byes and headed off for lunch.  Then we headed to our hotel where we would be staying for the week.  Before we left I got a groupon called the Pass of All Passes.  I couldn't believe what a great deal it was.  We were able to do so many fun things while we were there.  Monday evening after dinner we went over to a mini golf place and got to do all the fun attractions there (for free with our passes.)

Livie and Dax playing (the few times someone else got to hold him besides, Maya.)

Livie playing with Dax.  I could just eat him up, he's so darling.

The girls, Leah and Dax

Tuesday ended up being kind of a fun surprise.  We found out that Tim's work trip changed and he would be flying through Salt Lake.  So we headed up to Salt Lake on Tuesday to spend the day site seeing and touring the temple and whatever else we could fit in.  We picked Tim up and had lunch with him. 

Maya was the photographer so I'm not sure about what all the pictures were from.

This picture is in the Salt Lake Temple visitor center. 

 These girls are so darling.  It was so fun to walk around with them and I think they loved everything we saw.

 The Tabernacle.  We didn't get to go in because the time we were taking the tour was the same time someone was rehearsing for a concert so we couldn't go in.  Too bad.  Just another reason to go back.  It's been years since I've been there.

 Seagulls.  If you don't know much about Mormon History, this is one of my favorite stories.  The fact that Seagulls showed up in Utah, of all places, was a definite miracle.  So glad Maya took this picture.

 While we were on our tour of Temple Square there was a couple who were not members that were in our group.  It was so interesting to listen to the tour and looking at it from their perspective.  I appreciated all their questions and also loved that they had a genuine interest and not a Bible bashing sort of attitude.  They seemed to know quite a bit but still had those questions

of things they've "heard".

 I seriously need the gardeners they have on Temple Square.

 Back in the Visitor Center

Olivia

 McKenna

 This must have struck Maya.  It's fun to look back at these pictures and see what Maya enjoyed.

 Then we toured the Conference Center.  Such an incredible place.  President Hinckley had quite a vision.  It's amazing all the work that went into this place.

 Beautiful artwork everywhere.

 I have always loved this picture but the size of this was incredible.

 Inside the Conference Center.  I love that any organization can come and use the center for concerts or whatever they need.  The only requirement is that they abide by the same

standards the church does. 

 On the roof of the conference center.  I wish I would have taken notes of everything they told us.  Just the roof itself was amazing.  All the trees and water features. 

 AND the view of the temple from the roof top.

After the site seeing in Salt Lake we headed back down and visited my dear friend, Jeannie Olsen and her family.  We met when we lived in WA.  We moved to Tucson, and then they came a while later.  Then we moved to AR and a few years later they moved to Utah.  But we have kept in touch.  Some of my very favorite people.  I couldn't go with out seeing them.  Again, the kids seemed to have a great time with friends they hadn't seen in YEARS.

 And McKenna!  Sadly I guess I didn't take any more pictures that night.  Not to worry.  We got to spend more time with the Olsen's during the week.  More pictures to come.