Summer Vacation: June 29 - July 8, 2008

So part of the reason that I haven't posted in so long (all summer!) is because we went on a long and fun summer vacation, and there were so many pictures to sift through that this post became a bit of a chore. Couple that with how much travel our family has done since, and blogging just hasn't happened. But I'm back on the bandwagon and you'll see lots of updates to catch you up on our last few months. Here goes! (this picture above is us being ridiculous in H&M in DC. Ridiculous happened a lot on this trip!)

Our trip went like this (the pictures are out of order, though): Salt Lake to Columbus, Ohio, to Kirtland, to Niagara Falls (pronounced by Nate, "Nee-ug-are-uh"), to Palmyra, to New York City, to Washington, DC, to Columbus, Ohio, to Cedar Point, to Salt Lake City. Phew!!

One of the most special stops in DC for us was to the Jefferson Memorial. Matt had proposed to me at this monument (learning from my friends that it was my favorite monument), and the kids had been part of the little notes that he lined the monument with during his proposal. They were so excited to actually be where this proposal happened, and wanted us to walk them through EXACTLY how it happened. Very fun.
Cedar Point is an amazing amusement park in Ohio. Nate was talking about it for several weeks prior to and several weeks post our trip. Ask him about Top Thrill Dragster...

The kids were floored by New York City... so fun to experience it through their eyes!
The Albert Einstein statue in Washington, DC.
Max, Noah, Nate & Kayla at the Lincoln Memorial.

Our family at the Jefferson Memorial.

The boat house in Central Park, New York City.
Nate, Max & Kayla at FAO Schwarz in NYC.
My nephew, Daniel. He's so awesome, wonderful, adored, grown up!, and good looking!
Me and Matt with Daniel and my other nephew, his brother, Joe. LOVED seeing these guys. They have always meant so much to me and I'm so impressed with and proud of them.
The whole gang at Lombardi's pizza in NYC.

A highlight of the trip - the whole family in the sacred grove, Palmyra, NY.
This was a common scene every time we got out of the car on the trip... Max and Nate throwing a tennis ball on any strip of grass, at every truck stop, and every park.
Matt and Shane love to fish and thought it was pretty funny that they have a vending machine for fishing BAIT in Palmyra.
Their first view of Times Square.
Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, NYC.

I love this picture...at the visitors center in Palmyra, the kids are so cute looking at this statue of the first vision.
The Palmyra Temple.
Kayla in the sacred grove.
Matt and Cher in the sacred grove.

The kids loved how many states they drove through on this trip (8 total!), but loved even more that they can now say they've left the country by going to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls.

This one is Matt's favorite view of the falls. He's been here before and wanted to walk us all right back to this awesome spot.
The family at the Hill Cumorah.

Cute flying kids.
Max and Nate.
Niagara Falls.
The Kirtland Temple.
Everyone at Niagara.

My Sweet Husband - June 17, 2008

So Matt learned from my DC girlfriends that they were all going to the George Michael Concert in DC this summer, and I was dying to go (George Michael was my 7th grade crush). Matt, romantic schemer that he is, tells me that he needs me to attend a work function with him in San Diego on Tuesday evening, June 17th, so we made the arrangements. We flew out to San Diego and went to Fish Market for dinner (SO good...beautiful restaurant on the water). You'd think I would have caught on that something was up when he took me to dinner (don't evening work functions revolve around a meal?), but I was just along for the ride. Those of you who know me well know that I am a schedule/planner type - so any opportunity to NOT be in charge of a plan is a welcome vacation to me. I didn't even think about why it would be strange that we would go to dinner first before a work event. Anyway, it was so much fun to be jet-setting with my awesome husband and to be overlooking the water on a sunny California evening. We left the restaurant and got back in the car for a bit - maybe 20 minutes or so. Matt suddenly pulls into a Target parking lot (random) and says he wants to change his shirt. Whatever. So he parks and goes to the trunk to get in his suitcase. As I then take the opportunity to primp for a second in the rear-view mirror, I notice in it this gigantic sign flashing GEORGE MICHAEL TONIGHT!!! Turns out that the Target parking lot was right across the street from the San Diego Sports Arena where George was playing. I jump out of the car and run back to Matt jumping and pointing at the flashing sign. Matt, playing it very cool, acts clueless and just keeps putting his shirt on, starring at me blankly. He finally smiles and I throw my arms around him and it was so much fun. The concert was just so-so... don't get me wrong, George has a rich voice and performs live very well. I guess I've just been to such phenomenal concerts that I can't help but compare (Matt and I gave it a 7 out of 10). But it was sooo worth going! I'd always wanted to see him perform live, and my husband making a surprise out of it made the whole thing perfect. Love him!