Vacation 2010

You might want to sit down, this could take a while...

Since we decided to move across the country, we've come to accept the fact that we will now vacation in Utah (our old stomping ground). It might not sound awesome, but it pretty much is. This time around, we decided to make the 24 hour drive instead of the 3 hour flight.

Thanks to Nintendo DS and Red bull, it was a relatively smooth trip.

First Stop: Denver, Colorado to visit the Sabey cousins (they're pretty much the funnest family ever).
While we were there, more cousins (this time, Lifferth ones) stopped in for a visit.
After Denver, we headed to Meeker, Colorado where we had to stay in this old shack:
Noah took the kids on a rock crawler which, he told them, "can go ANYWHERE."

Gabby's response: "Oh yeah? Can it go on water?" She loves crushing Noah's enthusiasm.
Uncle Gabe flew RC planes and helicopters.
The kids got to play with even MORE cousins.
And then we made it to Utah, our final destination where the fun didn't stop.

We threw Noah's youngest sister, Bridgett, a baby shower.

we ate this:
made these (instructions here)...
and these (instructions here). I think it's safe to say that it was the best baby shower ever.
The following day, we went on a bike ride with my dad and step-mom down Provo Canyon (one of my favorite places in the world). We stopped off at Bridal Veil Falls and Gabby decided to scale the base of the waterfall.
Alex followed close behind (barefoot).
This is me with the kids and my first ever BAD haircut.
This is my dad with a cute Oliver.
Gabby fell in the ice cold water which she thought was funny, until we got back on the bikes.
A day or two later, we celebrated Gabby's birthday by taking out her cousin, Hazel and friend, Anouk to Gabby's favorite restaurant, Zupas...
Then off to Color Me Mine, where we painted bowls.
Following that, we took the party to my dad's where we all swam in the pool.
in lieu of cake, we had ice cream sandwiches.
Some day later, my Mom and Step-dad threw a Bastille day party. We played the donut on a string game, which Oliver was a huge fan of:
Gabby's actual birthday arrived on July 16th and she woke up to a HUGE surprise... Lanie, the American girl doll.
She was pretty excited:
Hours later, all of our family and even some friends headed to a Provo chapel, where Gabby was baptized...
and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
And of course, we partied afterwards at a nearby park:
My dad brought along his rocket, which Alex thought was about the coolest thing ever:
The following morning, we headed home via Denver again, stopping in a cousin's wedding reception:
After getting home to Indiana, Gabby got to get her ears pierced in celebration of her turning eight.
They accidentally put in the wrong earings (Gabby wanted the red ruby, which is July's birthstone)

so I made sure they gave us the right ones free.