Utah Trip Part 2

One of the main reasons we went to Utah this summer was for the Burningham Family Reunion at Aspen Grove. It was quite the adventure!

All 35 Burninghams at Aspen Grove

Jason's family

Cousin silliness!

Trying to get a family picture...and a few people not cooperating....not mentioning any names :)

Best family shot we could get

Grandma and Grandpa Burningham

We stayed in a lodge at the base of Mount Timpanogos. The setting was absolutely gorgeous! I love the mountains. It's one of my favorite places to be...especially the Rocky Mountains! Aspen Grove Family Camp was a super fun experience. They had plenty of fun activities for both children and adults and we had all of our meals taken of. I wish I could have taken more pictures that captured our experience, but the lack of pictures tells you that I was too busy to be able to thing about taking pictures. Mostly that busyness was a mix of doing fun things while also taking care of the demands of young children. Unfortunately Ethan, Lydia, me, and Jason all took turns being sick....in that order. Being sick took some of the fun out of it, but we still managed to do most of the activities.

Our Family Lodge

Celebrating Grandma's 60th Birthday

While we were there, we celebrated Mom B's 60th Birthday from a few weeks before. We gave her a quilt with the hand print of all the grandchildren and went around the circle to share what we admired and loved about her. And of course we played a game together. She really enjoyed all of it.

Admiring the quilt

Playing games

The best picture we could get of these four....haha. Mik, Eli, Lydia, and Maisy all born within 2 months

Our attempt at our first family hike. It was short, but still nice even if Lydia was sick and Ethan fell down and got hurt and we temporarily lost Lydia's lamb. :)

We borrowed Keith and Kim’s backpack carrier and took Lydia and Ethan a little ways up the trail of Stewart Falls. It was more difficult with the two little ones than we realized, but we still went a little ways up it and helped Ethan experience somewhat of his first “hike” in the mountains. We came back down and arrived about 2:45pm so we could check into our lodge only to discover Lydia’s lamb that she had been holding had somehow fallen out and was lost. So Jason ran back up the trail partway and was able to find it on a bush next to the trail that someone else had apparently found and placed there. As Jason ran back past the people on the trail he called after them, “I found the lost lamb.” :)

Nightly devotional time

Each night we had family devotionals where we shared a story from an ancestor. Jason shared a story from the Burningham side migrating from England after they joined the church. It was fun and interesting to hear all of the stories shared and I think everyone else enjoyed it too.

It's a good thing we had the pacifier. It was heavily used this trip.

While at Aspen Grove, Jason and I were able to do some fun things with the other adults…although sometimes we weren’t together because one of us was trying to help Lydia and sometimes Ethan or sick ourselves. We enjoyed the lectures given by Kerry Muhlestein from BYU. He gave some interesting lectures on the facsimiles in the book of Abraham and on the Bible and New Testament. I also did two different ropes courses. I did the old one and then I did a new one that they just opened midweek that was a lot of fun. Ropes courses and climbing are one of my favorite pastimes. :) We also played laser tag around some cabins and pine trees. That was also a lot of fun to play with the adults. They had a big slip n’ slide down a big hill just for the adults that was fun, and of course they had a lot of sports activities from Ping Pong and Gaga ball (a type of dodge ball game) to basketball, racquetball, badminton, volleyball, swimming, mini golf, and lots more. Jason had fun playing 5-on-5 and 3-on-3 basketball tournaments throughout the week with his brothers. On Wednesday, most of the adults (except Mike, Chelsey, and Jason) hiked Stewart Falls in the mid-morning. That was the day Jason didn’t feel well and stayed behind to tend kids and rest. I really enjoyed the hike. It’s another one of my favorite things to do. I love to be in the mountains close to nature. It is so beautiful there!

Basketball games were definitely one of the highlights

Ethan getting a chance to play

Ethan and Josh were buddies at the Family Camp. Ethan loves to play in the sand.

Playing laser tag in the woods. Very fun!

Walking back from laser tag

Riding the train at Frontier Night

One of the games we played as part of Frontier Night. The goal was to get the bucket up on a stick before your opponent did.

Our Team Name was "Slam it, Jam it, Burningham it" and our Team Cheer was "Feel the Burn!"

One of the activities at the Field Day

Ethan was in the Trompers group and they did fun things like dress up like pirates, go swimming, nature hikes, play with play doh, and play outside on a really fun playground.

One day the adults hiked to Stuart Falls, unfortunately Jason was sick that day and didn't come with us.

Fun times at the swimming pool

Shooting hoops with Dad

Lydia walking across the bridge to our lodge...she's exhausted and rubbing her eyes...a common occurrence here

Grandma and Grandpa on the bridge through camp with Mt Timp in back

Giant slip n' slide

Dirt on the face after flying down the slip n' slide

Lydia loving the sunglasses

Ethan's dance moves

Not a great picture but one of my favorite activities ....ropes course. I'm actually sitting on the balls trying to get across.

I'm glad we have some good memories here at Aspen Grove!

Utah Trip Part 1

 Our trip to Utah started off as an adventure. Our layover in Chicago was extended because of a late flight and so we spent a few hours at the Midway Airport and didn't leave until 9:00pm! Fortunately both our kids fell asleep for a couple hours on the flight to Utah, but it was a rough start to vacation that we didn't arrive at my parents house until 1:00am Sunday morning, which felt like 3:00am to us.

Waiting for our plane on Southwest

Funny to see pay phones at the Chicago airport....haven't seen these in a while! This is actually where we ate our dinner since the airport was so crowded that night.

We enjoyed spending time and Grandma and Grandpa's house. We went to church together and then enjoyed family dinner and bubbles outside.

Melody and Victoria flew in from AZ and spent the weekend with us in Utah as well. It was so fun to catch up. Kristilyn, Melody, and I were able to hang out most of Monday and Tuesday. How I wish we all lived closer so we could do it more often! I was sad to realize after the fact that we didn't get any pictures of the three of us together.

Had so much fun with Grandma! Bubbles on Sunday afternoon

Ethan loved playing with his cousins, and of course the nerf guns were a lot of fun too

Ethan and John got along well and actually played together this time

Good times with cousins in an awesome sandbox in the backyard

Lydia and Victoria are only two weeks apart. I'm so glad they got a chance to play together for the weekend.

As you can see, Lydia didn't want to cooperate and stay in the picture. :)

Lydia was so funny about doing this at the most random times! Love this girl!

So glad Melody and Victoria came for a visit!

Saying our goodbyes before Melody headed to the airport

Keith and Kim missed the family dinner because they were coming back from a funeral, but we were still able to visit them and spend some time with them at their house. I think we even all tried to do some cartwheels. :)

Enjoying time with Keith and Kim in their backyard

Talisa playing with Lydia

Cousins!

Thanks to Keith and Kim for the fun evening!

My parents were great about watching the kids while we had a date night and another morning so we could attend the temple together. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Date night at Hale Center Theatre

One day we went to Salt Lake and visited Temple Square. There is always so much to do and see there. We enjoyed touring the Conference Center, seeing the visitor centers, and just walking around the beautiful grounds.

Our tour of the Conference Center

Chelsey, Mik, and Samara also joined us

We visited my parents at their Family History mission in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and they graciously treated us to lunch with them that day. We just wish we could have spent more time with them.

Cousin hugs are the best!

Ethan and I watching some Meet the Mormons videos at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Our family at one of our favorite places -- the Salt Lake Temple --where we were married for time and all eternity

North Visitor's Center at the Christus Statue

A fun picture of Ethan next to City Creek in Salt Lake

We were very grateful after a long day to find Lydia's shoe hanging here for us to find after losing it that morning

While we were in Salt Lake we also visited Grandpa Richards and Colleen. We had a fun time there and enjoyed talking with them for a little while.

Playing in Grandpa Richards toy cabinet with some of the same toys Jason played with as a little boy

We enjoyed talking and visiting at Grandpa Richards. Ethan was proud that he put this puzzle together all by himself.

Our family with Grandpa Derrill and Colleen Richards

 Ethan loved playing at Grandma's house. Grandma had so many different and new toys that Ethan would just play quietly in his room for an hour after he woke up in the mornings. My mom is always so good to spend time with the grandchildren and is constantly teaching them...even first thing in the morning! I love to see my children with my parents. In this case, Grandma had some felt storyboard figures and was telling stories with them.

I'm grateful my mom still uses her talent to teach with my children

I love this picture of my mom with Lydia. Jason's mom says Lydia looks a lot like her.

This covers the first part of our trip. Stay tuned for Part 2...whenever I get the chance to finish it. :)