Reader beware: This is going to be a very long blog. There were just so many fun things that we did while in Utah for two weeks that I can't trim it down any more. Our wonderful trip started off really early--we had to be at the airport by 5:30 am ET (that's 3:30 for you Utahns) which meant we had to get up at 4:00 am ET. Paul and I were hoping that Max would sleep on the plane so that we could relax and perhaps catch a little shut-eye ourselves. Ha! What dreamers we are; not surprisingly we had no such luck as Max stayed awake for the entire time we were in the air. Actually, not only did he stay awake, but he was very NOISY! He didn't cry or complain--in fact he was a very good boy. I bought him a new little motorcycle and gave it to him at the beginning of the flight--what a mistake. He spent most of the time playing with it and making REALLY loud motorcycle noises ("MEEEEEM, MEEEEEM") at the top of his lungs. Yes, we were those people. Max finally fell asleep on the tarmac after we landed and were waiting for a spot to open at the gates. What luck!
It felt so good to finally be back in Utah--what a welcome sight those beautiful mountains were. Our first stop was Tio and Tia's. Aunt Sandy made a really yummy lunch and Uncle John and Auntie Sara were able to join us. Emri was there to play with Max and they had so much fun together.
Emri and Max checking out the fish with Tio's BEAUTIFUL garden in the background.
Max loved the horses ("hsee-sees" as he calls them). He was so desperate to feed them, sweetly trying rocks and dirt to no avail. He eventually found a fistful of hay which they were more than happy to eat--positive reinforcement that entertained him for nearly 20 minutes.
After we got to Holden, Aunt Kellee came over and gave Max a much needed haircut. He was surprisingly good--sitting so still for the entire time. Kellee did a great job--Max looks handsome as ever--and it was nice to see her and Casidee.
Next was the 4th of July. We figured that since Max is still so young we could get away with missing the parade for one more year and instead we all slept in. (Max was going to bed so late at gramma Jill's and papa's that he slept in every morning--I loved that part!) Also, I don't really like parades and the thought of sitting--pregnant--in the hot sun for a decidedly mediocre one sounded torturous. We did, however, make it to the park celebration where I saw only a couple of people I knew or recognized and stood in a long line for the biggest let down of the summer--Navajo Tacos. Talk about disappointing. After waiting 2 years and standing in line for over an hour I am sure Paul will opt for the cold-cuts next year at the reunion.
After the park, we headed to the horse races which were quite fun in a nostalgic way. But the intervals between races were just as long (or longer) than I remember from my childhood when we kids would go with Gramma Bonnie. Max enjoyed watching the horses but mostly had fun playing around in the dirt.
We then made it back to Mom's house for a spectacular dutch oven dinner thanks to the efforts of Mom, Aunt JoAnn, and Grandma Turner. The weather was nice and cool, and it was fun to watch the cousins play together. It was also great to see Tim, Cindy, TT, Scott, Andrea and their beautiful new baby Holly. And of course it is always wonderful to spend time with Grandma Turner!
Max just loves Jauncee and Aunt Marnie. He can say both of their names very well, and in fact still calls out for "MAAAR-NEEE".
Max got to ride a horse with Gramma Jill. He had so much fun on "Peppy"--he even held the reins all on his own. A couple of days later a farrier came and gave papa's horses new shoes. Max got to sit on several of them bareback before we led them back to the pasture--he thought this was very cool and got a little upset when it was all over. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of this as I was the one holding him on the horses. But, we got a lot of good ones with gramma Jill (and sorry, Mom, I am putting your picture on the blog).
Here is a cute picture of Jeslyn holding Max in the big tractor wheel. She is such a sweetheart; we all wish she would come and live with us for the summer!
Paul only stayed with us in Utah for five days before he had to fly back to work in PA. Max started to get very clingy to me after his daddy left. I think he was a little worried about what was going to happen, being that his world had recently been uprooted with our move and things in PA were just starting to feel like home to him. You never know what is going thru their little heads, but I think he was just scared since we had been away from everything familiar and routine for the first time since our big transition to PA. Whatever the case, he definitely turned into a complete "mama's boy"--he would never let me out of his sight, let alone himself out of my arms. He wouldn't let anyone else hold him, even if I was standing right there. It got to be a little exhausting. I was finally (miraculously) able to convince him to get in the tractor and go for a ride with Papa, Jeslyn, and Brooks. I was really surprised when he actually climbed up the ladder to hop in--and then he ended up really enjoying himself. Much thanks to Papa for being so patient and allowing a cab full of wiggle-worms to accompany him on his busy day.
After moving the tractor down to the "Stack Yard" papa needed to fix something on one of his sprinklers. Everyone else (Papa, Marnie, Jeslyn and Brooks) walked with him down the wheel line through the hay, but, knowing that I would end up carrying him all the way, I insisted that Max stay behind with me. He kept watching for them, though, and when they got close enough on their way back he started to walk out toward them. I think the following pictures of Max watching them in the distance and then walking out into the lush green hay to meet them are quite awesome.
Max had a blast jumping on the trampoline at Gramma's. He is actually rather good at it and definitely gets some air.
However, he is not good enough to maintain his balance if any of his other, bigger, cousins are jumping at the same time and therefore prefers to jump solo. In fact, if anyone tried to get on the trampoline while he was jumping he would throw quite the fit, as depicted in the picture below.
One of the biggest thrills for Max was going for a "Ra-ride". He would beg for us to take him around the property on the ATV.
Before he left, Paul was really good at obliging Max's 4-wheeled-wishes, but then I had to take over. I have been riding 4-wheelers my entire life, but being pregnant and going over bumps while steering, pushing the gas and holding on to my sweet little guy all at once took a new set of skills. I quickly figured it all out and before long I was giving all the grandkids a ride--at once. (And, yes, Max is completely naked in this picture--the way he would prefer to go everywhere and do everything). Do we look like Rednecks?
Brooks loved Uncle Paul and had fun playing with him and Max outside, particularly "running in circles".
Brooks spent a lot of time at Gramma's house while we were there which was great for Max--he enjoyed playing with his cousin--and it gave me a little reprieve from the "human leg-warmer" Max had become.
Marnie had the idea of taking the kids to Yuba Lake for an outing. We ended up being greeted with foul weather once we arrived (which doesn't seem too surprising for Yuba, if my memory serves me well).
Max preferred staying out of the water to dig in the mud while Jeslyn showed off her amazing swimming skills. She loves the water and hated to leave, even when this huge dust storm swept thru. In the center of the picture below is Jeslyn running through the pelting sand to rescue her floaty tube.
Since we only got to spend a short time playing at the lake, we decided to go back the following day. This time Jauncee got to come with us, and, although still a bit windy, the day was much sunnier.
Gramma Jill and Papa bought a big blow-up swimming pool for the grandkids to play in while we were there. Jeslyn loved the water and seemed to be the only one who could bear the cold water that never seemed to warm up in Gramma's shaded yard.
Max wanted to get out the second I set him in the pool. Although he loves bath time, I think he is a little scared of the water and doesn't like to be splashed on by anyone else.
Max just loves bugs. Thankfully, I haven't passed my fear of everything creepy and crawly on to him--I have definitely been working on that. We went on a walk up Wide Canyon and Max found a grasshopper that was missing a leg and wing (even before Max got a hold of it). This was perfect because it couldn't fly away or jump very far and therefore was easy for Max to grab and hold. He thought this was so neat.
It was so nice to spend time with Gramma Bonnie and Em. Gramma was recovering from her bout with appendicitis and spent some time in the hospital right before our trip. She was doing amazingly well and looked so good everytime we went over to visit with her. We miss you Gramma!
If Max didn't get messy enough from playing in the dirt outside, he definitely does while eating. He is eating pizza in the picture below, and has to do it shirtless because he wipes his hands all over his chest. Or, he rubs his greasy, saucy paws in his hair before sticking his fingers up his ears and nose. He is a very classy epicure--gotta love him!
And a big T-bone steak. Actually, he has had steak several times and loves it--but this is the first time he ever gnawed the meat right off the bone--he was in food heaven! He must have been really hungry on this day because he ate a lot of steak, broccoli, and then had to have 2 fried eggs just like his cousin Brooks. Maybe I should have his cholesterol checked?...
On one of our last days in Holden, Max and I went with Papa in the swather to help him cut hay. We had a great time, and thinking back on how easily Max is entertained by things like this makes me sad that we don't live closer. Max is more enthralled by climbing into a tractor, helping papa drive, and watching the hay get cut than he is at any playground I take him to.
Here is a picture of Max in "freak out form" because mommy isn't holding him--even though I am standing right there snapping the picture. He does love his Uncle Jake (my other very handsome brother), but like I mentioned--he was a complete "Mama's Boy" during this trip.
I was so excited that we were able to get together with my good friend Connie and her adorable little guy Dominic. We met them at Thanksgiving Point, which neither of us had been to before, and were both quite amazed at the expanse of the place. We only made it to one little part of it--the Children's Discovery Garden--and the two boys had fun climbing and exploring before cooling off in the little splash area.
Dominic was definitely more brave than Max. Max preferred to sort of splash around the periphery while Connie couldn't get Dominic out of the water.
Our two weeks in Utah went by too quickly and before we knew it we were back in PA. Luckily, we had something to look forward to: a visit from Marc and Deleah. We hadn't seen them since their trip to Utah over a year ago so we were very excited for their arrival. Unfortunately, they only stayed for 23 hours--next time we hope they stay a little longer!
Here is Max with Uncle "Muck"-- they were very cute together. Marc taught him how to head bunt, and of course Max loved it (although I did have to caution Marc that Max's head can be a lethal weapon--it is so hard).
