Back in the U.S.A.

Alex and Kaitlyn flew in a few days after Cody and I arrived in Utah, so we picked them up from their 8 week experience abroad. They were pretty tired and suffering from severe jet lag, but it was SO NICE to see them!!

Kaitlyn was in New York when Cody left for his mission, and she was already in England when he came home, so it was nice to finally have them together again!

It had been four years since Alex and Cody had seen each other. Cody and Alex's mission times over lapped, so they had some serious time to make up! After all, they are now related! A lot can happen in 2 years!!

Western Adventures

Cody decided he wanted to have a car while he was at school in Utah, so I had the pleasure of accompanying him on the 2-day (14+ hours-per day) drive out west. To say it was easy would be stretching the truth a bit. It started out well and we were in high spirits, but as each hour wore on, our strength to endure began to fade. My driving shift was the morning, so I would start out around 5:00 a.m. and hand it over to Cody around 3:00 p.m. We would drive until dark, which was usually somewhere between 8-9:00.

Each morning kinda looked like this...

Day 1 -

Day 2 -

It was rough. A lot rougher than I ever remember it. I'm older, so these speed drives across the United States have become more difficult to accomplish without feeling the effects. We stopped several times, allowing for stretching and much needed breaks. Thank goodness for iTunes and Diet Pepsi, and this one bathroom that I will never forget. I have never experienced a heated seat, so this was warmly welcomed on a very early morning in Nebraska!

Our first night we(Cody) managed to find a gem of a Mexican restaurant right off the interstate. It was a welcomed site and was unbelievably delicious...ranked up there pretty close to our beloved Sr. Sol in Athens.

They had this amazing art all around the restaurant. I LOVED it! I wish I could find out who the artist is. All of the pictures were really cool optical illusions. I wanted to take pictures of all of the artwork on the walls, but I didn't want to be too intrusive and interrupt everyone's mealtime. So, if anyone knows who the artist is and how I can get a hold of the art, please let me know!

For the most part the weather was good and the scenery breathtaking. There were only a few spotty storms that popped up here and there. They didn't last too long, and Cody managed to drive successfully through most of them(better him than me).

We live in a beautiful world. It was an amazing adventure that I hope not to repeat anytime soon! If we do it again, we will take our time and make it a vacation, stopping to enjoy the many sites along the way!

We arrived safely and were very excited to be in Utah...our final destination!!

End of summer

Cody only had a few short weeks here in Georgia before he was headed to Utah to start fall semester at BYU. So, we crammed in as much fun and shopping as we could during that time.

He spent some time unpacking and getting reacquainted with his guitar.

He also wanted to enjoy some GA treats he'd missed while he was gone. You can't find these just anywhere, so he splurged on a full cup of boiled peanuts.

Poor Ry started school the beginning of August, so we did some school shopping.

Ryan's not a fan of my picture taking, especially in public places.

Cody had to report about his mission(what are his favorite experiences and such), so we got dressed up and enjoyed some frozen yogurt after he was finished, and of course, we got some pictures.

Andy and his family came to visit for a few days, so we enjoyed another restaurant in town. It was also Mexican cuisine and really good! We enjoyed the food as well as the fun atmosphere. It was hard to get Josh to eat his dinner when everything around him looked like a carnival.

We also had time for Casey to cook up his delicious chicken. It's a pretty intense process and takes several hours, so it usually only happens once or twice a year. We sure love it and look forward to it each and every time!

Casey becomes the Grill master, and yes that is a toilet brush he is using for marinating. It's a clean one, used only for this purpose. He says it's the only/easiest thing that grabs the marinade well enough to use while cooking. Andy is always a little concerned when he sees it being used. We reassure him it hasn't been cleaning any toilets.

We even had time for a quick trip to the lake

It was the first time I'd seen so much algae in the water. It turned the water green and you couldn't get in and swim without getting some of it on you. It was pretty gross.

It was a beautiful weekend full of pancakes at grandma's, helping grandpa, and just spending lots of family time together, which is always the best time of all!

Fourth of July

This was the first year that Casey and I were home alone on the 4th of July. Ryan had went to stay with Seth for the week, so it was just the two of us for the holiday. We didn't do too much, but Casey had gathered quite the stash of fireworks so we gave some to Ryan to take with him and kept a few for ourselves.

What can I say, we're party animals!

Cambridge Summer

Kaitlyn and Alex spent their summer in Cambridge England. Alex applied and was accepted into their 8 week summer study abroad program. Kaitlyn, although not a student anymore, also applied to go in her art history genre and she was also accepted. Although it was a pretty intense program, they both loved it and enjoyed their time abroad. Here are just some of the many beautiful pictures they sent home.

Kayaking

At the beginning of our summer break Casey, Ryan and I went Kayaking down the Broad River with some friends. They had went a few times before and loved it. I had never been. They assured me it was fun and I would enjoy it. I wasn't as enthusiastic about it, but I agreed to go and give it a try. I'm not sure what it is, but I've always had a slight fear of water sports. My best friend's family had a ski boat and would spend a lot of time behind their boat at the lake every summer. Every once in awhile I would tag along and attempt to get up on two skis. I'd get all dizzy and worked up and one time even managed to hit a boat with my body as I was coasting back in to the shoreline after letting go of the rope. I tried to be cool about it, but it only added to my trepidation towards water sports. And since I knew I'd be the only one in control of rowing and my upper body strength isn't tip top, I was a little concerned how this was going to play out.

All in all it wasn't too bad. I worked hard and maneuvered my Kayak where it needed to be. There were moments of peace as we strolled along the river, taking in the beautiful scenery. I only fell out once. However, as we approached our lunch break point, and I realized we were only 1/2 way through the course I became a little (a lot) concerned. It was at this point I realized we were kayaking 6.5 miles worth of the river. WHAT?? How did I not know this up front? 6.5 miles using nothing but my arms was a tough ride. I was in good shape for running, but this kinda thing is a whole different story.

They did say it was harder because the river was lower, which made our job a little more intense as far as avoiding rocks and debris that wouldn't have been there if the water level was where it should have been(made me feel a little vindicated in my exhausted state).

Meanwhile Ryan is standing, rowing, climbing in and out and swimming all around me - oh, to be young again!

It was a beautiful day, the view was fantastic, and it was good to say I'd accomplished something I didn't think was possible.

That being said, I don't know if it's on my top 5 activities to do again. I was sore for 2 weeks. It worked every muscle in my entire body from my feet to my shoulders. I was exhausted and could hardly move the next day. I definitely have a new appreciation for the sport of rowing. Yes, I know...I'm a wimp.

I was proud of myself for surviving with only one tip over, but next time I think I will let it be a father-son summer outing.

Great job boys!!