I can honestly say it was better than any upscale hotel we could have found! My Sister-in-law makes THE most amazing meals... EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! (She's Texas grown... 'nough said). I was at the table salivating in anticipation. I told my brother that he better be grateful for her because he wouldn't last one day at my house!!
I'm also pretty sure I slept in every morning; my kids were out of bed before I even realized and my oh so gracious SIL would feed them breakfast and then they were happily going about their daily routine which consisted of the following check list:
1. Play with cousins - check
2. Laugh till red in face - check
3. Bask in the sunshine as much as possible - check
4. Sneak pudding and go-gurts from the kitchen - check
5. Ride bikes and scooters, jump on tramp, drive barbie cart - check, check, check
6. Eat Aunt Scarlet's delicious food - check
7. Play with cousins some more - check
8. Get schooled in Mario Cart by cousins - check
9. Skip all naps, and forego any regulation in schedule - double check
10. BEG not to go home and to live there forever!!! Oh wait, that was on my list.
In a nutshell, WE LOVE YOU MARK AND SCARLET!!! Thank you for welcoming us in your home for a week!
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A sidenote: Mark's house is just a few minutes away from this:
It's my Grandparents home. It's the life and history, blood, sweat, and tears of Rex and Lillian Hanks Davis. This is the farm that my dad grew up on, in Salem, Utah. My grandfather, Rex, built this home with his own hands in the early 1950's while my dad was a young adult preparing for his mission to England. The actual home my dad lived in as a child is no longer standing. However the barn and the milking shed are still there, I think, at least for now (they're not pictured; they are north of the home, would be on the right side of picture).
My grandparent's farm is recognized as a Utah Century Farm, which means it's been in one family - my family - for over a hundred years, and has endless stories to tell of the pioneering families of the area. This home's story has a sad but inevitable ending... the property has recently been sold for future home/business development. My grandpa passed away in 1992, and my grandmother just a few years ago in May 2006. I'm glad they were not here to see this day.
I'm grateful for the years I had to make my mark on this ground. I remember riding snowmobiles with my dad over the snow covered alfalfa field in front of the home. I remember having sleepovers there with my sister Tami, we'd play with this old "Lincoln Log" set my grandma kept under the guest bed. And hanging on the wall was a felt calendar that had the birthdates and names of all of her children and grandchildren written in various colors. I remember taking a bath in the old tub, and the porcelain angel soap dishes she had on the countertops. I would go exploring for hours, discovering all kinds of things like a birds nest with teeny eggs inside the post of the clothes line, and walking the pasture to see how close I could get to the cows. I remember that Grandma always had cookies on her counter in the kitchen anytime we came to visit, and a cupboard full of crayons and coloring books that I'd stay busy with while she and Dad visited on Sunday afternoons. But more present than any memory of my Grandma is that I knew my dad loved her. He respected, admired and cared for her, especially during her last years. So much effort was exerted to show her how much he loved and appreciated her. I've always admired my dad for that.
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Another big "to do" while we were in Utah was to get as many of my siblings together as we could (easier said than done) to form a committee and make a basic plan for MY PARENT'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY coming up in September!!! I am so excited, and thrilled for them. What a rare milestone anymore and so a great accomplishment!! I can't wait to head back up there for the celebration with our newest addition (grandchild #40 for them) in tow! I love you Mom and Dad!
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Next on the list and a highlight of the week was a night out with my girls, my sistas. One of my very best friends had just recently gone through the temple for the first time, and I was ecstatic! I ached to be there with her when she went through two weeks earlier but I couldn't reason making two trips within a month. So we planned a night out where six of us could go to dinner and then catch a session together at the Provo temple hoping to be in the session that my dad would be officiating.
Well, as an understatement, we ran into some bumps with our plans. My bf, whom we had scheduled the entire get-together in honor of, ended up having to cancel the whole night because her hubby got really sick... I was HEART BROKEN... to say the least. I have been wishing, and hoping, and praying for the day that I can be in the temple with her. I was OVERJOYED at the thought that it was actually going to happen! And it took everything I had to not burst into tears when she said she couldn't make it... I knew that she was heartbroken too so I did my best to console her, saying something like, "There'll be plenty of other opportunities." I don't really even remember what I said, I just kept thinking, "don't let her hear you cry, don't let her hear you cry."
So even though she couldn't make it, the rest of us still carried out the plans, enjoying a yummy dinner at good ol' Brick Oven, and afterward attended the temple. Only two other girls could stay for the session, and we missed my dad's session by minutes (so lame!), but we met up with our former Young Women's leader in the temple and a wonderful time was had by all. We did get to see my dad right afterwards... so that ended the night on an even higher note.
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I know there's been a lot mentioned already, but this is the main event of the week, and the reason for our trip: to attend my brother Chuck's wedding! It was beautiful and sweet, and he is as handsome as ever with a new beautiful bride. We are so excited for them and wish them nothing less than love and happiness, and lots of laughter and Dr. Pepper! Congratulations, Chuck and Anna!
Gage loves his Grandpa!!
I LOVE this picture of Avery - it was captured seconds after I had poked her in the belly... that is one sincere expression!
(I love you, babe. Thanks for surprising me by coming up a day early so you could make it to the wedding with me! You're still my favorite dance partner - xoxox)
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As a bonus we got to see my eldest brother, Alan, get called and set apart as the Bishop of a newly formed singles ward. That was pretty awesome. All in all, it was a great, wonderful, fanstastic week. I cherish my family more and more every time I go home.
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