I'm finally finding the time (and motivation) to post about our trip to Utah! I've been so exhausted since we got back - it's been such a chore to do anything productive it seems like. Or maybe I liked a little too much being able to read and relax and not having to do laundry, housework, etc. while we were gone!
It was a good flight out there. We were a little late getting to the airport, (how about a 1/2 hour too late!?) but we made it (barely)! The kids were good on the airplane, there and back, even though by the end of the long trip back I was at my wits' end trying to come up with entertaining things to do. And, of course, in typical Hellwig fashion, Ellie fell asleep as the plane was descending into Salt Lake. Luckily, on the last leg of the flight back, they both fell asleep for the whole hour flight.
Brian and Ellie loved looking out the window and really enjoyed flying.
Ellie was a little scared the first time we took off (or blasted off, as they called it). Look how tightly she's holding our hands!
It was wonderful seeing my mom and brother, Adam at the airport! As soon as we got to their house, I discovered something wonderful. . . my parents had done a secret remodel! It looked so good and I was so surprised I almost cried. What a transformation!
New wood floors, carpets, paint, and furniture - and NO ONE told me! It was a great surprise!
Beautiful transformation of the kitchen - I was SO surprised!
After our long plane trip it was great to relax and spend time with my mom, brother, Adam, sister, Carol and her kids. I was also able to go to the temple that night with Carol and my parents - what a blessing!
So excited about our reunion with Grandma Lille . . . and the dogs!
Ellie's surprise and excitement when she saw her cousins for the first time - she was so happy!
All the cousins playing for the first time (since last year)
The next day we met Carol and her kids (plus their cousin, Emma) at the zoo. It had been so long since the last time, and I wanted the kids to be able to go to a small zoo where they could see most of the animals. We've been to the Columbus Zoo a couple of times, but it's so big you only get to see part of it in one visit. So, it was great to be able to wander around, see all the animals we want (again and again - we seemed to see a lot of monkeys. . .), and spend quality time together with our family.
Getting ready to ride the train - probably not worth the dollar each we paid for it! BTW, I was really excited Adam was able to hang out so much with us. It was great having him at the zoo that day!
We got to watch the end of the elephant show - it was fun watching her do tricks and spray water at the crowd. Over the next few days Brian told everyone about the elephant at the zoo and the baby in her tummy. I believe that's the elephant in the background behind us.
Fun photo opportunity - they actually stood still!!
All the kids at Hogle Zoo: Nick, Shook, Emily, Emma, Brian, Katie, and Ellie - they sure loved that elephant!
Ellie really took to her cousin, Shook. And he really enjoyed taking care of her!
Here are a couple random shots of Ellie. She was so funny on this trip; she almost liked other people more than her mom! Mom kept making her do things she didn't want to do, eat food she didn't want, and sleep when when she didn't want to sleep. Ellie believes if Mom won't give her what she wants, then she'll charm someone else into doing it for her! Who can say no (except Mom)to such a cute girl??
Trying to get Ellie to pose - always a hard thing!
Ellie loved Uncle Ryan - she really enjoyed spending time with him!
Brian and Ellie couldn't leave the dogs alone. Even after several bites and scratches, they still couldn't stay away. Brian eventually was able to get Herc to tolerate him, but only for small periods of time
Playing around with her Uncle Ryan again - I love this picture. He really bonded with the kids and they loved him!
A great thing we were able to do this trip was visit with a lot of old friends. Some I hadn't seen since last year when I visited last, and others were some childhood friends I only recently reconnected with. It was so much fun to have them over at my parent's home!
Good Friends - Mike and Adelle Lems & Emily and Mike Criddle
Reconnecting with old friends: Yuki Wecker and Amy Anderson
Yuki, Moses, and Akiko Wecker
Brian playing with Yuki's son, Moses - what a cutie! (both of them!)
This is what happens when you're spending too much time socializing and not supervising your daughter. I believe that is a mixture of chocolate frosting and mud. . .
Kellie, Mike, & Randy Brady - thanks for coming at the last minute!
I had fun going to church with my parents on Sunday, despite the difficulty keeping Ellie quiet. Their ward has changed so much since I moved out. In fact a few high school and childhood friends have since moved into their ward with their families. It was great seeing them there!
Sunday night a got together with some of Troy's extended family: Aunt Pammy, Cousins Courtney, Danielle, Whitney, and Kristy, Uncle Doug, and Cousin Andrea. It was fun to hang out and have dessert and visit with Aunt Pammy's daughter Lacey and her family on the webcam.
Brian and I with Uncle Doug and Cousin Andrea (no, she's not 12 anymore. . .)
Aunt Pammy and Cousin Courtney
Cousin Whitney showing Brian Aunt Pammy's horse (and I can't remember the name!)
That evening my parents helped me out and got the kids ready for bed - they loved having their grandma and grandpa read to them!
Reading bedtime stories
Grandma Lillie also helped with the bedtime reading
Grandpa Rick read to Brian one of his favorite books from his childhood. He did all the voices and sound effects - Brian was enthralled!
Monday we took a trip down to BYU - that campus changes every year! I was especially interested in seeing the "Education in Zion" exhibit in the Joseph F. Smith building.
Posing by the fountain in the courtyard of the Joseph F. Smith Building
A great picture taken by Emily in the exhibit
BYU campus - brought back a lot of memories
Me and Marianne Anderson, a wonderful friend from my BYU School of Music days. She remains a great friend and inspiration to this day.
No trip to Utah is complete without a visit to Leatherby's - the place hasn't changed in years and the ice cream is still the best!
Ellie goofing off at Leatherby's - she's taking a picture of us :)
Great picture of Grandma Lille and Grandpa Rick
Ellie sharing Mommy's ice cream
Brian enjoying his ice cream
Right before Ellie's ice cream was taken away. . .
At the end of our stay we made a quick visit to my Grandpa and Grandma Hauert. It's been so long since we've seen them. Even though it was a little stressful with the kids (they couldn't sit down and got into EVERYTHING), it was so worth it to seem them again!
Saying, "Cheese!" with Great Grandpa Nick
Even after all the bribes, we couldn't get them to smile for the camera!
Finally, we took a last trip down south to see Carol's two oldest, Katie and Shook, in a multi-school concert for our troops. Before the concert we played with the kids in Carol's backyard.
We loved playing on the trampoline at Carol's house!
A view of the mountains from Carol's house in Springville. I failed to get one of the view from my parent's house. Our next trip to Utah will definitely include a picnic in the mountains!
That evening at the Marriott Center waiting for the concert to start
The kids were really good and had fun watching the pre-show. Once the show started Ellie was about at her limit for sitting still. The lowpoints were her kicking the girl's head in front of us and trying to escape me by convincing our neighbors to keep passing her down the row! We lasted almost until the end and for the last 20 min or so played outside.
The concert was impressive - that flag was made up of individual students
Katie and Shook's grades from their school had a special part. Shook is somewhere in the middle of the red, and Katie is at the back to the right of the white. They did a wonderful job!
Ellie's last picture with Shook and Katie that evening. She was very sad to say good-bye.
I'm so glad we were able to take this trip. I probably won't fly again with these kids for a long time. Ellie will be two next week and then it will just be too expensive to buy all the plane tickets. We're talking about driving out next year, and since we're pretty fond of road trips it's a definite possibility!
I'll be posting these and more pictures from the trip on Facebook. If you're not a friend of mine on Facebook yet, you should be! ;)
It was a good flight out there. We were a little late getting to the airport, (how about a 1/2 hour too late!?) but we made it (barely)! The kids were good on the airplane, there and back, even though by the end of the long trip back I was at my wits' end trying to come up with entertaining things to do. And, of course, in typical Hellwig fashion, Ellie fell asleep as the plane was descending into Salt Lake. Luckily, on the last leg of the flight back, they both fell asleep for the whole hour flight.
Brian and Ellie loved looking out the window and really enjoyed flying.
Ellie was a little scared the first time we took off (or blasted off, as they called it). Look how tightly she's holding our hands!
It was wonderful seeing my mom and brother, Adam at the airport! As soon as we got to their house, I discovered something wonderful. . . my parents had done a secret remodel! It looked so good and I was so surprised I almost cried. What a transformation!
New wood floors, carpets, paint, and furniture - and NO ONE told me! It was a great surprise!
Beautiful transformation of the kitchen - I was SO surprised!
After our long plane trip it was great to relax and spend time with my mom, brother, Adam, sister, Carol and her kids. I was also able to go to the temple that night with Carol and my parents - what a blessing!
So excited about our reunion with Grandma Lille . . . and the dogs!
Ellie's surprise and excitement when she saw her cousins for the first time - she was so happy!
All the cousins playing for the first time (since last year)
The next day we met Carol and her kids (plus their cousin, Emma) at the zoo. It had been so long since the last time, and I wanted the kids to be able to go to a small zoo where they could see most of the animals. We've been to the Columbus Zoo a couple of times, but it's so big you only get to see part of it in one visit. So, it was great to be able to wander around, see all the animals we want (again and again - we seemed to see a lot of monkeys. . .), and spend quality time together with our family.
Getting ready to ride the train - probably not worth the dollar each we paid for it! BTW, I was really excited Adam was able to hang out so much with us. It was great having him at the zoo that day!
We got to watch the end of the elephant show - it was fun watching her do tricks and spray water at the crowd. Over the next few days Brian told everyone about the elephant at the zoo and the baby in her tummy. I believe that's the elephant in the background behind us.
Fun photo opportunity - they actually stood still!!
All the kids at Hogle Zoo: Nick, Shook, Emily, Emma, Brian, Katie, and Ellie - they sure loved that elephant!
Ellie really took to her cousin, Shook. And he really enjoyed taking care of her!
Here are a couple random shots of Ellie. She was so funny on this trip; she almost liked other people more than her mom! Mom kept making her do things she didn't want to do, eat food she didn't want, and sleep when when she didn't want to sleep. Ellie believes if Mom won't give her what she wants, then she'll charm someone else into doing it for her! Who can say no (except Mom)to such a cute girl??
Trying to get Ellie to pose - always a hard thing!
Ellie loved Uncle Ryan - she really enjoyed spending time with him!
Brian and Ellie couldn't leave the dogs alone. Even after several bites and scratches, they still couldn't stay away. Brian eventually was able to get Herc to tolerate him, but only for small periods of time
Playing around with her Uncle Ryan again - I love this picture. He really bonded with the kids and they loved him!
A great thing we were able to do this trip was visit with a lot of old friends. Some I hadn't seen since last year when I visited last, and others were some childhood friends I only recently reconnected with. It was so much fun to have them over at my parent's home!
Good Friends - Mike and Adelle Lems & Emily and Mike Criddle
Reconnecting with old friends: Yuki Wecker and Amy Anderson
Yuki, Moses, and Akiko Wecker
Brian playing with Yuki's son, Moses - what a cutie! (both of them!)
This is what happens when you're spending too much time socializing and not supervising your daughter. I believe that is a mixture of chocolate frosting and mud. . .
Kellie, Mike, & Randy Brady - thanks for coming at the last minute!
I had fun going to church with my parents on Sunday, despite the difficulty keeping Ellie quiet. Their ward has changed so much since I moved out. In fact a few high school and childhood friends have since moved into their ward with their families. It was great seeing them there!
Sunday night a got together with some of Troy's extended family: Aunt Pammy, Cousins Courtney, Danielle, Whitney, and Kristy, Uncle Doug, and Cousin Andrea. It was fun to hang out and have dessert and visit with Aunt Pammy's daughter Lacey and her family on the webcam.
Brian and I with Uncle Doug and Cousin Andrea (no, she's not 12 anymore. . .)
Aunt Pammy and Cousin Courtney
Cousin Whitney showing Brian Aunt Pammy's horse (and I can't remember the name!)
That evening my parents helped me out and got the kids ready for bed - they loved having their grandma and grandpa read to them!
Reading bedtime stories
Grandma Lillie also helped with the bedtime reading
Grandpa Rick read to Brian one of his favorite books from his childhood. He did all the voices and sound effects - Brian was enthralled!
Monday we took a trip down to BYU - that campus changes every year! I was especially interested in seeing the "Education in Zion" exhibit in the Joseph F. Smith building.
Posing by the fountain in the courtyard of the Joseph F. Smith Building
A great picture taken by Emily in the exhibit
BYU campus - brought back a lot of memories
Me and Marianne Anderson, a wonderful friend from my BYU School of Music days. She remains a great friend and inspiration to this day.
No trip to Utah is complete without a visit to Leatherby's - the place hasn't changed in years and the ice cream is still the best!
Ellie goofing off at Leatherby's - she's taking a picture of us :)
Great picture of Grandma Lille and Grandpa Rick
Ellie sharing Mommy's ice cream
Brian enjoying his ice cream
Right before Ellie's ice cream was taken away. . .
At the end of our stay we made a quick visit to my Grandpa and Grandma Hauert. It's been so long since we've seen them. Even though it was a little stressful with the kids (they couldn't sit down and got into EVERYTHING), it was so worth it to seem them again!
Saying, "Cheese!" with Great Grandpa Nick
Even after all the bribes, we couldn't get them to smile for the camera!
Finally, we took a last trip down south to see Carol's two oldest, Katie and Shook, in a multi-school concert for our troops. Before the concert we played with the kids in Carol's backyard.
We loved playing on the trampoline at Carol's house!
A view of the mountains from Carol's house in Springville. I failed to get one of the view from my parent's house. Our next trip to Utah will definitely include a picnic in the mountains!
That evening at the Marriott Center waiting for the concert to start
The kids were really good and had fun watching the pre-show. Once the show started Ellie was about at her limit for sitting still. The lowpoints were her kicking the girl's head in front of us and trying to escape me by convincing our neighbors to keep passing her down the row! We lasted almost until the end and for the last 20 min or so played outside.
The concert was impressive - that flag was made up of individual students
Katie and Shook's grades from their school had a special part. Shook is somewhere in the middle of the red, and Katie is at the back to the right of the white. They did a wonderful job!
Ellie's last picture with Shook and Katie that evening. She was very sad to say good-bye.
I'm so glad we were able to take this trip. I probably won't fly again with these kids for a long time. Ellie will be two next week and then it will just be too expensive to buy all the plane tickets. We're talking about driving out next year, and since we're pretty fond of road trips it's a definite possibility!
I'll be posting these and more pictures from the trip on Facebook. If you're not a friend of mine on Facebook yet, you should be! ;)
7 comments:
What fun! I'm glad you had a good trip. I love the picture of Ellie & Brian holding hands in the airplane. Are they always that sweet together?
Looks like a fun trip! We are excited to go to Utah this summer and see the family again. Glad you had a good time!
It was so fun to see you and meet your cute kids. I'm glad you had a fun trip!
To answer the question: sometimes they're good together, but usually they're like cats and dogs! Right now Brian is very possessive of his space and things and Ellie loves everything he has. So, if Ellie's screaming it's usually because Brian's trying to take back something she's stolen! At least we finally fixed his bedroom door so he can keep her out, lol!
What a fun trip! i'm sure you needed a vacation to recover from your vacation! It was great to see you!
Sounds like you had a great time! Sorry we missed you, it would've been fun! Maybe next time, whenever that will be.
How fun! I love trips to see family. Is it just me or does Ellie look like Denae?
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