Visiting Utah: Joe Arrives (Mar 16-17)

Whenever we travel to Utah we have such limited time for Joe to visit everyone. I try to stay an extra week to make up for the lack of time the kids get with Joe, but it never seems like enough. He's such a popular guy! This time was so short I even forgot to get pictures at every one's house. Sorry team! I'll do better next time. I know he loves all the kids so very much!

Joe with Chloe, Bryant and Brooklyn.

Chlo-bear

Bry-guy

Brooklyn

Tossing the kids around, hehe.

Bryant imploring Joe not to leave. We love you, Bry!
We'll bring Joe back again... hopefully sooner than later.

Visiting Aunt Mary. It's never a trip to Utah without seeing her! Love you Aunt Mary!

Visiting Utah: Dinner with Grandma Porter (Mar 13)

I'll admit it. I took these for granted when I lived in Utah. Attending the monthly dinner at Grandma's house was a chore and I definitely under-appreciated all she went through to make them special. The decorations. The labor intensive dinners. The after-meal activities. Really, Grandma? But this trip was different. This trip I saw that all these things equalled love. It's not Gma P trying to show off. It's just Gma P showing she cares. Because this is how she does it. If I were to give her a label I'd say she was a "Martha."

As I look back at all these pictures I cry. Because I don't have the red, white, and blue decor for the 4th of July. I won't get the rusty colors of late summer or the pumpkins in October or the turkeys at Thanksgiving. I won't get to sit at a table full of more than 20 people who I love with children running around and screaming. I won't get to stand in line for food and jabber with the person standing next to me while Grandma explains again that the small plates are for salad. I'll be first, maybe second in line for food and sit at a table without decorations and share my meal with just one of the people I love. And Grandma won't be there to put her arms around me, smile into my eyes and tell me that she's proud of me.

So bring on the parade. Grandma's is a place to know you're loved. She shows it in every single decoration and dinner. Grandma's dinner = I love you.

All the nieces: Kazia, Chloe, Brooklyn, Charlee & Jade.

My little princesses.

Oops! Lost one! Jade's probably off slaying a dragon. :)

My fabulous extended family.

Ya, we're a bit creepy.

He's ready for his closeup...

My Chlo-bear!

We celebrated my birthday since I wouldn't be there in April.
My mom made her delicious banana cream pie. Mmmmm! 

Me & Charlee.
Note to self: Get more one-on-one pics with each of the kids.

Visiting Utah: ME Day & Chuckee Cheese (Mar 9-12)

On the plane.

"Me Day" ...my before picture at the Dressing Your Truth Salon. I was SOOO excited for this visit!

The after. I LOVE my hair!!! Still do. I don't trust anyone to color it out here so I'm saving my shekels for another trip to Utah. hehe ;)

I'm told Charlee looks like me? What do you think? Either way, she is adorable!

And her gorgeous older sister, Brooklyn. I miss these girls!



Ya-ya at Chuckee Cheese (hell on earth for adults but a child's paradise)

And this is how my brothers do Chuckee Cheese. (I'm just mad I didn't bring any of my toys!)

Moms chillin' at the Cheese. Erin, Brenda and Cooper.

I love my brother Mike! This pic says LOADS about his personality.

My newest nephew Cooper. I might be biased, but all my siblings (and their spouses!) make the cutest kids ever!

Grandma and Kader.

Jade is such a character! Just like her dad!

Finally Mike caves to Jason & Jon's example. Where's my headset?!?

It's good to see family and spend time with the kids. I miss everyone more than I thought I would (no offense! lol). It's especially hard to see the kids growing in leaps and bounds between my visits, knowing that I'm missing out on all their experiences.

Dinking Around Ellicott City

Ellicott City is a little city of really old buildings with cute shops and restaurants. Just for fun (because I'd never been and I LOVE old buildings) Joe and I decided to head down there with our friends the Cechinis.

I loved this sign so much I had to snap a picture. An attitude of gratitude. Every time I see the pic I smile. :)