Visiting Utah: Burns Family Fun (Mar 19-21)

Little Sophie. The shirt says it all!

Charlie. Studly shy or shy stud?

Deb and Sarah (aka Rarah... I love nicknames that comes from being kids being unable to say a name! Like Rarah and Yay-Ya. Rarah will be one of my favs forever. I have even accidentally called my friend Sara by that name!)

Yo, yo! Wa' sup!

Playing with the camera.

Miss Ashley, our resident dancer. :)
Plus Joe's cute butt! At least... I think it's Joe.

Captain Grumpy Pants. Aka Papa, Pops, Dad, & Jim

Malorie.

Joe's usual picture face.

Picture Time!
The following pics all took place at Fuddruckers after a very successful, very awesome family photo shoot. LOVED the photographer! (So much, in fact, that I forgot his name, lol. I'll find it and post it here. He really was amazing and I love how all the pics turned out. Thank you, Jimmy & Marla, for making that happen!)

Ian. Our soon-to-be missionary.

Natalie, Jake & Cooper.

Three of the teens (Ian & Taylor picture here) decided to take the Fuddrucker challenge. Crazy, I tell you, crazy.

Ryan before he digs in to the way-too-much food.

Ian chowing down on the big burger. Way too much cow for me!

I added this one because I knew Natalie would LOVE me for it!

Our trio of challenge burgers.

Marla cheering for Ryan.

Lyndze and Ryan.

Taylor got so sick from all that food she ended up here. Poor thing!

No one was able to complete the entire meal, but they all gave it a valiant effort!

Visiting Utah: Bowling with the Burns (Mar 18)

My man!

Getting ready to bowl!

Nana and Papa (aka Mom & Dad, aka Jim & Connie)

Jake & Cooper.

Jimmy with the girls.

Natalie struttin' her stuff for me.

Papa & Sophie.

Ian. The REAL reason we came to Utah.
Thanks to Jim & Connie we were able to make it for his mission farewell.

Connie gets a strike! Had no idea that woman could bowl. Watch out, world!

Everyone enjoying the evening.

Papa strutting back to his seat. He and Connie make quite the Dynamic Duo :)

Boy cousins. What more can I say? They are ADORABLE together!

Cooper.

Ian. Things he won't be doing on a mission ;)

More of my beloved Natalie. Rarr! I love that girl!

Group shot.

Had no idea bowling could be so fun. We played two games and loved having everyone participate. We missed Marla, though! She left earlier that day to run a marathon. We're so proud of her and her dedication. She is amazing! Sad she couldn't be with as at the alley, but happy for her accomplishment!

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.