Kelyn and I headed up to Rexburg, ID to visit our family on Tuesday evening. We drove straight through the night! It really isn't such a bad drive - especially when driving this:
Kelyn and I were pretty much in heaven because we both long for a Toyota Sienna on a daily basis. =) She was the best traveling companion ever and our kids were such champs. Samuel is a RIOT! He fell asleep around 11:00 and was up by 1:00. Two hours of sleep and he was ready to go!! They were all so pleasant for the trip up. =) I am proud to say that I made it from Mesa to Salt Lake in 10 hours and then it was another 3 hours from there to Rexburg. Really - not such a bad drive!
The welcome crew was waiting and upon arrival at the house we were immediately overtaken! I love my big, wonderful family! We had the BEST time up there (don't worry! You'll hear all about it!!).
First off - I just want to say that I am completely smitten with the town of Rexburg. There is a feeling there that is different from anywhere else. The neighborhoods are so quaint and happy and you can see the temple from almost anywhere you are. The children are running around barefoot and riding bikes and skipping from yard to yard and the parents don't even have to worry!! That is my very favorite part - how safe it feels/is. I feel like most kids nowadays are jipped but in Rexburg they are living the good life. I WANT that for my kids! I LOVE it there. It's definitely in the running for where we will settle down.
My dad came home during his lunch break to say hi when we first arrivied! Here is a cute picture of him with Keslie and my sister Hannah.
We were able to crash for a couple hours and then spent the remainder of the day enjoying everyone's company. Anika was in heaven - Carlie and Baylie let her hang out with them and play with their stuff. Here is a cute shot of Anika and my sister Carlie:
When my dad got home from work he took the kids for a walk in the wagon. We went along with him and got a little taste of the neighborhood.
My mom had tons of fun stuff planned for us while we were there! On Thursday we went to Yellowstone Bear World. Okay - this was seriously cool!! We got to FEED bears and see all sorts of other wildlife really close up! There was also a mini amusement park that the kids found quite enjoyable. The petting zoo had some animals that I've never been up close to before. Here are bunches of pictures from that day trip!
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On the way home from Bear World we stopped off at a ladies house that is raising baby raccoons. Um - I can't decide if I think they were cute. They looked a little rodentish to me! Plus - one was a little feisty!
That evening, Keslie was SO tired and fell asleep on Papa! I thought it was so cute!
AND - here is a cute one of my parents!
On Friday we went to the zoo in Idaho Falls. The tiger and the monkeys were my favorite! There was one monkey that was so loud and funny!
Here is Aunt Kensi reading a story to Anika. She did that a lot!
We went on a fun walk Sunday afternoon. It was so pretty - all the golden wheat fields - "amber waves of grain"! Here are some pics from the walk and then some other ones that we took! Britt and Brandon - we missed you guys! It wasn't complete without you!
We were so sad to leave and the whole lot of us were bawling like babies as we pulled away! It makes me so sad - when am I going to get up there again?!! The drive home was a little more difficult than the drive up. At one point we were so sleepy that we pulled over and Kelyn said a prayer that we would be able to wake up and be more alert. Well - the Lord definitely works in mysterious ways!! About 5 minutes later Anika was puking all over the place! We had to pull over in the middle of nowhere, in the pitch black and strip her down. We used anything we could get our hands on to clean up the mess - poor Kelyn - the very clothes on her back were used in the process! Thanks Kel!! Anyway - that perked us right up! We made it home safely and enjoyed one last day in AZ before the flight home. We were SO happy to see Nathan! The house was spotless when we walked in - he'd cleaned it top to bottom and had even thought to buy some flowers that sat waiting on the table. Seriously the best welcome home ever! And that about wraps it up!! Thank you thank you to both sets of our parents! We are so grateful for all that you do for us!
9 comments:
hm wish we got a cute one of us haha i love you! -Tessa
Looks like you had so much fun with your fam!
What a fun trip!! It is so fun to see your family, but I don't recognize anyone past Ambers age. I feel bad. The picture you took on the steps of their house are they all siblings? What are their names and how old are the twins now? Your family is so awesome!!
umm guess it is time to go again. how fun. i just dont want to think about it cause it makes me want to cry about all those wonderful sisters and brother there without the fabulous influence of their older siblings. right, but it might help strengthen our argument. I love you and am glad i got to travel with you. i am for sure missing all you guys's company. maybe next year. that would be fun then we could get a 12 passenger and we could go with britt too. how bad can 6 kids be right? heehee. bye
Sounds like you have such a fun trip! Its great to see family... but its always nice to be back home in your own bed.
ABSOLUTELY LOVE the goofy picture of you and your fam. (I had to enlarge it to see all the faces!) CLASSIC!
Brittanie! I am so dying here after looking at those pictures of your family. K so STAN KIVETT is so freakin grey . . . and you tell him I said that too!! HE HE HE!! I cannot believe how old everyone is now cause I can still picture every single one of you at the age I saw everyone last. I was excited to finally see pictures of the twins though, I've only ever heard about them but had never seen pics of them. You guys are all such a totally cute family. Tell your Dad hi for me.
hey brittanie, it looks like you drove in a super cool van.and had a blast with your family. its beautiful where they live!!! your family has grown up so well and look so happy. tell them hi for me next time you get the chance. you look beautiful! i too hate it when people ask me if i am pregnant. i haven't heard that from anyone in my ward for 3 weeks so far. but its so irriating too and very depressing when you aren't. i am not very nice when people ask me now because i get it quite often. sorry about that. wow, i hope your car didn't stink. super moms you are!
I have to tell you that through the whole experience of looking through those pictures I was struggling not to choke up a bit. How I miss the good ol' days and how I miss the Kivett family. Just seeing the pics of your parents made me fiercely tender. I realize that I was probably a pain in their hineys, but I just love them! I am glad you and Kelyn had such the fun trip. I love you guys! (Can you tell I am feeling sentimental tonight? I am about to start bawling like a baby. At least I am all alone).
I just have to say Dido to Mandi! I can't believe how much your family has grown up! They are all SO fun and adorable! And holy Cow, Hannah, Joseph and the twins are getting so BIG!! You have such a fun familly, I bet the trip was a blast! Tell everyone hi for me!
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