Wyatt's Trip to Minneapolis Minnesota

 Wyatt got to fly on an airplane to Minneapolis, Minnesota, with Grandpa Hansen to visit Grandma Hansen. It was his reward for completing his goal that he and Grandma Hansen set for him. He agreed to read his scriptures 10 min each night for 30 days straight... and he finished it as soon as he could.

Wyatt had so much fun. He called us each day and told us what he was doing and told us how much fun he was having. They shopped and rode rides at Mall of America and they also went to an aquarium. Wyatt said Grandpa was teaching him how to swim at the hotel swimming pool. He bought some fun toys that he brought home to show the other kids... and he also bought Clayton a birthday present.

I am really glad he got to go and have lots of fun. It was a little worrysome letting our 9 yr old go on such a big trip without us, but we knew that Grandma and Grandpa would take good care of him and that they would have fun... but we still worried.

We let Wyatt take the camera and he took some pretty good pictures. It is fun to see the world though a child's eyes.

{10.14.12}

Grandma Hansen's Birthday

Grandma Hansen has been a busy lady, lately. She has a new job as a Flight Attendant where she is based in Minnesota... so she has been gone quite a bit. On one of her days off, her and Grandpa decided to come out and visit because we haven't seen her in a long while. It was close to her birthday... so we sang "happy birthday" and ate some treats. It was fun having them come to visit. The kids just love their Grandparents so much. We are looking forward to another "get together" soon.

Families are like quilts, lives pieced together, stitched with smiles & tears, colored with memories, and bound by love.

Brooks

3.30.12

Mitchell/Evans Reunion & Great Grandma Evan's 100th Birthday Party

I am finally getting these last two Reunions/weekends posted. These trips were long anticipated by our children.

We drove out Thursday night so that we could get up early Friday to take the long hike up the mountain to Timponogas cave. It was a hard hike... almost 2 miles up... I was so glad it was in the morning, much cooler going up than when we came down. All the kids walked without being packed... I was very impressed... they had a hard time close to the end, but they made it. I didn't need packed either... I was proud of myself... I MADE IT! We made it up pretty fast because when we got up there we had to wait 30 min for our tour through the cave. The cave was amazing... each of the kids were able to have their own flashlights... we all enjoyed the tour. The walls of the cave looked slimy and gooey... they were alive, growing... so we couldn't touch them at all. Stalactites, stalagmites, helomites, and a lot of other "ites" that I can't remember... some had different colors like purple, blue, and green when we shined our lights through them... others looked like fingers... my favorite was the chocolate fountain. It looked better than it tasted, I'm sure. The tour in the cave lasted about an hour and we went into the mountain about 500 ft... that gives me a creepy feeling... I am a little claustrophobic. I am sure Wyatt will not forget the experience but probably won't remember much of the tour because he needed to go to the bathroom really bad the whole time we were in the cave. It was great family fun... we will have to go again when Darby is with us {she stayed with Grandma Hansen} and when the kids are all older.

Friday afternoon... when we got back from the cave and ate lunch... we took the kids to Lindon Aquatics Center {which is only a couple blocks from Grandma Hansen's} so the kids could cool off and swim. They had tons of fun... but Katie, Willy and I had a hard time keeping track of everyone.

We can't have a Hansen reunion and not play ultimate Frisbee. The Dads are showing their kids how its done.

 Saturday... we drove down to Mona for Great Grandma Evan's 100th birthday party. There were lots of people and good food. Grandma Evans seemed really happy. We saw Tiffany there and found out that we are related to her family through her mother's mom... it is a small world. It was nice visiting with lots of Willy's family that we haven't seen in a long time. There were lots of pictures being taken... I wasn't able to get one with the big group of family... but we got a new family picture and took some of Katie & Alex's family to... they turned out so cute. It was a really great birthday party.

Wyatt entertained Darby on the way back to Grandma & Grandpa's.

We spent two nights at the Lindon park for dinner and fun. That is always the best place to entertain kids and enjoy the evenings. Grandma Hansen bought blocks of ice and we all took turns ice blocking down the hill... IT WAS FUN!!!... they have the perfect hill for it. So much fun...

Willy took the kids rafting down the Green river with his Aunts and Uncles. His Uncle Andy takes everyone each year and it is always fun. I didn't think Darby was old enough... so she and I stayed behind with Willy's Aunt Camille and her little boy Dillon... who is the same age as Darby. Instead, we took the little ones on a tour of the dam and for a walk. It rained a little and we thought everyone would come back soaked... but they said it just sprinkled... and they all had a great time. Before everyone headed home... we all ate dinner at Red Canyon Lodge... and enjoyed the great outdoors. The fish pond and outside area around the lodge is amazing. The kids were trying to catch a crawdad by the pond... I'm glad they couldn't get it.

It was an amazingly fun... yet long... weekend. Thanks to everyone who came... we all had a great time.

{8.10.11}