So! We went on quite the adventure, me and the 3 kiddos! My baby brother, Dhylan, got married! Thomas had so much going on with renovating the house and with work. This has been the rainiest summer ever! And that is a killer for dirt work people, like ourselves. So, he had to take advantage of time. And me and the kids would represent the Cronins in Utah! Looking for tickets from Jackson to Salt Lake City, is usually scary. The tickets can be so high! They were around $600 a ticket, and for 3 tickets that adds up fast! (Ellie is still able to ride free as a lap child). I took a peek in Memphis, and on Frontier, it was about $191 a ticket! But that did add on a 3 hour drive to Memphis and back. But we needed to rent a car in Utah, so that saved us enough money to do that, and pay for all the fun we wanted to have there and still being cheaper than us flying out of Jackson, so it was worth it... financially. On my nerves.... not so much! hahah! But definitely worth seeing my family. Ellie struggled on the plane. It is hard to keep an actively mobile baby, on my lap. So, the day we left, was Sunday. We went to church in the morning, heaven knows I needed the extra spiritual strength before what was about to happen. We left the house around 1:30 pm, to give us enough time to get to Memphis and be early enough to get to our gate without a rush, and to eat some supper together with Thomas before we left him home by himself. The drive was fine. The flight was scheduled to take off at 7:10 pm, and we were to land in Utah around 11:30 pm (Mountain time). Now with Frontier, being a little cheaper, they nickel and dime you for a lot of things. One is you have to pay for a carry-on. I prepaid our 2 checked bags, apparently it is cheaper to do that before hand. And a backpack counted as a 'personal item' that could fit under the seat in front of you, so it was free. They also have you pick your seats. Some don't add any $$ to your ticket, but if you want to sit together you have to spend anywhere from $5- $15 for each seat. I decided I wouldn't pay the extra and rely on the kindness of people to allow us to sit together, because who would want to split up a family!? When we checked in at Memphis, I asked at the front if they could seat us together. They said they could for our first flight to denver, but that we would have to change it at the gate for our second flight. I knew it! They wouldn't keep us separate, even if we didn't pay that stupid fee! The flight to Denver was the longest flight, but not too long. We landed 30 minutes early too, which seemed great, but wasn't. The gate wasn't ready for us, so we had to wait on the plane for another 20 minutes. Trying to keep a very cranky baby happy, when the plane heats up and is on the ground, isn't easy. Just pull into another gate, for crying out loud?! The plane we were on was the same plane we would take to Salt Lake, but they had us get off anyway. It was getting late, and after wrestling a baby for the whole plane ride, and while the plane was landed for 20 minutes made me cranky. I went to the desk to check our seats. There were two, very rude ladies there. We were obviously not seated together, but they made it very clear how annoyed they were to put us together. Mumbling under their breaths to each other about me, right in front of me. If I wasn't a Christian woman, I may have jumped across that desk and taught them both a lesson, my body was already warmed up from wrestling Ellie the whole flight, I would have made quick work of them. However, I just burned a hole through them with my eyes. If it was such a problem, why did the other lady do it, lickety split?! The nerve! We had about 15 minutes to pee, refill Ellie's bottles and then re-board the same plane. We were seated in the very back, which is fine. Once everyone was on the plane, they came over the loud speaker, "We are going to be delayed for about 20 more minutes, we are waiting for about 10 passengers from another Frontier flight that hasn't landed yet" What?! Is this some sick twisted joke?! Our flight is literally an hour and you are going to tack on another 30, because we all know you are trying to make us feel like it will only take 20. Ellie at this point was beyond tired and unable to calm. I had to not give her her bottle until we took off, as to protect her ears and encourage them to pop. And what plan waits for passengers?!?! I have missed plenty of flights because the lay over is too short!! The plane finally took off, and it took awhile for Ellie to settle, but she did. We landed later than expected, I kept my fingers crossed that the rental place was open for our car. We were expected at 11:30, and I couldn't tell you what time it was when we landed. My Mom, Chipper and Dhylan met us there, bless their hearts! The guy at Enterprise was a little snooty because of the late hour, that he really wasn't suppose to be giving us a car this late. But I had a reservation. We got our car, and my mom had brought the car seat for Ellie. I wrestled with that freaking thing for who knows how long, until I realized it was missing an important piece. So I strapped it in as safely as I could. Ellie was awake at this point, and we loaded her in. She screamed the entire way to my brother's house in Farmington, maybe another 25-30 minutes away. Addie was super annoyed, and kept whining Ellie's name. We finally pulled into my brother's driveway around 2:15 am. 13 hours of traveling. Was it worth it?! ha! It was, but I wouldn't have said so if you had asked me at that hour in the morning! But we made it, and the party was about to start!
We only had 7 full days of vacation fun, and 2 days of travel. So, I knew going into it, sleep would be very low on the priority list, but I was ok with that.
There is something very charging about being with my siblings. We have such a connection. We have an understanding of each other like nothing I have seen. I mean, I feel like siblings in general are close, and I am sure many people feel the same as I do. But we charge each other up. I know that I have been away too long when I feel that sense of longing for home. And when I am with them, I miss them! Which sounds weird, but I realize how much I need them in my life. How much they need me. And that family really is forever. And family was even before. I hope my kids feel this way about each other when they grow up. Heaven knows we were NOT always this way. I used to hate my brothers, and they felt the same way about me. But we shared so many of the same experiences, the same losses and pains, and I feel like that bonded us together. My parents divorced when I was 9, and there were 6 of us kids. My Mom remarried when I was 12 and had two more kids with my step Dad, Chipper.... who are just as much full brother and full sister to me than all the other siblings. My Dad didn't remarry until much later. But the most extraordinary thing about my parents and their spouses.... we all hang out. If there is a family outing, both set of parents are there! They talk to each other, and really have put aside whatever may be awkward or weird and be there, for us, their children. I know my Dad loves my Mom, and my Mom loves my Dad... not in the way that a married couple does, but because they have 6 children together. And I know that is rare. But I also know it is a choice that they made, and I don't think that is an easy choice to hang out with the person you divorced. But since they both love their children so much, they make it work. And I respect them so much more for that, and my step parents! It is truly extraordinary. My brother Dhylan, who has a different Dad then me, invited my Dad to sealing, the ring ceremony and all other events of the wedding, because my Dad is family to him. Isn't that amazing!? I think so, and that is why I am bragging about it! Ha!
Thankfully my Mom loves to take pictures and captured so many adventures were had on our trip. The first of which was a popsicle party with all the grandkids. She had these darling popsicle holders made with all the kids names on them!
And we finally got all these cute baby girls together!!! At Christmas Scarlett was still in her Mama's tummy!
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| Ellie, Emersyn, Scarlett and Lucy! Aren't they the cutest! Cousin best friends for life! |
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| I love Ellie's hand on Emersyn's leg!! <3 |
We also got to attend the music camp performance for Grace, Emily and Caleb. I had only ever seen pictures, so I was soooo excited that we were going to be there in time for this neat performance. I have very musically talented and awesome actors for family members!
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| Porter and Caleb |
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| Emy and Addie |
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| Izzy, Addie and Grace |
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| These kiddos can be so crazy together! |
Nothing like trying to get all the cousins bathed at the same time! ha! Saves time and water!!!
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| Lizzy, Addie, Izzy, Jazzy and Abbie! Say that 10 times fast |
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| Izzy wasn't feeling it! ha! |
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| Addie and Emersyn! |
And as for the wedding! It was awesome! I am so excited for Dhylan and Jayden to start their lives together! It is great to have a new sister!
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| The vertical train! |
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| We are a little goofy! |
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| It wouldn't be right if we didn't do the gum smile! |
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| The brothers; Dj, Josh, Dhylan, Jake and Alex |
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| Gum smile in color! ha |
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| We are so excited for Dhylan! |
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| Uncle Alex and Ellie |
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| Cousin fun |
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| Dancing the night away! |
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| We sure missed Thomas being there with us! But it was great to be back at the Salt Lake Temple! |
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| Jen and me |
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| Matching dresses with my sis! |
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| Sistas!! Aren't we cute?! ha! |
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| The girls! Jen and Cait and me |
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| Addie really wanted this picture |
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| Izzy wasn't feeling it..... again! Ha |
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| Isn't she a doll! And look, she is wearing shoes!! |
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| These two! <3 |
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| Ring ceremony |
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| Me, Cait, Jen, Jayden, Jennyrose, Melanie, Erika, Lindsay. The sisters picture! |
After the newlyweds went on their way, we went to Pineview for a little fun in the water. I think Ellie ate her weight in sand?! Sandy poop for days. We had a lot of fun, just relaxing and eating leftover wedding food! yummy! Except Chipper did hoard all the good cookies! hahaha
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| Don't let the watermelon fool you, she was after the sand! |
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| She missed her Daddy, she would pretend to call him. And it truly sounded like she would say "Hey Dada!" |
Then, the party didn't stop, we went to Lagoon!
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| McKay and Addie |
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| The Log Ride! |
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| Rattle Snake Rapids |
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| Ellie was content just watching |
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| Addie worked up the nerve and rode several times |
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| My Dad took the prize for being willing to ride it twice in a row and get drenched to the bone for the sake of making his grandkids happy. He is wearing jeans y'all. He was so wet, and it was late in the evening, he didn't dry off until he went home late that night! He won the prize! |
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| The Terroride has been around for 50 years!!?! |
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| She loved the carousel and train |
And the rest ....
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| partying until she literally dropped, in the middle of the floor. She hit the bottle too hard! ha |
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| Popsicles are also life |
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| These babies wanted a bathroom pic too! |
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| Good to see old friends, Sarah and Johanna and baby Felix! |
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| Ellie and Emersyn in the water slide. Ellie loved it! |
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| I couldn't keep her out! |
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These were some photos from the photo booth at the wedding. Addie told me she was dressed
up like an ambulance! haha |
Over all it was a fabulous trip, with little sleep and tons of fun! I am so excited that we bought our new house and it has the extra lake house, so that maybe my family will really want to come visit (hint hint)! I am still re-cooping from all the adventures we had and the lack of sleep. I am just so happy that my kids love their cousins so much and their cousins love them. I am so grateful for my parents and all they have sacrificed for us. I am grateful for each one of my siblings and their wives, and the great love we share. My cup runneth over! Family is what it is all about.
