Summer Trip to Logan

We decided to make good use of our summer vacation by heading up north to visit family.

First stop was in Salt Lake to visit Aunt Steph and Uncle Matt.  The girls don't get to see their cousins all that often, so it was fun to let them have time to play together.  And of course that means bedtime is a nightmare.  But hey, it's summer, right?

While up there, we decided to spend a day at Hogle Zoo.

Crowd favorite:

Someday they will leave the nest:

Not quite sure why Ty has sequestered himself from the herd:

Lexi and Ty digging the Polar Bear Exhibit:

Lovin' the train ride:

Cooling off at the giant rolling water ball thingermajigger before we decide to call it a day:

It was HOT.  So hot that most of the animals went into a heat induced coma.  We pretty much walked from one sleeping animal to another.  But, all in all it was still a great day.

After the zoo, we headed up to spend the rest of the week in Logan/Smithfield, where, it seems, my picture taking fizzled out.  I only have a handful from the week, but we had a lot of fun!

Between the two grandparents houses we went swimming with our new cousins Kloe and Mitch, went to the movies, had a weenie roast, and just played our little hearts out.

Here are some fav's:

This one is at Grandma Shelly's house.  Ty was watching the ipad in Grandma's front room.  I went in to check on him and found a little pile of leaves on the floor.  When I asked him why they were on the floor he said, "They were tickling me."  Well of course.  Why not just pick off the leaves instead of scooting over?  Ha!

This last picture is my favorite favorite favorite.  While I was up there my Grandpa Otte was also staying with my parents for the week.  The absolute highlight of the trip was one night when I sat down for an hour or two with a notebook writing down all the family history I could get out of my Grandpa and Dad.  Those few pages of notes are absolutely priceless to me.  He and my Grandmother are two of the most highly regarded people in my life.  Oh how I wish I could have more!

We (I) came home exhausted, but it was a great trip.  We were all more than happy to see Daddy again!  I think it's safe to say the feeling was mutual.