Our Trip

As I mentioned, my in-laws had Jess, Lex and Soph for five days and then hosted all the rest of us except Christianne for four more days.  As you can imagine, their food budget tends to spike when we show up.  Thanks, Dean and LaRita!  You are angels!

We have had a great trip.  We went to Richfield for the fourth of July, catching their parade and evening fireworks display.  (Christi's mom grew up in Richfield and Grandma Larsen and lots of cousins still live there.)

Waiting for the parade to start

Collecting candy

After the parade, Grandma Larsen fed us all lunch (and later dinner!) and had a birthday cake for Taylor.  She also let Sophi and Lexi play with play-doh.  For some reason, she added corn starch to the mix.  I've never seen the kids play with corn starch before, but they sure enjoyed it:

On Friday morning, Christi's brother Matthew took me on an amazing three-hour ride on a four wheeler.  (The four wheeler I used belonged to another brother-thanks, Danny and Breanna!)  It was an amazing experience through some absolutely amazing country.  We had a little issue with a broken belt and me having to wait an hour and a half in 100 degree weather while help was summoned, but that was at the end of the trip and didn't detract from the amazing ride:)  Here a couple of pics:

Eagle Arch

Eagle Canyon  Bridge

It has been a great trip, and from what Christi tells me, it has been very cathartic for her to be able to have some time on her own.  Hopefully we're all geared up for the home stretch.  23 more days until the judging for the Parade of Homes. Yikes, that's soon!!!

-Jer

Conversations

Over a week ago, my wonderful in-laws took Jesi, Sophi and Lexi to their home in Ferron, UT.  The three girls were in heaven getting to go stay with Grandma and Grandpa.  Since it was so close to Independence Day and since Christi was craving some alone time to catch up on housework, new house work, etc., it was decided that I would take the rest of the kids to Ferron on July 3rd and then return with everyone on July 7th. 

The night before I left with the six remaining kids, I was talking to Grace.  She asked me:  "So are we all coming back together from Grandma's house?" 

"Yes," I replied.

"Even Sophi?"

"Yes."

"Could Sophi just stay in Ferron?"

"For how long?" I asked.

Graci, with a somewhat goofy grin on her face, "For...........ever?"

"WHAT?!?"

"Wellllll...I don't mind if she's home.  It's just that she can whine so much on long trips."

"So if someone else brings her home, you would be ok with that?"

"YES!"

"Too bad!"


A few days ago I was taking Graci to her orthodontist appointment.  Trying to utilize the one-on-one time to develop our relationship, I asked her, "So Graci, are there any cute boys at school or church?"

An immediate and emphatic, "NO!"

"Aren't there any boys you think are cute?"

"NO!"

"So who is cute?"

Without a moment's hesitation, "Me!"

I must agree she's right:)


This morning I was talking to Sophi.  She started out the conversation with this:  "You're lucky you're a dad.  I want to be a dad."

"Why do you want to be a dad, Soph?"

"Cuz' it's so fun!"

Me:  "Well, it's fun to be a mom, too."

Soph: "OK, I'll be a mom.  I will have a Elli, too."

Me:  "An Elli?"

Sophi:  "Yes, but she won't be blind and she won't have autism.  And I will have a Sophi, too."

Me:  "What will she have?"

Soph:  "She will have arms and legs, and (going without the slightest hesitation into the full splits) she will be THIS big."

Me:  "Wow!  That's big!"

Sophi:  "And I will have a Lexi, too.  And she will be blind.  And she will have arms and legs.  I'm going to have a hundred kids.  No, a thousands!"

I guess she's happy with her big family:)

-Jer