Kentucky Trip

In January, my siblings and I started talking about getting together this year. Good thing we started months in advance because it took that long to figure out the date we all could make! Somehow though, we were able to find a weekend in July that worked for all of us! I came a couple days before and stayed a couple days after everyone else was there, which I loved so I could also have one-on-one time with my parents. Honestly, I wish I could have stayed an extra week but I had stuff in Utah I needed to get back for. I just wish my parents lived in Utah. And all of my siblings. You all who have your family all close do not know how blessed you are, so don’t take it for granted!

This was the first time all of us with our spouses and families have ever been together and the first time all of us siblings have been together for five years! So, it was a long time coming and was really special! We took family pictures one evening and I teared up thinking about how long it had been and how long it may be until next time. But I’m so grateful for all of their love and friendship. Each of my siblings and sibling-in-laws are all so different but great in their own ways!

We made the trip like a Cincinnati stay-cation. We did SO much! This is all for journaling purposes, so sorry for the snooze fest, but I have to write it all down!

Thursday, we went to the pool with my parents. Finn sat so contently in my lap in the tube the whole time. It was the best. My mom and I went grocery shopping for the week to prepare for all the meals! It was quite the feat and pretty fun to plan it all out! Mary Beth’s family arrived late that night.

On Friday, TJ arrived in the afternoon and Sam and Ashley got in late that night. We had another pool day with all the cousins.

Saturday, we had a delicious goetta breakfast with everyone and then went up to a bike trail in Cincinnati. It was so much fun and I wish we could have gone longer but Finn was not having it by the end. TJ pulled Finn and Spencer in one trailer and I pulled Eva behind me. Amelia was on a bike for two with her dad and the rest of the gang were on bikes. We were like a huge parade and it was awesome. The trail was so gorgeous, right next to the Little Miami River, and covered by huge trees. We had a picnic afterwards all together and the kids played at a nearby park. In the evening, we had a birthday party for my niece Amelia at the pool with dinner, dancing, and even a piñata!

On Sunday, we had church in the morning then had my Uncle and Aunt over for lunch. It was such a hot and humid day, I remember sweating so much outside and thinking, “How are we going to take pictures in this tonight??” But we did! We all got changed and headed over to Devou Park in Covington. It was such a fun evening being there together as a family. We were all a little silly and thinking of dumb poses like jumping together (which turned out terribly, obviously) but we really just had fun together as siblings! After the kids went to bed, Sam, Ashley H, MB, TJ, and I went on a little walk in Fort Thomas which was fun talking about the old days growing up there.

Moving right along to Monday, we had planned on going to Coney Island but there was rain that morning so we went bowling instead at the Levee and was able to meet up with my dad since his office is there! Afterwards, we went to the Contemporary Arts Museum downtown. TJ and I loved it and took funny snapchats together with the artwork. We walked around the square for a bit and had a scoop of Graeter’s. Sam and his wife, TJ, and I decided we wanted to go to Kings Island that night which turned out to be the best night because the park was nearly empty. We walked on all the rides, saw a couple fun shows, and got to watch fireworks at the end of the night. Thank goodness for dramamine because those rides are no joke!

On Tuesday, we took the kids to Coney Island on another ridiculously hot and humid day but they loved it so much! We all rested up a bit afterwards and then went to the Reds Game! It was Eva’s first time at a professional Baseball game and I think first time watching Baseball, ever! But she and the rest of the girls LOVED it! It probably stemmed around the fact that they got to eat peanuts, kettle corn, soda, cotton candy, and ice-cream. Hahaha! We left the boys with a babysitter that night which was really nice to not worry about Finn and just enjoy the game! We parked at the Levee and walked across the river to get there and back, and on the way home, we turned on exercises and did them on the bridge. It was such a funny moment!

That night we finally put Eva in our room to sleep on a blowup mattress since the other nights she had slept in a bed with Amelia and they had been waking each other up at the crack of dawn. Thankfully Eva slept in the next morning because we all had gone to bed so late!

On Wednesday, it was Sam’s birthday so we had a birthday brunch and a delicious lunch made by Ashley. We also put on a talent show where TJ and I did the Mormon Rap (video of that to come haha!). Sam and Ashley left for the airport that afternoon and I’m pretty sure that afternoon we just went to the pool, it’s all blurring together!

My sister and her husband also had a wedding anniversary over the trip so they slipped away for an overnight in Clifty Falls. We took the kids downtown to the Banks where they did the carousel and played in the splash pad. Afterwards, the boys napped and TJ and I took the girls to see Finding Dory! It was nice to have a little rest since we had been in the sun so much, so the downtime was much needed. We loved getting to spend that individual time too with my nieces and just get to hang out with them! When we got back, we went to the pool again (those girls loveeeed swimming together and it was so hot, the pool was a necessity) and then watched Interstellar once the kids went to sleep.

Gosh, what day does that bring me to? Friday? TJ left and so I took him to the airport while everyone swam. We enjoyed Larosa’s pizza together and then my sister, mom, and I snuck out for an hour for a little shopping. We had my favorite mexican restaurant for dinner that night and finished up the movie together.

Saturday, the rest of the gang left which was hard to see them go and was strange to have such a quiet/empty house. My mom, the kids, and I went shopping for a bit and then we met my dad at the park for the Ward Pioneer Day picnic. I had a great talk with the missionaries and it kind of relit a fire in me that was a little dim, so thanks missionaries! We all have a ups and downs in our spiritual journey, so it made me want to stop being lazy!

Woo, this is getting long but we are almost at the end! Sunday we had church and I got to watch my sweet dad teach the primary children music. He’s such a good primary chorister! Afterwards, I met up with my friend Lelia and we just talked each other’s ears off about life, 21 Day Fix, and everything else imaginable! It was so great catching up.

On Monday, the kids and I left and had a looooong journey home. Eva fell asleep at the layover and it was so entertaining to see how she wouldn’t wake up. I’m not kidding. She was in the stroller at the gate and she needed to get out to walk to her seat. But I was like shaking her, tickling her, SHOUTING ,” EVA, YOU NEED TO WAKE UP!!!” Everyone passing by was laughing and I was laughing so hard at the situation. Finally, she got up, I folded the stroller, then she tried to get back ON the folded stroller. She and Finn slept the entire second flight, thank goodness. It was the same ordeal trying to get Eva to wake up when we landed, but when she finally was *awake* and aware in the stroller walking to baggage claim, she said, “Mom, don’t we have another flight?” I told her we already went on the second airplane and she slept through it all. She was so confused. Hilarious!

Obviously, we had a great trip. One that we will remember forever. And just to make sure we don’t forget, here’s a video of it all! Pictures will come in another post. I’m way too tired to do anymore after writing this epic-long post.