Our family vacation

Ok, so Clayton has always gotten vacation time, but this year is the first year in our lives together that we have gone on an actual vacation. Crazy, I know! It seems like something else always comes up, we don't have the money, there is a family reunion, something. I mean, don't get me wrong, we love the reunions and the quick weekend trips to see his Grandma, but we have longed for a trip where we got to do what we wanted to do and we finally got one!
We still went to Utah, because we figured there is a lot down there that we have missed and the kids have never seen,plus we really wanted to see Grandma and my sister Lora and her family. First on our agenda was seeing Clayton's gma who lives in Lehi. I don't know what it is about her, but Courtni has always been so attached. She sends her letters regularlly, wants to call her all the time and just talks about her a lot. It is special and we really want to nurture that. We went there first and spent 2 nights with her. We didn't really do anything, just sat and visited. It was great! Relaxing and easy, the kids adjusted really well and Brayden even asked her to go to the park with him!!! (Anyone who knows him knows that this is a HUGE thing for him.
When we got done there we headed to Salt Lake. I don't know what it is about Salt Lake, but I have always been in love with it. I am sure that a lot of it has to do with the church history there, but its more than that. I love it. All of it. We were supposed to stay in a hotel just outside of SLC but it ended being scary. Long story. So we got out of it and were able to get a room at the Crystal Inn downtown SLC. We wanted to stay downtown so we could be closer to everything, so that worked out nicely. It was a nice hotel. The kids loved the pool. Even Brayden! He wouldn't get in the 1st day, but the 2nd while I stayed in the room with Bryson to get him to nap, Clayton took the kids to the pool and both Brayden and Courtni swam all over. They had their float ring things of course, but they were everywhere. I was so proud when Bryson woke up and I went to find out where the rest of my family was and found them in the pool still.
We crammed a lot into our 2 days there. We went to temple square (at least for a little while the kids got tired and bored but part of that was the fact it was lunch time. Shoulda planned that better). We also went to Hogle Zoo, This is the Place monument, the school where High School Musical was filmed (I had forgotten it was there until we passed it), and then got to see Lora for a while and went to the church history museum with her. I was bummed we didn't get to see her family, but we crossed paths. She came to Idaho for her vac and we went to Utah. Next time we will have to plan better. I was just glad to get to see her for a little while anyway.
There is so much more we couldve done, so much we wanted to do, but we only had 4 days, so I think it was pretty successful. I am just greatful we got the chance to make those memories. It was rushed, hectic and very tiring, but so worth it in the end!