What's the story morning glory?

Which is a good song and good album by the way...Oasis I think?



Anyways so I spent the past week and a half in Idaho and Utah. And a fair amount of time in Nevada because as you may or may not know getting to Idaho and Utah involves most of your time in Nevada. The nothingness that is Nevada. I hate Nevada.



Having spent many childhood hours traveling to visit relatives in the car across the barren wasteland the USA likes to call Nevada I know very well what exactly there is to despise about that place. There is literally miles and miles of nothing...well rock formations and some mountains but not much else. To someone who frequently needs to pee this is not a welcome fact. Then the places there are to stop, though few and far between, are less than ideal. You can't go into a gas station, rest stop, mini mart, whatever and what have you without coming out smelling like a chain smoker. A chain smoker who has just cooked some corn dogs or drank a gallon of stale coffee. I am not joking. Even five minutes and your clothes, hair, skin just reeks.



That coupled with the fact that my family tends to travel in the evening and into the night to stop halfway at some motel. Which as you might have guessed also tend to supply their own seedy charm. Small towns that cater to truckers, cheap motels, hmmmm what else could you guess could be going on? This never really bothered me too much until recently when I shared a bed with Olivia at the Winnemucca Motel 6.



"I wonder how clean these sheets/pillows/comforters actually are".



Anyways so Olivia did fairly well traveling, more so on the way there than the way home. I will admit that I did take her out of the car seat for a good amount of time...otherwise you can bet that she would not have been labeled as doing "fairly well". However I did not seem to take it that well...usually I can just zone out and sleep on these trips but that was before miss baby came along. Olivia decided that she would not nap longer than like a hour and demanded to be constantly entertained the rest of the time...which was exhausting. She didn't cry or fuss often but you try to keep a 6 month baby hell-bent on mobilization distracted and still for a 13 hour drive (that's one way). She wants to be all over the place, throws her toys all over the car and doesn't understand why you have to hold her back.



Anyways we had a great time up in Rigby Idaho with the Eric Larsen family. My brother Eric, Sister in law Chelle and nephews Robbie (9) Kamren (7) David (3) and Abraham (1). I have not been up there during the summer/fall since I lived there like 10 years ago (Ricks / BYU Idaho). I forgot how pretty it is up there. It felt quiet and peaceful and pretty, it made me remember the times I spent up there for college. All the fun I had in the summer and fall semesters. I don't enjoy the snow so much but during the summer and fall it truly is nice up there.



Olivia enjoyed being with her cousins and Aunt and Uncle. I think she enjoyed David's company the most. He is so attentive to her, he just loves her! He even helped me bathe her, washing her hair and tummy with the carefulness and ease of a nervous new mother! Abe liked to just crawl over her, knock her down, take toys away from her or pull her hair...which was pretty funny...I don't think she thought it was funny! Then she enjoyed watching Rob and Kam, especially Rob. Anytime he was around she would just smile and coo at him. And I must admit it's strange to see my 2 older nephews act so grown-up with my baby. Picking her up and trying to console her when she cried...when did they become "not babies" themselves? Weird!



I know she must love her Auntie Rochelle since it was her that first gave her solid food (beyond rice cereal) back in Tahoe. She tried oat cereal, ritz crackers and zucchini bread with Auntie Chelle around! She even had her first wagon ride and bike ride with Aunt Rochelle. Uncle Eric even babysat for a little while...which I think was probably rather annoying since it was bedtime and she did not want to stop crying and go to sleep for him! But is was nice to get away and just hang out and talk with my brother and especially Chelle! I got to feed their chickens and jump on the trampoline and Olivia went to her first movie ( Night at the Museum 2) and Carousel ride. It was a good trip and I am really glad I went.



That was from Sat-Fri. Then Friday we made the 4 hour trip down to Uncle Paul's house in West Jordan Utah. It was a surprise party for my Uncle Paul and Dad who both turn 60 within about a month of eachother. There was a family bbq and then a big surprise in their b-day card. They were going to go skydiving! Neither seemed too thrilled about the endeavor. However in true Dad and Paul style neither wanted to be the wuss so out of peer pressure and in order not to look bad in front of eachother they both did it! Later when we watched the video it was excruciating to see. I have never seen my dad look so terrified! I was nervous just watching! But it was great to be with the Paul Hill family. We were always very close The Larsens and The Hills. Olivia got to meet my cousins Annie, Julie, Evan and their spouses and also their children Eden, Amelia, Lauren, Alexis, Zach and Mckenzie. She loved watching them, she is of course the youngest.

Katie and Ian were also in attendance for the occasion and then Saturday Annie and Julie thew miss Katers a baby shower. It was great with chocolate fondue and salad. Kate got some good stuff and hopefully we didn't all scare her too much with birth stories and advice. It went too fast! Cause sunday we were back in the car headed home.

I didn't take my camera so until I make it over to steal pics from my mom, you won't see any photos! But soon don't worry!

TTFN!