What started out as a quick trip to Utah for My little brother Clay's graduation, just kept getting better and better! (warning picture overload).
Here are the kids on our way to Utah. Note the wet wipe on poor sleeping Kadens head. Nothing like picking on your brother while he is sleeping :) 
Some cool scenery on our brief passing through Arizona. 
Whew we made it Nevada! I couldnt convince Vernon to drive down the strip so I didn't get any cool pictures of Vegas. Man those drivers sure do scare me. I am so glad Vernon did the driving! 
WOOOOHOOOOOO we made it to Utah. Only 3 1/2 to 4 hours more (and about 6 stops, lol...the kids did so well until we hit Utah) and we are in Salina! We made it to Salina just in time for bed.I wish! We stayed with Grandma Amy and Grandpa Jerry then Uncle Matt came and stayed there too. Aunt Alisha and cousin Aden came too but stayed at their other grandparents house.I dont know why traveling made the parents so tired and the kids so wild when we finally would reach our destination. (really all in all the kids were GREAT travelers). We got to go up to my parents property at Accords Lake and let Vernon go arrow head hunting. I see rocks he sees arrow heads. He is really good at. Anyway, a few pictures from that....
The view 
Vernon could and did spend many hours doing this. I wish I would have let him get more then 2 trips up there, he truly loves doing this and even found a surprising little buddy who loved doing it with him...can you guess who? 
yep it was Danica. Surprised the heck out of me I thought for sure JD would love it. But nope it was Danica. Thats ok JD found another way to bond with his dad....more on that later! Keep reading :) Soon it was time for the reason we started this trip... Clays Graduation!!! YAY CLAY! Congrats!!! 
Isnt he handsome. After Clays graduation, Clay left for the Church history trip. We had a birthday party for me up at my parents property, HEHEHE, I told Vernon the only time he couldnt be up there was for Clay's graduation and my birthday, But he got to go up for it anyway. We had a yummy BBQ and cake. Then Matt left for Salt Lake, he was going hiking with a friend then headed back to Virginia. Why I dont have any pics of Uncle Matt I will never know. I was so not good about taking pictures. Sorry! After Matt left we decided to do a quick trip to Nebraska. Whats 11 more hours in a packed car anyway? I am SO SO SO SO SO grateful we got to go there. Just like I needed a trip to Utah to somewhere familiar and to be with family, so did Vernon.... even if he wont admit it :) He loved it. Not to mention the kids. They LOVED it! I can not tell you how blessed we are to have such an amazing family on BOTH sides. We love you all and cant wait to see you again!!!! But you thought I was going to end here huh!?! WRONG, sorry I get side tracked and my mind wanders LOL. Anyway we load up the kids and head up to Salt Lake. Then we hit 
And after driving ALL the way across Wyoming (this is what the kids look like, they would fight to ride in the very back then when I would take pictures they would put on sad faces)
we hit....NEBRASKA!!! YAY! I do not know how I missed the Nebraska sign but I did, darn it. We stayed with Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Jerry. Aunt Sandy and Uncle Doug came to visit a couple times and we got to see their daughter Amanda. ( I can NOT believe I did not pull my camera out more so sorry guys!) We also go to see Uncle Brian and his girlfriend, sorry I am so bad with names, someone please help me out so I can add it and quit feeling stupid!!!! Oh and we got to see Grandpa Jerry's sister Linda and her daughter Lisa and her 2 daughters who the kids loved playing in the 
hot tub! Another favorite thing to do their was drive/ride in the 
and go to the J mart! Ok now for JD's great bonding moment with dad told you I would get to it, bet you thought I would get side tracked again huh...He got to go golfing with Daddy and Grandpa Jerry. They let him putt and drive the golf cart. He had such a great time. Thank you grandpa Jerry for taking my to big boys out for some fun! Vernon took the camera but didn't get any pictures, hes as bad as me!!! Vernon and I took the little boys to Cabelas to see the big fish tank (the big kids wanted nothing to do with their evil parents most of the trip, I was sad but at the same time so happy that they were able to have the time with their grandparents. Thanks again to both sets of grandparents, you made this trip AWESOME! My kids were the happiest kids the whole time!) All too soon our time was coming to an end. We packed up and headed back to Utah to give the kids a day or 2 of rest before heading back to California. But before I forget... family pictures and pictures with the grandparents...
Now for some random pictures and less talking from me. Love you all! Thanks to all who made this possible, we couldn't have done it with out you. We truly have been bless and are so so so lucky to have the family we have! For those of you we missed, we truly missed you! Next year I hope to have a better plan so EVERYONE who wants to get together with us can. To K'brina, I am sorry I didn't get in touch with you. Hopefully next year we will be able to put your AMAZING talent to good use! 
*please note the lack of pictures of the big kids is not out of not finding them as cute as the little boys, there are 2 really good reasons for it. :) 1. They really wanted nothing to do with us the entire trip and would ride and or stay with everyone else. 2. I am so bad about taking pictures. 3. I had my hands a little full with the little boys. Ok so that was 3 reason. hehehe! Love you ALL!
~care
