While the Cat's Away

Gary went on a man-trip at the end of July, leaving me alone with two little kids . . . and lots of company. (By the way, I'd love for Gary to blog about said trip. It was back-packing in the Uintahs . . . beg him to, and he just might finally accept my invitation to contribute.)

My sister Cindy came to visit the first day. She brought along her 3 kids, and since playing with them is one of Josh's favorite things and talking to her is one of mine, everyone was very happy. The first night we took the kids to feed the ducks and play at the park, and then they were exhausted . . . and I got to have girls' night. (This never happens to me, people.) Cindy had rented Twilight, so we popped popcorn, and chatted while we watched. Fun times. (My review of Twilight - fun and interesting, although not earth-shattering. Sorry ladies, I have to remark Robert Pattison =not hot enough. Good looking, but come on, every third sentence in the book is devoted to descriptions of Edward's stop-you-in-your-tracks good looks and finely chiseled muscular chest. Just saying. I'll take Emmett.) Anyway, ignore the parenthetical digression, I highly enjoyed my sister slumber party.

Here are Tate, Josh, and Braden eating yogurt on the trampoline the next morning. Hey, if it makes 'em happy . . . We managed to get the kids all spruced up and to the open house of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. There, we met my sister Kristen, and got a chance to show our children what the temple is like before it's dedicated and they can't go in anymore. I love how when we talk about the temple now, Josh gets excited and feels like he knows what he's talking about. The kids were a little tired, but I had a great experience feeling the peace that is there and the importance of temples. (What Josh told his dad about the experience: "We saw water and Braden said it was a hot tub, but Cindy said no it's not Braden, but he said yes it is, but it wasn't, it was really baptizing water.")

After the temple we all went to eat at the Mayan restaurant. It's decorated like the rain forest, and every 30 minutes there are diving shows. The kids LOVED it (Braden mentioned we should probably go there every day), and while we didn't get any pictures inside, we got plenty of the after-dinner-playing-outside session. Here's Josh and Kristen on some type of Mayan statue.

Can you see why Aunt Kristen is a favorite?

Noah couldn't resist climbing into the mouth of the beast as well. This scenario was all his doing.

Braden, Josh, Tate, and Sophie . . . what a day!

That night Cindy went back home, but Kristen came with me to my house. Another sister slumber party! She is such a good sport, and played with my kids all the next day. (Except when I had a meeting and swimming lessons. "Pack it all in" was the summer theme, I think.) She probably did entirely too much baby-sitting (I had to teach dance and pick up Gary), and the kids loved it. Kristen played every sport with Josh and took him to Coldstone, so she's pretty much his idol. She rented "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and besides getting to chat with her (she's a cool girl, that Kristen), I also got in yet another chick-flick. I actually fell asleep during that one due to the exhaustion of the day, but it's the principle of the thing that I enjoy. I was going to watch the rest of the movie the next day, but Kristen told me the main character got cured of being a shopaholic and I need not view the process, so I took her word for it.

So, wow. A blur of events and rare girl time. I really did love it, thanks girls! You'd think I wouldn't have time to do so, but I did miss Gary . . . I really like that guy, you know. Wouldn't it be great if we could hear the man version of these days . . .