UEA IN ARIZONA

My mom had mentioned that she was thinking of going to AZ with Hilary and McKay over Fall Break. I half way joked that I wanted to go with them. Then she called and asked if I really did want to go, and of course I said yes. Yes I knew that it would be a TON of work with 4 kids, but my mom and sister are always so much help. Then it evolved into Rebekah and Lucy coming with us.

Our Honey was so sweet and put together little sacks for the kids and even one for the adults. There was a present for the kids to open every 100 miles. It was so cute, and it is something to Ben talks about and remembers his mom doing for them when he was younger. It really was the hit of the ride down. Thanks so much Honey, you really always think of everything!!!

So we got up early Thursday and off we went. We had to stop a bunch (at least every 3 or so hours to feel little Chance and Lucy), but we managed to get there by 8 pm. It was so fun to pull up to Aunt Colleen and Uncle Andy's house. It brought back so many awesome memories of going to visit when I was younger.

The plan for the weekend was just to hang out and do absolutely nothing other than enjoy each other's company. The kids were so excited to swim in the pool (yes they have a great pool!!!), jump on the tramp, play on the swing set and follow the turtle around the yard (yep, they also have a rather large turtle).

Here the kids are getting ready to go down the slide with aunt Hilary.

Lu and Hilary going down the slide.
Mason and Hilary going down the slide.
Hilary and Samantha going down the slide.
There was a little "Pumpkin Patch", but not really a pumpkin patch. In fact there weren't any pumpkin's, but it was a great little craft fair. We spent part of Saturday morning walking around the fair. It was pretty hot (95 degrees). Grandma took the kids to bounce and get some awesome glasses.

We got home from the fair and Luella was exhausted. She took a little nap and then woke up, but she was still mad and sleepy when she woke up, but then she fell back asleep. Hilary was nice enough to hold her while I took the other kids out swimming.

This is how they started out. Luella sleeping and Hilary just holding her (but still awake).

Then I came back and checked on them and this is how I found them. They were both zonked out, and Luella looked like she was about to fall off the couch.

My cousin Megan invited us to a ward Halloween party. So we scrounged up some costumes and headed over. There was dinner, a little haunted hallway, a photo booth, and then a trunk or treat. Mason was a ninja, Sam was a witch, and Lu was skeleton. We ended up missing the trunk or treat so when we got back to Aunt Colleen's all the adults got a stash of candy and headed to all of the different rooms in the house. The kids got sacks and went trick or treating. McKay even dressed up as a hunch back to pass out candy from the bedrooms. It was so cute and the kids loved it.

It was so fun to go and see the Shumway's. It was great to visit with Erin, Megan, Autumn and Joel and all their cute kids. Aunt Colleen and Uncle Andy were so good to us (and especially my kids). It was so fun to go and visit. Uncle Andy asked Mason if he could come back and visit and Mason said "I think my mom will say no" Hilarious, I don't know why he said that, but we will definitely be going back. Thanks for having us Colleen and Andy, can't wait to see you guys again! Thanks to Grandma B, Hurly, McKay and Bekah for helping out with my kids. I couldn't have done it without you guys.