Provo Week
We drove from Colorado Springs to Provo on Tuesday night after Chris and Ryan finished with work. We made good time and pulled in right after midnight. Grandma and Grandpa both came out to greet us and we ended up talking in the kitchen for a long time. It felt so good to be there with them… it was the first time we had seen them in person since my Dad found out that his cancer had come back (April) and since COVID-19 forced everything to shut down (March). Even though we had plans to see my whole family in July, I felt pretty strongly the need to go visit them in June. A week just with them, in their house. We had carefully quarantined for 12 days before coming so we wouldn’t bring the virus with us. It was a little harder than I expected having to go back into a strict quarantine after relaxing a little bit… but was so worth it. We had such a good week!
Seeing them in person was a bit emotional. I wasn’t crying the whole week but there were certain times that I would catch myself really taking in the moment… noticing exactly where my Dad sits in the dining room, studying the twinkle in his eye when he laughs and committing to memory what it feels like when he comes up and gives me a hug just because he’s so glad that I’m home. Occasionally I blinked back tears. Happy grateful tears. It’s good to be home.
Wednesday - Pickleball, Shuffleboard Bowling and the Provo River Trail
Pickle Ball with Grandma and Grandpa, Mike and Carly.
Back to the house for Sandwiches and Cookies.
Shuffle Board Bowling
We gave my Dad a bowling set for the Shuffle Board table for Christmas and this was our first time playing it. It was fun but I could NOT get the hang of it. Matthew did great and was the only one to start out with a strike!
Love these pictures of my Dad.
Lots of time to hang out with Whitney. Mike and Carly are now living in a basement apartment next door to Grandma and Grandpa — which is really great. They’ve been carefully quarantining as well so that they can constantly bounce back and forth between their house and Grandma and Grandpa’s. It was so fun to hang out with them.
Provo River Trail
After dinner we headed over to the Provo River trail to walk for a little while. It’s beautiful but was pretty busy… these days everyone is trying to spend some time out doors.
Thursday - Up to Midway
Thursday we headed up to Midway to go check out ‘The Lodge’. Adam and Marilee Face-timed us two weeks ago and presented us with an opportunity to go in with them and a few other couples to buy a house in Midway as a vacation home. It’s in a cute community with an HOA that takes care of the lawn care, has two outside pools, one inside pool and a large open park area with pickle ball courts and sand volleyball. Midway has a sort of Switzerland feel and has adopted names of Swiss mountains and towns for streets and parks. That’s a selling point right there. : )
We hadn’t been thinking of a second home quite yet but within just a few days had really convinced ourselves that we needed one… and that Midway would be perfect! We met Adam’s Dad, Greg, at the Lodge and walked through it with my parents and Mike. When my parents were done then they left and Marilee and kids and Janet and the Smiths joined us and we spend quite a while talking about repairs, upgrades, furniture and the schedule and user agreement — which Chris had already started working on. We were pretty sure we were going to move ahead with the ownership opportunity so after lunch at the park, we headed back to the house for an excited ‘We’re Doing It!’ pic which turned out pretty cute. Meanwhile Katie on her mission was hearing about it (from us and from Annie) and gave us the green light. Right from the beginning, all of the kids have been super excited about it.
As part of our due diligence we got raspberry shakes from Dairy Keen in Heber and enjoyed them on the way back to Orem. We headed over to Scott and Elisha’s house to meet their brand new bunnies and sat on the deck with them and chatted about the Lodge. So nice to talk through all the pros and cons.
The boys LOVED getting dizzy going around and around on this tree swing. We laughed so hard watching Luke get off and try to walk straight. I should have videoed it. Dad had to help him walk up to the van.
When we got back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, Mom had made us a great dinner of salmon, vegetables and watermelon. Thanks Mom!
More bowling and then several comedian specials with everyone before bed.
Friday - A Day at Home
Friday was pretty relaxing. Chris golfed with Brian and Doug and the kids and I stayed home and played games. I taught my parents how to play QUIXX — which I thought my Dad would like, we shot BB guns. I tried my hand at the hand gun after the boys were done. After lunch we watched AGE OF ADELINE. My mom and I took turns giving each other shoulder rubs during the whole show. A perfect afternoon.
Dinner on the Back Porch
Such great weather to eat dinner outside. Love my parents backyard.
A hike up the Canyon
Brian and Scott and Elisha and kids came over and then we walked up the street and headed right up into the canyon. It was a great little trail and it nice that it was so close to the house. Fun that we could be all together doing something outside. Glad Grandpa had the energy to join us.
Mike brought up some ropes to make a swing and the kids took turns enjoying it. Love that one of Mike hanging! He’s a fun Uncle!
Gorgeous lighting as we hiked out of the canyon.
Love this one of Chris and I with Mt. Timpanogos in the background.
Sunsets and S’mores
A perfect end to the day back at Grandma and Grandpa’s fire pit.
Foster, Matt, Luke, Molly, Nate, Ben and Owen held out the longest.
Saturday - Hiking to the Peak - Chris, Ryan, Luke and Mike
Another morning of Pickleball… this time with Scott and Elisha and two courts running. We stayed and played forever.
Saturday night BBQ at Scott and Elisha’s house. We ate burgers, chips and fruit out on the deck and sat around talking for hours. The kids played on the swing, chased bunnies, jumped on the trampoline and went down the slide over and over again. Fun to be together.
On Sunday at the end of our trip Megan stayed over with Molly to enjoy some more cousins time. Trying to be so careful keeping my Dad safe from COVID.