The NC Big Macs: Utah Trip

THE GOD OF COMMON SENSE!

Earlier in the year Rob and I decided we wanted to take the kids to Utah for a summer trip to visit much missed family. We frequently checked for cheap flights for months but found none under $300. Times that by 5 and add a car rental once we got there and we were looking at a pretty expensive family trip. No offense to our loving family, but if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I want to be pampered on cruise ship, eating great food and napping in the sun. So, Rob suggested we drive the 2200 miles, 31 plus hour distance. When we first moved out to North Carolina and made that drive for the first time, I swore the next time we did it would be when we moved back to Utah. I guess it's kind of like child birth. How quickly you forget the pain.

We opted to drive straight through without stopping for nightly rests so we could make the most of our time. When I told my dad our plan I asked him to start praying to whatever God he prayed to. His reply, "I pray to the God of common sense, Adria."

I planned for the drive well by printing fun travel games for the kids like road trip bingo and scavenger hunts (visit http://www.momsminivan.com/). I also laminated a map of the United States and outline our drive with numbers so the kids could follow along and know how far we had left to go. Whenever they asked where we were or the famous 'when are we going to get there?', I would simply refer them to their maps and say, "we're almost to number 3 ". That combined with hourly treats from the car treasure box the trip turned out to be quite manageable, no thanks to the God of common sense.

Here we are after our first half day and full night of driving. The kids had never done breakfast at McDonalds before. It definitely perked them up.

This giant sign on the front of a gas station in Nebraska made me laugh. "The Ultimate 9lb Overload Trucker Skillet. Free! if you can eat it in 1 hour - if not, it's only $45". I think I'd pay $45 just to NOT try.

Back with the brothers again. Andy challenged the brothers to a phone book ripping contest. Each man to his own. Andy success. Brad, still trying. Rob, browsing in the hardware store section.

Fun and Grandma Manns!

Fun at Liberty Park.

I love the way the pictures turned out with Mercedes' camera. The cannon D40. I'm determined to get one now.

Addie, Leiden and Maycie at the splash park at Liberty Park.

Gavin, Machara, Leiden, Addie and Max eating Popsicles and Grandma's.

Macdonald-Mann Family Photo.

Oops! Not quite ready in this one.

More of Mercedes camera in action. Check out that quick sequence.

Some fun shots of our breakfast cookout up in the mountains.

Bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes, hash browns, hot chocolate. Why is it that hot food taste so amazing in the great outdoors?

Rob and I took the kids up to Park City to ride the alpine slides. The tram ride up was my favorite part.

The girls also got to do the bungee chord harness. Addie is attempting a front flip.

Visiting Rob's dad's grave.

Cowabunga Bay water park.

Grandma and the kids crashed on the couch after the water park.

A trip to Utah wouldn't be complete without a haircut and color from my favorite cousin, Kristen. My mom met me there and we made a night of it.

The Annual Rabiger Reunion
Every year around Grandma June's birthday, the large clan of Rabigers congregate. It had been several years since I'd been to one, so we made a special point to be there.

Addie playing the piano for the family talent show.

The Barth-Robbins clan.

Addie dancing with Marmie.

Kristen and Adria

Cousins.

Marisa displaying her talent.

The Barth-Robbins Clan (minus Chad- we missed you)

Mom, Adria, Granma Rabiger, Liesl, Marisa

We did an early Father's Day celebration at Duke's. The kids loved swiming in the hottub with him.

Grandma and Grandpa Robbins and Aunt Liz came for the celebration, too.

The money house.

One of the highlights of the trips was going horseback riding at Grandpa Bunting's cabin. The girls got to ride by themselves without someone leading the horse around a ring. Addie couldn't get the horse to go fast enough. I think she pictured herself galloping down the dirt road gracefully as her hair streamed out behind her. Still, she had a wonderful time. Thanks Grandpa. You're the best

I LOVE this man! My grandpa is the truly one of the greatest people I know. He's always serving someone else. My fondest childhood memories have him in them; summer trips to Lake Powell where he took us fishing and water skiing bright and early when the water was like glass; trips to the cabin where we'd snowmobile or horseback ride; running out to his giant garden to collect fresh eggs or pick tomatoes and corn; holding the baby pigeons he raised and trained while watching him send up the adult pigeons to do their tricks; being pushed a mile high on the old tire swing under the ancient willow tree; him making my favorite breakfast, lumpy cream of wheat, when we came to stay; and just when I think I've heard all of his crazy stories he pulls out another one.

Grandpa's injury for the day. As we were leading in the horses to the cabin through the car window, one of the horses stopped and made Grandpa's hand slice along the top part of the car window. It was pretty nasty, but he saddled up the horses before he let me bandage it.

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The final leg of our trip was spent in Cedar City with Marmie, Papa and Aunt Marisa. This was Marisa's 2nd year playing the fiddle in the green show at the Shakespeare Festival. Since we were going to miss the real show, we got to see a rehersal. Marisa was charming-a real performer.