Little pieces of Heaven: One week Vacation...more than just a vacation

Where do I even start? Well, I believe I'll start at the beginning when we were just starting to leave for our vacation. But before I begin, I will say this, I had never thought that this vacation would go the way that it did.
It was Saturday and we were all getting our bags packed and ready. We had one big luggage bag for Skyler and I and 2 medium ones for all 4 kiddos (two would fit in each). We had our bathroom bags (yes, 2) and we had 1 take along bag each for Ky and moo and then a tractor/dinosaur bag for moans and bug. Then we had an ice chest with drinks and cold food and then two green bags with groceries in them). We had out temple bags and church clothes as well. We had two bags for Nikki with us too. We got everything ready that night and packed our traverse up. How we got everything in there, I have no clue! Just thinking right now about the space that our traverse has and the amount of stuff we were taking for a whole week... its crazy that we fit everything in! But we did, very snuggly.
SUNDAY...we started driving up, left around 10am. The drive there wasn't so bad at all. The kids were pretty calm except for a few of moans and bugs conversations whenever a diesel truck would pass, "No my diesel truck!"... "No! My diesel truck!!"... "No! MINE!" It was comical, but their voices are so high pitched when they get like this...our ears would ring. We stopped by my dads work to pick up some money for some fresh Honey my grandpa was giving them and then drove up, stopping only a few times to stretch and eat and go potty. We got to Grandma Jackmans house around 6pm Utah time and ate dinner there. After dinner we took the kiddos to the park. We had found a pretty neat park with twisty rides and a little zip line for the kids! The first night the zip line didn't work, but the second night it was up and fixed. The kids enjoyed it sooo much! We didn't get to bed till after midnight because the 2 little ones slept the last 2 hours of the ride up.
MONDAY... after getting a few hours of sleep (I think my fit bit told me about 4, which sounds about right), I got up and I ran. I ran 3.5 miles around grandma's area and then got back and I got ready and then we all ate breakfast, helped grandpa pull out a big old oleander root, showered and then took Kysen to his (LAST) Neurologist appointment. I knew Kysen didn't need his meds anymore and his Doctor agreed and so after assessing him and making sure that he was good, He said we can wean him off of his ONFI. As of today, he is completely done with his meds, his neurologist said that he doesn't have to see him again unless new complications arise. I can't even tell you how extremely happy I am...how happy we ALL are!! Its been one crazy road of trial and error, happiness and sadness. Let me tell you though, Kysen is one very tough cookie! I admire his strength. Then we went to go take Grandma and Grandpa out for dinner. That night we went to the same park as the night before and played there for a couple of hours.
TUESDAY... We got all of our things packed up, and then headed over the the Sera pool/splash pad park. There, we met up with one of my best friends Rachelle and her little kiddos. I love the saying 'old friendships never die'. We have been friends since 1st grade(23 years!). When we get together, it's like we didn't even skip a beat, even though it may have been few years since we last seen each other.
We spent a few hours there and then we went to a big park (didn't have any playground but lots of green luscious grass that we all ran around on. Skyler and Kyen walked the park like 4 maybe 5 times (it was a HUGE park) and the kids and I chased each other around. It was so much fun!
We then headed to my aunt Marcie's house and met up with some more family. My Cousins Tanner, Jake, Keith & Dara (Keith's beautiful wife) their two little kiddos were there. Aunt Marcie made burritos for dinner for everyone and then we all just sat, talked, and caught up. It was really great to see everyone. Tanner stayed the night but my other cousins left.
WEDNESDAY... The next morning, I got up with Grandpa Yorgason & Tanner and we went to the Gym to work out. Tanner and Grandpa did weights the whole hour we were there. I did weights for about 30 minutes and then ran the treadmill for 15 and the elliptical for another 15 minutes. FELT SO GOOD TO WORK OUT... IN THE COOL AIR!
Later that day, we found the Tree House Museum. Every one of my kids absolutely loved that place. We could have spent all day there. If you are ever up that way and have a little bit of time, you should go. There's all sorts of different areas. Kids can play music, there's a farm/rodeo area, trains, baby dr room (kylie was all OVER this one!!), and there was a Mideval Times area where all the kids loved to play! That night we met up with Jenn and Nikki (she went to hang out with her sister Tuesday night) and did $1 bowling. When we got back that, there was the best lightning storm going on above us and sleeping in the sun room, we got to see it from all windows. It was pretty neat!
THURSDAY... LAGOON!!! My goodness, this was such a fun day! I took the boys and Skyler took Kylie (kyen wasn't into the huge rides). The best part of that day? Skyler convincing me to ride the Canninble! Yep, I rode that baby and let me tell you, it is so much better than the Collasas. I was so scared, but when we went down the first drop, I yelled to Skyler "THANK YOU BABE!!!" The sun was setting when the doors opened before we dropped. It was so beautiful!
FRIDAY... Everyone slept in and I started my day running up in fruit heights. OH. MY. GOSH. That was intense! But felt so good! There are so many hills up there! I got back to Aunt Marcie's house and packed up. Angie and Larry met us there and once we got all of our stuff picked up and packed and said our good byes, we headed out to the train museum. Let me tell ya, they have some pretty neat museums up in the SLC area. These trains had real history and it was so cool to see them! After that we went to Texas Road House and had the best waiter there (it's always a good visit when we go there!) After that, we checked in our hotel and spent the night there.

SATURDAY... THE BEST DAY YET.

The stay in that hotel was pretty awesome. We got all ready and headed down to eat breakfast. The ladies incharge of breakfast helped Skyler and I get our family food. She helped Skyler with the waffels and syrup, and helped with pretty much anything we needed. Sweetest lady! There was also a balloon guy there for the kiddos, and he ws pretty cool. Kysen kept calling him Santa because he had this big white beard. He was so sweet too.

After breakfast we headed up to the hotel room. The kids stayed with Don and Nikki while Angie, Larry, Jenn, Skyler, & I headed to the temple. Skyler, Jenn, and I got there first and headed in. I wont go into much detail, but while there in the temple, I had such a neat experience, as did Skyler. There was so much peace to be felt in that sealing room and the things I have been struggling with became crystal clear in the temple that day. I didn't go there looking for any answers at all. I went there to simply support Talon and his beautiful bride. But we came out knowing what we needed to do. And that was the most beautiful blessing Heavenly Father could have given us.

That evening we went to the reception and had a blast!

This whole vacation was the best and I will never regret taking time away from our day in/day out routine just to spend time with my family and gain the knowledge that both Skyler and I obviously needed.

We left Overton Sunday morning, not knowing how this vacation would turn out. We came back that following Sunday, not wanting to come back.

School is approaching fast, and I know that we will get caught up in the sports, the school work, our Jobs, making sure that our laundry gets done (seriously though, that becomes last priority when life gets busy), making sure baths/showers are done, scriptures, prayers, a decent bed time...and so on. This vacation was more than just a vacation. It was time that we all needed to learn, to grow, to become closer. Life is so good, even when its bad, it is so good.