Memorial Day Weekend 2008

In spite of some almost winter like weather, our traditional Memorial Day celebration in Denver ended up being a great family trip.

Like all holiday weekends, time off was hard to come by and Jay had to work all day Friday. We decided to drive part way to Rock Springs that evening...stay in a hotel with a pool so the boys could swim and have less of a drive the next day which would leave plenty of time to get to Denver Saturday afternoon for the Rockies/Mets game. Unfortunately, like every time anything is planned on a Friday night, Jay got slammed at work and we couldn't leave until after 7:00 pm. Luckily, I never told the boys the pool at the hotel was open for 24 hours and we simply checked in...changed into pajamas and shushed Henry for the next hour until he finally gave up and went to sleep.

One of the things I put down on any "about me" lists is that I love to travel. While I wouldn't consider myself a liar, I have to admit that I only partially like to travel with children. It's so difficult to consider every need, every weather condition, every accessory that makes an outing less...hard. I swear I checked the weather forecast before I left, but there was nothing in the forecast that included 30 degree weather with snow showers. So, I foolishly packed for late May weather...shorts and t-shirts.

37 degrees!

Just some snow covered barrenness to look at on the way.

And what are my kids dressed in? Appropriate summer clothes, of course.

The drive down to Denver was windy and frigid. We had our heat on in the car! Thankfully, the weather warmed up considerably the further south we went and the baseball game was actually hot. Being fully prepared for hot, we slopped on the sunscreen and watched the Rockies get destroyed by the Mets in the first inning. Not the most exciting game to watch, but it's always fun to go to a Major League game, in my opinion. Henry was good for most of it, but needed a stretch long before the 7th inning so we headed over to the "kids area". Lamest thing I've ever seen. They make how many millions of dollars each game and they can't even install something with two slides? As Henry has never known how to share....or how to wait for his turn....or how not to push when someone is in your way...he was causing some bedlam of his own and we shortly left this nightmare.

Notice Henry's position in line.

Do you recognize any of the other kids from the previous position? Henry is fussing here because I scolded him for pushing so many people out of the way.

But what does getting scolded matter if you get your way in the end? All smiles and poor orange t-shirted boy still hasn't gone.

Even Henry felt the situation got a little hairy at times. But, there's always pushing to get where you need to go.


We had great seats for the game. Near first base!

Dad and older brothers got new Rockies hats for the game.

Henry thankfully fell asleep after the play structure fiasco. This was a self-portrait. I never intended to self-portrait my bosom, but to get the sleeping babe, there was just no way around...it.

We stopped to eat at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant on the way to Jay's brother, Rex's, house. So good. And they even understood what gluten free meant so Jay could eat too.

On Sunday, we went to Rex and Bekki's ward and I met another blogger, Kari. It's that crazy, small, blogging world that amazes and slightly terrifies me, but she was adorable and fun to meet. You can't do your best gabbing at church, so the conversation was short, but it was still fun to meet her. Their meeting was unbelievably sad and touching as a 12 year old girl from the ward had been killed in a car accident on Friday night. The temple president and matron were there to speak, not because of that but just due to incredible timing and tender mercies, and the music and talks had me, who didn't know this family at all, in tears.

Later that afternoon, our old friends from Medical/Dental school, came over for dinner. Seth and their eldest, were only two months apart so we had frequent play dates together. Now Jason serves on the High Council with Rex and circles of friendship continue to overlap and weave together. I was finally introduced to Dance Dance Revolution and my eyes were opened to the fun and joy of that game. We had a great time.

I'm so buying the game!

Seth and Dallin. If I was in the mood to create a mess, I'd find some older pictures of these two together when they were two and younger. Both have grown up to be cute boys.

Monday was race day. Jay, Rex and my nephews, Michael and Jacob, left early due to their early start times and I drove Bekki, Erin and Seth over as they didn't start for nearly two hours later. Unfortunately, I got lost on the way and Seth missed his start time so he began at the same time as Bekki and Erin. Jay ran his 10K in 45 minutes and then "jogged" back to the start line (about two miles) and then walked/jogged the 10K again with Seth. They did it together in 1 hour and 42 minutes and Jay was very sore that night and the next day. He's barely been training for the 10K and his body was not used to 14 miles.

Jay and Seth finishing the race!

I watched in the stands but was miserable because it....was....freezing! I would have much preferred walking the whole thing but as strollers are not allowed, I knew it would be too hard for Sam and knew I couldn't emotionally coax him into finishing while packing Henry (who for certain would have spent most of the time trying to work his way out of the backpack). Normally we stay for the Memorial Day tributes, which is my favorite part, but after a couple of hours of being cold, me and the little kids had had enough and we left. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing and playing games.

Rex and Bekki's family after the race

Jay and Seth with their goody bags.

A goofy picture with Sam, who kept himself warm with Jay's jacket.

I'm cold. But Henry sure look cute peeking out of his cover.

Tuesday we had planned on spending the entire day at Elitch Gardens, an amusement park, but it was cold and rainy again so we stayed at Rex and Bekki's all day and tie-dyed shirts and played games. Tie-dye has never been my favorite look, but it was so much fun to choose the colors and design that I love all of our shirts. Jay thinks he looks like a Ronald McDonald on crack, which he kind of does, but at least we could always find him should he get lost:)

Rex bought several bags of donuts the morning we left. Guess who was in sugar heaven?

Just a few more for the road.

We decided to wear our new shirts home. Hey...the family that tie-dyes together stays together!:)

The drive home on Wednesday was long. Interstate 80 is jam packed with truckers so it feels like you're traveling on a two lane highway. They always feel the need to start passing another semi on some hill, but then, of course, can't actually pass them and I end up following a truck at 40 mph up a hill. Despite the frustration, we made it home just in time for Salt Lake's rush hour and to our house where my mom had a hot ham dinner waiting for us.

We were the only family members to make it to Denver this year and hope more manage to make it next year. It's a great tradition and one we hope survives for years and years.