Summer Road Trip Part IV: The Baby and Utah (and the Baby!)

The best part of our trip to Utah was (of course!) meeting baby Adelaide Savitri Gale. She was born on July 8. She stole our hearts. Brie and Sam did a good job.

We were all able to hold her.

Savitri got to hold the baby and the fur baby! We are so grateful Brie and baby are well.

Grandma, Savitri, and I toured the Mrs. Cavanaugh's chocolate factory. The best part was the samples.

We also went to Herriman to visit Amanda and David. We met their sugar gliders, Pip and Bandit. Ben had to work most of the week.

He was able to take Friday off though, and Grandpa Lynn took us on a four-wheeler ride up Farmington Canyon to the radio towers. The weather was perfect and the view stunning.

We played lots of games and watched home improvement shows with Grandpa and Grandma. We love visiting them.

On Saturday we went to a festival in Ogden. There were so many fun street vendors and artists to see.

 Most of the family came over for dinner on Sunday to send us off. We leave on our three-day drive home tomorrow morning.

Summer Road Trip Part III: Fourth of July in Wyoming

 Lander lights up the sky for the 4th of July every year. We timed our visit to Edwin and Jennifer's house so we could see all the pyrotechnics coming from people's houses all over the city. In the morning, Savitri got to walk in the parade with her cousins James, Robert, and John. It was really hot.

Ben and Edwin got to go for a hike to the falls past Sinks Canyon and then go fishing later in the week. They went to a special fishing hole and caught about 50 each!

Savitri was living her best life getting to play with Sprite, Edwin's dog, and with her cousins. We also did a few crafts.

Anne taught us how to paint with bleach and we made some fun black shirts. Jen booked us an art night at a studio where we made some very cool fabric art. I really want to try it again.

We tried to go see a Native American dance show, but it got rained out after one dance. 

The best part of the week was the birth of our niece Adelaide Savitri Gale! She was born on July 8th, weighed 6 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21 inches long. Mostly she was just beautiful. Brie and Sam did a good job.

They wrapped her up in a blanket I made for her from Granny's yarn. We love our cute Adelaide.

Bruce continues to enjoy his time alone at home. So far a toilet broke and Aunt Susan helped him to fix it. Last night we found out that our upstairs air conditioner is out, so Bruce will have to help deal with that too.

Elder Butler is doing well and staying very busy in Payson, Utah. We can't wait for him to call us tomorrow on his P-day.

Summer Road Trip Part II: Idaho

 We drove to Mom's house in Shelley, Idaho, after the reunion and stayed with her for a week. It was nice to spend time with her without 50 other people there. She and Savitri set up her pickleball net and played picklball in the backyard. One night, Savitri got to have a sleepover with her cousins on Grandma's trampoline in the backyard, too.

Savitri and Ben went to a stained glass class with Jessica, our sister-in-law, and they made some awesome decorations.

One of my best friends lives in Eden, Idaho, a small town about two hours from mom's house. I got to go visit Jeralee in the old schoolhouse where she and her family live. They are in a constant state of renovation in their gorgeous old school. They even have a gym they can rollerskate in!

We were able to go to the Idaho Falls Temple with Rachel, Ben's sister, and her family to do temple work for deceased family members on the Finnish side.

I've always wanted to go to Mesa Falls, about an hour from Mom's house, but I haven't ever made it there until this trip. It was beautiful. 

On the way to the falls we were surprised to see Ben's sister Leonora and her family who we hadn't planned on seeing until Sunday! We were able to see them one last time at church on Sunday when Mom gave her missionary homecoming talk.

We stopped to feed the fish at the bottom of the falls. There were some huge trout!

Joseph, Ben's brother, invited us to the temple in Pocatello Falls and we were able to meet up with another of my good friends and her husband there. I went to both high school and college with Malynda. It was so good to see her.

The day before we left Mom's house we went for a walk with Rachel and her family on the green belt around Idaho Falls. The falls are manmade, but still lovely. 

We headed to Lander, Wyoming, the next day. It's a five-hour drive to Ben's brother Edwin's house. On the way there we stopped in Swan Valley. I've always wanted to make a stop at a place there that sells square ice cream scoops. I finally got to try one! It was very good but tasted just like the round scoops. Weird.

We drove through the beautiful Teton Mountans and Jackson Hole. We saw a herd of buffalo! We also saw signs warning of bears and of moose crossings, but we didn't see any moose or bears.

We arrived at our AirBnb in Lander to begin the next leg of our adventure. Things have been great so far. We are so blessed to have so much wonderful family living in such beautiful places.

Rohan is doing well and will possibly be transferred to a new area this week. We should be able to talk to him tomorrow to find out.