Another Trip to Happy Valley

Thanks to the ever awesome website airfarewatchdog.com we scored some way cheap tickets to Utah. We got to meet baby Jack and celebrate Alan's 60th birthday. Funny story--Josh has a bear that he takes EVERYWHERE! We went to the hospital to eat lunch at the Pink Shop with my Dad, and of course Mr. Bear had to come. (Mr. Bear even ordered a milkshake!) Well, it was time to leave and Mr. Bear was nowhere to be found. I'm not sure who was more devastated, me or Josh. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Pink Shop, it is also the hospital gift shop. So I am searching through all the gifts and millions of stuffed animals. I come to the teddy bear display, and who do I see sitting proudly amidst all the other bears? That's right, our Mr. Bear. I guess someone saw him on the floor and figured he belonged with all the other bears--although he is so very filthy that I can't imagine anyone mistaking him for a new toy!


Sunday we celebrated Alan's bday with a very yummy dinner, and of course, Cars decorations. The kids were especially fond of the party hats and the balloons. There was Chaos everywhere, and everyone had a great time.




We went Bowling at good old Jack and Jill's with the Cornell clan. As it did require exerting a certain amount of physical energy, Halle hated it. Along those same lines, Josh LOVED it. He had the best time trying to carry his own ball and then pushing it down the kiddy ramp. Josh must be destined to be a great bowler because his score tied Landon's, and Landon was on the bowling team in HS!




We also got to attend the Open House for the Draper Temple with Grandma and Grandpa Banks. It was fun to take the kids (Well, it was fun to take Halle, Josh we could have left home). Halle especially loved the Brides room. She loved spinning in front of the full length mirror. We got to talk a lot about the importance of temples and you could see that it really hit home with Halle. On the other hand, every time we drove past the Mt. Timp Temple Josh would say, "There's the Temple! We can't climb on it."


Other fun events included going to breakfast at IHOP, playing for hours in the hot tub, playing Go Fish about a million times, Halle having a sleepover with Grandma Banks, and Halle making everyone come to her room and listen to Scripture Scouts (anyone else remember these from when they were a kid??)