Utah, but not the wedding

I loaded up the car and headed out right after picking up Alex from school. We drove to Columbus, Montana and then got a really good night of sleep. It was hard to get everyone into the hotel without Sam but I packed an overnight bag so that helped. Sam was staying in Williston for a few more days of work before flying to Utah.

We got up early the next day and kept driving. I had to stop a few times to make myself wake up.

We got to Michelle's house in South Jordan at 5:30pm. We ate dinner and Alex was not a fan of the meatballs. While sitting at the dinner table, he threw up. My kids throw up at Michelle's house more than they do at my own. It felt like a repeat of Thanksgiving and I felt horrible.

Alex was feeling better the next day so we went to church. He fell asleep and I took Declan out to nurse him. Declan threw up all over me in the mothers' lounge.

We went home right in the middle of sacrament meeting. It was a pretty awkward exit as Michelle and I tried to carry a sleeping kid, a sick kid, two other kids, plus all of our stuff. We got home and the older boys played while Declan slept.

That night, some family members came over for dinner. It was delicious.

Grandpa & Grandma Hilton, Jared, Shelbey, Flannel, Sheldon, Michelle

We were at the table visiting for a long time and the boys went downstairs to play in the basement. Then Edison came up crying. And bleeding. Michelle has a trampoline in her basement. The basement floor is concrete. Edison decided to walk around the outside of the net. Keaton was jumping on the trampoline, bumped into Edison, and Edison fell onto a Lego on the concrete floor. I was debating whether or not to take him to InstaCare. It stopped bleeding and I wasn't sure he needed to go. I finally decided to take him in because the hole was pretty deep. While putting on Edison's shoes, Declan climbed up on me and vomited in my lap. I started crying. It seemed too much and I really wished Sam had come with us to Utah. Edison ended up needing two staples. $280.

On Monday, Declan was throwing up everything. I was really hoping the other boys wouldn't catch it.

We talked to Daddy because we missed him so much.

Michelle took Alex, Keaton, and Edison to the Grizzlies game while I stayed home and let Declan and Everett take naps. Once they woke up, we drove to the Maverik Center and watched Michelle play on the Grizzlies' ice in her hockey league. It was funny to sit next to Sheldon, a Canadian and avid hockey player, as he watched his wife play hockey. We all had a good time.

That night, Sheldon gave Michelle some tips on offense/defense positioning.

On Tuesday morning, we headed to Michelle's playgroup.

In the afternoon, I took Declan to the doctor because I thought he had an underlying ear infection. He had nothing and, of course, would not throw up in front of the doctor so we got sent home feeling like crazies.

Michelle and Sheldon are cub scout den leaders so I helped her get placemats ready for her scouts to decorate.

On Wednesday, Declan was still sick. He threw up every time I tried to breastfeed him. He had been on Pedialyte for two days and still wasn't keeping anything down.

Alex went to Joy School with Keaton in the morning and then in the afternoon we went to the airport to pick up Sam. Hallelujah!

We left the five boys with two babysitters and drove to Provo to go to an endowment session for Shelbey's live endowment. We barely made it in time and I am so glad we did. Declan didn't throw up at all while the babysitters had him but I was really worried about leaving him.

 On Thursday, Michelle and I chatted and cleaned while the cousins played.

Michelle and I went grocery shopping and Sam took the kids to play at the park.

The kids were totally wiped out every night from playing so hard every day.

Matthew, Laura, and Makenna pulled into town and we hung out while I wrapped the wedding gift for Flannel and Shelbey. I was pretty proud of myself because it was a giant box.

Friday was the wedding day but I will give that day its own post so it doesn't get blended into the vomitousness of this post.

On Saturday, Michelle and I took Declan and went to about 20 stores trying to find blue jeans that fit me. It was an unsuccessful trip. My body is lame. We gave up and went to Dawn's bridal shower. Dawn is marrying my cousin Dallin in May.

The shower was at The Mesa, the house my parents own next to BYU, where I lived for my first two years of college. It was fun to be back in the house again.

Dawn is a total sweetheart and I am excited for Dallin and Dawn's life together. I am sad we won't be able to make it to the wedding in St. George.

 Declan was a grump throughout the shower. I was way worn out from comforting him endlessly and I think he could tell.

It was mostly Dallin's side of the family at the shower and most of us had not met Dawn before. We all became fans of her though.

Justine, Declan, Michelle, Alyssa, Dawn, Sarah, Laura, Makenna, Brooke, Emily

Diana, Amber, Courtney, Bryant, Denae, Mariah Christina

Aunt Kirstan, Aunt Natalie, Madre, Dawn, Aunt LaRae, Aunt Nanette, Grandma Hilton

While we were at the bridal shower, Sam had taken Alex and Edison up to Layton to see his parents.

That night, we all headed over to Grandpa and Grandma Hilton's for leftover wedding food and extra visit time.

Makenna and Alex became really close cousins.

Is that Makenna's tongue or Alex's? Gross either way.

I am trying to be better about getting pictures with grandparents. I love these two.

On our way back to South Jordan, we stopped at the InstaCare and got Edison's staples removed. It was pretty horrible and he cried. They came out worse than they went in.

Early Sunday morning, we started the drive home. Declan had a blazing fever but didn't vomit again. He saves that stuff for Michelle only. We got back to Williston at 1:30am and tried recovering from the doozy of a "vacation" we had just survived.