Jam-Packed Weekend

We just got back from a very busy, but very productive weekend in sunny AZ. My siblings and I have been planning a little surprise celebration for the parent's 30th anniversary. We decided it would be fun to take them to dinner and then my sister put together a video that highlighted the last thirty years of their lives. It was a rally fun night!! 

My parents knew we were coming for the weekend, but they thought we were leaving on Friday after Jeremy got off work, but really we left on Thursday night and stayed with my sister Ashley and her husband David, so we could be there for the dinner. 

We spent Friday hanging out with Ashley playing at the park and running a few errands. It was really strange and I felt guilt only being about a mile away from my parents and them not having a clue. I knew they would be dying once they knew we were there for a whole day without seeing them. The kids were really anxious to see them, but they loved the idea of a surprising them.

Ashley had called my parents up a few days before and asked if they would go to dinner with her and David on Friday night because they had a gift card they wanted to use, but little did my parents know we would all be there waiting for them when they arrived. It was really fun surprising them. My mom is really hard to surprise and we were sure she knew something about it but she insists she knew nothing and couldn't believe we pulled it off. We ate yummy pizza and salads and then ran to grab the kids who were staying with a babysitter and headed back to my parents house for dessert and the video. It was so fun to watch and reminiscing about the good old days.  I am so grateful for my parent's example of a great marriage. I  appreciate so much growing up in house where I was secure in knowing that no matter what my parents would never get divorced and we would ALWAYS be an eternal family. They are amazing people and I am so blessed to have been part of most of the last 30 years with them. 

Sadly this is the best picture we got of the day.

Saturday was also an amazing day. My little sister Amanda has put her missions papers in and got special permissions to go through the temple while we were there. I was so grateful it worked out we could go. It was such a neat experience. I don't know anyone who was as ready as Amanda was. She has such an amazing respect and reverence for the temple and it was an amazing experience to be there to support her. 

Then on Sunday, my brother Adam blessed his new baby girl Nykelle in church. He did a great job with the blessing and she slept perfect through the whole thing. Kylie loves having a new girl cousin to even out the numbers a little bit and my parents are loving this grandparent thing. By the end of the year two more will be added and they will have just as many grandkids as they have kids. 

With what little time we had left between all we had going on we spent doing the things we love to do while we visit. We swam in the hot tub, hung out by the pool, shopped, drank Grandma's delicious green smoothie, ate great meals and had a good time hang out with everyone. 

It was packed weekend, but we accomplished a lot in our short three days there and I couldn't be more grateful we could be there for experience it all with my family. I think the next time we will see most of these guys will probably be when our baby girl is born and there is no doubt I am excited about that!!