Family & Friends... What we treasure most

So I regret that I didn't get any photos with my friend Jen Garbett and her cute kids when they visited us a few weeks ago. The minute I saw her I realized how much I miss her.  She took some family pictures in the Canyon for us and we enjoyed a much too short visit.  But I will take what I can get.  The next morning she left and the kids and I said goodbye to daddy who left for China.  It was such a hard goodbye.  Him and I both cried.  It has been so busy the past few weeks and so we have not had much quality time together.  That next day we went to church and then we hurried to the airport to pick up Sunnee who is part of our family.  Our families became so close while we lived there and so she saved her money to fly out and see her "aunt" Tricia.  We figured it out and it had been over 3 years since we had last been together.  I put some funny teeth in and a wig and ran up to her.  It was so funny to see her reaction.  She told me that she was thinking "wow Sister Wilson has really changed"...  

(I still can't believe I did that).

Sunnee pulled out this hat that her brother made for Preston.  Josh and Preston were best buddies. Thanks Josh!!!  We are very excited when their family will join Sunnee in a week.

Look at these sweet "Cousins"...

Morgan left for girls camp and the rest of us went to Nephi Utah for the Ute Stampede.  This is something that I remember as a child and I wanted my kids to have the same memories.  My grandparents have a second home there and so we met them down there along with my parents and we had such a great time.

The Pool is being remodeled and it is going to be awesome.  I am excited to go and enjoy it a few more times this summer.  Hopefully with my hubby:)

We all loaded up in the van and papa took a back seat:) and headed onto main street for the parade.

The kids were anxiously waiting...

My mom and her cousins...  

My mom spent many of her younger years spending time in Nephi.  She recently took me around and shared many of her childhood memories with me.  I love to hear the stories and to spend time with my mom.  She is such a bright spot in my life.  

Sure do love her.

This rodeo was pretty boring.  All horses and horses and more horses.  My grandpa warned me that all we would see was a lot of horses butts:)  Well...  I must admit he was right on!

Sofie was so nervous about their being some clowns that it took her sister NEE NEE to get her to sit on the curb.  She was not quite sure what to expect.

From the parade we headed to the carnival and rodeo.  Grandma Joy loves the rides.  I was so thankful that her and Papa came up to help me out.  There is no way I could have done this on my own.

So all of a sudden you see this in the sky...  The song "Proud to be an American" starts.

This guy lands in the arena and then the troops run out and they spread this flag!  I was covered in goose bumps.  It was AMAZING!

Papa's face shows just how emotional it was.  I love this man.  He is so tender and so giving of self.  He is so good to me and to my family.  Did I mention how thankful I was that they were there???

SO THANKFUL!

As soon as the Rodeo started Sofie spotted the clown and then it came running across the arena and was headed our way and she FREAKED out!!!  I had to rush out because she was screaming, and climbing all over me.  I couldn't get her back in there for the life of me.  Syd and I traded off.  Syd was so sweet to help me.  At one point I had Sofie asleep and when I tried to sneak back in she popped her head up and again FREAKED out.  

The funniest thing was when I looked up and saw my cousin Nicole and her hubby there.  

So fun to see them:)  They even saved our seats while we went on a few rides before it started.  

Thanks Nicole...

After the rodeo we went on some rides.  We went on one that went all the way in a circle and then stopped at the top as we dangled.  Preston was with me and I thought surely we were going to die.  I was terrified.  My mom and Sydney were across from us and they were screaming and I was just praying that the ride would stop.  I was pretty much done after that.  Sofie had heard us and so the funniest thing was when she got off the Caterpillar ride she said "That was so scary. Don't do it"!  

We all cracked up.  

The next morning we headed to breakfast.  While waiting we found this T-shirt that said

 "Life is just perfect with Papa around"!  I had to get a photo of this.

My grandparents don't get around as easy as they used to but they sure enjoy taking their family to breakfast any chance they get.  My kids don't get to do this very often so it was a real treat for them.

Sunnee was so cute to watch.  She LOVED this little Utah town.  She loved the rides at the carnival and went on all the scary ones.  My mom had to go with her because Syd and I were too chicken after the upside down ride.  She had never experienced a rodeo and so that was a little boring because she didn't know what they were really doing.  She is such a crafty girl and was excited for the craft booths.  She said "that craft show was amazing. If I had $400 dollars I would have spent it all there"!

Then it was time for hugs and kisses so we could get home to Morgan who was returning from girls camp.

Good Bye's are always hard...

One last pose with some Cowboy hats!!!

Yee haw!!!

We got home and hugged our Morgan. Unloaded the van and took it for a wash when my phone rang and my brother Tyler called to get my address so he and his cute family could come say hi on their way to Park City.

Sofie was so happy to see her favorite cousin Addie!

Uncle Tyler had these girls cracking up.

So fun to spend time with them and go to dinner.  

That next day we had Aunt Shelly and her kids for a quick sleep over.  We went to the mall before heading off for a birthday party for our friend Brigham who moved here from Oklahoma.

Look who was there...  Jasia!!!  Our friend from Oklahoma that our kids ADORE...

Kayler came with us because he wasn't going to let Preston go without him.  I have to tell the cutest story about this boy.  On the way home from the party the boys were being silly in the back and making the seat go up and down.  I was really running out of patience and saw a police man and pulled in to where he was.  I told the boys I was going to tell the police man.  That got them to stop and then just as we pulled into the neighborhood Kayler says "Aunt Tricia, sorry I was being such a butt head".  I then said "it's ok butt head" and we all cracked up!

These two are trouble together...

But these two are nothing but sweet!!!

And for these two...  

One is sweet and one is trouble:)

So fun to have Sunnee with us!!!

My niece Aspen and her hubby Derek also came this weekend and stayed with us.  I love this picture.  Look at Sofie as Derek gives her a big kiss.  She was almost blushing...  Derek plays the piano and was entertaining all of us with his talent.

My girls love Aspy...  and so do I.  

I especially love watching her as a mother because she was like my own as a baby.  It makes me realize how I am going to feel when my girls become moms because when I watch her with her baby boy my heart just melts...  silly but true!  She is such a good mom.

Baby Tucker is the cutest thing ever!!!  We fight over him.  

So fun to have them stay with us. 

 It has been a very busy few weeks with family and friends but I am so thankful to be back in Utah so we can enjoy what we treasure most!