The Worst Trip Ever!

My mom planned a family reunion with her brothers and sisters. I was nervous about taking my 2 babies on such a long trip and with good reason. It turned out to be the worst trip ever. This is not to say we were unappreciative of everyone who was willing to help or that we didn't have a good time and have good memories. There was just no getting around the fact that 2 crazy ladies traveling 22 hours (28 for Kelli) worth of road (who knows how long that can take) with 3 babies is bound to be difficult. Let me tell you about it though.

It started with Kelli and Damon coming to our house. Damon and Cooper are starting to seem closer and closer in age. I'm pretty sure they're going to be buddies. Things were ready to go when they got here. Both Kelli and I were impressed with how calm things started out. We are used to things being CRAZY before we go on trips. We are trying to be more organized so we can feel more relaxed as we get on the road. I think we were both so nervous for this trip that we made sure to have everything super ready.



We left at about 6:00 PM with our fingers crossed that all 3 babies would sleep for as much of the trip as possible. We ended up making an unplanned stop in Kanab around 8:30, but it was perfect. I fed the babies on the grass of a hotel there and they were ready for the night. After Damon stopped stealing their binkies and putting his feet in their faces they slept for most of our trip. At around 2:30 we stopped for the night at a lodge my mom was able to get in Pine Top. It was a really nice condo and a beautiful area. It was great to get a few hours of "sleep" in a comfy bed (I don't sleep well when my babies are in the same room as me).

We got up, made pancakes, Kelli went for a run as she was training for the half marathon I was supposed to run and then we were on the road again for the last leg of our trip.
A few hours later we arrived at Los Alamos Ranch. It was a little place made up of a whole bunch of little cabins that were built ages ago and recently renovated. They were sufficient, but the first night had us excited to get back to our own beds and it got worse from there.

We tried to put the babies in the same pac and play as that was all we had room for. Cooper, however likes to roll and kick and...well, I had one baby in bed with me most of the time.

The weather was BEAUTIFUL the whole time we were there. Here's aunt Kelli with Kenna Baby.

My aunt Rachel helped out a lot with the babies. Actually, I don't know that there was an adult there who didn't help out with the babies.

Me and Kenna Baby (we really didn't spend the whole time in those chairs).

We went on a hike they call the cat walk. It was super pretty and one of the highlights of the reunion. We even got to walk over one of those extended bridges like you see in the movies. It was an interesting experience with a broken toe, but well worth it.

Both babies fell asleep.

From left to right that's me with Cooper, my uncle Aaron, aunt Pam, my cousin Trace holding Kennedy, my brother Rory, Kelli with Damon, aunt Noni, and uncle Jim.

This is us in front of our happy little cabin. It was the only cabin in our area that had a working porch light. That meant we were the lucky ones to get all of the bugs. One night we had uncle Grtarantula a baby scorpion for us. The next night we had 2 more scorpions and a HUGE tiranchula followed by a moth so big it was mistaken for a bat by multiple people. The spider actually put Kelli over the edge. If we didn't have 3 sleeping babies inside the cabin I'm sure she would have insisted we pack up and go home early. They say this was Billy the Kid's cabin.

When it comes right down to it, we are very glad we went. We were able to see some family that we haven't seen in a long time. It was the first time me and all of my siblings have been together in year. And I'm pretty sure it meant the world to my mom that we were willing to make the effort. The time away would have been better with our husbands, but experiences like this just help you appreciate what you have.