McCartney Family Vacation 2014

I'm not even sure how to start the record keeping of our trip with ALL of the McCartneys to Utah and Idaho this summer.  It feels a bit overwhelming but I really want to make sure I get it all down on this blog before I forget all the little moments (good and bad-that-will-eventually-start-getting-funny).  It was really a fantastic time together and it is the last time we will all be together again for the next 2 years.  Mike's parents are about to leave for a 23-month mission to Russia and I am so grateful that we were able to spend this time with them and his siblings and their spouses and kids before they leave.  I'm sure this will be broken up into a few posts but lets start off with this first...
I am soooo thankful for this man and how much he loves me and our children.  He works his cute butt off so that we are happy and can do fun things and I hope he knows how eternally grateful I am that he is mine...we really enjoyed each other on this trip as well as the rest of our family and so many great memories were made...LOVE him!

And now, we'll go in chronological order.  If you know how I am, you know I'm a planner.  Whether I am a good one or not is debatable.  I started prepping for this trip months ago, making lists and thinking of anything and everything I might to travel with 3 little kids.  One thing I've learned is that I probably over-planned, which is better than under-planning but still, next time, I'll try to be more simplistic.  We didn't fly out until 6:38 Thursday evening so I was still getting things ready the day of our departure.  Jillian had the right idea though, am I right?...cute baby!

 I worried and worried about Susanna getting a nap that day because I knew we'd be leaving our house to head to New Orleans right around nap time.  I figured it could go a couple of ways..1) she would fall asleep in the car on the way and wake up when we got there, giving her a shorter nap than usual but still a nap and if this girl misses a nap, look out because around 6:00 pm she becomes a monster! 2) she would be too excited to sleep knowing we were heading for the airport, therefore missing a nap completely and becoming that little monster on the plane.   I am happy to report that she fell asleep 15 minutes before arriving at the airport, stayed asleep when I transferred her to the stroller, and she slept for about 40 more minutes.  She usually naps for about 2 1/2 hours but at least 1 hour would be enough...and it was!  Yay!

 She and Avery became best buds on this trip, starting here.  Avery and Drew typically stick together and Susanna follows them around like a puppy, but I think their little age gap of 9 months is finally closing in!  They are the cutest!

 Is that a smile from Drew?!  What?!  On camera?!  This kid is so anti-pictures that you'll see, this one is rare!  I feel guilty saying this about Jillian compared to her brother and sister, but she is an angel baby.  She only cried on the plane when we were landing in Denver and I'm pretty sure it was because of the pressure on her ears.  Other than that...perfect!

 We got to Alpine UT pretty late that night and so the next day we took it easy.  Not far from the house, there is this little reservoir/dam thing that creates this really clear and cold little stream to play in.  On the way, we found this nice little gem of a deer leg!  Drew and Caleb didn't know what to make of it, Drew even picked it up.  With his hands...yes.  Yikes!

 Mike and Ethan did the "polar bear plunge" into the ice water...this water was FREEZING!

After this adventure we went back to the house to shower and get ready for family pictures.  As I said, we knew we wouldn't all be together again until Mike's parents get home from their mission, these were essential!  Drew decided long ago that he did not want to take family pictures so I knew it wouldn't be easy to get him on board.  And...I was right.  We did get some good ones though...I love this family!

 and this girlie...

 and these girls...

 and this guy...

 Mike's parents and siblings...

 with the spouses...

 doesn't this look fun?  I was not set on taking one of the 5 of us anyway, I knew it would be more trouble than it was worth to me so shortly after this picture was snapped I declared us done.  Thankfully, because Susanna had to potty, there wasn't one, so as Mike walked off with her to go behind a bush, she dropped her leggings in the middle of the field and peed all over her leggings and undies.  OF COURSE her extra pair were still in our carry-on and not my diaper bag so she had to wear a size 3 diaper to Cafe Rio afterward...amazing...

and because this girl is most of the time what brings me back to a sane and happy place these days...lets get a close up of this sweet face!!!

And during the big family picture Drew escaped and Andy had to chase him down, couldn't catch him at first which made Drew giggle with total glee and run even faster...it was NOT comical at the time but the more I think about it...nope, still not funny yet!  It was the worst family picture experience for us to date...

We took this picture at Cafe Rio to commemorate the 10 (TEN, people!) year anniversary of our first date.  Little did we know, Mike had blowout baby poop all over his shirt.  Who'd have thought this is where we'd be a decade later ;)  I love it!

That night after the kids had been asleep for a while we tried to download our Hulu app to watch a show, Mike couldn't find his debit card...but then he did.

 And that was just day 1 of our Utah/Idaho trip this year!  Why do we even call it vacations when we have little kids?!  Since we've been home and I've had more time to think about it, I really do love where we are in our life right now.  Sometimes I want to cry but most of the time, I am laughing or smiling at the silly things we get to deal with every day.  I could not have asked for a better 10 years, could never have dreamed up a sweeter life for us and I understand even more why the Lord doesn't put us in total control.  He knows so much better!