last time i went home...

I went to visit my family in Utah a couple of weekends ago, and it was kind of fantastic. I just adore my family, and they make me feel so loved.

I left for Brigham City on, I think, May 3, and that morning, Vance called me. When I picked my my cell before work that morning, I heard Janie's voice say, "No Idaho for Gina!" I guess she had been talking about me a lot the week preceding my visit, and she woke up and I was the second person she asked for (after her mother. How does that make me feel? Pretty fantastic, is what!).

When I got home that evening, I went for a walk to check out the progress on the Temple in B-to-the-righam with Brent, Abby and Jane. As we approached the Temple, Janie exclaimed (as she perched on my shoulders), "Gina needs to get married!" I laughed so hard. And I totally agree with my sweet little (not-yet-three-year-old) niece. What a little darling she is, right?

On Friday, I hung out with Vance, Jane, and Brent while everybody else was at work. That evening, Mom and Dad went to L-town to babysit Aaron and Amy's boys while they went on a date; Vance, Abby, Jane and I met up with them at what we call The Duck Park, and Goose and his cute family joined us there as well. Which means I got to see all of my nieces and nephews, which makes for a pretty fantastic weekend...

And then...etc., etc., I had a nice, long weekend with my family.

It was so lovely.

And now: PICTURES!

right after her "gina needs to get married" comment :)

jane giving a rare cuddle to uncle brent

i made some delish brown sugar crackle cookies while chilling with vance, jane, and brent

at breakfast, jane tried a bite of lime, and this was her sour face.
vance and i laughed good and hard at this picture.
what makes this story even better is that she went back for another bite of lime!

my sweet kaylee j at the duck park

kayleebug enjoying her swing

totally bummed that i cut off the top of his head in this picture...
but will you get a load of that cute, smiley face of my emmett?!
I LOVE HIM!

seth was kind enough to stop the feeding of the ducks for a quick photo op for his aunt gina

marshall also obliged me with a handsome smile

best buds (but don't they look dodgy in this picture? heh heh)

oh, emmett...

me and kaylee saying goodbye after dinner at rumbi.
her goodbye kiss tasted of teriyaki. and dirt.

I'm totally bummed I didn't get a picture of my handsome mister Jackson; he was busy spinning like a madman on the merry-go-round at The Duck Park. It totally made me dizzy just watching all the sensory-seeking kiddos spin to their hearts' content. Oy...

I'll try to post about Moab sooner than later...