Summer Vacation 2015: Utah

This summer we were super excited to spend one week in Texas with some of my family, and then we flew straight to Utah and spent about ten days with Shaun's family.  So here are the photos of our CALDERWOOD FAMILY REUNION!

We spent time with Shaun's parents, went to the kid's hands on museum at Thanksgiving Point, spent a day at BYU and visiting old friends, going to the old family cabin in the mountains, and Shaun even took Ella fishing with his dad.  We visited the new Payson Temple, and we spend time swimming at the Natural Hot Springs pool where Shaun's sister lives in Saratoga Springs.

These were taken the day we went swimming in Saratoga Springs.  Shaun and his sisters.  

Still mischievous as ever...

Grandma and Grandpa C with all of their grandchildren.  So very sweet!

My girls LOVED the pool with the natural hot springs.  I did too!  Who wouldn't love a pool that backs up to a lake, that backs up to a mountain, that is naturally the temperature of bath water year round.  It was glorious!  I'm not a big fan of Utah but if we were to ever move their I want to live near THIS very pool!  Here's my big girl Ella diving off the diving board.

And sweet Alex with his cousin, Ashlee

Amelia loved time with her grandpa C, and she had a lot of fun playing with her cousin, Carter

The Springs also made this nice warm river bed, so Shaun took Alex for a little dip after dinner

The girls love their big cousin, Maddie.  They played really well together.  Here they are "dancing" for grandma and I in their new unicorn swimsuits Grandma got them as "prizes"

Then one day we took the kids to the family property in Colesville, Utah (up in the mountains).  This is the land that Shaun's great grandfather (x's4) came and settled when he moved from Scotland.  His name was Alexander Earl.  The photo below (right) is what's left of the home he and his wife lived in during the summer months when they came up the mountain to farm.  And on the left the kids are sitting on old farm equipment used back before machines did a lot of the work.

One of the days I was looking forward to most was a day back at my old stomping grounds on the BYU campus.  It may not mean much to the girls now, but I want them to know how much this place means to me.  I have so many good memories of my time in college.  I met wonderful people who influenced my life permanently.  I am so proud of my alma-mater.  Ra-Ra-Ra-Ra-Ra... Goooo Cougars!

Even Alex got in on the fan fair with his BYU hat!

And speaking of BYU, I was so glad I got to see some of my old roommates from my BYU days.  I got to meet up with Emily and Veeda for lunch, and I decided we are just as hot as we were back then.  Seriously, I love these ladies.  That would be one other perk of living in Utah, being close to so many friends and family members, but I'm still not convinced.  Yes, BYU has a piece of my heart, but I'm not sure if any place would ever feel as much like home as my beautiful Virginia!  I suppose wherever you go you find home with the people you love and care about.  I'm just grateful for the wonderful memories I have of my time spent in Utah.  And it was wonderful to go back with my children and my husband and make new memories of our own!!

Here are some good shots of Ella's first fishing adventure with her dad, grandpa, and cousin

I took more photos in Texas and Utah but unfortunately my phone decided to bite the dust on the last day of our trip.  Unfortunately, there was no resuscitating it, so we lost everything unless I posted it to Facebook or it was taken with someone else's camera.  Thankfully I got all of the above photos just from other people.  Anyway, it was a great trip!  I hope we can do it at least ever other year, because it was wonderful to visit with all of our family and friends!