It's still weird

So, there are some things that no matter how often they have happened are still just a little bit weird to me, such as hugging another missionary you served with and going to the wedding reception of someone you used to babysit.

This weekend I got to do the latter of the two. Not only did I used to babysit the groom, but he was the baby of the family and all of his older sisters are married and have kids! Most of our family decided to make a weekend trip of it and traveled up to Payette, Idaho to attend the reception for Shawn Taylor. We knew their family in Berlin. It really was a fun trip.

Saturday morning we loaded up Mom and Dad's highlander and Russ and Shauntell's van and away we went. We stopped in Twin Falls for lunch at Applebee's, where Briley and Zach really hit it off. All I can say is the kids truly kept us entertained throughout the trip and they were such troopers with the long ride. We stayed at a hotel in Boise. This was Miss Briley's first time in a hotel. She was fine in the lobby, but, at least on Friday night she hated the room itself. She absolutely broke down, poor thing. We are pretty sure it was a combination of tired and not knowing where she was because in the morning she was back to her fabulous self and ready to explore all of our rooms. The other fun thing with her is she absolutely does not like swimming pools. We all took the time to play in the pool and hot tub, she just sat on Grandma's lap and did whatever she could to not get near the water.

The reception was beautiful. Like I said, it was just fun to see the family. Kathy (another friend from Berlin) was there and we got to play catch up with her as well. I hadn't seen her new husband since her wedding and that's been several years, so it was good to see him again as well. It's also fun for us to be able to show off our cute grandkids. (I did take my camera into the reception, but did not get any pictures of their family or the bride and groom. Not entirely sure why, but that's what happened.)

Sunday morning, after breakfast, we piled into the cars again to return home. Again we stopped in Twin Falls for lunch. We watched some bridge jumpers and were once again as we explained to Zach that the people with the parachutes were going to jump off the bridge. His immediate response was "Why?" I really can't say that any of the grown-ups had a good answer for that question! We tried a new place for lunch called Gertie's. If you need a place to stop in Twin Falls, this is to be recommended. It's a pizza place where they actually bring the pizza to you in a rotating fashion and the selection is phenomenal. I will admit that I didn't actually try to many - only the ham and pineapple and the taco (which was pretty good) and then the mudslide and apple cinnamon dessert pizzas. Here's the shocker. I think I actually enjoyed the fruit pizza more than the chocolate! Not entirely sure how that happened.

All in all it was a very fun weekend, but it was still good to get home and sleep in my own home.

Hope you enjoy the pictures:


Briley and Zach getting to know each other a little better. Like I said, they bonded in the restaurant. If they weren't cousins we might be a little worried about him being in her face, but she just laughed and laughed. We did have to keep reminding them that the people in the booth behind us did not need to be stared at!

Maya and Briley at the reception. Can you tell which one is actually a year older? They are best friends now. Maya kept telling me "We stickin' together." Good to know someone has your back.

Briley did finally decide she could handle the hotel rooms. Of course, sometimes you need some help to keep entertained. Good things Zach and "Ah-Gee" (we know her best as A.J.) like to entertain her. Everyone needs a story now and then.


Isn't this what you use the hotel luggage carts for? There was a maid cleaning the rooms who just kept laughing at our little monkeys. She told us she had been very well entertained.