REWIND: Chicago Trip

Back in August we flew to Chicago to spend time with my family.  Brandon had to go to Naperville for work, so we decided it would be a good time to get all four of us there at once.  We flew in on a Thursday and spent a couple of fun days at my brother David's house playing with my niece and nephew Evelyn and Isaac (and their toys!) before surprising my folks at E & I's birthday party on Saturday.  Mom and Pop had no idea we would be there and they were definitely surprised!  I wish we had better pictures of their faces when they came in and were greeted by an enthusiastic Gavin.  Brandon could only stay for a few days but the kids and I stayed on until Wednesday. It's not often we get all of us in one place at the same time, so we made sure to get a "Wood Family" picture with my folks and my two brothers and their families.

We packed in some good quality play time with the kids' cousins, including visits to playgrounds and a water park.  We also managed to get downtown Chicago where we watched the Air and Water show from my cousin Cam's Lake Shore Drive/North Avenue apartment.  To see more pictures, CLICK HERE.

A trip to Mount Pleasant

 

We had the pleasure on Saturday and Sunday of joining the extended Chard family at Brandon's Uncle Steve's property in the Wasatch Mountains.  Steve and Linda have 26 acres of mountainside to call their own, and were kind enough to invite Steve's brothers and sisters and their families for a Labor Day weekend get-together.  Their property isn't just beautiful - it's FUN!  Most of the property is wooded in oak, maple, aspen and evergreens, but a hike up the road from the cabin (under construction) takes you to a meadow that's great for playing tag, soccer, golf, or volleyball (my forearms are still sore), or for just relaxing in the sunshine.  Down below the cabin there are a couple of trailers set up and several tent spots have been tucked into the surrounding trees.  We gathered under the wooden canopy at the main trailer to eat, drink and socialize with so many aunts, uncles and cousins that it was hard to keep track of who belonged to who.  What a great setting for Vivian's first camping trip!  As if all that weren't enough to keep us occupied, in the hours before we left we got to experience a zip line AND a mountainside swing, both of which were absolutely thrilling!  Gavin is too small for the swing, but he did get to take a ride on the zip line with his dad:

To see more pictures, CLICK HERE.