Do I need a Title?

The countdown has begun.  We are leaving in a week.  Today I'm excited and look forward to seeing where we'll be living and meeting the people in our new ward.  Although, the thought of the long plane ride makes me cringe.

We have kept busy while in Utah.  Steve's siblings have all come and we've enjoyed a house full of family.  Earlier in the year we got a city deals deal that for $10 each we could get a "pass of all passes" which gets us into Seven Peaks Water Park, the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City, and a number of other venues for free.  So we bought one for each of us.  Big E is free since he's 3 and of course so is Miss A.  The pass has been the best purchase this whole summer.  We've only been to Seven Peaks so far, but we've been at least once a week, more like twice and it's been awesome.  Big E loves the wave pool.  Yesterday I was in the wave pool with him for most of the time we were there.  I have learned one thing while being there; if you loose your child, you should go to the first aid station to report or find him.  One day while we were there, Steve and I left the kids in the care of others so we could ride a few  rides together.  Grandma took Miss A, who by the time we got back was asleep on Grandma's lap while sitting in the kiddie pool.  (Which is a huge step for Miss A since she's still not too sure about Grandma and Grandpa and she's fought sleep harder than any little baby I've ever seen)  I asked were Big E was and Grandma told me that he was with Grandpa.  So when Grandpa came back without him I asked him where Big E was.  He said he was with Grandma.  Uh oh.  We had a case were everyone thought he was in the care of someone else. After frantically searching the pools for him, I found Steve outside the gate eating lunch and he came in and asked where to report a missing child.  He was directed to the first aid booth and there was Big E.  He wasn't crying or upset.  The lifeguards had given him a sticker and taught him a few new ways to give a high five.  The closest thing we could come to as to what happened was that he told an Aunt that he was going to sit by Grandma in the kiddie pool, which was 20 ft-30ft from where our chairs and cabana were.  But he must have gotten turned around before making it to Grandma and didn't know which way to go. he said that a girl took him to the booth, and that's all he could remember.  Thankfully nothing major happened.  And I'm sure it happens to all parents, but it sure makes your heart race and you start thinking horrible things.  "What if he got into a pool and a life guard didn't notice and he drowned?" But really, it's not like him to wander off and I would be really, really surprised if got into a pool all by himself.

Now that everyone is here we're had lots of fun meeting a new cousin who was born shortly after we arrived in Utah.

We've launched water balloons

and paper rockets.

We even had a talent show with everyone.

We've hiked and dipped toes in cold mountain water.

And saved a dragonfly from well meaning preschoolers at the end waterfall at the end of the hike.

I ran a 5k (my first timed 5k) with my sister-in-law and two family friends who came to visit from Ohio.  You don't need a picture of that.  It wasn't as cool looking as The Color Run.  And it was much harder than The Color Run as the almost the entire first mile was up hill.  Let me tell you that after not running for two weeks because I got 4 blisters on my toes right after I got here and the change in elevation I thought I wouldn't make it up that hill.  But I made it up the hill with only stopping to walk once.  And then it was down hill or flat for the rest of it.  I ran an 11 minute mile, which I'd say isn't too bad considering.  

One more week of fun before we start a new life.