Fun in Utah Part 1

I had an incredible week visiting my sister and her super cute and fun family in Utah.  Brett is definitely my best friend, and her children are some of my favorite people in the world, so they were the perfect people to hang with while Ben was in China.  I missed Ben so much, but Brett's crew provided a great distraction!

We were busy from morning to midnight.  Every day.  Literally.

My first morning in town Brett and I went to the Mt. Timpanogos (sp)

temple together! I love visiting new temples.  

This temple trip was especially meaningful.  We weren't sure how much we had time for, so we opted to do 

an initiatory session (wow... they have a revolving initiatory session! It was so cool!). This was my first since Eleanor was born and my 2nd pregnancy, and it was incredible to hear the blessings available through that ordinance.  I couldn't stop crying! There's nothing like being touched by the spirit at the perfect time ;)

This is me at almost the same gestational age this year in Orem and last year in St George :)
My children have already been to the temple! Hahaha...

 They moved to Orem so my BIL could get an MBA from BYU, so Brett has made great friends through the MBA Spousal Association.  These families are usually young, like them, and have moved from all over the country.  They offer classes and field trips to each other to help with their kids or share their talents.  We spent a few nights at different activities sponsored by this group.  They are such fun, intelligent women!

One of Brett's friends is an incredible cake decorator.  She had us over (for 4.5 hours!) one night and taught us all about cake construction and decorating with fondant or buttercream frosting.  It was so much fun, and I can't wait to use my new skills at home! 

Mine and Brett's cakes

 Can you see the shimmer dust on my dots? It looked so cool! 

Cat desperately wanted to eat Brett's fondant bow, but it got passed 

around to all 3 kids and still not eaten! 

Jack insisted he eat a piece of the polka dot cake, even though both were made exactly the same... 

We spent a good portion of the cake-decorating class learning how to construct and decorate this 9x13 yellow cake to look like this amazing shaggy dog for Eliza's birthday party.  It looked so good, and tasted way better than our fondant cakes! But that's butter cream v. fondant for you!

We also spent Eliza's birthday at this really fun indoor playground made to look like a treehouse!

Jack is wearing a shirt I made for him that says "All good things are wild and free -Henry David Thoreau" on it. I just love it! It's so true for this little boy, and I'm excited to make one for my little boy one day!

This is a shirt I made for Eliza's birthday with a dauchsund wrapped around the bottom in dark pink. She loves dogs right now, and had a dog-themed birthday party.  She kept asking to wear her doggy shirt! I love that she loved it :)

I L.O.V.E. these kids! Words just can't express... (I love Cat, too, but she was at school)

 More to come!