Utah...surprise!

WOW...we pulled it off...we actually managed to fly across the country with our family, arrange for my brother to pick us up and drive us to my dad's house to surprise him with a visit. And when I say surprise him, I mean he had absolutely NO idea we were coming. Obviously planning a trip to Utah with our larger family is quite an ordeal, but man oh man, was it totally worth it. My stepmom, Rose, and brother, Ryan, had it all perfectly planned out. They had been preparing for weeks for our arrival WITHOUT my dad having the least bit of knowledge about our visit.

My uncle Dew had my dad busy working in the yard out back behind his house as we were scheduled to arrive around 3pm. So we enlisted my uncle Dew to make sure my dad, aka Becky is what the kids call him, was out of sight as we neared the house. We snuck in, planted ourselves between the kitchen and living room and waited patiently....well not really "patiently" but you get the idea!

I called my dad to ask if he wanted to call the kids on the computer to talk to them (because we try and talk to dad and Rose on the computer at least a couple times a week) and without any reservation he said, "I sure do, I've been waiting to talk to my grandkids, I'm at Dew's give me 5 min and I will be right there!" I will post video later but for now, you can visualize my dad walking in his side door, galloping down the long hallway that leads to the kitchen (where he thinks he is about to go call his grandkids), and then as he turns the corner, five precious little kids (who love their Becky endlessly) jump out and shout, "BECKY!!!!!!!!"

OMG! The look on his face was priceless..and of course the tears came...I will post the video as soon as I get home. We are grateful for the blessing of the day. Our travels from B'ham to Salt Lake City were smooth. The flights weren't bad at all.

The kids have had an incredible time. Somewhat of a spiralling out of control kinda feeling, they run from one activity to another, just can't stop smiling and laughing, and their giggles and sweet voices just resonate throughout this house...which by the way is very large and spread out, so keeping an eye on the boys is rather challenging. My stepmom is amazing in all she does. She raised five kids as well, so the chaos of our family doesn't really phase her. My dad and his brothers run the family business here in Price called "Howa and Sons"

My dad and Rose live in my grandparents house (the house my dad was raised in with his 10 brothers and 1 sister). The memories at this home for me are so rich and vivid. The aroma of Shaklee detergent and Lebanese bread seeping through the house hasn't changed at all in my 31 years. It is so special to bring my children to the home I grew up visiting as a child, and longing to return to each summer.

Here are a few of our first day activities:

BIG pancake, egg and bacon breakfast
Riding four wheelers
Playing in the camper (we plan to go camping sometime this week)
Baking Lebanese bread (or rather playing with the dough and flour for HOURS)
Riding the wagon all around the yard
Riding on the fork lift with Uncle Dew
Helping Becky on the loader dump dirt in the back of a customer's truck
Planting squash
Cutting grass on Becky's "tractor"
Making homemade humus and banana pudding (Ellie's favorite)
Mommy and Daddy enjoying a bike ride through the small "downtown" of Price.
Playing in the sand piles
Sliding on the BIG OLE slide in Uncle Paul's yard
Feeding the baby lambs and goats