Wendy's Trip to Utah - The Return of Marcus, The Departure of Seth

Wednesday July 9

I took a pic of Fiona still asleep in her bed when Ken and I went out to walk the dog. Fiona has been so upset with me leaving her. I made sure to organize things for her to do, but she really wanted to come with me. I wish money wasn't a thing, then I would have taken her.

Last dog walk for a bit.

Ken dropped me off at the GO station and I took the GO train to Union.

At Union I caught the UP express to the airport. I marveled at all of the over passes near the airport. 

I waited until the last minute to pack my bags and was rushing a bit at the end, worried that I'd miss my train. Turns out I could have taken a train an hour later... Also means that I could have gone back home to get my charging cables. Oh well. I was through security and customs so quickly. I was sitting at my gate while the flight before mine was still there. But the three hours and twenty minutes did pass and I did board my flight and we took off on time - after a gate change too. I sat beside a teenage boy and we did not talk. He was polite, but there was no conversation.

I read an ebook on the flight "The Matchmaker's Match" by Brittany Larsen. The book was on bookshelf plus and was a re-imagined "Emma" by Jane Austen with an LDS twist. I enjoyed the book very much. It was the perfect plane read.

I will always choose the window seat and I will always take pictures. Flying across the country in an airplane will always be a marvel.

Suzanne met me at the curb which was perfect! SISTERS!! We drove to Farmington and chatted until I insisted I really need to sleep lol.

Thursday July 10

This morning started out as Ben and Wendy time! Suzanne had to work and I got to hang out with Ben. I wanted to take him up to Ogden to the Children's Museum and Ben was happy to go and Suzanne was happy to let me take her car.

Ben wore the shirt that I bought him for his birthday. He showed me his special baptism book and the puck he got from the hockey game on March 10th. And he showed me his amazing flipping abilities onto the couch.

We eventually left and parked and took the obligatory selfie in front of the Ogden temple and then it was play time.

Ben went up and down the climbing structure several times.

I made him sit at the President's Desk in the Oval Office. 

This was his favourite activity by far. He dropped the parachute figure down, I picked it up, put it on the pulley and then he pulled it up. 

The air tubes and balls were fun too.

He made a tissue paper collage popsicle in the crafting area. We took a pic with the tree. We hung out in Japan and he fished with a net. We said hello to the horses and we moved, going up and down and up and down. I think he had a lot of fun! 

Then it was time to go get lunch - Chik-fil-A and then home to pack and get organized before heading down to St George.

A few more cuddles with Zeus while waiting for Suzanne to finish up.

Back home Andrew took the girls out for glow in the dark mini golf, then he BBQ'd and then he watched a movie with them in the basement. He is the best uncle!

And for some reason Fiona's face was pink.

The setting sun on the way to St George. The drive down was long because the traffic was so bad for so long. But eventually the traffic thinned and we were moving!

Jon told us to look out for the fires up in the mountains. To the naked eye it looked like charcoal embers at the top of the hill. I took this pic using the night sight feature on my phone. 

Friday July 11

When Ben and I were dressed we headed over the Jon and Michelle's. None of the cousins were awake. We popped into everyone's rooms to say hello, I delivered chocolate, and then we came back downstairs and Ben had breakfast - French Toast. 

Eventually cousins got up and came downstairs. Lovey, Lucy, Michelle and I did food prep for Sunday - they're having Hawaiian hay stacks and there's a lot to organize ahead of time.

Lovey, Michelle, Ben and I went back to the hotel for swimming. Michelle forgot about a meeting she had, so she found a quiet place in the lobby to have her meeting and Suzanne kept working up in the hotel room.

Uncle Jon arrived a little bit into the fun and threw Ben around the pool.

Then we were all off to the movie theatre to see Superman.

Seth! Soon to be Elder Bacon!

A funny huge pig that Michelle "loves" that was recently acquired by Jon through a kid in the neighbourhood playing the "bigger or better" scavenger hunt game.

Copper and Maggie because they're so cute!

After the movie Jon and the gang were getting ready to take family pics and I was excited to take more selfies!

Oh and in honour of seven-eleven day, Michelle, Marcus, Ben and I went to get slushies. There are actually no7-11s in St George! Who knew!

After wishing the Bacons well for their photo shoot Suzanne, Ben and I went looking for food. It proved difficult - Zuppa's is a salad bar and doesn't even have allergen information on their website as there's just too much cross contamination and I didn't want to be sick so I just didn't get food. I just wanted a potato from Wendy's, but alas there was NO potatoes to be had! So rice cakes and peanut butter in the hotel was my gourmet meal!

Back at home Ken went to take the girls out for slurpees but the line up was too long, so they went to Petro Canada instead.

Also back at home Fiona hung out with Victoria, went swimming at her house and went and got a slurpee from Seven-Eleven. So Fiona had double fun!

Saturday July 12

Matthew arrived late Friday night and we all eventually went to sleep. Saturday morning was temple time! We dropped Ben off with Lovey - I suggested that she have some fun with perler beads and we were off to the temple.

Back at home, Fiona made bread with the girls.

The St George temple is so beautiful. I love being in the temple with family and loved ones. After the session Jon took us a bit of a tour of the other floors. We looked at the beautiful art work on the walls, and we went to the 4th floor I think it was to see the assembly hall. It is the same layout as the Kirtland Temple in Kirtland Ohio. It's incredible to think that after Nauvoo, the St George temple was the next temple finished and dedicated. I found some photos of the assembly hall and the gorgeous arched doorways on the newsroom site. (https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2023/9/6/23861287/inside-renovated-st-george-utah-temple-media-day/) 

I caught Seth eating his Wonderbar!

On Saturday afternoon I went back to Jon and Michelle's after we had hotdogs at J.Dawgs - they have gf buns. I helped do a few more things to prep for Sunday - but really I just hung out, there wasn't too much to do. Michelle and her best bed from college Lara had a little nap - so did Maggie. Lucy - Michelle's Mom was there too. It was a lovely quiet afternoon. Suzanne, Matthew and Ben hung out at the hotel and swam. The kids all went swimming at their Grandparents hotel too.

And then it was family/friends fun night at the chapel. I bought gf Katz twinkies and made Marcus try one. He loved it, 10/10. I left the rest behind for him to enjoy. We ate pizza (I had an Amy's dinner) and then we played a game. We all sat in a circle with one person standing in the middle. They said "Never have I ever..." and then anyone who had done that thing had to get up and switch chairs. They got Suzanne, Jon and I when someone said "Never have I ever done grade 13". It was fun game with lots of laughter.

Sunday July 13

Today was really very special. Seth spoke first and did an awesome job. There was a musical number - Caroline sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" accompanied by an awesome pianist and a cellist. It was such an incredible musical number. And then Marcus spoke last. His mission experiences were beautiful and soul nourishing. He was funny too, talking about this Bolivian potato dish that's a national treasure, but sounds entirely unappetizing to me. The whole meeting was just perfect.

Seth and his girl friend Makayla. (If it works out it works out - as Michelle said, and Seth said too, "no one can marry your wife". She's really lovely!)

After church we all gathered back at the Bacons and enjoyed eating the Hawaiian Hay Stacks and visiting. I snapped a pic of the letter Marcus's mission president wrote upon his release.

Seth and his plaque.

Marcus and his plaque. 

A happy house full of friends and family.

The soon to be missionary.

Siblings! We're just missing Andrew.

This was before Seth was set apart. Being at Marcus's setting apart two years ago, Thomas's setting apart last summer and Seth's setting apart this year are such special special blessings to me. Marcus and Seth were set apart by the same mission president. The advice that he gave was really beautiful. The whole experience was wonderful.

Elder Bacon! México Puebla East Mission.

The Bacon Boys. They are amazing young men. 

Michelle and the doggies.

Lovey fell asleep. She goes to the nationals for soccer in Florida next week. 

Just before Jon told me to stop when I might have almost had an emotional moment. It's good that Jon reminds me not to have feelings!! lol

And just like that we were driving back north up to Farmington. I'm so thankful for Suzanne helping to make this trip really awesome for me.

I'm not a mountain goat, but the mountains are beautiful.

Back at home Ken made homemade pizza and the girls actually walked down to the beach with him and Milo. So fun!

The sunsets from my sisters front porch are epic.

We went on a little walk with the doggies at a cute little trail area really close to Suzanne's house.

Monday July 14

Today Ben and I had a really chill day. Oh and Anna - she's currently in Bali in Indonesia doing a HEFY - a humanitarian especially for youth trip. The posts on Instagram are so gool. She's having such an amazing eperience.

Ben and I went to Michael's, Deseret Book and Target. We came home and had lunch and we crafted. 

Ben made a glow in the dark star and I made a moon.

I also made Ben a count down chart for Joey coming home - July 31st - so soon!

Around dinner time, I drove Ben down to Suzanne's office where Matthew was going to pick them both up and I kept driving down to Herriman to my cousin Tim's house. Sally came over, Tim's daughters Macey and Atlie were there, his wife Angie too, and his parents, my Uncle John and Auntie Ellie. John has had prostate cancer for many years now and seems to be approaching the end. He's weaker and a little forgetful but still going. I was so glad to be able to see him. I love my Miller cousins and family so very much! We had a lovely Indian food dinner and lovely conversation. I love being with family. I'm sad I didn't get a selfie with Angie - that was silly not to!

Tuesday July 15

Then it was time to go home. Suzanne took my on a fun detour filled route to the airport, but I still got there in plenty of time.

My plane!

I love flying!

On the ground in Toronto. I sat beside a grown man this time, but we did not talk either. I am a little bit sad that I didn't have any flight conversation, but it was also okay. I watched the baseball movie 42 about Jackie Robinson on the flight home and it was Ah-mazing!

Tonight I had the royal treatment because Ken and all the girls came to pick me up!! One of Tim's girls, Atlie, just happened to have a package of Joyride candy which Fiona really wanted. She was so excited!

Back with the fam jam.

I am so grateful to have been able to go on this very special trip. I'm so grateful for my sister, for my brother, and for my amazing nephews, (and nieces, and my BIL and my SIL). I'm also so thankful to my sweet Ken for supporting me in abandoning him in the kids for almost a whole week. (Oh and I'm also thankful for parents who buy me fun gift cards to restaurants like Burger's Priest that make yummy gluten free burgers and serve them on delicious gluten free buns!!!)