Our Road Trip to Sparks - Mom and Pop's New Place

Since we were already headed to Starr Valley, Camille and I decided that we would already be halfway to Sparks so should just keep going! Unfortunately Jeff and Micah had to go back to boring old Utah and work. We had a great time though. We saw my parents new house for the first time...they call it Stone Hill (for good reason). It is as amazing and beautiful as I had imagined...full of fun details just for the grandkids. I'm so excited to come and visit when Laurel and Maisy are old enough to really appreciate it.

So are you ready for a monster post of pictures? Because that's what you are going to get! Here are just about 1/10th of the highlights of this trip:

Beth just happened to be in town at the same time we were...it was so fun to see her and Jen and their boys. Aiden was great with the girls...great practice for little Brooklyn (who just arrived!!!)

This is a very bad view of Beth...she really was never as big as this picture makes her look (sorry Beth) but I had to post it...Aiden is such a good boy!

Look at the size difference here! Massey is almost two months younger than Laurel if you can believe it. He is just a big, happy, wonderful baby (Laurel is taller she isn't standing up all the way). We love you Massey!!!

Nigel and Massey getting reacquainted...they are best buddies. Nigel is either telling Massey a secret or eating his ear.

Oh Nigel! Can this kid get any cuter?! He loved his brown bear book. The reason I love this picture is because of how he is crossing his little legs. He did that the whole way to Sparks and the whole way back...just seriously so CUTE!

Massey liked sitting in the bumbo...getting out of it was another story.

One of the days we were there Ruthie's mom Mara came and taught us how to make the best Chili Reino's I have ever tasted! We loved using Mom's new kitchen.

Seriously delicisioso!

We sewed a lot too. Here's a picture of Massey's new pants. Ruth made them.

And I can't forget to talk about all of the wildlife at Stone Hill. One of the first nights we were there, my mom saw a rattlesnake right next to the front of the house. YIKES! My Dad quickly killed it with a shovel...and that was that.

A close up...his little tongue was still going in and out....

Here's Mom trying to bring a little green into the brown landscape. She brought all of her plants from the old house and some new trees as well. Soon their yard will blossom in this desert!

Her little friend Neville. Named after Neville Longbottom (because of his long back toes). I guess there is now a tiny little baby that hangs around as well. And I last but not least...look who came to visit our for our first Sunday dinner...

Mom and Laurel Maisy with her beautiful smile and Laurel just hangin' out.


Dad was so cute. He'd come home from work, change and then just play with the babes. Looks like he might be a little tired...Laurel, loving every minute of it.

We went into the Law Office one day to visit. Isn't he the cutest Papa ever?

This is the soon to be "Children's Reading Nook". Nathan (my cousin Sarah's amazing husband) and Ramona (thier daughter) are working hard. He did a fabulous job...I was really impressed and Ramona was a perfect little helper.

Tavan, Melissa and family came! We were so excited to see them. They were so much fun as usual. I love this picture of Tavan and Maisy. He is such a good Dad, Uncle, Brother...guy! I wish we could see him more often.

Kyuss and Grandma exploring Stone Hill.
Kyuss and Clayton enjoying some lime cookie dough...YUMMY

Kyuss was seriously so great with the babies. He and Laurel bonded I think.

Papa reading a goodnight story to the boys.

One day everyone made Lego creations. They were pretty cool.

My mom purposefully designed a "room under the stairs" like in Harry Potter for the grandkids and then furnished it with a table and chairs just Nyah's size. She LOVED this room. We had many tea parties while she was there.


This is on a Saturday morning. We left Maisy with Mom and so Massey and Laurel got to ride together to Ruth's favorite market called King Ranch. It is a Mexican market and it is AWESOME.

Here is Camille and Ruthie in front of the tortilla stop.

Laurel just checkin' everything out.

Tortilla maker...really cool I thought.

This is from another Saturday when we went to the National Car Museum for a Quilt Show. What a great combination don't you think? Quilts and cars all in the same place.

Maisy lookin' all grown up in an umbrella stroller

This is a quilt of a painting in the Museum...pretty cool.

I wish I could remember this amazing lady's name. She works in the temple with Mom. Anyway she has made enought quilts in her lifetime to take up a whole wing of the museum...they were AMAZING.

OK now we are jumping to Sunday. Look at these two handsome little devils!
One of the best Enrichments I have gone to for a while. Julie Svetz Hutsell was there! We were roommates at one time and she is such a good friend. She was expecting their sweet little girl any day at this time. She is now happily enjoying little Kairie on the outside now!



Toby Tiner came for a little visit. Here's all 'da boyz just hangin' out.

Darin Dawg and Toby. We were so glad we got to see them before they moved to Vegas for Dental School.

This was a wonderful visit too. The Minetto's. They are very special to me. They were in the temple presidency when I was single and living in Reno. They were always so kind and so happy to see me there. Then, when Jeff and I got sealed, President Minetto officiated. Very, very special people.




Two of the best aunt's any girl could ever ask for. I love these women so much!

Now it's Nigel birthday time. This is Camille showing off the AWESOME cookie monster cake she created.

A close-up...The theme for Nigel's impromtu party was "Monsters"! So here we all are decorating monster balloons. I'm talking to Jeff here...that's why I look so happy.

The Garcia's (Ruth's family) came to celebrate with us.

Esther and Raquelita with Laurel. They are so sweet!

Mara with Maisy...she had the magic touch.

Ruthie's Dad enjoying the view

Massey was busy in his diaper while we were busy partying...look at that face!

Singing to Nigel while Micah was watching on Skype.

Nigel loved his monster balloons

And he LOVED his cake


A very happy little guy. I think this is the first time Camille let him have that much sugar so he was in Birthday Boy Heaven!

Opening gifts!


On the way home we stopped and slept for a few hours at Grandma's.

Camille and Nigel enjoying a beautiful Starr Valley morning.

My cousin Enoch just finished building a Truck Wash in Wells so we of course had to stop by and see what all the fuss was about. Here's Tabor (his brother, my cousin) being the great manager that he is.
Tabor's wife Katie and their adorable little Olivia were taking care of business inside. We got the Odyssey washed and I have to say they did a fine job, fine, fine job.

This is my uncle Demar. This brought back memories from almost 15 years ago when he ran for U.S. Senate. I remember going every Saturday, Britta and I (while listening to R.E.M.) would pass out flyers and generally try to spread the word that he would be a great senator. Unfortunatley Scary Harry Reid won...

But it looks like he's at it again...running for Commissioner. I love that guy!

Again Nigel with the crossed legs...enjoying a banana.

One of the gifts Nigel got was a brown bear like the bear in his book. He LOVED that thing. Just hugged it and smiled at it. So cute.

And this is what we came home to..

And this handsome guy...I was SO happy to see him.

And I think he was happy to see us! There's no place like HOME.