The Summer of Reunions

I knew that this summer was the summer for family reunions.  My mom's parents host a reunion and my father's grand parents host a reunion every other summer...in the same summer, so this was the year.  I told my in-laws I'd be in Utah and that we should meet up while I was there.  This was before I knew we'd be living in the same town as them, but arrangements had already been made for some of the Norbys to meet at "Heber House".  I also asked one of Evan's Aunts if we could get the extended Norby Family in Salt Lake together for a picnic or something.  Little did I know that some of Evan's cousins from Idaho, California and New Mexico would come to this "little" get-together.  I got to meet some of Evan's family I had never meet before and fun was had by all, even if we did have to wait over an hour to eat since the "bun bringer" was stuck in traffic.

Some of the activities included:

Bocce Ball at Heber House

Hanging out with cousins

Visiting with Great-Grandpa Norby...

and other family members at Evan's aunt and uncles' house.

Group shot of the Norbys that made it to the reunion.  Originally we thought Evan could come for a couple days, but alas the life of a medical resident kept him at home.

Evan's dad, his two sisters, his dad and one of his brothers.

Autumn playing with her cousin Kallie.

Kallie and I did a photo shoot one day...It didn't last long, but she sure is a beautiful young lady.  Kallie was the flower girl at my wedding and will always have a special place in my heart.

We had (award-winning) shakes at the Dairy Keen in Heber.

"Played" tennis on Great-Grandma's tennis court

Autumn "helped" Charlie with a variety of activities.

Great-Grandma, Autumn and Me.

We also went to the lake one day and to the Provo Recreation center, but I don't like to bring my camera around water.  So no pictures those days.  The next day we went up to the Robins Reunion where I didn't take pictures because my camera battery died. Boo.

Evolution of a black eye

As I was preparing for our recent road trip to Utah  I put Autumn in the car to play while I ran up stairs to grab some more stuff...then I heard crying.  My poor baby cried for almost 30 minutes.  I couldn't figure out why she was crying so much.  She had a some superficial scratches, yes, but 30 minutes?  She rarely cries when she gets hurt.  Any how I took a couple pictures to show Evan since he wasn't coming on the road trip...it just kept getting worse...

After she finally stopped crying

A couple hours later...turning purple

still later...more purple

Next morning (Sunday)

Her black berry lips matched her eye!

Monday after playing in Deer Lake and the black eye spreading underneath her eye.

Playing with cousin Kallie at the Heber house

Tuesday...She can open her eye again.  This is after a full day of playing at the new Provo rec center.  We ate dinner (rather had shakes) at Dairy Keen.  I overheard a guy taking to his wife about Autumn's eye, "did you see that little girl?"  So I went up to them (so they would know I heard them talking about her) and so they could get a closer look.  I think they were a bit embarrassed.

Wednesday...the black eye spreading to underneath her eye.  Autumn loves to carry things in her hands while she walks around, but it makes me nervous she'll fall.  (Autumn? Fall?  Really?)  So I came up with this baby carrier.

Her scrapes are going away...Coloring with Kallie

 Thursday...The color started to fade, but we still got lots of "what happened to her eye" at the Robins reunion.  This is Autumn and some type of cousin (my 2nd cousin's kid...which makes them 3rd cousins according to Wikipedia).  They enjoyed playing with my cosmetic bag while the adults were talking.

Saturday.  Eye turning grey.  Autumn and her cousins really enjoyed this fancy bath tub that filled up from the ceiling.

 Sunday-over a week after her fall- Autumn starts to look sickly.

Playing in the bath with her cousin Alice

Autumn was obsessed with Korey...Korey NOT so obsessed with Autumn.

Sunday still looking sick, with Noah the only person besides me Autumn would let hold her.

Monday.  We got these bandannas at the Robins reunion, but Autumn really liked it so she wore it around.  I think she looks like a hood rat with that black eye and bandanna.

Tuesday...eye is getting better even though Autumn threw up 5 times this day, including in her car seat. Gross.

 Again toddlers playing with my cosmetic bag...I need to start filling those things with cheaper lotion....

Wednesday.  Not the best picture, but you get the idea...eye still brown.

Thursday...still looks sick.  While we waited for uncle Noah we checked out the newish pool at the University Villa.  (Evan and I both lived in The University Villa apartments when we met)

Thursday night. All better!  At Church on Sunday we still got a couple, "nice shiner" comments.  I chuckled and thought you don't know the half of it!

I am a fair cook

Last week I had an experience that made me think, "I should buy a fire extinguisher."  Not a great feeling to have in the moment of billowing smoke, do I have an extinguisher, if I do have it where would it be?  It was a hot day so I didn't want to stand over the stove to cook, so I put the bacon for our B.L.Ts in the oven and went outside and played with Autumn-again it was hot so I didn't want to stay inside while the oven was on.  We headed to the back yard.  Then much to my amazement I could smell bacon wafting out the back windows of my apartment.  I thought, wow that cooked fast I better go get it.  As I approached the front of the house I heard a beeping noise coming from inside my apartment, I thought, hmm I don't remember setting an alarm.  As I got into my apartment I realized that the beeping was NOT an alarm but the oven pleading for me to turn it off because it was filling up with smoke.  I obliged, I opened the oven and smoke filled my vision.  After realizing I didn't know where a fire extinguisher was I went to my in-laws and asked if they had one, at the same time realizing it was probably a grease fire and I should use baking soda instead.  My father-in-law came back to my place (without a fire extinguisher because apparently they store theirs in a storage unit) and he grabbed the charred cookie sheet and took it to safety out front.  We grabbed some fans in an attempt to push the smoke out the front door and windows (there was no actual fire).  When I got over to my in-laws to escape the heat and smoke of our apartment Evan's brother commented, "Dad do we have the windows open?"  I said, "sorry, do I smell like a camp fire?"  He grasped back, "No, much worse.  You smell like a dead animal like a turkey or something."  Gross!  We had Subway for dinner and a week later my house still smells funky.  Not like a dead animal, but rather like I own 12 cats, never shower and smoke bacon flavor cigars. It's real nasty every time I open the cupboards near the oven.

Extra-crispy bacon. Also I didn't bother trying to clean the cookie sheet even though I lined it with foil.  I recycled that poor thing.

Now for Autumn.

Autumn and I went bowling with Evan's brother (before he told me how bad I smelt!)  Autumn was in awe.

She was a great cheerleader.  She kept "ooo" ing and "ahhhh" ing and clapping when we hit the pins.

The night after the "bacon" incident I allowed someone else to cook for us again.  This time for free at Chick-fil-a's annual "cow appreciation" event.  I coaxed my father-in-law and 15 year old brother-in-law to come along...to the mall dressed like cows!  Cameron was SO embarrassed and almost didn't put his mask on (until he saw some cute girls in front of us who had masks on as well).  We enjoyed a lovely (free) chicken meal in the food court.

Not sure what it means for a "cow" to drink chocolate milk!

More summer fun has included collecting golf balls in the street from the near by golf course.  I made a Pintrest inspired race maze thing for Autumn.

I hate making my bed.  No Autumn is not wearing pants.  And yes that is my hot pink bra (colored bras are just way more fun!)