Natalie is 13 & Drive Home

We are back home after a long drive all day. Corey and I had Peter and Katharine with us in his Honda Pilot, which still has no AC (going on 3 years I think?) After driving all day, we stopped by the local grocery store and got a small cake and ice cream. The older kids were 40 min behind us, so it worked out perfectly. I cleaned off the counter and set up her cake and candles by the time they pulled in. Everyone helped unload the car but we told Natalie she could play her b-day card and sit around an not work, but she had to wait for us to sing to her before she had cake, so she could help if she wanted too... She decided to laze around and not hurry things along by helping us, but that's ok. Soon we were all singing, and with Hyrum and Wes helping out, I'd way it was our best Happy Birthday to you ever sung.

Dig in!

A small cake was perfect, and two types of chocolate chunk ice cream - Death by Chocolate and Moose Tracks. When we were getting off the freeway, the kids were passing Lindon

We kept checking in on them through the drive, trying to keep our lead haha. We left an hour before them but they took a long break going to Costco for pizza, and then we were almost 2 hours ahead of them, so they caught up quick. We had Peter and Katharine in our car and Hyrum Wes and Abi all took turns driving the van, van passengers HWALSNOD. They almost caught up to us. We left early to try and beat the heat, but I saw the forecast and knew that we'd be hitting it no matter what, unless we left at like 4 am which we didn't want to do. So we got a good nights rest, took most of the luggage in our car, and left at 7:40 and let the older kids finish packing up the food and their stuff in the rooms. Peter and Katharine did great. 

We gave them lots of ice chips and picked up some ice cream when we got gas in Baker. When we took our bathroom break there, Katharine said "I can't sit for this long!!!" I feel you Katharine. I was not looking forward to sitting all day on the drive home. It makes my left hip hurt. I'm so glad we are home and that we survived that, whew! The hottest it got was 111° degrees from the cars reading of the outside temps. Get this - as we were driving in Las Vegas, I was listening to "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" and it was actually 107° as I sang the line "107 and you're looking for shade that no palm tree can provide" - pic of the temp on the car - 65 mph on the Vegas freeway. 

The door button broke on Corey's back right side, so it thinks the door is always open. That's one of the many things that needs to get fixed on the car. I'm also so glad that the car didn't have any issues today on the drive home. We left 3 bikes in St. George at our friends house and stopped there to pick them up, and let Peter and Katharine take a rest at the McDonald's play place. Happy meals gave them happy faces. They were also excited about their tiny squishmallow FIFA toys, Katharine got Deborah the hippo and Peter's was Benny the monkey. Those two little toys were a tender mercy that kept them entertained the rest of the drive home.

and I went to Albertsons for sushi, grapes, and yogurt parfaits. 

It wasn't the best birthday for Natalie, but some birthdays are like that (last year was too at Oakcrest). I don't know what they did in their car to celebrate her, but we'll try to make it up to her soon. Natalie, we love you and are so happy that you were born! Today marks 13 years of fun Natalie in our life - 1 year - 2 years - 3 years - 4 years - 5 years - 6 years - 7 years - 8 years - 9 years - 10 years - 11 years - 12 years.