Robertson Reunion

Hello All!  There's been a long hiatus from my blog and maybe I'll be back to regular posts now...we'll see.  Grab a bowl of popcorn and stay for awhile, or zip through the pictures. Our big trip for the summer has come and gone.  As the time drew near to drive out West with the family Lee and I became more and more excited.  We love long road trips! We logged 4300 miles in about 9 days. Our friends Megan and Jeremy totally beat us out on the-longest-summer-roadtrip-miles-wise.  I think they clocked in at about 6000 miles! Maybe next summer we can meet their record.  Our trip started out by heading down with Lee to Waynesboro while he worked from 9-3.  I hung out with the kids and did a little more shopping for the trip.  Then we were off!  We drove all night with me taking the midnight-5:30am shift. We arrived at my brother's in Iowa about that time.  After church with his family and a yummy lunch (and a nap for Lee) we hit the road again to travel the 80 across the plains to Utah.

One of our stops in Nebraska was at this rest area.  I grew up thinking that Lincoln's head was made of pennies.  I read the plaque and sadly, it's not. 

Also growing up we would stop at Little America in both Cheyenne, Wyoming and outside of Green River, Wyoming. Long ago ice cream cones were only $0.25.  We kids looked forward to the ice cream and using the powdered soap in the fancy restrooms (well, I liked the soap anyway).  Today cones are $0.50, but I want Little America to be a memorable place for my kids too.  Maybe we'll even stay there someday!


Always lots of billboards...something we loved seeing as a kid on the long drive from Wisconsin/Minnesota.
 

 

 

 

The general climbing rule for our kids is, if you can't get up yourself, then you shouldn't be climbing it.  We kept encouraging Clark to climb up the bison(?).  It's an awkward statue to climb up, plus the metal was very hot. He eventually made it up.
  

 

After leaving Saturday at 3pm from Waynesboro, and spending nine hours at my brother's, we arrive in Provo around noon.  Cal enjoying the wildlife at my sister Stephanie's apartment.
  

 

That night we all went to BYU campus, along with Steph and Andy.  We love visiting BYU and don't mind at all indoctrinating our kids that BYU is the university to attend!
 

I used to work at the Cougareat...Taco Bell and Sugar & Spice.
 

A new tradition while visiting Provo is eating kids' meals at the Creamery on 9th.  They are so yummy!
  

 

 

We had a great time staying at Steph and Andy's. We're glad we could hang out with them a little bit!
 

 

Walking around the grounds below the bell tower.

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning we all walked around the Provo temple.  I was looking forward to doing a session there, but they were closed for two weeks for cleaning/maintenance. Lee and I were married and sealed here almost 10 years ago!
 

Gorgeous grounds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next we planned on visiting the Bean museum, but found out that was closed too.   We stopped by Campus Plaza where I lived for a semester and summer term before my mission.
  

 Monday evening Elden's voice sounded horse, but I didn't think much of it besides high altitude, drier air.  Well, Tuesday afternoon he sounded awful.  Right before lunch at Stephanie's, he was really struggling to beath--very scary! Long story, but the jist of it is, he had croup.  Where in the world he picked up croup in the middle of the summer is baffling.  But with all the driving and restrooms we had been in....who knows! My kids have never had croup before, so we were clueless about the whole thing.  After a visit to urgent care, a trip to the ER (the first trip we got in RIGHT away...amazing!), and then a second trip to the ER with an overnight stay in pediatrics, he was on the mend. 

Lee helped with x-rays at the urgent care place...then the hospital lost them and had to take new ones...and of course we had to foot the bill for the extra set.
 

 Poor Elden sounded HORRIBLE.  He received some expensive keepsakes though while up in pediatrics...a blanket and some Hotwheel cars.  Lee and I thoroughly enjoyed the cable channels while we were there! Steph was awesome and watched the rest of our kids for the entire afternoon and evening--and put them to bed!  THANKS STEPH and ANDY!




Elden on Wednesday...he still sounded bad, but we thought with the steroid medicine he would get better.  Little did we know that later that evening I would take him in for his 2nd ER visit.
 

The reason for our trip to Utah was to attend an extended family reunion Lee has been organizing for the past couple of years.  We stopped at my Aunt Susan's house to say hello and see my cousin Heidi.
 

We camped at Jolley's Ranch up Hobble Creek Canyon--by Springville, Utah.  It was a great spot.  I loved the big grassy area and being at the foot of the mountains.  All of the Robertson siblings were there (Lee's Dad being one of them).  It was great meeting Lee's cousins and seeing his parents and other family.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Yep, my kids were filthy. A lot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe it's sacrilegious, but it was cute seeing these pictures Lee took of the kids (I was still in the hospital with Elden) of the them pretending to baptize each other. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cousins who were there each had the opportunity to give an update on themselves and their life.  Lee is the youngest cousin of the bunch.

 

 

 

Thursday afternoon Elden was doing a lot better and sounded great.  He was discharged from the hospital and we headed back to the reunion.  We didn't even consider the fact that other people would get sick from him.  Hopefully no one else caught his germs!  All of us did, except Lee.  Our kids were sick on the way home and a few days after...even I picked it up and was sick at my family reunion (post to come!). Anyway, since I was back from the hospital Lee got in a bike ride Friday morning.  We brought ALL of our bikes, a bike trailer, camping gear, etc. across the states.  We didn't even need a car topper!  We were packed in tightly though.  At one point I was rearranging some things so Clark could have some leg room.  He told me to not move anything because he liked being squished--it meant he was going on a long road trip.  That was so funny!  After the bike ride and breakfast we all hiked the Y.  Lee had never done it before.  We made all of the kids hike up it, except Elden.  He rode on shoulders the entire way.





It just struck me; it would be so cute to have this same picture taken again when they are both at BYU together!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the "Y" we met Stephanie at a yummy frozen yogurt place.   My beautiful sister and husband are in their last year of school!  Andy is a 3L (3rd year BYU Law student) and Steph is finishing up her Master's in food science. I am so excited for them and their upcoming graduations in the spring.  And guess what?!  They will graduate DEBT FREE.  How amazingly cool is that? Pays off to be great students and hard workers!

 

 

 

Friday night a photo session was held.  These are all of the "twins" in our family, that I know of anyway. 

 

The Don & Raema Robertson Family...children and spouses

Lee with his family.  Great photo! See...he does have tall genes in his family!
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday morning...last morning of the reunion.  There is Lee's bike trailer in the background...he used it once.  Oh well, maybe next time we won't be at the hospital!
  

Ahh...I look SO tired!  It's funny, but Lee's Dad grew up where I served my mission.  I also served in two wards that his cousins go to.  AND I had dinner one night with his Aunt Elaine.  
  

Lee's wonderful parents!
 

On our way home from Utah we stopped for church in St. Robert.  It was so great seeing my friends!  I missed seeing others, like Malee and Jeni.  We need to have a St. Robert reunion someday!

My friend Jenny is pregnant with her 8th child!  So exciting! 
 

My friend Leah who just the day before went to the temple for the first time and was sealed to her family!  So wonderful!
 

My friend Whitney and her adorable daughter.
  

Do you know what is weird?  When we were on base, it was as if we'd never left.  It was sad to say goodbye to Kristi and Tara...again.
 

My dear friend Kristi.  Thank you for having us over!  I really, really wish she would move to Virginia and be my neighbor here, just like at FLW!
  

 

 

Tara, Kristi and Clark's friend Ireland
  

We arrived home safely Monday afternoon.  We had a wonderful trip seeing family and friends.  There was a lot of unpacking (and laundry).  I am glad we arrived home early enough to get things situated before Lee went back to work and I went off to another family reunion with the kids.  (Post soon coming!) 
  

Thanks to everyone who came to the reunion and helped!  We loved it and like always, wish our trip could have been longer.  Hopefully someday we'll be able to see more family and friends during our upcoming trips out West.