Kent and Kayla's Wonderful Life: Visiting My Family

Wow how the time has flown. Kyson is now 2 months old and things are just cruising along, but we are loving it all. We have been so busy adjusting to parenthood and visiting family and friends and working on random projects that keep coming up that blogging has gone to the far back burner.

But now I’m back, things are sort of settling down (ish), and hopefully I will be able to catch up and stay caught up.

The weekend of General Conference was an exciting one. My dad and brother Tyson were able to fly out here to see Kyson and to go to the BYU Football game to see my brother Ki cheer with the BYU Cheer Team. They stayed at our house and we had a blast. The first night they were here they actually took one of our cars and drove to I’m not entirely sure where and decided to camp out with our camping gear. It was awesome. We really wanted to go, but it was a little too chilly for Kyson, and Kent had work first thing the next morning. But they had a good time. Before the football game, my dad, Tyson, Kyson, and I went down to Provo and did a little hiking up Provo Canyon. We went up past Sundance a ways and hiked around a bit; it was beautiful up there with all of the gorgeous leaves changing for Fall—nothing quite like New England in the Fall, but still gorgeous. We also went to Vivian Park and hiked around a bit and my dad floated down a small stretch of the river…Brrrr! Kyson, Tyson, and I put our feet in and that was all. That was definitely enough for Kyson; he wasn’t very happy that I put his little toes in that cold water, but it was so cute!

Kent met is in time for the football game and we had a blast. My dad and Tyson had front row seats on the sidelines, and Kent, Kyson, and I had front row seats in the end zone—actually the end zone where all the action and the game winning touchdown took place! It was a fabulous game! And Ki is just so fun to watch on the sidelines…he does a great job down there!

Poppa, Uncle Ki, Uncle Tyson, and Baby Kyson!

Up past Sundance

"Poppa, you're crazy! That water's COLD!!!"

Go Cougs!!! (and Ki!!!)

Saturday morning we all had the chance to go to the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference at the Conference Center. Kent watched it in the Tabernacle with Kyson so I could watch it with my family. My dad and Tyson flew home Sunday morning after a very fun-filled, exciting weekend.

A couple days after they flew home, Kyson and I followed them to Washington to visit and so that my sister Lyska and my Nanny and Gucky could meet our little man. He was a champ on the flight. I gave him a bottle at take off and the landing, and he slept in between. He didn’t cry once the whole day and it was just so much fun. Kent’s sister Renae in Portland actually picked us up and we got to spend a few hours with her and most of her kids got to meet their new cousin. She and Jeff took us to Izzy’s for lunch with my nephew Robert and niece Amy. It was so great to see them and spend a little time with them.

My mom came and picked me up from Portland that afternoon and we drove to Elma in time to see Lyska march in the Homecoming parade with her Drill Team. It was a lot of fun seeing her being involved in the whole Homecoming thing…and I’ll admit it was a little weird being back for that. But it was a lot of fun, too.

Lyska and Tyson absolutely love Kyson. It is my favorite thing watching my siblings become Aunts and Uncles…these two especially are fun. Tyson just smiles nonstop when he holds him and Lyska can’t get enough of him. Well, no one can, really. And my parents are such cute grandparents. He is one very loved little boy.

Just before flying to Washington Kyson started smiling socially, but just a little. By the time we flew home to Utah, he was smiling much more, and they just keep getting better and better. He is also finding his voice, which is adorable. He is still a quiet little guy, but when he decides to talk it just makes our day.

Our sweet precious boy practicing one of his first smiles!

Unfortunately, while I was home, my mom randomly got really sick with the flu and was in bed for a lot of our visit. It was also Lyska’s 17^th birthday, so it was actually really a blessing I could be there to help out a bit. I got to make Lyska’s birthday cake. Their Homecoming theme was Board Games, and her Senior class had the game Clue, so I made a Clue cake that had things associated with her life. It turned out great!

I got to take Lyska out to dinner and a movie, just to two of us, for her birthday as well. My dad stayed home with Kyson, and he loved that. It was a fun weekend; but we all missed my mom.

Happy Birthday, Lyska!

My Dad and Tyson also went hunting while we were visiting. So when they got back we got Kyson in his camo and took some fun pics:

It won't be long before he's out there shooting, too!

It was great seeing friends both at the football game Friday night and at Church on Sunday. We wished Kent could have joined us, but we enjoyed our visit.

Monday was Nanny’s birthday and my mom was feeling a little better, so we went with Nanny and my Aunt Teri and cousin Tessa and her baby to lunch at Olive Garden. We had a great time there! Nanny loved holding her two great grandbabies on each knee.

Nanny and Gucky loved meeting and holding Kyson, too. Gucky was the first to hold him. He picked him up and started crying. It was a very tender moment. I am so grateful all of my grandparents have been able to meet our dear, sweet son.

Sweet Grandma with Baby Kyson!

Nanny & Gucky enjoying our sweet boy

Happy Birthday, Nanny! We love you!

Tyson and I also took the dogs out to the waterfall to do a reverse waterfall hike in the rain while I was home. We left Kyson in the house for that one. Taking a trip home just isn’t complete without some river hiking in the mud and bushes. I just love it.

Our flight home was equally enjoyable as the flight to Washington. After a week, it was so great to be back with Kent again! Kyson sure grew a lot while we were gone, and Kent missed us both very much.

I am grateful for my wonderful family and I am so glad we got to visit with them! We love you all very much!