The Bailey Family: Trip to Utah Part 1- A wedding and a BIG announcement!

The first of December our little family made the drive up to Utah!

But really this all started about a little over a year ago...................

My little sister Mary came to visit us here in Arizona summer 2009

(Check out her trip here!)

While here she got the chance to meet all of our friends here, including our dear friends Lauren and Joseph Shumway.

Lauren and Joseph thought Mary was so cute and sweet! They thought it might be fun for Mary to meet Joseph's little brother when they were both a BYU Idaho.. but not for over a year. The little brother was still on his mission to England and Mary was still in high school.

So a almost a year later while I was visiting in Wisconsin Lauren and I got to chatting online about this little brother of Josephs... named Kevin. Lauren even e-mailed me some pictures of him to show Mary! Mary thought he looked so nerdy! (Her words, not mine!)

Also at the time Mary had a very steady boyfriend. Although he was nice and got along with everyone.. I did not really care for him.

And so it started... Lauren and I trying to arrange for Mary and Kevin to meet at school that fall!

I kept telling her about all of the cute boys there would be a college and that she would regret not dating around more and that if she was really meant to be with her Wisconsin boyfriend then he would still be there at Christmas.

I thought at the least Kevin might be a good distraction from her boyfriend and someone with a car who could give her a ride if she needed one.

When I met with her in Utah before she went up to school I again tried to convince her to date around and meet Kevin!

(Pictures of when we met Mary and Mom in Utah before heading up to BYU-I HERE!)

Then off to school she went!

Within DAYS of Mary getting to school she posts some pictures on facebook...

of her and KEVIN!

I was SO SURPRISED! She had been fighting me on even meeting him and now THIS...

anyone who saw it knew... they liked each other.. A LOT!

That's Kevin's "I love you" face and Mary's "oh crap, I'm in trouble, this guy might not be so nerdy after all, what am I going to tell my boyfriend" face!!

After that it was a whirlwind!

Within two weeks Mary had completely broken everything off with her Wisconsin boyfriend and was picking out WEDDING RINGS with Kevin!

And now three months after she meets that nerdy guy, the guy she refused to meet for over a year, we are driving up to Utah for

MARY and KEVIN'S WEDDING!

I guess I was right, she was going to figure out what she wanted by Christmas.

Maybe my distraction was a little tooo good!

(Again, Sorry Dad!)

I (and I think Lauren too!) am still in SHOCK! I can't believe this all happened!

Seriously, as Ryan and I were sitting in the temple right across from Lauren and Joseph I was like "how did this happen!?" I felt like it was all a dream. I guess it really was meant to be....

and Lauren and I are the master matchmakers!

Before we hit the road Ryan and I let the kids open ONE special present!

Mini DVD players couldn't wait until Christmas!

We drove through the night and the next morning this is what I woke up to! What a sweetheart!
I wish that I could pack him in my suitcase and take him home with me!

That whole first day was spent getting things ready for Mary and Kevin's open house!

Jack got to open a birthday present from the Ballards!

Buzz and Woody jammies and a monster truck... they know Jack!

**BIG ANNOUNCEMENT**

Ryan and I are moving to UTAH!

From the first 6 weeks of living in Arizona Ryan had a feeling maybe this wasn't the right place for our family.

From then on it's been a none stop roller coaster of.. we are moving back to Utah, we're staying in Arizona! We're moving back to Utah, we're staying in Arizona!

About every 6-8 weeks it would change!

There were two times where we really thought it was going to work out and I even started packing things up! But then Ryan wouldn't get the job, or an opportunity would come up here and we would decide to stay here.

But over this summer as Ryan's gone back to school (and we were 100% committed to staying here!) he still couldn't stop thinking about Utah!

In August Ryan told me AGAIN that he really wanted to move back to Utah!

We decided to earnestly fast and pray to know what to do.

Hoping that if it was the right thing for our family and the right timing that things would work out. That things would happen smoothly.
One night after much thought and prayer we decided to go to the temple.

As we were getting ready to walk out the door I thought "What about our renters!? Are we going to just kick them out or what!?" This whole time we had been planning on moving back into the house we still own in Utah, but we still had renters in it!

So we decided that we should call them up and see what was going on with them.

When our renter picked up the phone he started laughing, he was just about to call us to let us know they bought a house and were moving out... right then! Like he seriously had boxes in his hands right then!

That night we had a great time in the temple (when do you not have a great time there!?) and decided that for sure, this was it, we are going to move back to Utah!

While in Utah for the wedding we met with people at UVU (Ryan's university in Utah) and with our renters in our house.

Everything worked out so well and so fast, as we drove back to the house we were staying at with my family we couldn't believe how easy that was!

We really feel like every things falling into place.

There are wonderful things about Arizona, mostly the wonderful friends we have made. Those friendships will last a lifetime.. and with Lauren and Joseph, maybe a little bit longer now!

But Ryan and I are happy to be going home!

(We LOVE visitors!!! Everyone PLEASE come visit us in Utah!!!)

I think that we look SO OLD in this picture! I shouldn't point that out, because now you're thinking.. oh yes, you do! But sometimes I forget we are about to be in our 30's! Only a couple of weeks for Ryan! I still feel like I'm 17... but with a lot more wisdom and patience!
ANYWAYS.... one evening we all went to temple square to see the Christmas lights!
Maybe we just look cold... yeah, maybe that's it

Our sweet little family!

I have the feeling like maybe there is room for someone else in this photo!

My baby hungriness is really starting to hit HARD!

I didn't feel too bad investing in some new coats for the kids, knowing we were moving back!

Good thing Ryan and I still had ours!

Although I was really worried about being in the cold again, it wasn't to bad!

(at least not that night anyways!)

Sweet Belly Bug could NOT wait to play in the snow!

She had been looking forward to it for weeks!

My little sisters and brother!

Neinah, Jacob and Anna!

I can't believe this is all who is left at home now!

We're all grown up now! In two more years Jacob will be leaving for his mission and all that will be left are the two little girls!

Lisa and Jake met us there too!! Silly boys! Holy cow, I'm not sure I'm ready to move right next to THAT again... Nice one Jake!

Anna, Neinah, Tyler, Sami and Jacob!

My darling cousin Sami got married over the summer and now lives in Utah with her sweet husband!

I was so glad to meet him and hang out with them over the weekend!

SOOO excited for babysitters when we move back!

Alright, it worked the first time... Anyone have a little sister about 17???

Our best Utah friends! I can't wait to live close to Lisa again!!

I guess maybe Preston doesn't like the idea so much... or maybe he was just tired.

Nice one Neinah!

Jack and Aunt Anna!

Best Buds!

Ella keeps asking me if she can have a sleepover with Avoire and Paige the first night we are back in Utah!

My sweet little guy! He's always so good at things like this! He loved looking at all of the lights and the nativity!

Jack wearing his new jammies from the Ballards!

(he has worn them every night since then Lis!)

Ella LOVED sitting at the piano with Grandma singing Christmas songs!

The next evening Ryan and I were able to be with Mary as she went through the temple for the first time! It was a really neat experience. I was SO happy to be there with her and watch her as she made such sacred special covenants.