Betsy's Family Blog: Trip to Utah to Babysit Cayson

Mark and I had the best adventure - we got to fly to Provo UT to babysit Cayson while Jessica and Tate take a vacation to Thailand. They have been looking forward to their vacation, and we have been looking forward to our vacation with Cayson.

The first night we went with Jessica and Tate to the River Town Mall because that is one of the places Cayson loves to play. They took us on a merry-go-round ride and showed us around the indoor play place. Cayson had a ball running and crawling through the tubes.

While we were here we also got to go see Santa.

Mark and Betsy with Cayson and Santa in Provo, UTAH

Sunday, We took Cayson to church at Jessica and Tate's ward. He was a sweet angel for us. He sat through the whole meeting. He seemed to be a bit under the weather. I dressed Cayson in one of my favorite GAP sweaters for church. I especially loved to see Cayson in clothes that I bought him. After church he took a fantastic nap. When he woke up her felt a little better and played for a while. I loved to see him play with toys or gifts that I had given him or sent to him. I love to see his joy at experiencing something new in life, hearing something make a sound, singing a song, dancing, pure joy! He finds joy in everything. We were glad he was feeling better. Unfortunately, that evening he started to have a fever and didn't feel well. I went to the store on Monday morning to purchase a humidifier for his bedroom. She got carried away and bought dark "black out curtains" for Jessica and Tate's room and Cayson's room too. She got a few other things for their apartment, just for fun. When Cayson naps, I organize the clothes that he has outgrown so Jessica can have more time with Cayson.

Monday we took Devon and Sierra out for dinner at their favorite place - the Brick Oven. Devon and Sierra love it because they get the all you can eat buffet. It was delicious and we had such a fun time getting reacquainted with them. We celebrated their one year anniversary with them (a bit late), but still we wanted them to know how much we love both of them so much, and how much joy we see in Devon since he is with Sierra.

Devon is a natural with Cayson. He took him for a short walk around the Brick Oven so Dad and I could finish eating and get to know Sierra better.

Sierra and Devon with Betsy

Mark holding Cayson with Devon and Sierra

BLISS - Pure Bliss

What a happy baby having loads of laughs with his grandma

Grandpa loves to play with Cayson

Having Ali and Chris over for games and desserts.

Fun with his Great Aunt Ali Hodge

Bedtime stories with Grandpa

Mark and I took Cayson to the Provo Rec Center several times. He loved to go around the water play center, go down the slides, and play in the water. We loved being with him.

Having fun with Cayson

This was a grandma and grandpa heaven on earth week. We loved every minute we got to spend with sweet Cayson. Getting him dressed, changing him, giving him baths, feeding him, playing with him and snuggling were all the best!!!

One night while Marissa was in Provo we went to Brookers to get ice cream. This place is Devon and Sierra's favorite ice cream place. It is modeled after the revolutionary war period.

Thanksgiving Day

On Thanksgiving Day we celebrated Thanksgiving by going to Cracker Barrel (Marissa's favorite) in Springvale, UT. We had to wait 45 minutes, so we had plenty of time to shop around - actually I we drove around with Cayson so he could nap and then it was the perfect time to arrive back at Cracker Barrel for dinner. Once they called us back we ordered ... not the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but Marissa and Betsy ordered pancakes. Mark is the only one that ordered the traditional Thanksgiving. Cayson was a food scavenger and ate food that we brought from home, and pieces of pancake, turkey and bread. It was so fun to take him to Cracker Barrel with us. He's such a character and he's so cute. He definitely has developed his own opinions about what he wants to eat. Pancakes was his top pick.

Kisses for Grandma

Marissa and Mark - Happy Thanksgiving

The day after Thanksgiving we were going to stay inside, but we really needed to get out with Cayson. We took him outside to play in the snow for a little bit. He had a blast. Then Mark had the idea of meeting Devon and Sierra at Zuppa's for lunch. We all met at Zuppa's even in the middle of a snow storm. To dad and I, YIKES - to Devon, Sierra and Marissa - this was nothing. We had a delicious and healthy lunch at Zuppa's and another opportunity to spend time with Devon and Sierra. We were headed to University Mall after this, but they had other things to do so we said our good byes (for now) there ... in the snow...

Mark, Betsy, Sierra, Devon and Cayson

Black Friday is the traditional SHOPPING DAY. We were going to avoid it but some of the things that I want to get for Devon and Sierra, I need to get while I am in Provo and this is the best day to get them because I will not have a car on Saturday - Mark is going up to visit his Thai buddies. Marissa, Mark and I took Cayson to the Provo city mall. It was packed, as expected. Unfortunately, because we went later in the day - to avoid the crowds - we also missed out on the good sales and selection.

I got some cute shirts for Cayson and Marissa. She helped me pick them out. We also were able to stop at a Give to the World Vending Machine and donate $100 in meals to families. It was awesome. I've been wanting to do this since they created the opportunity.

Give to the World Vending Machine

Cayson with his Grandma

Marissa with Cayson

Cayson is so cute in this photo

A trip to BYU!!!

Grandpa and Cayson at the Wilkenson Center

BYU remodeled their children's area to have a replica of the "Y" mountain with a slide. Oh my goodness, this was so much fun. Mark would take him up to the top, and I would video or photograph him coming down and then catch him at the bottom.

Walking around BYU:

Cayson loves to play - explore - and have fun inside and out

Grandma and Cayson would play with his cars, musical instrument, bake and of course, play with bubbles.

Cayson with bubbles

Cayson catching bubbles

Saturday Devon and Sierra had a wedding to go to so we knew we would not have much time with them. Luckily they had a small break to come have lunch with us. We ate at a barbecue place called CUBBY's. We were there for an hour just talking and laughing. We all took turns babysitting Cayson so the others could talk before Devon and Sierra had to go back to the wedding reception. Cayson is so spoiled to have so many people love him so much. Uncle Devon loved to chase him and play with him - peek-a-boo, where am I and so many other games.

Betsy, Devon and Sierra, and Mark at Cubby's

Sunday morning we attended Church with Devon and Sierra. We had bragged about how wonderful Cayson was at church the week before. This week Cayson had a different idea. He didn't want to sit in the pew for longer than 5 minutes. First Marissa took him out, then I swapped with her. He is darling, but he had to be on the move the whole time. He never wanted to sit and listen to the speakers. Luckily, Devon's ward pipes the audio from the Chapel in the hallways so I was able to hear the talks.

After church, Grandma couldn't wait to have special time with Cayson as they decorated a gingerbread house and did other Christmas traditions.

Opening One present each with Devon and Sierra.

Sunday evening we invited Devon and Sierra over to get their Christmas Presents since they will not be coming to Texas for Christmas. I also got something for their front door so I wanted them to have that before Christmas so I asked each of them to open one present with us. Devon opened a present to receive a red sweatshirt - red is still his favorite color. Sierra opened the present that had the door decoration. I hope she liked it.