A Missionary and Back to BYU

April has been a busy month filled with family fun! A few weeks ago Justin's brother, Nate, returned home from serving a two year mission for our church in the Taichung, Taiwan Mission. We all went up to the airport to pick him up- minus Justin and his brother Davin who were working in Guatemala that week.

I was a pretty lame in-law and never sent him a single picture of the kids since he'd been gone so I think he was pretty surprised at how much they've grown! Ethan was 2 when he left and is now 4 and Ellie was one month old when he left and is now 2! 

 There were quite a few Smith cousins there running around the airport and a few new ones that Nate had never met so when he saw Ellie he said, "So who's is this?" We laughed and told him it was Ellie and he couldn't believe that it was her!

Nate with Mom and Dad Smith. 

 Dad totally cheated and scheduled his last leg of his flight home from China to conveniently be the same flight as Nate's. Oh and it just so happened that miraculously the seat next to Nate's happened to be Dad's! What a small world eh? :)

Last week we excitedly packed up and drove back to our alma mater for Chanda's (Justin's sister) graduation from BYU. This is really the first time that we have been back up to campus since our own graduation from there and oh how we love that place. We have such great memories there and it was so fun to drive around and reminisce about our dating, engaged, and newly married days. 

The weather was gorgeous! Spring time was always my most favorite season up there. Snow capped mountains, green hill sides, cherry blossoms blooming, and beautiful tulips planted all over campus. Please tell me why we don't live there again? Oh yes.... the winters :)

Chanda and her husband (also named Nate) live in Wymount Apartments which seems to be pretty family friendly. They had amazing green areas with park equipment, sand, and toys laying out all over the place for the kids. After being stuck in a car for 11 hours, our kids loved playing out there!

Have I ever mentioned how awesome Justin's sisters are?? They are pretty amazing aunts to our kiddos. This is Caryn...isn't she beautiful? 

It's a good thing she is since Ellie looks so much like she did when she was her age. For real, they look so similar! Funny how genes work. 

 My handsome hunk of a husband. I love that he is athletic. 

 We went to the commencement exercises where Elder Dallin H. Oaks (an apostle from our church) spoke and the next day we went to her specific college graduation.

 After, we were treated to a fabulous lunch at Tucanos. Yum!

While everyone else was in a food comatose state,  our little family drove up to Squaw Peak. Yes, all you who went to BYU know it as the infamous make-out spot but we had our kids and Justin's brother with us so don't you get all excited :) 

This spot is also known for it's gorgeous view of the valley....

 It seems as if Ethan is really into thumbs up pictures now a days. 

 Ellie was asleep in the car and the full family portrait was not worth waking her up for. She was exhausted from late nights and no naps!

Nate...he's such a great guy! He's also very single if any of you know a great girl who happens to be single too :)

 The boys had fun jumping off the "cliff". 

 If only we could have gotten Ethan up as high as Justin! Wouldn't that have been awesome?!

 We stayed with Justin's Aunt Rhonda and Uncle Art. They are SO amazing for letting all of us invade their house and eat their scrumptious food. Her house is right by  the Draper Temple which makes for an incredible view of the valley. 

This was the first time in two years that the whole Smith clan has been together. Since then we have welcomed 2 new in-laws and almost another baby into the family! What a fun bunch!

It was a short but fun trip! We just love being with family. Thanks Chanda for graduating so we could make an excuse to come back to Utah!