Bangerter Family Trips

Since I last blogged, our little family has been very busy. We will continue to be busy and have a couple more trips before we move to Kansas. In a lot of ways, I feel like we have already moved there! Over Memorial Day weekend we drove down to Thatcher Arizona where my grandparents met. My Grandpa Kauffman ( who I have never met- he passed away when my Dad was about 6 weeks old) was a Drama professor at what was then Gila College. My grandma was a student there and they fell in love.

I have always felt a connection with my Grandpa and have been researching his life for years. I have always wanted to go to Thatcher, and it was great to finally be able to go there. I got a lot of good info, but I will have to go back because there is still some more researching I can do! Unfortunately, Adam got food poisoning which made a very long drive home for all of us. We had our prayers answered and a very kind family let us hang out at there house after church for a couple of hours so Adam could get enough strength to drive home. I have so much I could say about that trip alone, but I want to be able summarize all our fun adventures so here we go.

We were able to visit my parents in Queens, New York. It is still kind of crazy to me that my parents live there, but after staying there for 5 days it is finally sinking in. It was so fun to experience New York City from the perspective of someone that lives there. It was great to spend time with my parents; I miss them so much!

Adam has told me for years about Romanian food, but I was finally able to taste some! It was great food ( the only thing I was not a fan of was the mineral water that apparently they drink all over Europe) and it was fun for Adam to be able to speak Romanian again.

We went to the Bronx zoo; it was amazing! I wish we had a little more time to spend there, but it was great. Their gorilla exhibit was fantastic!

Anna finally got to meet her Grandpa Kauffman. Oh, how I love my dad! I have really missed him, and it was great to spend some time with him. Adam and I took the subway the first night that we were there over to my parents Stake Center where he was teaching an institute class. My dad is a fantastic teacher and I love listening to him. I feel so blessed to call him my Dad!

This was Alina's favorite part of the zoo

We rented bikes for a couple of hours and rode around Central Park. We only got half way through it! What a big park.

My parents watched the girls while Adam and I went on a much needed date. We rode the Subway into Manhattan, ate a nice restaurant and then went and saw the Broadway play Wicked. Adam and I have never gone to nice restaurant by ourselves; it was so much fun! I love spending time with Adam; he truly is my best friend.

Central Park

We rode the Subway so much that even I was starting to get the hang of it.

All the humidity made Alina's hair so curly. It was so cute. Alina and Anna were quite the attraction especially in Elmhurst where my parents live. Whites are the minority there and especially with blonde hair and blue eyes. I felt like a celebrity with all the attention I was getting.

We went to a Mets game. We actually walked from my parents apartment to the game. It was fun to see where my dad walks in the mornings.

On our way to the Mets game

A couple of weeks before our trip my mom mentioned to Alina that they would go on a Cara-sol and that is all Alina talked about up to the ride.

The girls did great with all the traveling.

Before we visited my parents we flew into Boston to visit Adam's sister Claire and her wonderful family. Claire took us into downtown Boston one day and the other she showed us around Concord. Downtown Boston was amazing. I definitely want to go back there. We walked some of the Freedom Trail; there is so much history in that one city!

Waldon Pond
Wow, we went on the perfect day. It was so beautiful and peaceful there.

It was cold in Boston. We were not quite prepared for the cold. Living in Albuquerque has made me a wimp to cold temperatures. I did not think that would happen after only living here two years.

Cousins and best friends
Alina didn't want to let go of Abby's hand the entire time we were there. Abby did not think that was best idea.

Alina went to Joy School with Abby one morning, and she talks about it all the time. It got her pumped to do our own Joy school in the Fall. Hopefully I can find some willing moms in Kansas.

The girls loved climbing on the statue of the ducklings from the book Make Way for Ducklings.

I can't say enough how much I loved walking around Boston. What a beautiful city!

Anna and her loving Aunt Lauren
We started our trip by driving up to Utah to see Seth one more time before he left on his mission to Germany. It was fun to spend one quick day with him.

Alina always has fun in Grandma's big fun yard. There is so much to do, and so much green grass that we are not used to see!

Uncle Steven was a great playmate for Alina

While we were there, the boys held the 2nd Annual Croquet Tournament. I am proud to say that Adam won! Lincoln the winner last year is presenting Adam with the prized green jacket that Adam can wear proudly for the next year.

Seth was teaching Adam how to use all his climbing gear for pruning trees. It was very entertaining for us all to watch.

Seth did a wonderful job speaking in church before he left. He is going to be a powerful missionary in Germany. It was been so fun for me to watch him grow in the last 6 years that I have known him. We are going to miss him a lot, but we are very excited for him.

We also got to meet Andrew's fiance Kaitlyn! It was so much fun to finally meet her, and I am excited to welcome her into the wonderful Bangerter family. Alina loved her from the start and insisted on sitting right by her for dinner.

Back in April, Adam ran our second race together the Albuquerque Half Marathon. It was so much fun! I really enjoy running with him, and it is great motivation to run faster.