Trip to Utah

I know this is late, but I had such a fun time and want to remember it!

Jonathon had to spend two weeks in Wisconsin for work to train for his job with Sentry Insurance. I decided this would be a fun time for me to get away too and go back home to Utah to see some friends and family for the weekend.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 8, 2011

First, I got a very special pick up at the airport from my sister Shirley and her two adorable sons Ryan and Brady. Shirley lives out in Spanish Fork which is about 1 1/2 hours from the SLC airport so I felt very special! It was so good to see her and the boys smiling faces!

Jumping on the trampoline

After we were in the car, I asked Ryan if he wanted to open a surprise. I wanted to start a tradition that whenever I come visit, I bring surprises from Washington. He opened them in the car (some gold fish crackers-- He used to love playing a game called UZU on my Iphone and he called the little dots "Fissies!' :) and a potty training book) So when we asked what it was, he replied "A surprise. From Wash-ink-ton!" I LOVE him! I love everything about him.

We stopped by to visit our Mom who was at the deaf church volunteering for a craft day. She showed all of us off to her deaf friends. It was good to see her for a minute!

Then Shirley and I spent the next few hours SHOPPING. I love shopping at thrift stores and finding good deals. And second-hand clothes are cheaper in Utah than WA for some reason. Here is my haul:

Ten shirts, twelve jackets, three pairs of shoes, and a coat..

I think my closet is officially complete.

I had brought a huge suitcase from WA for the purpose of bringing back some of the stuff I'm storing at my mom's house and I ended up filling it FULL of new clothes!!

Shirley and I went to lunch at Cafe Rio. I had forgotten how much I LOVE Cafe Rio since we don't have it in WA! And Ryan got a sharp chip caught in his throat. It was so sad.

Spending the day with them made me really look up to Shirley as a mom. She does a great job and is an amazing mother to her boys. She said something like she was kind of embarrassed because Ryan is just so crazy when they go out and she just doesn't know how to control him and feels bad like she should be better. I was so surprised because all day long I'd been thinking just the opposite! I am amazed how well she handles having such a too-smart-for-his-own-good, gets-into-everything kid and little baby at the same time and how well she parents them and teaches Ryan good principles. He is a GREAT kid and he can owe a huge chunk of that from having such great parents. I hope someday I can have as cute and good of little kids as those two!

The most amazing Mom: Shirley, and my two cute nephews

A few hours later, Shirley dropped me off at my Mom's house in Sandy and I took a nap (I'd only slept two hours the night before from all the excitement!) and I got a special chauffeur to drive me up to Provo for the BYU football game... SHALECE! I was SO HAPPY to see her! I met her and Smallz when I used to referee their lacrosse games and they rescued me one night when I didn't have a ride home. We've been great friends ever since. :) We even went the scenic route through Draper to beat traffic. I love her and have really missed her friendship since moving up to WA so it was so good to spend some time with her.

Shalece and me at UVU

(I was trying to look Asian)

Another GREAT friend, my BOSOM BUDDY Kat came to pick me up and went with me to the BYU vs. San Jose State game (we won- yay!). Kat is another one that I've absolutely missed and yearned to find a friend like this in WA. She's been one of my best friends since 9th grade and even though we don't get to see each other near as often as we'd like, we can always start up right where we left off. I LOVE her!! We also sat with my brother-in-law Robby and his friend Chantelle at the game and it was fun to see him, as always. It was weird being at a game without Jonathon!!

Kat and me at the BYU vs San Jose State football game

We went to a weird Provo party (it made me remember all the reasons I hated the "single life"-- with awkward, superficial conversations, the sole entertainment was the laptop showing a stand up comedian.. etc etc) and then got some hot cocoa at some ghetto 7-11 in Provo then she dropped me at my sister's in Spanish Fork. Thanks Kat!

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9th, 2011

We planned to spend the day doing crafts and making hair accessories, but we ended up taking a nice long nap instead! Ryan went with Grandma Lisa to church and we met up with them later that night at my Grandma Richards house.

Oh, first we stopped by quickly at my GUEST FRIEND Shaun Morrow's house so I could see his new little baby Dax. He is the CUTEST little red-headed baby ever. Good job Shaun and Taya on making such an adorable thing. It was also fun seeing their family-- All his family was there for Shaun's birthday dinner. Shaun was one of my best friends through middle school and high school and his family was like my second family, especially his mom Linda. They will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Little Dax!

Grandma made a nice dinner and it was fun just spending time with family catching up and laughing. She always makes yummy dinners so I look forward to eating there every time! Then we played games and, of course, took some pictures.

Me and the little nuggets!

I'm obsessed with them- aren't they so cute??? They are good friends and cute brothers too!

Ryan playing with the 'mustache comb' I brought for Steven as his souvenir from WA

He went around brushing everyone's hair with it- haha!

Ryan and me

He loved the pine cones. We were playing a game where we'd pick up the pine cones and throw them onto the pool cover. He could have done this for hours!

Grandma and her two grandsons

I love this picture oh so much

Cute Brady and Shirley

The Whole Gang

Can you SPOT the differences??

This is our TRUE side shining through!!

I stayed at Grandma Richards house that night. We stayed up until almost 2:00 AM talking. This was like the old days. She's always been one of my best friends. I remember when I was in 7th grade just having a hard day and she came and picked me up and took me shopping. For some reason, that just made my day! And she loves doing things like that for her grandkids. She's always having so much fun and wants to let everyone have a good time. I'll forever be grateful Jonathon and I got to live so close by her during our college years to strengthen that bond. Finally we had to force ourselves to go to bed!

Monday, OCTOBER 10th, 2011

Grandma and I woke up and decided it'd be fun to go get some brunch. We waited and waited for my mom to join us and finally the three of us went to Lettuce and Ladles. It was tasty!

We planned to get pedicures but we ended up not having enough time because my grandma had tickets to the opera that night. We went birthday shopping for me instead. I got the BEST brown boots EVER and some cute little blue shoes. They are both my dream shoes and I get compliments every time I wear them. Thanks Grandma!!! I also helped her find some slip on Sketchers she'd been looking for for years and she was so excited! She got some in black and white. :)

My mom and I went and did a little shopping on our way back to her house and then stopped at Beto's to get some dinner. I LOVE BETOS and MISS IT SO MUCH!!!!!

Mom and I spent some time together chatting then started a movie. She fell asleep pretty quick and went to bed. Steven came home and we ended up talking for almost four hours! I guess we needed to catch up! It was nice spending that time with him and getting that connection back as brother and sister- even if it meant I was a very tired girl the next morning..

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

Grandpa and Grandma Roush came to pick me up bright and early in the morning to take me ROCK HUNTING! I'd never been so I begged them to take me while I was in town. We stopped by McDonalds on the way for some breakfast and played the Monopoly game-- 6 tries and didn't win anything! haha. And then picked up a $14 disposable camera since we forgot ours at home.

They are so cute.

The view of Utah Lake- we were near Saratoga Springs

Me and Grandpa

Grandpa finding and picking up a big rock he liked

He said "I like the ones that have got character- bumps and unique shapes"

Loading it in the truck. He's so strong!

Grandpa has a real knack for finding rocks. He'd drive along in his favorite little gray pick up truck and keep his head out the window. Somehow he'd see a GREAT rock thirty feet away, park his truck, get out his gloves and little hammer and pull out the rock and load it into the truck. And those things were heavy! He is my hero. And Grandma is amazing in every way. I admire that woman so much. She has a genuine love for nature and the outdoors. She is taking a class at the Sandy Senior Center where they go explore local trails so she kept picking different flowers excited to bring them back to her class to ask her teacher what they were. She's so cute!

Grandma with some pretty yellow flowers she liked

Me and Grandma sittin on a big ol rock

I loved being out there in the desert with them. It was so quiet and peaceful- we were the only ones there. The weather was perfect for us! I am grateful to Heavenly Father for blessing us with beauty in the world.

Our haul! Grandma and I collected lots of little ones in that white bucket

We stopped by Smiths deli and ate some fried chicken on our way back to my Mom's house.

My mom drove me down town for my massage appointment with Angela- the best massage therapist in SLC! It was much needed and awesome. This was the perfect ending to my trip!!! Then she got me a healthy lunch to eat before getting on the plane. It was so sweet of her to think of that! She dropped me off at the airport where I flew back home to Washington.

In summary... it was a wonderful trip! I LOVE all my friends and family in Utah. To those of you I didn't get to see, I hope I can see you next time. I love you all and am so grateful to have you in my lives. I'm a blessed and lucky girl. :) And come visit me up here!!! I'll take you out and show you the town!