Week 3 & 4 - Can I Get a Little More

We started the week by stopping in to Wyoming to visit Travis, see the drilling operation, and our newest family acquisition, a camper, where he temporarily lives. We went to the Gillette Rec Center which was the most fabulous and outrageously cool Rec Center I have ever seen. He says it's the perk of having one of the nation's largest coal companies in that town, donated money can make awesome city attractions. This Rec center featured a gargantuan rock climbing walls, a great fitness facility, more than one actually, an indoor track, basketball, and tennis courts. Additionally there was an indoor water park complete with multi-story water slides, lazy river, lily pad crossing float ponds, and spray areas. The town itself is much larger than I expected but when considering some of the residents the general feeling was hairy scary, further confirming both the kids and my notion, that likely we wouldn't want to live there. From there we dipped down into our second home.

For weeks 3 and 4 we spent our time in Utah.  And although we still own a home out there, my brother and his family are currently living there and it's not big enough to house us all comfortably, so I decided to spend the time with another "bestie", Candice.  They own a house big enough to house her family of 6 as well as ours with a little room to spare.  Suffice to say, her newish house, has garnered a lot of attention because of its size which I find hysterical.  I teased her that I would take pictures of big clocks, tall ceilings, and weird ginormous features and put on my blog to embarrass her.  But in the end I love her enough and was too distracted by our playing to actually get any.  But instead later I will feature her hubby's butt in picture form because that's how I roll and he endlessly teases me so I think it's fair game, and his teasing has nothing to do with the fact that he may have caught me flexing and checking out my own muscles.  I don't really know why he teases me.

In Utah I have tons of family and friends and so despite spending almost two full weeks there, I feel like I didn't see everyone as much as I would have liked to {I'm still not sure why you have to work for a living, Elizabeth. Definitely could have used more time with you}.  We had a cousin sleepover in Tooele, hiked Arches National Park, Travis ended up coming for my birthday weekend too and we had a family party which helped.  Not only did we celebrate my birthday, but Allie's, Candice's daughter, birthday.  It is the day before mine.  Additionally we celebrated Pioneer Day and because they know and love me we celebrated my visit with stops to or takeout from some of my favorites - Bajio's, Jamba Juice, Jdawgs, and Apple and Raspberry Fritters from a local bakery.  Have you caught the theme from my vacation posts that I am a total foodie, aka Food addict.  Yeah it's an issue.  We'll work on it later.

As for Candice and Scott well I can't begin to explain all the good things about them because the list is limitless.  And I love Scott practically as much as Candice.  And a testament to our friendship is that Sunday morning, the day after I arrived at their house, Scott and I started talking at the kitchen counter - it too is hugocious.  Several questions into the conversation I found myself openly weeping, not a common sight for me.  And to put it simply Scott has a way of boiling down all my bull crap, he has a ton too so he knows all about it, and getting to the real part of me including my feelings on a slew of things that I wouldn't share with just anyone.  I like to tease him that although he was an Accounting major and quite fantastic at it too, that he secretly wishes he would have majored in Psychology.  And together with his wife, well they are a power house couple and family.  Their life hasn't been filled with all bubbles and candy, but you would never know it if you met them because they are some of the happiest people you will ever meet.  Case in point, Candice takes the sad stories of her life and the stories of those who surround her sadnesses and turns them into inspirational music.  She has a CD, Silver Lining, and will soon be recording a second one.  Note:  Buy it, it's awesome.  Shameless plug I know.

As for Candice, she is one of the most beautiful people I have ever known in my life.  And although she is physically very pretty that's not what I am talking about.  When I think of her I think of the 13th Article of Faith.  She embodies it and when I think of the last phrase I think of her..."if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."  It's why no matter how hard in life she might try to shake me, it will never happen, since I'm seeking her like a heat seeking missile to some really hot object.  Note to self:  Department of Defence analogies no good.  Anyway...even after two weeks of living with her and being constantly together we still cried as we hugged and said our goodbyes.  We weren't annoyed with each other at all which considering that Scott, Candice, and I all have strong personalities is a testament to their awesomeness level.  Plus let's be honest, I'm pretty sure I'm still the most difficult of the three of us and in their greatness they would never complain or let on that they were bugged by me.  So we'll just go on believing that none existed whatsoever.  And the thought of spending another year without seeing her is the quickest way to bum me out, so I try not to dwell on it. 

In addition their kids are amazing.  Brilliant, little - okay they are actually not little at all. {Side Note:  Scott is 6'6" and Candice is 5'9" compared to Travis's 5'6" and my 5'3" we call ourselves the Giants and Midgets. Their kids make my kids look minuscule.  Case in point their 4 year old is the height of my 8 year old.}  Going back their kids are brilliant, very fun small adults with more proper grammar than what I possess.  Another example of kids getting along flawlessly helping the friendship reach another level.  Anyway...she/they are amazing.  Love you guys and loved playing with you for so long.  I miss you and can't wait to see you again soon, even if it means I am driving to New York, Utah, or even Ushuaia - put that in your book Scott. 



That's A Lot of Miles

So the day after school got out and a short hour after Bella's dance recital, I hopped on a plane to Orlando, FL.  I was going to "visit" James.  Actually I was going to help him move his family across the country.  So after a delayed flight and getting to bed at 2am, we slept and upon awaking loaded the last of his stuff onto the Penske truck.  James the lone Penske driver and Adriane, baby Mason (6 mos) and myself into the car.  On that first day we drove, saw a fresh car accident with what we now know to be a deceased individual thrown from the car and two others life flighted to a nearby hospital in FL.  Not a good omen to start a 40 hour trip.  The first day we drove 14 hours,  the second day we drove 15 hours, but with an earlier start stopped earlier in the day too.  And the last and third day of driving we plowed through 9 hours of driving to land ourselves in Orem. 

1.  Happy baby Mason.  He was like this the whole trip.

2.  Macon, GA - I used to live here.

3.  Wyoming skyline

4.  Nebraska skyline in its nothingness.  I love it!

5.  Bored Mary

6.  Truckers Skillet - 9 lbs. of breakfast; eat it all in an hour it's free if not a mere $49.

7.  We saw the flooding, tornado, and severe weather that had occurred all over the midwest.

8.  Great sign.

9.  Adriane is now a rockstar marathon driver.

10.  Wind energy

11.  How can you not love this kid?

12.  Atlanta - our first big city after leaving Orlando

I jumped right into the madness and joined my sister in law Ashley to attend Relief Society meeting that night, this was our old ward after all.  I caught up with at least 20 old friends, hugged at least 50 people, and engaged in one tearful reunion.  I harassed my old sugar daddy and started making plans to meet up with friends and family over the remainder of the week.  I planned to jog up the "Y" and Ashley wanted to join me.  But a mile jog up the side of a mountain proved to be a little too hard and so shortly into it we forgot that idea and improvised to have a lovely little hike.  I walked 4+ miles with a friend as we chatted and caught up.  I toted my sister up to Tooele to see my sister-in-law in the King and I.  I ate myself silly with Elizabeth at my old favorite - Bajio's.  I met up with friends for lunches and one even booked Pedi's for us before lunch where I practically got my sister fired.  A long story for another day.  I saw my nieces swimming lessons, and laid out at the pool.

Mainly I just hung out with my best friends, aka family, out there.  It was awesome but I was ready to go home Sunday morning.  And nothing beats finishing a trip than waking up to find your sister who is driving you to the airport to be seriously ill, barfing.  So even when my overbooked flight was offering $400 plane vouchers for anyone willing to take the next flight, I was like forget that - It's time to get home, see my kids, and finish celebrating Father's Day.