My Trip to Utah

Eric had found cheap tickets to Salt Lake just before Christmas and decided to surprise me with a ticket to go visit my sister Shalyce’s family and my mom and dad.  They had just purchased a new home and wanted me to come help them get settled in.  I was scheduled to go the end of February, but Austin was so sick I just felt like I couldn’t leave him so I had to postpone my trip.  I scheduled it for after Spring break thinking for sure by then he would be feeling better – not so, but it was a good little break for me, though he was constantly on my mind and I am sure Austin was happy to get a little break from me too.

It was so nice to go and spend time with my Mom and my sister setting up house.  We did A LOT of shopping!  I left a van full of stuff for my Dad to drive up to me in Vancouver the next time they came up to visit.  There are so many great stores in Utah.  Is that really true or is it just that when I am at home I don’t take the time to shop so I don’t know of all the great stores right in my own backyard.

I also got to spend some great quality time with my cute little nieces.  Mira and Reese would play with my hair for hours and Sage even did it for me one day.  I loved sitting and reading with them and hearing about their preschool.  Sage played the piano for me.  I am so sad I am not near to teach her.  She is such a good student and practices so hard.

I got to go up to Malad for a few days and visit with my Grandma and Grandpa.  Aunt Helen even dropped in from Boise (she can’t stand it that anyone is getting together without her).  I am so glad Thayne would drive her all that way to see us.  What a treat.

My mom had to stay in Malad to help Grandma and Grandpa so I came back home to spend some quality time with my Dad.  I so enjoyed just driving around with him and listening to anything and everything he would tell me about his life.  He told me about growing up all over the country, his adventures, his experiences with the Spirit and how I came to be in his life.  I even got him to go shopping with me.  Wow, my brother and my dad shopping with me in the same year!? What a treat. 

My Dad and I also enjoyed decorating my Mom’s room.  Merging two households isn’t easy and she just needed her own space to retreat to where things were organized and projects didn’t abound.  I tried to make her room that place.  It was fun to think of her while doing it and try to put things together like she would like.  I just wish I could have seen her face when she came home and saw it.

Tanner was finishing up his year at BYU while I was there.  So I was able to help him study for his humanities final and pack up his dorm.  It was also his birthday so I was able to take him out to Red Robin for his birthday burger, shopping for a little wardrobe update and to the movies to celebrate his 19^th year.  Then I got to bring him home on the plane with me for the summer.

Spring Break: KAHNEETA

We were looking for every opportunity to get away from the stresses of life – especially for Austin.  For spring break I found a Groupon deal for a night stay at Kahneeta Hot Springs and time on the resort property to play.  We invited our friends, the McKagues, along and a had a fun time swimming, going down the water slides, shooting baskets, playing volleyball and watching movies in the rooms.

Dallas and the National American Choral Directors Association Conference

In March Austin’s high school choir had been invited as one of three high school choirs to present at the National music conference for choir teachers, composers and conductors all over the world in Dallas, Texas.  I did not want Austin to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity, but with him being so sick wasn’t sure how to make it happen for him.  After speaking with his choir teacher, Mr. Iverson, we agreed that If Austin’s doctors thought it would be alright and I could accompany him, it would be okay for him to go on the tour.  Eric and I hurried and found tickets, the choir re-arranged chaperones and room assignments to fit me in and a few weeks later Austin and I were boarding a plane to Dallas.  I was so glad Austin didn’t have to miss this. 

Myerson Symphony Center

Winspear Opera House

He got to sing for some of the best composers and conductors in the world.  The Winspear Opera House and the Myerson Symphony Center were both beautiful venues and were packed.  The choir’s program was met with standing ovations and brought them world wide acclaims.  They were invited to come to the World Choir Convention in 2014 because of their performance, but had to decline due to the expenses and safety concerns of international travel with a large group of students.

These are the composers of the pieces the choir sang.  Throughout the year they had opportunities to have these composers come and help them work on their songs.

One day the group went to Six Flags.  I wasn’t sure how Austin was going to deal with that, but after throwing up a few times, I think his stomach got so confused on the rides that it didn’t know whether to be sick or not so he actually had a pretty good day.  

Downtown Dallas touring:

Don't Mess with Texas

The Subway System

The Bus System

The Spot of Kennedy's Assassination 

It was fun to be with Austin and his friends.  I am sure his first choice wouldn't have been to have his mother as a tag-along, but I will always have very fond memories of this time with Austin.

Easter

For Easter our family, along with Lani and Cathy, went up to the Heywood Hideaway  in Mossyrock, Washington for a little R&R.  It was a great weekend.

  McKenna played Easter bunny and orchestrated the best Easter Egg Hunt ever.  She sectioned the cabin property off into zones and assigned each of us a zone and a color.  We each hid eggs of all colors in our zone then Mckenna had us draw colors.  We would hunt all over the property for the color of egg that we drew. 

 Everyone was able to hide the eggs and everyone was able to hunt.  It was so fun.

Here are a few of the hiding spots:

It was really a tough hunt.  Can you find the egg in the following picture?

 Look a little closer...

McKenna even had prizes organized and had hidden a “golden egg” with a grand prize.  

Eric found the golden egg and got a blue ribbon and chocolate bunny for his effort.  

What a creative and talented daughter we have.  

We all had a fun weekend and enjoyed all the cabin had to offer.