Girl Getaway 2011

Every year I look forward to the time I board a plane and head off to a place where I can just be with the girls (my Mom and sisters) for a few days. During girl time I am Tiffany, not Mom. We laugh, we talk all night (well, Ali and I do - it's tradition), we shop, we eat good food, we bask in the blessing it is to be good friends with our sisters and Mom.

This year's getaway took place the third week of April. We met in Utah and drove to a condo at a ski resort near Salt Lake. The condo is owned by Ali's husband's company, so we were able to use it for free. Mom picked us up from the airport and drove her car, so we didn't have to rent a car. The snow this year was still VERY plentiful, even in mid-April. You might think that we would take advantage of our proximity to the snow by strapping on skis and hopping onto the ski lift (which was right outside our door). But, no, that would have been WAY too much exercise for a girl's weekend. Instead, we lounged in the condo, watching movies and talking until we left to do something productive like shop or eat at a restaurant.

One of the days we drove down to Provo and met up with Brandon for lunch at the Wilkinson Center Food Court.  Brandon was in the middle of finals, but was able to squeeze us in for a few hours. It was so much fun to see my awesome son on his "home" turf. Ali and Kara said goodbye, as they wouldn't see him again until after his mission to Ukraine.

We girls spent some time shopping the clothes in the BYU Bookstore (I found four skirts long enough for my tall daughter Bailey!)  The guys,  Brandon and Grandpa, were patient and bored.

 
Afterward we ate Creamery ice cream . . . . . brings back memories!  

Later that night Dan talked to Brandon on the phone. Brandon apparently said that he was a little "weirded out" by the experience of seeing me hanging out with my sisters. When I asked him about this later he said that he isn't used to me being so giddy and happy.  He's right - most days I am in "Mom mode," meaning that I am responsible and reliable and focused and productive. But not on my once-a-year girl trip, Brandon, so deal with it!

It was actually a beautiful day on the BYU Campus, with the temperature in the low 70s! People were sunbathing everywhere, enjoying the respite from a long and brutal winter.

Dad showed me the newly renovated Joseph F. Smith building. Most of my college classes were in the old building on the site which was torn down for the renovation. The new building is amazingly gorgeous!  Dad showed me the spot at the bottom of the staircase where he had attended Brandon's award presentation a few months prior. Brandon won $500 for producing a work of art (a movie) which illustrated an aspect of BYU campus life.

We tried to get a picture of the Y on the mountain behind us, but we were facing the sun, so it was painful!

Hanging out at night, checking out pictures on facebook, etc. Very unproductive and relaxing.

We ate some good food during the trip. Below, Sweet Tomatoes, a family favorite. Right, MY favorite . . . Cafe Rio.  The first night we arrived we ate at the fabulous Mexican restaurant, and I bought an extra meal to keep in the fridge at the condo. I ate off my leftovers for the rest of the trip, finishing the last of the burrito in the car on the way to the airport for my flight home!

I am going to include these next pictures (and video, too, if I can get blogger to let me upload it) because I have absolutely no pride. One night we played "Grenade" by Bruno Mars on my laptop and we choreographed (I use the term loosely) a music video to the song. I haven't laughed so hard since . . . probably since last year's girl getaway! Mom and Dad (who visited us for one night as an honorary Girl's Getaway attendee) took the pictures and video of their crazy daughters who apparently still think they are 18.

I really tried to get the totally embarrassing video to post. I need my technologically intelligent son to help me figure out why the server keeps rejecting my videos (oh, wait . . . Brandon is unavailable to help for a few years!)

Packing up and leaving on Sunday morning. Once we were off the mountain Ali and I met Dad at church (we were able to sit in on the teacher improvement class he was teaching, which was really fun). Kara left straight for home. 

 

I can't wait for next year!  But maybe we will go somewhere sunny next time??