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??

Life of Christ

For the last three years our stake has sponsored a Life of Christ presentation the week before Easter. All of the community is invited.  So many talented people envisioned and then brought to life the displays.  The cultural hall is filled with vignettes from Christ's life, starting with His birth and continuing through His boyhood and ministry, His atonement in Gesthemene, the crucifixion, resurrection,and appearance at the tomb. Beautiful art depicting the scenes from the life of Christ are displayed at each vignette, all donated (for display) by people throughout the stake. It is really an amazing experience to visit and to be a part of this annual presentation. For the last two years I have helped set up the tomb area.  It takes a few labor intensive days to get everything in place, but it's an honor to be involved.

This year for the first time they also had actors at each display, dramatizing the events of Christ's life through the eyes of some of the people around Him. It was really powerful. Aubrey was asked to be one of the actor/singers. She sat underneath the big picture of Christ's Second Coming and sang "I Wonder When He Comes Again."  She sang acapella.  I was amazed at her bravery . . . to sing with no accompaniment or support in a big, crowded room for an hour!  I know I am biased, but I thought she sounded like an angel.

Here is a picture of Aubrey, waiting to sing her song again. I have some video too - I am trying to edit it a bit and then will post it.

I took a lot of pictures of the displays this year, but the lights in the cultural hall were already dimmed so the flash reflected off some of the art.

This was my area - the Tomb:

These are pictures of the rest of the room.

The Nativity

The boyhood of Jesus

The temple at age 12.

Above and below: the ministry and miracles of Jesus and calling the apostles 

The Last Supper

The Garden of Gethsemene

 The Crucifixion

The Second Coming

 The Woman at the Well
 

Everyone loves a parade

On May 21st we watched the Hazel Dell Parade, our local "small town" parade. This year was especially fun because our very own T-ball star Joseph was in the parade with the rest of his team. Joseph is the one with the pirate eye patch. He thought it was fun to throw candy to the parade watchers. Alas, by the time he (and all the other floats) reached us, there was no candy left to throw. So, Bailey and I walked over to the nearby frozen yogurt shop and brought back a delectable summer treat for each of us.  Except it wasn't really summer-like . . . cloudy, overcast, and 50 degrees. I guess in our neck of the woods, that counts as summer weather!
 Below, Skyview High School's marching band (Brandon's alma mater and soon-to-be Bailey's school). 

This is what it's all about

 

I believe that the sweetest experience I have experienced so far as a mother was attending the temple for the first time with one of my children. It was amazing for Dan and I to share such a joyful and peaceful place with Brandon.  As we sat and visited quietly in the temple at the end of the session I kept thinking . . .this is what it is all about. Years of teaching, guiding, encouraging him to live the gospel and a Christ-like life. It all led to the temple where he was able to make covenants to continue living in this manner. And the experiences and promises made in the temple will lead to more wonderful experiences (mission, marriage, children). Family is really the reason for everything in the gospel, and the temple so beautifully illustrates this.  Our Father in Heaven finds His greatest joy when we choose to live the gospel and choose to live righteously with Him forever. I can see an echo of this in my own life. My greatest joy is to see my children make choices which will bring them happiness and true joy, and we will be able to be together forever in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Easter 2011

I'm still working backward, trying to catch up.  I need to document some more events from the past few months for our family history.

Easter Morning 2011 -  Very rainy and cold.  Plenty of good chocolate.  A nice, spiritual Easter Sunday church service.     

Pictures taken before church on Sunday morning.  Before 9 a.m. church, I might add.  And we were only 5 minutes late!  It is true that Joseph dressed himself and picked out a too small shirt to go with his suit. Because it was too small he couldn't do the top button so he attached his clip tie down lower, but this did not bother me a bit. As long as was wearing something (and not a superhero costume), I was fine with it.

Sunday dinner was yummy:  ham, rosemary garlic potatoes, homemade rolls, special Easter cupcakes.

After dinner we had a little Easter egg hunt in the house.  I love the outfit Joseph (this is his Prince of Persia outfit, I believe. I don't believe that he has seen the movie, but he thought that the cover of the DVD looks really cool.) And don't you love Bailey's face in the picture below left?  This is what we lovingly call a "Bailey face" in our house. 

The week had been so crazy that we colored our eggs on Sunday also. A jam packed day full of Easter fun.  Except no one is smiling below.  I can't remember why, but I'm sure there was a story behind it.  A little sibling rivalry, perhaps?  Joseph did not want to get his clothes wet, so he stripped down on top and wore my apron.