Husband Ditcher

Last week (or two weeks ago now?) I ditched Brad and went on a short little trip to Utah. While my time there wasn't extensive, I was able to pack in visits and it was a fantastic vacation. I'm a little wordier than usual so if you don't want to hear the play-by-play of my trip or my random thoughts... just skip this post.

I flew in on Wednesday and my cute parents picked me up from the airport and then we went to lunch at Zupas. Yum. I hung out with them for a little bit and then went over to my sister Liz's house to meet this little tiny bundle of squish. I am in LOVE with her (and not to brag or anything but I was basically her favorite person). Look at that face and that smile. I'm not partial or anything I promise.

Clare at 2.5 months old.

Later that night I went to two of my nephews last baseball game of the season. They are 6 (not twins - two of my sisters just happen to have boys around the same age and on the same team) and it was adorable. It was surprisingly cold at the game so we had to cuddle.

most attentive baseball spectators ever... or not...

Thursday morning I... don't remember what I did. Maybe went with my sister Jeanette to drop off her kids at school and... got some McDonald's for breakfast? Sure, that sounds right. Oh, and I went to Walmart with Jeanette because she needed to go grocery shopping and I thought that sounded like a valuable use of vacation time AND it was! I ran into my friend Melissa with her three kids. It was providence. I was going to see her that night anyway but the more time spent with Mel the better. That afternoon I met up with my friend Natalie for some frozen yogurt and catching up time. Then right after that I went to a friend's house for a girls night with some of my oldest and dearest friends. Love these girls. We ate a yummy homemade dinner and chatted for hours and hours and probably could have chatted for a few more.

Chelsey, Melissa, me, & Tia - I did not get the memo to wear pink

On Friday a play date was planned with two of my sisters and their kids and my friend Melissa and her kids. All of the kids got along great and and the adults had fun too.

Melissa and Peyton - the last time I got to see this munchkin she was less than a day old

That night I helped babysit my sister Liz's kids so her and her husband could celebrate their 10 year anniversary... which meant more Clare time!! Seriously, I am obsessed with this baby.

Saturday I went with my sisters Jeanette and Maren and most of their kids to Logan to help surprise my grandma for her 80th birthday. I was so lucky that my trip fell on the weekend of her birthday party and that I got to see her (I haven't seen her in years and have been wanting to for the longest time). It was great and I got to see a lot of my extended family that I haven't seen in forever.

yes, it is blurry, but it is the best I can do

After my grandma's party we went to a super small (and kinda ghetto) zoo in Logan while we waited for my uncle to give us a tour around Wellsville (right outside of Logan). The tour (not the zoo) was amazing and we got to see where my grandma was raised and were my family spent some summer vacations when we were little. We also got to visit the cemetery where my grandpa is buried. I haven't been to his grave since his funeral almost 10 years ago. I still miss him and his giant bear hugs.

Saturday night was sisters' night. We went to dinner at the Dodo in Salt Lake and had yummy food and chatted. Love my sisters. Afterwards we went to Ross for a little shopping (ok, it was just me who did the shopping because there is no Ross in Ohio but two of my sisters were nice enough to take me).

On Sunday, my last full day in Utah, my niece Clare was blessed. She wore the same blessing gown me and my sisters wore. It was a beautiful blessing and I'm so grateful they moved the date of the blessing so I could be there.

After the blessing I went and had dinner with Brad's family. His parents and most of his siblings were there (missed you Kelli & Jordan B.).  It was yummy and good to see them (was it yummy to see them? well... maybe that and the food was yummy too). Then I got ready to leave the next morning. It was an amazing trip and I loved every minute of it (except for when I realized that I had to leave my nieces and nephews) but I'm glad to now be home with my Brad. Everything went pretty smoothly with traveling but the airline did lose my luggage on my return trip. Luckily it showed up a few hours later and they even dropped it off at my house so I didn't have to make a trip back to the airport.