What We Did on Our Summer Trip
Our Summer Trip by the Numbers
10 days
8 baseball games
4 barbecues
2 slabs of pork spare ribs
50 glow-in-the-dark bracelets
59 pictures of our adorable niece
2 trips to IKEA
2 meals at Cafe Zupas
5 nights at the Sheraton Hotel
1 one baby blessing
19 meetings
4 conference presentations given
3 bags checked to Salt Lake City
4 bags checked to Kansas City
We had a great time on our trip to Salt Lake City. We left on Thursday, July 2, and returned late Saturday night, July 11. There were quite a few things we wanted to do but didn't have time to do them. But we had fun hanging out with family (mostly at barbecues and baseball games). I really did intend on writing a post last week besides the teaser that I put up, but time flew by while we were out of town.
One of the things we had a chance to do on our trip was to drive down to Provo for the annual Freedom Festival and Parade. We got up really early that morning in order to be there in time to see the hot air balloons go up at Provo High School. It's something we always enjoyed doing when we lived in Utah, and we made it a definite priority when we knew we would be in town for the Fourth of July. On our way to see the balloons we found a spot to watch the parade and left our chairs there. By the time we made it back for the parade, our chairs were completely surrounded. It always surprises me just how many people attend that parade. But we love it. It's just good, clean, patriotic fun. And it definitely get you in the mood for fireworks.
The night of the Fourth was spent at my brother and sister's home, where we had our third family barbecue in as many nights (the fourth "barbecue" was the following night at grandma's house with all the cousins, aunts, uncles, and a handful of great-grandkids). My brother taught us to play a game called wa-shoes, a lawn game similar to horse shoes where you try to get 3.25" washers in a hole. As much fun as that was, the highlight of the night was even more amazing than the fireworks we watched from their front lawn: My brother's sister-in-law brought her roommate to the party, and before I knew what was going on, Brookie was hugging her like she was her long-lost best friend. It turns out that's exactly who she was. They were so excited to see each other, and now we're Facebook friends (not to mention BFFs with my brother's sister-in-law).
The entire week that followed the holiday weekend was full of meetings for me and shopping and other fun stuff for Brookie. She had a great time doing things she doesn't normally get to do during the day. I had a rough time trying to find the balance between falling off the wagon and being able to taste a little of everything served at the daily buffet lunches they fed us at my conference. My employer, Western Governors University, holds bi-annual conferences where everyone flies in to Salt Lake for a week of meetings and training. Although most of the agenda is aimed at mentors, I was still able to glean some good information from the presentations I heard. I also had a chance to help with the presentation of four workshops on a topic I'm very familiar with because I've been working entirely on that particular project for a solid eight months.
Our evenings last week were full of baseball games. Monday we watched my baby brother play ball for his Legion team. Tuesday we had tickets to a Salt Lake Bees game at "Spring Mobile Ballpark." Wednesday was another Legion game. Thursday was a slow pitch softball game with starring a pair of my brothers. And Friday, at the conclusion of the WGU conference, we drove to Tooele for one last Legion game (then quickly drove back after Tooele stomped them).
By Saturday we were nearly ready to get home. Our photography-inclined brother agreed to take some pictures of us so that we could update our adoption profile pics, since, you know, we've lost a few pounds in the past six months. We managed to stop into 7-11 for a free Slurpee (do they do that every July 11th?), and grabbed lunch at Chick-fil-a. We had to keep our lunch a little light though, because we'd already had a huge breakfast at the Original pancake house with my parents, brothers, their S.O.s (significant others), and my grandma. Brookie and I split a meal, ate twice as much as we normally would for breakfast, and we only ate half of the omelette.
Anyhow, we flew home Saturday night, picked up our car which had been detailed while we were away, and drove home from the airport. And the best part is, there was no flooded basement greet us, and we found everything just as we left it – including the humidity.
And that's what we did on our Summer Trip. Check out my Facebook album for some pictures: Click here.
Hopefully I'll have time to update the board with a new COW and our menu tomorrow.
Go to the board!
10 days
8 baseball games
4 barbecues
2 slabs of pork spare ribs
50 glow-in-the-dark bracelets
59 pictures of our adorable niece
2 trips to IKEA
2 meals at Cafe Zupas
5 nights at the Sheraton Hotel
1 one baby blessing
19 meetings
4 conference presentations given
3 bags checked to Salt Lake City
4 bags checked to Kansas City
We had a great time on our trip to Salt Lake City. We left on Thursday, July 2, and returned late Saturday night, July 11. There were quite a few things we wanted to do but didn't have time to do them. But we had fun hanging out with family (mostly at barbecues and baseball games). I really did intend on writing a post last week besides the teaser that I put up, but time flew by while we were out of town.
One of the things we had a chance to do on our trip was to drive down to Provo for the annual Freedom Festival and Parade. We got up really early that morning in order to be there in time to see the hot air balloons go up at Provo High School. It's something we always enjoyed doing when we lived in Utah, and we made it a definite priority when we knew we would be in town for the Fourth of July. On our way to see the balloons we found a spot to watch the parade and left our chairs there. By the time we made it back for the parade, our chairs were completely surrounded. It always surprises me just how many people attend that parade. But we love it. It's just good, clean, patriotic fun. And it definitely get you in the mood for fireworks.
The night of the Fourth was spent at my brother and sister's home, where we had our third family barbecue in as many nights (the fourth "barbecue" was the following night at grandma's house with all the cousins, aunts, uncles, and a handful of great-grandkids). My brother taught us to play a game called wa-shoes, a lawn game similar to horse shoes where you try to get 3.25" washers in a hole. As much fun as that was, the highlight of the night was even more amazing than the fireworks we watched from their front lawn: My brother's sister-in-law brought her roommate to the party, and before I knew what was going on, Brookie was hugging her like she was her long-lost best friend. It turns out that's exactly who she was. They were so excited to see each other, and now we're Facebook friends (not to mention BFFs with my brother's sister-in-law).
The entire week that followed the holiday weekend was full of meetings for me and shopping and other fun stuff for Brookie. She had a great time doing things she doesn't normally get to do during the day. I had a rough time trying to find the balance between falling off the wagon and being able to taste a little of everything served at the daily buffet lunches they fed us at my conference. My employer, Western Governors University, holds bi-annual conferences where everyone flies in to Salt Lake for a week of meetings and training. Although most of the agenda is aimed at mentors, I was still able to glean some good information from the presentations I heard. I also had a chance to help with the presentation of four workshops on a topic I'm very familiar with because I've been working entirely on that particular project for a solid eight months.
Our evenings last week were full of baseball games. Monday we watched my baby brother play ball for his Legion team. Tuesday we had tickets to a Salt Lake Bees game at "Spring Mobile Ballpark." Wednesday was another Legion game. Thursday was a slow pitch softball game with starring a pair of my brothers. And Friday, at the conclusion of the WGU conference, we drove to Tooele for one last Legion game (then quickly drove back after Tooele stomped them).
By Saturday we were nearly ready to get home. Our photography-inclined brother agreed to take some pictures of us so that we could update our adoption profile pics, since, you know, we've lost a few pounds in the past six months. We managed to stop into 7-11 for a free Slurpee (do they do that every July 11th?), and grabbed lunch at Chick-fil-a. We had to keep our lunch a little light though, because we'd already had a huge breakfast at the Original pancake house with my parents, brothers, their S.O.s (significant others), and my grandma. Brookie and I split a meal, ate twice as much as we normally would for breakfast, and we only ate half of the omelette.
Anyhow, we flew home Saturday night, picked up our car which had been detailed while we were away, and drove home from the airport. And the best part is, there was no flooded basement greet us, and we found everything just as we left it – including the humidity.
And that's what we did on our Summer Trip. Check out my Facebook album for some pictures: Click here.
Hopefully I'll have time to update the board with a new COW and our menu tomorrow.
Go to the board!
Glad to hear you had a great trip. Freedom Festival in Provo is always fantastic. Yes, 7/11 does that ever July 11th - free slurpees, for the past few anyway.
ReplyDeleteHad we only known . . . We were at the Provo Freedom Festival too! We ran the 5k then hiked the Y.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great trip.