What We Did This Weekend:
Video Game Night and Graduation
While making our way from our arrival gate to our departure gate at the Denver airport Saturday night, a thought occurred to me: The Denver International Airport is the Wood Between the Worlds, as described in C.S. Lewis' The Magician's Nephew, the first book in his Chronicles of Narnia series. For us at least, nothing ever happens there. It's pretty much a stopping point between places where things do happen.
Last week was made up of mostly meetings for me and mostly shopping for Brookie. We were in Salt Lake City for Western Governors University's semiannual conference. So, while my schedule was fixed, Brookie could do whatever she wanted: A little shopping, out to lunch with family, take in an extra session at the temple, followed by a little more shopping.
Tuesday night there was a dinner meeting, but Wednesday night we had free, so I took Trax to Sandy where Brookie and her grandpa picked me up so we could go to dinner. We met up with more extended family at the restaurant where we had a great time and some good food. Afterwards, we went to the South Towne mall to walk it off (and to shop some more).
Thursday night I had another evening meeting, but I was able to leave before dinner. Brookie had been up in our room watching our friend's baby boy while we were at the meeting. When we were done we went back to our room and found Brookie and him nearly asleep in the chair watching the Olympics. We all stayed there for nearly an hour before our friend and her baby left and Brookie and I went to Cafe Rio for dinner.
Whenever we are in Salt Lake, there are a few things we always try to do (in no particular order):
Yeah, so most of it is food-related. If we're able to hit most of these places, it's a successful trip. This time we didn't get to the Training Table (a Utah Original), but there's always next time.
Friday night was deemed "Kids' Video Game Night" by my mother's event on her white board calendar in the kitchen. Conference meetings were through for the week at 4:00pm that day (and thanks to my attendance at a special Franklin Covey session, I finally know the seven habits), and Brookie and I ran over to the Salt Lake Temple for the 5:00 session. By the time we were out of the temple and back to my parents' house for dinner, it was nearly 8:00pm. Everyone was there, which was fun. There were my parents and youngest brother Marc, of course; Weston, Missy, and our niece Ellie; and Cameron and his fiancé Leila. We had tacos and seven-layer dip, and then we all went downstairs to play some games on Weston's Wii. My highlight of the night was the game-winning two-run homerun I hit off of Weston. When Brookie and I weren't playing MarioKart, Wii Baseball, or Bowling, we were laughing and playing with Ellie. We were so glad that she likes us. I was a little worried that it would take a few days for her to get used to us, but she took to us pretty much right away. Actually, come to think of it, I don't think we've ever met a child that didn't like us, so I guess I shouldn't have been so worried.
Before it got too terribly late, we headed back to our hotel and went to bed. Saturday was a full day, and we knew we would need to be as rested as possible.
Usually we would have left early Saturday afternoon so that we could get back to Kansas City in the early evening. But this trip we stayed a few hours longer to see Brookie's aunt Jolyn graduate from Western Governors with her MBA. We are so proud of her. WGU gave her a great opportunity to earn her MBA while working full time and being a single mom. It was one of the best graduation ceremonies I had ever attended (probably second only to Brookie's graduation from BYU). After the graduation, Grandma and Grandpa Pyrah took us all out to lunch at the Olive Garden.
After lunch we stopped into my parents house one last time to hang out for an hour or so and to say goodbye. A few hours later we found ourselves in the Wood between the Worlds at the Denver airport. And that's what we did this weekend!
Go to the board!
Last week was made up of mostly meetings for me and mostly shopping for Brookie. We were in Salt Lake City for Western Governors University's semiannual conference. So, while my schedule was fixed, Brookie could do whatever she wanted: A little shopping, out to lunch with family, take in an extra session at the temple, followed by a little more shopping.
Tuesday night there was a dinner meeting, but Wednesday night we had free, so I took Trax to Sandy where Brookie and her grandpa picked me up so we could go to dinner. We met up with more extended family at the restaurant where we had a great time and some good food. Afterwards, we went to the South Towne mall to walk it off (and to shop some more).
Thursday night I had another evening meeting, but I was able to leave before dinner. Brookie had been up in our room watching our friend's baby boy while we were at the meeting. When we were done we went back to our room and found Brookie and him nearly asleep in the chair watching the Olympics. We all stayed there for nearly an hour before our friend and her baby left and Brookie and I went to Cafe Rio for dinner.
Whenever we are in Salt Lake, there are a few things we always try to do (in no particular order):
- Zupa's
- IKEA
- DownEast Outfitters
- Rumbi Island Grill
- Training Table and,
- Cafe Rio
Yeah, so most of it is food-related. If we're able to hit most of these places, it's a successful trip. This time we didn't get to the Training Table (a Utah Original), but there's always next time.
Friday night was deemed "Kids' Video Game Night" by my mother's event on her white board calendar in the kitchen. Conference meetings were through for the week at 4:00pm that day (and thanks to my attendance at a special Franklin Covey session, I finally know the seven habits), and Brookie and I ran over to the Salt Lake Temple for the 5:00 session. By the time we were out of the temple and back to my parents' house for dinner, it was nearly 8:00pm. Everyone was there, which was fun. There were my parents and youngest brother Marc, of course; Weston, Missy, and our niece Ellie; and Cameron and his fiancé Leila. We had tacos and seven-layer dip, and then we all went downstairs to play some games on Weston's Wii. My highlight of the night was the game-winning two-run homerun I hit off of Weston. When Brookie and I weren't playing MarioKart, Wii Baseball, or Bowling, we were laughing and playing with Ellie. We were so glad that she likes us. I was a little worried that it would take a few days for her to get used to us, but she took to us pretty much right away. Actually, come to think of it, I don't think we've ever met a child that didn't like us, so I guess I shouldn't have been so worried.
Before it got too terribly late, we headed back to our hotel and went to bed. Saturday was a full day, and we knew we would need to be as rested as possible.
Usually we would have left early Saturday afternoon so that we could get back to Kansas City in the early evening. But this trip we stayed a few hours longer to see Brookie's aunt Jolyn graduate from Western Governors with her MBA. We are so proud of her. WGU gave her a great opportunity to earn her MBA while working full time and being a single mom. It was one of the best graduation ceremonies I had ever attended (probably second only to Brookie's graduation from BYU). After the graduation, Grandma and Grandpa Pyrah took us all out to lunch at the Olive Garden.
After lunch we stopped into my parents house one last time to hang out for an hour or so and to say goodbye. A few hours later we found ourselves in the Wood between the Worlds at the Denver airport. And that's what we did this weekend!
Go to the board!
Thanks for tending the boy. It was so cute to see him and Brookie all cuddled up.
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