Ahhh this takes me back. When we first moved to Lakewood, Ireland was new to Thunderbird Preschool and they had a field trip to Royal Oak Orchard. Brent couldn't take time off of work and we didn't know anyone well enough for me to feel comfortable leaving Brigitta and Sydney. I was told if I didn't find a way to go, Ireland would be the only kid there without a parent. So we didn't. We went as a family the following weekend instead. Oh how far we've come!
After the hay ride, I was a little bummed to find we wouldn't have a choice in the type of apples we picked, we were confined to just a few rows. The apple of the day was Jonamac.
Turns out Brigitta and I love Jonamacs! I went for the biggest ones I could find while Brigitta favored the little ones that were just her size. I picked out Gita's outfit the night before with call colors in mind and man alive, she was NOT happy about it. The orange t-shirt was a particular sticking point for some reason. When she changed into pajamas, she tossed it at me and told me to "go ahead and give it to Sydney."
Fall=apple picking!
Brigitta couldn't resist eating that little apple as soon as we got back into the hay wagon.
It rained a bit but we didn't mind since I brought the big umbrella.
The playground is so fun! Brigitta spent most of her time in the play houses- maybe because it was raining!
The owners of the orchard are religious people so if you look around, you can find crosses here and there. Like here...
...and there.
She also loved that fantastic ship! Only apple cider donuts could tear her away. Well that and when we went to the gift shop to buy a bunch to take home. She definitely liked the gift shop!
The owners show an educational video inside the teepee. They talked a lot about bees and how they help the apples. Apparently however many seeds are inside an apple is how many bees visited the apple blossom and cross-pollinated it. Iiiinteresting...
Brigitta really wanted to ride the carousel but I couldn't figure out where to buy admission. I told her if she could figure out where we pay for it, she could have a ride. At first she stood shyly by my side when the operator noticed us and asked if we needed help. Finally, she mustered the courage to ask.
And she got her ride!
This trip kind of feels like coming full circle although technically that will not come until Sydney is a Sr. in Preschool. By then, I won't need to worry about a babysitter at all!
Our time in Utah was amazing. I was able to focus on Liesel and connect with her in a way I've never been able to before. I learned a lot about her as we drove up and down the Wasatch Front. We made some incredible memories together. Liesel probably could have stayed another week without batting an eye. For my part, I was incredibly homesick. I craved my own bed and I missed my family. When we finally left Dave and Janeal's, it was pitch black and the stars were so brilliant Liesel gasped and cried, "Look!" Orion was blazing right in front of our eyes just over the crest of the mountain. It was a beautiful end to our time there.
I had Liesel take charge while we were in the airport. She found the security line, the gates, rental car counters and even our seats. She is a road warrior in the making. At 4:30 AM I only nudged her awake and when I returned from the bathroom she was dressed and her backpack was all packed and ready to go. She's not such a little girl anymore.
The sun was just rising as we took to the skies.
O'Hare never looked so good!
Flying with the jet stream meant we landed 30 minutes early which is just when Brigitta's preschool was getting out. I knew it would be a while until my father-in-law could get to us, so before leaving the terminal, we had one last mother-daughter date. I was pretty sick of eating out, but Liesel loved her spaghetti and meatballs at Macaroni Grill.
We talked all about the upcoming Dork Diaries movie and who Liesel thought should be cast as Nikki, MacKenzie and Brandon. She seemed immune to the exhaustion I was having as well as the anxiousness to get home.
Before we left Utah I pitched the idea to Brent that perhaps this is a trip I should take with all the girls after they turn 8. We usually have sufficient frequent flyer miles to make it possible, so it's really just a matter to making a point to do it. Getting Liesel exposure to family, BYU and the church was more important than even I realized at the outset. Brent agreed that it might be a good idea...
As sad as I am the fun is over, I feel like now I have a trip with Ireland to look forward to!
Since Utah is plush with chapels, we could have attended church pretty much anywhere, anytime we wanted on Sunday. However, I really wanted Liesel to experience the Mormon Tabernacle Choir up close so for the 3rd day in a row, we put on our Sunday best and headed to SLC before the sun was even up.
Turns out the message was "The Power of Pausing"--HA!
Here is the transcript: Sometimes, in order to move faster, we need to slow down. In order to see better, we need to close our eyes for a while. And in order to progress, we need to take an occasional step back. It seems counterintuitive, but some of the most successful people know that success doesn’t come just from relentless pushing—we actually do better if we have regular moments of rest.
Liz Wiseman, an executive in the demanding business world, recently wrote in Fortune magazine of what she calls “the power of pausing.” “On Sundays,” she explains, “I shut out the world. For me, it’s a Sabbath observance, an opportunity to rest from responsibilities and focus on other purposeful activities, such as devotion and family…. While my Sunday routine varies somewhat, there is one thing that remains consistent: I don’t work.”
The idea of a weekly day of rest is literally as old as the earth and is part of many religious traditions. While some find it old fashioned in today’s world, others have found that it’s exactly what the modern world needs. One college student, after an especially hectic semester, decided to observe a weekly day of rest, where she sets homework aside and focuses more on everlasting things. When she resumes her schoolwork on Monday, she has a sharper mind, a refreshed body, a renewed spirit. Her week seems to go better.
A busy family juggling a demanding schedule made a similar decision. On their Sabbath day, they gather together as a family, eat together, converse, visit loved ones, and worship. They fortify their faith and their family. It has become a day that everyone in the family cherishes.
A day of rest could include a break from the digital world, an hour or two with a good book, a walk in nature, or simply some unstructured quiet time. It might mean more time with family or friends—laughing together, talking together, just spending time together. It might mean that instead of thinking about our to-do lists, we think about things of eternal consequence.
Liz Wiseman offers this advice: “Everyone deserves a ‘Sabbath’ of some sort. So this Sunday, go ahead and disconnect. Hit the pause button. Devote yourself to something other than work. Relax with family and friends. Or, simply re-center yourself in the universe.”
-Lloyd D. Newell
Speaking of Lloyd D. Newell- there he is acknowledging the choir!
Here is the man behind the MoTab sound- Mack Wilberg. Before he took the helm, the music was beautiful but really traditional. He's shaken things up a bit. I was surprised at how harsh he was on his criticisms- the man doesn't mince words! Then again, since they only rehearse twice before performing, I guess there isn't much time for pleasantries. Hearing their heartfelt version of God Be With You Till We Meet Again brought on the waterworks.
It is tradition for the conductor to put down his baton and face the audience during this song.
They happened to sing two of my favorites: Love is Spoken Here and How Firm a Foundation. As the music washed over me, my mind wandered. I thought about that huge organ and my dear friend Crystal who I knew in Boston. She plays the organ and we went to a couple of organ concerts there on the east coast. She's the one who explained the meaning of the phrase "pulling out all the stops" and told me about how she got to play the organ there in the tabernacle. After the program as we descended the stairs and headed for the door, there was Crystal.
THERE WAS CRYSTAL!!! She was standing there with her husband calling my name with tears in her eyes. I mean really, what are the chances?
They say a coincidence is what happens when God chooses to remain anonymous.
I couldn't believe it. Turns out they were in town for her husband's 10 year mission reunion. We quickly caught up on kids, friends, jobs, cities, families... and politics! It was like we had been talking a couple days before as we picked up right where we left off.
Eventually Crystal and her husband had to go so I took Liesel through the two visitor's centers on Temple square. Seeing the Christus is always a special experience.
I love this cut-away model of the temple. Liesel did too.
This pedestal is primarily used by bridal couples but since the temple is closed on Sundays, there were lots of tourists angling for a shot. I had Liesel scamper over between a couple of slow movers and yelled for her to
POSE!
POSE!
POSE!
She did that in about 5 seconds and happily hopped down while all the tourists clapped for her. It was SO funny!
I was hoping to catch Meet the Mormons II at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building but wouldn't you know it? They don't run on Sundays. We looked around a bit and Liesel fell in love with this chair which she dubbed "The Queen Chair."
Without anywhere pressing to be, we took our time at the various fountains and reflecting pools.
However, hunger settled in. Jeremy had recommended a place called Pig in a Jelly Jar so we thought we'd try it out for a late brunch. Oi. It was the best choice food-wise but not the best choice time-wise. We waited SO long to be seated and then to get our food. Liesel and I gave up trying to distract ourselves with games and as we looked across the table at her I sadly said, "I'm pretty sure we're gonna die here."
"I know Mom."
Our waiter took our order and we never saw him again. Our drinks were quickly drained (again, that arid desert environment) and no one checked on us. I was practically eating the food off the plate before it hit the table and the typically persnickity Liesel downed her entire plate of chicken and waffles. I should have videoed that because I still can't believe she did it. Sure the pulled pork sandwich with homemade pickles was good, but old tires would have tasted good to me I was so hungry. I had to ask another waiter to get us our check. Now usually I'm a very generous tipper, but this was just horrible service so I gave 8%. Upon reviewing statements and receipts, that waiter decided to give himself a 20% tip. This is one of those moments I love being married to an accountant who will absolutely call and contest something like that.
My nephew Jack was being ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood and Joey and Lisa's ward. We headed down to Draper to be there for it and ran into Joey and Lisa in the parking lot! Liesel headed to Primary with her cousin Logan and I tagged along with Lisa to Young Women. It was odd sitting there with no responsibilities on my shoulders.
After the ordination, we headed to have pizza in the park. It was SO good to catch up with my niece and my nephews that we don't get to see very often. Abigail's drawings are crazy cool. I could hang out with Noah all day... no joke. Eli loves his pocket watch-- he's even researched how to properly wear one. The entire Nielsen clan was magically out of their Sunday best and into t-shirt and jeans in the space of the car ride from the church to the park. I didn't get to see much of Sam and Isaiah because they were enjoying the playground equipment but they are adorable and happy kids. It was good to touch base with Benjamin again who had a tale to tell about where his glasses went. Yeah, it was just good to mix and mingle. Plus it's always a good time hanging out with this guy:
And this girl:
Lisa was in the delivery room coaching me through my first birthing experience with Liesel so moments like this always catch my heart.
Liesel and Logan were two cute peas in a pod.
Even though it was our last day, I do truly believe in family first.
Our stay in SLC kind of came at the perfect time in the trip. The altitude left us tired in the afternoons and the desert air made us constantly thirsty. Because we were drinking much more fluid than we usually do, we were also running to the restroom. The previous two days entailed a lot of driving. Sleeping in and hanging out in the hot tub while Liesel perfected her flips in the pool were just what the doctor ordered. We didn't leave the room until the last possible minute and ended up literally throwing things into our suitcase.
I love Hampton Inn breakfasts... and their adorable cups!
The City Creek shopping center has some really fabulous shops. We stopped in at the Restoration Hardware and Tiffany's where we talked about our favorite charms. I'd run out of the hotel so fast, I didn't put any makeup on so we went to Sephora where I was able to have it done professionally.
Liesel loved the Disney store... of course!
She also loved the water fountains by the food court.
All the shopping we'd done was clearly not going to fit in our carry-on so we hunted down a FedEx to have the things we didn't need shipped. It was literally a load off. From there we met up with Janeal and Andrea at The Cheesecake Factory for an early dinner. Sometime during the meal one of the girls observed that Janeal and I never stop talking. It's totally true, I could talk to Janeal for days... actually, I have! She inspires me to hang more family photos and quotes I love on my walls. She makes me think a bit harder on things in motherhood, in the gospel, in the world. She makes me want to throw open my windows and let in the fresh air, even when it's raining. She makes me want to try harder to be a better person... not for the world to see and oooh and aaah over, but for my own personal development. No matter how much or how little time I spend with her, I always miss her right after we say goodbye.
We headed over to the Conference Center and took our seats. Again, I'm so glad Janeal was with us because she worked there during the Olympics and knows the place well. The ushers were filling up a very long row that would have had us sitting far to the right but Janeal asked if she could just go one row back. Again, so gutsy but with such great results. Love that girl. We were close to the middle AND we had easy access to the aisle for little ones who might need a restroom break. The highlight for me was hearing President Dieter Uchtdorf speak about his wife. So funny and so tender. In the middle of the session Liesel leaned over and asked me what I thought would make a good tattoo design. I'm holding out hope that some of the valuable messages made their way into her mind somehow!
A kind stranger offered to take our picture on Temple Square as we headed back to our cars.
I'd heard about this place called Swig and wanted to try it out. Liesel ordered the Tiny Turtle which is Sprite with apple and banana flavoring added. I tried the Texas Tab which is Dr. Pepper with coconut and vanilla flavoring. That's some serious concentration of sugar in one drink but of course we were desperately thirsty so we gulped it down. As if we needed more sweets, we tried their famous sugar cookies, which were really yummy. When I moaned to Liesel that we were eating our way across Utah, she corrected me, "No, we're TREATING our way across Utah!" She's right, we don't normally eat like this so a little indulgence is ok I guess.
For this trip, our itinerary was somewhat loose. We had places we wanted to visit, people we wanted to see and local cuisine we had to eat, but it was pretty relaxed. However, Janeal and I conspired to take our girls down to Provo and get them excited about BYU. Not only has Janeal been to BYU more recently than I, but in college she was in BYUSA which means she was super involved and well-connected. She knows a lot, she may even be mayor of BYU or something and I wouldn't be surprised. I wanted to tap into her stores of BYU wisdom while we were there.
We drove in separate cars so the girls could hang out and chat, not even thinking that would mean Janeal could take the carpool lane while I slowly made my way south. As I was catching up, Janeal took the girls over to the DeJong to demonstrate good acoustics. Janeal would think to do that... check to see if it's being used and then let the girls take the stage. She's so wonderfully gutsy like that. When I arrived, Liesel was all ready to try it out.
It's not so much her singing in this video that makes me smile as it is her showmanship. At the end of her impromptu performance, a group of students walked in and quietly listened while she finished. She loooooved that! We took the girls to the periodical section of the library which was one of my personal favorite places to study. Something about that sea of college students quietly working on everything from chemistry to religion to graphic design really struck a chord with Liesel. I pointed out how no one's mom was there telling them they needed to do it, they were just doing it.
I love this picture. My little rebel! I'd forgotten about the little signs like this and Janeal and I laughed over the prankster who added "of righteousness" there at the end. We headed over to Stonebridge where I lived and paid homage to that great apartment just across the street from campus.
Then we headed to Brent and Dave's apartment which is decidedly less shiny and pretty... but cost effective!
It wasn't much of a place, but it produced some really fantastic husbands!
And out of those marriages are now children who are good friends. Janeal kept pointing out places Dave had kissed her and Andrea looked honest to goodness peaked.
From there we stopped by the Academic Advisement Center to say hi to Janeal's aunt. Since she was on the clock, she asked the girls about their aspirations. Liesel said she wanted to be a librarian... news to me!
We got to the CougarEat right about the same time the rest of campus did. Liesel was deeply impressed with the panoply of choices for lunch. I pointed out the Taco Bell where I fell in love with their double decker tacos. In the end, the Papa Murphy's line was the fastest moving.
I'm a little bummed about how the bookstore has changed to just the BYU Store and has more clothing than books. It's still makes for some fun shopping, but it's just not the same.
Janeal and Andrea had to head back north but before we left campus, we stopped by Sugar and Spice for a BYU mint brownie and their chocolate milk. Most chocolate milk tastes like skim milk laden with syrupy, grainy, overly sweet chocolate. The chocolate milk made by the BYU Creamery is smooth and rich and just heaven to drink.
It was time to check into our hotel and get ready for the Lambertsen's sealing. Brent booked the hotel with points and I begged him to make sure it was in a safe area of SLC. We love Hampton Inn's and he assured me it would be safe. Well, this is where it was located:
Yup, that's kitty corner to Pioneer Park which is homeless and drug central in SLC (see: here). From what I understand, Elizabeth Smart's homeless captors took her there for a time before she was found. It's just a really bad, bad area. Liesel was fascinated by all the people peeing wherever they wanted and pushing their grocery carts through the parking lot of the hotel. We love Hampton Inns, but we will not be staying at this one ever again!
On to the sealing at the Bountiful temple! Liesel hung out in the waiting room just off the lobby while I mingled with Jeremy and Annie's families. I was excited and nervous to meet Della who is Annie's long-time friend and who I have gotten to know via Voxer. The second I saw her, I knew who she was and it felt like we'd been friends for decades. Have you ever made a friend you've never met?
Worlds collide in the temple and as we sat down for the sealing, I looked at the temple official who was vaguely familiar. When he introduced himself, it clicked- he was my parents mission president when they served in New Jersey!
There was a reception afterwards where I barely said anything to Annie and Jeremy because I was enjoying talking with the other guests so much. It was such a wonderful evening to cap off a wonderful day! I'm so happy for this little family!!!
