Sojourn to Utah: March 2021

I really wanted to go to Utah over Hayley's spring break. I had talked about going weeks beforehand but it wasn't officially decided I would go until a couple weeks before. My Mom's birthday was on the Friday before it started so I really wanted to surprise her and just show up. I didn't tell the girl until a couple days before we left because I knew Hayley could possibly ruin the surprise by accidentally telling my Mom we were coming and I didn't want her asking me about it constantly. Once that girl finds out about something she doesn't stop asking about it until it happens. 
My original plan was to leave on Friday, March 12th at ~4:00 AM, but Dan told his Mom we were coming when she and Paul were here visiting a couple weeks prior and she convinced me to drive to Albuquerque and stay the night there and finish driving the next day. We were supposed to leave as soon as I was showered after teaching my HIGH class, but Paige gave us a little scare.
On Thursday morning after Paige had woken up from her nap she would not walk, and if she did she was limping. It concerned me a little because it was so sudden. She was her usual self before her nap but I could tell something was wrong when she woke up. She didn't have a fever so that was good but I was still worried. She had PT in the early afternoon and her therapist told me she could tell something was up too. She thought it could maybe be osteomyelitis since Paige had been a little more unhappy in therapy the past week or so and there was obvious discomfort in her hip when she would move it. I scheduled an appointment with her doctor for a couple hours later, thankful that they could get us in, and her doctor didn't think that's what it was BUT it did need to be ruled out so she sent Dan and Paige to the ER. They were there for four hours where Paige was monitored. They didn't end up having to draw blood or take any x-rays because after the Motrin kicked in she was back to her happy self, walking around just fine. The pediatric doctor told Dan he thinks it could have been some sort of transient synovitis. I'm super grateful she is alright and was able to come home so we could leave for Albuquerque.

We left Lubbock a little after 9:00 PM and got to Albuquerque around 2:30 AM TX time/1:30 AM NM time. Hayley and Evelyn shared a bed and I thought Paige would do fine sleeping with me but she was wide awake once we got to the hotel. So an hour after trying to sleep and failing I called the front desk and, bless their hearts, they brought us a crib in the middle of the night. I was up around 7:00 and the girls were up shortly after. We got ready for the day, had breakfast in the hotel dining room, got some gas at Costco, and hit the road around 9:00.

Hayley and Evelyn were excited to stay in the hotel and loved every minute of it.

The drive honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Paige did have a blow out but I just put her back in her pajamas from last night. The girls used our little portable potty at the same time, and other than that they made it to gas stations (that are pretty few and far between on this drive). We had lunch in Farmington, NM and got some of our wiggles out. The last couple hours of the drive were in snow and rain. Thankfully the worst of it was in Price and got better after that.

The girls were great little travelers and I am so proud of them! We made it to my parent's house at 8:00 PM and it was fun to see my Mom and Dad surprised to see us. My Mom was a tiny bit upset at me for driving by myself but it was fine. Both my siblings were there celebrating my Mom's birthday so it was great to see them all!

March 13

I went to Jenna's HIGH Fitness class and surprised her this morning. It was so fun to see her face when I walked in. I jumped up and taught a few songs with her. It was good to move my body after sitting in a car all day yesterday. We hung out at my parent's house until about 5:00 when we went to Paul and Becky's and surprised the Hayward cousins. We had dinner with them and then the girls (minus Paige) had a sleepover there. They love playing with their cousins! 

March 14
I picked up the girls from Paul and Becky's around 9:30 so that we could come back and be ready for church at 10:30. The girls had a nap since they did not get enough sleep at the sleepover, ha surprise! We played around outside a little in the afternoon. It was a nice Sunday.

Hayley is getting good at riding the scooter.

March 15

We ran some errands this morning and afternoon. I have to get my Twisted Sugar while in town. This evening we went to Surf 'N Swim with Hayward's and Becky met us there after she got off work. The girls loved it! Paige thought she was bigger than she is because she would just charge into the waves and water. I was always right by her or else she would have been in trouble. It was fun to see how excited she was. We would have kept playing too but Paige's lips, hands, and feet were turning purple, even though she was as happy as could be, so it was time to get out and warm her body up. It was fun while it lasted!

First time doing pigtails in this girl's hair.

March 16

After we had lunch we went over to my dear friend Lindsay's house. We have known each other since high school but I hadn't seen her in years and it was great to catch up! We were supposed to see each other last year over spring break but that was the beginning of all the COVID fun. My girls loved playing with her kids. Their horse had a baby the night before and it was fun to see how tiny it was. I went to Hillary's HIGH birthday class that night and then to Jenna's St. Patty's day HIGH class right after. I was super tired by the end of the night.

Mama and baby horse!

All our kids are pretty close in age and it's the best! (Gage and Paige are four days apart and I mean, come on, it's even more awesome cause of their names.)

They passed out on the drive back to Grandma and Grandpa's.

March 17

We met up with Becky, Brittany and her girls at Castle Park for lunch. We had a nice picnic, took a stroll on the Gailey Trail, and let the kiddos play on the playground for a little while. It was good to be outside. After dinner I went to my friend Kelli's HIGH class. She was teaching with another friend and I jumped up front and taught a couple songs too. Then she had a Barre class right after. It was SUPER hard but felt good. I love moving my body and meeting other instructors! It was a great night.

March 18

We got ready after breakfast this morning and headed down to Thanksgiving Point to the Butterfly Biosphere. My Mom, Nikkole and her boys, and the four of us met Andrea and her boys down there. It was pretty cool. Hayley was scared of the all the butterflies flying around in the biosphere but loved the rest of the cool things that were outside of it. We got lunch at Zupas after the kids were done playing there. Then we headed to a park so Nikkole could nurse Todd real quick before driving home. We stopped in at Trader Joe's on our way back. I had never been there and had been wanting to go. I can see why people like it! I got several goodies and may have to make a trip every time we are in Utah ha. After dinner I took the Hayley and Evelyn over to Paul and Becky's so they could have some alone time with their Grandma. I left them there so they could have a sleepover and I headed to the Ogden Temple. Only two of my former coworkers are still there, but I'll go as long as there is at least one of them. It was fun to see them and catch up. And I couldn't help but get a little teary eyed just walking into the temple because it had been so long so I had been inside. I felt so much joy being back there again. I got home a little after 1:00 AM.

We fit four car seats, a booster, and three adults in my Honda Pilot. Beat that you crappy vans!

March 19

I woke up around 9:30. Paige and I got ready for the day and then headed to Paul and Becky's to pick up the girls. Hayley wanted to make cookies with Becky so they did that while the rest of us played a little. We said our goodbyes to them and then headed back to my parent's house. My Mom and I went to the craft fair at the Farmington Fairgrounds and got a couple things there. It was pretty cool and people are creative. We had dinner and then Hayley and Mom dyed some eggs. Evelyn had been asking to dye eggs with Grandpa for months (no idea why or where that idea came from) but she never lasts too long doing that kind of stuff so she only did a little.

March 20

I finished packing up all our stuff this morning. As soon as we had eaten and were ready to go we hit the road, which was around 9:30. We got gas in Spanish Fork, had some lunch in Moab (the traffic was AWFUL there), got gas again in Cortez, had dinner in Farmington, and then made it our hotel in Albuquerque around 9:45. It was a long day but the girls did great. They really are amazing at this road trip business. We watched a little TV in our hotel room, played around to get some energy out, and then went to bed. 

Eating Chick-Fil-A in the back of the car in a parking lot.

March 21

Paige was up a little after 6:00 AM and I knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep so I got up and got ready. The girls were up shortly after too. I ordered us some take out breakfast from the hotel restaurant and we ate it in our room. We checked out around 8:30 and were back on the road. We had to make one side of the road potty stop and made it back home a little around 1:15 PM. Grateful it was a quicker drive today. I binged listened to the All In Podcast on the drive there and back. Highly recommend!

Hayley wanted me to take a picture of the sister hug.

Breakfast in bed!

I may be eating this for breakfast for the rest of forever now. It was delicious!

We saw a bunch of hot air balloons as we left our hotel.

It's definitely gotten easier to come back to Lubbock, but that doesn't mean I really want to. I could've stayed longer but we actually had things to get back for. Visiting friends and family is extremely good for my heart and soul. The drive alone was worth it!