Sojourn to Utah: End of May-Beginning of July 2024

May 19
All five of us (hooray, Dan got a week off!) headed to Dallas on Sunday after church. We stayed in a hotel that evening because we had an earlier flight out to Salt Lake the next day and figured it'd be easier to make the drive the day before instead of early that morning. We stopped at Bucee's for gas and dinner and then went to bed fairly early since we needed to be up around 6:00 AM.

May 20
We got up at 6:00 AM, got ready, had breakfast at the hotel, and headed to the airport. We parked the car there and made it through security with plenty of time to spare. Thankfully, I was on medication flying this time and didn't feel awful the whole flight. I started to feel a little iffy towards the end but once we landed and started walking to get our bags I was feeling better, and even more so when we made it to my parents and I got some food in me ha.

We went to dinner with the Haywards at El Paisa Grill in Ogden. They have a taco bar that we went for, but unfortunately it's only during the lunch hour. We still got some delicious Mexican food even though it wasn't unlimited tacos. And it was good to see all the Haywards and for our kids to see each other.

May 21

We had a casual day today just hanging out at my parent's house. The Kelley's came over for a little bit in the afternoon/evening and the girls were thrilled to see them again.

May 22

We went to the Layton Temple open house with the Haywards and the Howells tonight and then had dinner after at Paul and Becky's. Even though we were just walking through, it was beautiful to be able to be in there with my husband and daughters. I'm so grateful for the Gospel and the joy it brings along with the knowledge of all of us being together forever!

May 23

Dan and I got to go on a date tonight! It had been way too long and it was so nice to be able to go and enjoy some time together. We went to dinner at Crown Burger (where we went on our first date), saw The Fall Guy movie, and then ended the evening at the Kaysville Creamery with some delicious ice cream. I love my man! And thank goodness for grandparents who are willing to babysit for us!

May 24

We learned Granny Annie's in Kaysville is closing at the end of the month so we decided to take the girls there for breakfast and enjoy some of their amazing scones one more time.

That evening we did family photos with my side because my grandparents are celebrating their 90th birthday soon and we needed some updated photos to display at their party they're having. 

May 25

We had another dinner at Paul and Becky's tonight, followed by a game of marbles. We had to do it while Dan was in town!

May 26

We all went to church together in the morning and then in the afternoon Dan and I went to the airport. He has to go back to work and I needed to go home for a doctor's appointment on Tuesday.
When we got to the Dallas airport we found out my car was dead. So we had to wait until someone else showed up in the parking lot that could give us a jump. Thankfully we didn't have to wait too long in the heat and a good Samaritan helped us out. We got home later than we had hoped because of that delay and were both exhausted.

May 27

I spent most of the day cleaning the girls' playroom. It had gotten unbelievably messy and I just didn't have the energy to deal with it. I decided to do it while they were gone so I could get rid of stuff without them knowing ha. It took hours and I didn't even finish today.

May 28

Aunt Audrey was nice enough to watch the kids while my mom had PT this morning.

Back in Louisiana I had my anatomy ultrasound in the afternoon. It was so fun to see our baby, and Dan was able to make it to this one with me. The baby was all curled up in a ball, his/her legs were folded over their head. It was crazy haha and it wouldn't uncurl for us to get super good pictures. But everything looks great and baby is growing healthy!

After my appointment I drove to Ryan and Kylee's in Forney to stay the night there. They are kind enough to let me park my car there and take me to and from the airport. It was nice to catch up with them a little bit before going to bed.

May 29

Woke up around 7:00 AM and Ryan took me to the airport. I made it through security and everything pretty quickly, which is nice. I got some food before I had to board, which is good because it usually keeps my nausea and barfing at bay. I also realized while I was waiting at my gate to board that my shirt was on backwards, so that was cool.

I got back to Utah in the afternoon, my mom and the girls picked me up. Paige was thinking she was going back to Louisiana and was sad she wasn't. Silly girl because I know once we go back home she'll be wanting to go back to Utah.

May 30

I went to a Cardio Fuse class this morning and it was great.

We made a Bowman's run tonight for donuts cause they have some of the best ones! Hayley really likes them. And can't beat the half price after 7:00 PM.

May 31

June 1

Had a casual but fun day at my parent's today playing outside. They have a blow up pool and little splash pad that entertained the girls for a couple hours.

June 2

The girls were told that if they cleaned out the window wells they could get watches from Grandpa. So they did it and my Dad ordered watches for them. They became a little obsessed with wanting to know when they'd arrive and would often borrow Grandpa's phone to track them.

June 3

I did my friend Amber's Upbeat Lift class tonight. Lifting is the best. Makes me feel strong while pregnant even though I've lost a lot of my strength.

June 4

We don't have Costco in Shreveport, just Sam's Club, so I had to make a trip to one while in Utah to get all my favorite things that I don't usually get. We had lunch there with Grandma, too.

I got to teach HIGH Fitness with my friend Jenna tonight. I was worried about teaching an hour long class because I hadn't done it since before getting pregnancy sickness, but I survived and it was fun. I modified a lot and am just proud of myself for moving.

June 5

We finally made it to Lagoon today! The girls had been asking basically since we got to Utah and it worked out to go with cousins today. It's so fun to see them all play together.

June 6

The girls had fun playing with their Kelley cousins today. We made special rainbow waffles for dinner and they all loved it! Success!

These three are obsessed with baby Jace!

June 7

I had breakfast with my bestie, Ashley, at Kneaders this morning. Always good to see her and catch up in person (we Marco Polo all the time). She's the best and I love her and our friendship!

Then we hit up Lagoon again, we spend a lot of our time there.

We enjoyed dinner from Zupas tonight, another place I have to enjoy every time we're in Utah since we don't have one.

June 8

We drove up to Providence this afternoon for my Grandma and Grandpa's 90th birthday celebration. They both turned 90 this year! It was cool to see all the people who know them come say hi and I got to see some of my cousins I don't see very often. They had lots of paraphernalia from their lives out on display with photos and it is amazing to see what can come from two people all that they can accomplish.
We got some early ish dinner at Wendy's before driving home because we were up there for a few hours.

June 9

We went to church in the morning and then had dinner at Paul and Becky's to celebrate Paul's birthday, which is tomorrow, and Father's Day. Two for one party haha.
I got jerky and beaver nuggets from Bucees to give to the Haywards and Howells and I forgot them so my Dad was kind enough to bring them in his RZR. The girls rode home in it with him and thought that was the best ride ever.

The Harris' and Kelley's had a sleepover with the girls tonight. It was chaos but they love it.

June 10

Today was our Lagoon day with the Kelley's and the Harris', who don't have passes so today was the day we all got to go together. It was a long day (especially because Todd woke Paige up around 6:00 AM and then some of the other kids too), but so worth it to have all these cousins there together to enjoy it.

June 11

June 12

The girls had been asking to go to Lagoon-A-Beach and we made that happen today. It was a hotter day so I figured the waterpark was a better option than riding rides. We met up with the Hayward's and Howell's and we were all done after about three hours. The kids all got to play together and the older ones did the slides so it was a success.

June 13

I went to another Cardio Fuse class this morning. It's such a fun format and no one teaches it in Shreveport. 
We had Costa Vida for dinner, again, but that's ok because it's also a place we don't have.

June 14

My friend Bri from Lubbock was in town so she reached out to me about doing a HIGH class together since we used to teach together. We met at Skills Fitness in Bountiful and it was super fun. We chatted a little after and it was fun to catch up with her.

That night we went to the annual Coats for Kids Car Show in Bountiful. This another night that's become one of my favorite traditions. We had some delicious dinner from different vendors, the girls got their faces painted, and we got to see some cool cars. 

June 15

The wonderful Fisher family invited us over to their annual summer waterslide party. The kids basically went nonstop, with a pause for dinner, the whole time we were there. It was great because it wore them out haha. We had an amazing dinner and conversations. Rob and Julie even did a pinata for the kids. They were certainly spoiled and it was a great afternoon/evening! 

June 16

Happy Father's Day! This morning for church we were able to attend the Layton Temple Dedication. Because Hayley is eight she was able to come with my parents and me. We got permission from our Bishop at home to get her a recommend here for it. I don't think she enjoyed it as much as I had hoped but I hope something stood out to her because I'm not sure she'll ever get that experience again.
I absolutely loved Elder Bednar's talk and how real and relatable he was. One thought that stuck with me was, "He knows what I need even before I do." I thought a lot about this baby and how I'm not feeling ready or prepared for him/her, but Heavenly Father knew that this needed to be part of my life. 

June 17

June 18

Hayley had a sore on her leg, which we originally thought was just a bug bite but it evolved (continue on to see the progress pics) and eventually we came to believe it was a MRSA infection.

I team taught a HIGH Fitness class tonight with a fun group of instructors. It was nice to be able to teach my favorite songs and then break when I needed. It's been frustrating to limit myself but my body needs it right now. I got to catch up with my instructor friends after class at Margaret's house and it was fun to talk to her, Hannah, and Amber for a while.

June 19

The day we suspected Hayley's infection was more than just a bug bite. Thankfully Doctor Dan called in a prescription for her that we were able to get her on.

I went to a HIGH for Huntsman event tonight in Murray. Such a good cause and I got to spend it with two amazing cancer survivors too. I love being surrounded by inspiring women and people who support others in their hard times.

June 20

June 21

Hayley's wound started oozing, which was good because it started to heal that way and wasn't as elevated.

I hit up another HIGH event tonight at Station Park. I truly miss going to classes with other participants and instructors outside of Utah. It's always a party and I feel so good afterwards, even despite my current modifications right now.

Also, Dan went to residency graduation tonight for those who are done and got his first year certificate/award. We have survived one year of residency y'all! Oh man I could write so much about just that but I'll spare whoever may be reading this haha.

June 22

We made a trip down to Provo to see some of our favorite people this afternoon! Eric and Ally invited us to come swim at their temporary home and it was a blast. The girls swam for hours and we had pizza for dinner. It was fun to catch up with them and have the whole Harris side there to play.

June 23

June 24

June 25

Hayley's wound is getting darker and still oozing. I was wondering if it was actually getting better, but with time it did.

Another morning/afternoon was spent at Lagoon.

I went to Kelli and Jenna's HIGH class as a participant tonight. I hadn't seen Kelli at all this trip yet so I had to go to see her.

June 26

Happy 11 years to Dan and me! Can't believe it's been that long. We have a beautiful life together and I love it. It's definitely been hard but I can honestly say I've fallen more in love with him every year.

June 27

June 28

I got my hair cut and colored today by my favorite hair stylist, Kristie. She's the best and I enjoy catching up with her while she freshens up my head of hair ha.

My Mom decided to do solo lunch dates with each of my girls before we left and today was Hayley's day. She chose to go to Wendy's for lunch and then they went to Michael's after and Hayley picked out some key chains. Love that my Mom decided to do this! One on one time is precious.

My Mom was kind enough to take the girls to a monster bounce house at the Newgate Mall with the Kelley's. I stayed home with Jace and played with him while they were jumping. 

June 29

I went to a HIGH class in Bountiful this morning of an instructor who become my friend from Instagram. I love that social media friends can turn into real friends. Isn't that the whole point of it?

June 30

Another Sunday morning spent at church, the best place to be!

July 1

My dear friend Jennie, from Lubbock, happened to be in Utah right now too so she was kind enough to meet up with me at Farmington Station for breakfast. We had a great chat afterwards and it was the best getting a squeeze from her. I just adore her!

Today was Evelyn's lunch date with my Mom. They went to Chick-Fil-A and then to Hobby Lobby. Evelyn picked out a cute pencil pouch and some fake nails. My mom told me she was pretty indecisive and I'm not surprised at all ha.

I went to another Upbeat Lift class taught by my bestie, Amber, tonight. Last class at Studio Nine since we came home the next Monday.

We went to Lagoon after I got back from class and we had dinner. It's so nice to be able to go for a coupe hours and be done.

July 2

Paige got her lunch date with my Mom today. She also chose to go to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. My Mom said she was pretty quiet during the meal, just sat and ate her food. They went to Hobby Lobby after and Paige was down to business in choosing what she wanted, which was some fake nails and some Gabby's Dollhouse lip gloss.

The girlies had their annual girl's night with their Hayward cousins and Aunt Audrey. She's the best Aunt for doing this with them. They had dinner, made bracelets for each other, and did some pampering. I love that they get to do things like this when we visit.

While they had their girl's night, I went and taught a 4th of July HIGH class with an amazing lineup of instructors. It was a blast! I got to see my high school bestie, Lindsay, there and catch up with some people I only get to see when I visit. There were snowcones afterward, a jewelry bar, and a photo booth. Such a great night!

July 3

The girls had been begging to go back to Lagoon-A-Beach since we went last and today we could make that happen. I told myself I could endure one more day of Lagoon for them. We were there swimming for several hours. Hayley and Evelyn did some of the slides while I hung out with Paige in the kiddie area. They even did a great job of swimming themselves while I ate lunch and relaxed a little bit on my own. I am going to miss that kind of freedom when this baby comes. 
After they were done swimming, we changed into our clothes and met up with the Hayward's and Howell's for some rides. Some of the older kids and adults did the Sky Coaster for their birthdays and we watched them do that before heading out.
We went to In N Out for dinner because we don't have one of those in Shreveport either and I really wanted it before we left. After dinner the girls showered and we headed over to Paul and Becky's cul-de-sac for some neighborhood fireworks. The girls were spoiled with glowing accessories and there was a table of desserts. It was fun, but dang were we tired when it was over. It was a full day of play!

July 4

I almost didn't want to wake up and go to a HIGH class this morning because yesterday was such a long day and kind of wore me out, but I did. I taught a couple songs and am glad I went and moved my body. Becky watched the girls while I was doing that because my parents went to Indianola the day before. She took them to her house and then to the parade where I met up with them after I showered and got ready. 
The parade was great and it was such a nice day! Probably the coolest 4th of July I can remember. After the parade we went back to my parent's house so I could finish packing for Indianola. Once lunch was ready at Paul and Becky's we headed over. It was a delicious lunch and good times celebrating Becky's birthday.

A little after 4:00 PM we finally left for Indianola and got there around 6:00. We stayed in an Air BnB there with my family. We got there just in time for dinner and then once it got dark we went and did fireworks at the local church's parking lot. Matt got a bunch from Wyoming and it was awesome.

July 5

After breakfast this morning the two RZRs went out for a long ride up to a lake and back. It took longer than they thought it would so the kiddos were hungry when they got back. They were super dirty too. Once they got some food in them they all had showers to get cleaned off. Then Grandma had some crafts for them to do. 
I made dinner that evening, with the help of Andrea, and they did some more fun activities afterwards. These little kiddos and their cousins are sure lucky to have such amazing grandparents and Aunts and Uncles!

Because why not do an egg hunt in July?

July 6

We packed up after breakfast this morning and headed back to my parent's house. Indianola was definitely a random place to stay but it was fun!

We unpacked when we got home and took some naps. After dinner we headed over to Paul and Becky's for one last night with the Haywards and Howells. We got some Bowman's donuts on our way over and celebrated Hayley's birthday a little bit with those and some gifts. I am super lucky to have married into such an amazing family. I love my in-laws!

July 7

We went to one more church meeting in the Barnes Park ward this morning. Sure love visiting that ward because I get to see so many of my former leaders and feel so loved there.
Spent a lot of the day packing and getting everything ready for our early flight the next morning.

July 8

Early wake up call at 3:40 this morning so we could catch our 5:45 AM flight. I know I say this every time but the girls truly are such troopers when it comes to traveling. I ran into another Lubbock friend at the airport. We were actually on the same flight to DFW. 

Ryan was kind enough to pick us up from the airport. We went to Bucees after we dropped him back off at home. We got lunch and some goodies and then my car wouldn't start to head home. Bless Ryan for coming to Bucees to help me get it jumped and going again. The connector to the battery wasn't tight so that was why it wasn't starting. Ryan and another random stranger that took pity on me were able to figure it out. I didn't turn off my car the whole drive home, even when the girls had to run into a sketchy gas station without me to use the bathroom. Good times. 
And then as if that wasn't enough, we were driving through torrential down pouring rain for the majority of the drive back home. Then as soon as we hit the Texas/Louisiana border I got a notification about a tornado. I wasn't sure how serious to take it because there were still so many people out and about. My friend Tailor was texting me about it and telling me it was close to our house so we pulled off to the side of the road until it seemed safe to head home. Since I had been up for over twelve hours at this point I was exhausted when we got home and took a little nap. When I woke up I had another tornado notification. Thankfully it wasn't as close to us and we were fine. Apparently it was a record day for tornadoes in the area and I feel blessed we were safe! What a fun welcome home. 

As always, a huge thank you to my parents for allowing us to stay with them for seven weeks! They take such good care of us and we're so lucky. Our trips here every summer truly fill my cup and I love the adventures we have!