Park City Girls Getaway

 This year I met up with my childhood best friends in Utah.  Stephanie and I flew in to SLC where Sara, who had driven there, picked us up at the airport.  We flew in wearing dresses so we could drive straight to the SLC temple to attend a live session there.  I was the only one who had ever been to one, and it was a long time ago.  It was actually when I last saw my Grandpa Foster.  At that time, I was a day away from entering the MTC (Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT) for my mission.  So my mom flew me down and had a lot of family meet up in the temple.  I gave my grandpa my last goodbye hug in the celestial room.  He passed away a few months later while I was serving in Venezuela.  So it was a special experience reminiscing that day while attending again with my friends.  Such a sweet special memory to associate with my wonderful Grandpa. 

I had a lot to reflect on in the temple this time and it made for a powerful experience. 

After the temple we ate at Applebees in the new mall.  It's a restaurant that is becoming a regular for me- located just down from The Complex where Scott (my brother) does his MMA fights, it's where we go eat when the fight is over and everything else is closed!

Then we shopped the stores outside the restuarant.

We finally ended up, late at night, in Park City at Sara's condo in the downtown area.

The next morning we readied up and hit the stores for our shopping day.
Had to stop at the chocolate shop, of course!

And here we are, me introducing them to Kneaders- my favorite bakery sandwich shop.  

Such yummy treats and breads sold there!  And amazing sandwiches.  Todd and I eat there every time we visit S.L.C.  I just found out we have one of these in Meridian now!  Probably better that I not know that...

We shopped ALL DAY on Saturday until my legs could no longer stand :).  We had way too much fun at the outlet mall there!

We picked a random ward time and building to attend church knowing there are MANY.  And what are the odds, we actually picked the same ward my aunt and uncle attend who live in Park City!  Almost all of my relatives live in Salt Lake and the surrounding towns, but still, there are TONS of church members in this area and chapels that dot the map.  I didn't have their contact information, but I got it from them this time when I saw them there!  I bumped into them at WalMart there last time Todd and I were in Park City for his CrossFit Certification.  It's great to see them, but I look forward to having their number to call next time so I feel like less of a heel to be in their territory without contacting them before- and saying hi intentionally.

Their ward was fantastic.  It was fast and testimony Sunday.  We all agreed that it was either a phenomenal ward or we just really miss a lot as moms when we wrestle our little ones throughout the church classes on Sundays!  I just left feeling like my "bucket was filled to overflowing".

The rest of Sunday was our movie day.
We watched THREE movies back to back!

Monday was adventure day.  We went hiking up the same hike I'd gone to with my dad and sister two years before, but never made it to the end at the time.  Which is normally no big deal, but on this hike, the end is a beautiful waterfall.  It almost makes the hike feel pointless not to get there!  So we made it to the waterfall this time and I was SO excited to see it.  The hike is in Sundance.  It was beautiful weather, tons of fun, very invigorating.  I was grateful my friends agreed to do it, because I was the one really pushing to do it and I think we all really enjoyed it.  Being in the forest/mountains is so healing for me.  I really miss that where I live now.  Farm lands are their own kind of beautiful, I just need to get out further and find adventure afar off a little more often.

After our hike, we went back to the mountain slopes of Park City
 and rode the Alpine Slide and Zipline.  

Then we got pedicures!

Might be more pictures coming - it seems like Sara/Steph had taken some when I didn't have my camera/phone handy, but I'll have to see.

I didn't have much of a voice when I started the trip- I had lost it several days prior.  So I felt more pensive and mute than normal.  But I still enjoyed my friends.  And I LOVED being in Park City.

Todd sent me these pics of the kids while I was gone:

This one of Ashton upon arriving home from the Fathers and Sons campout.  His mom took the girls Friday night while he took Ashton on the campout and apparently wore him out real good!

And this at Grandma's pool.  Breakin' in the swim suits!