WEDNESDAY: We got to IAD super early, 5a.m., and made it back to our gate with 2 hours to spare. We read and relaxed while the airport began to get filled. Check out this dog sniff'n out our area.
We had a layover in Dallas TX and Tess got a kick out of the non-bathroom sign that read "toilets". We thought of cute Aubree saying it.
After traveling 12 hours we were greeted by Grandma and Grandpa at the airport. We made a stop at Cubby's to eat since I was starving. Mmmm! Then made it home to visit with Lizzie and her two kiddies for a while. We had planned to fall asleep to a good movie but then Emily called to tell us that their joint YM/YW activity was country line dancing and wondered if we wanted to go. Tess was all for it! I was really impressed with how laid back and interactive Tess was with complete strangers. I wish she'd been able to interact more with her cousins but she and I had a grand ol time! This is definitely an activity she needs to have done here with our youth. (If you do Tess, remember to only say it's a music related activity so all the kids come!)
Tess is Karen's "favoritest cousin".
Electric Slide, Cotton Eye Joe, with the Limbo to end the activity. Then Tess jumped right in with the Beehives to help serve the Rootbeer floats to everyone. HOly Cow Utah has a ton of kids. I counted about 37 youth there that night.
We hit the bed hard when we got back to Mom and Dad's.
THRUSDAY:
Since were were still on Eastern time woke early and headed right to the Provo Temple to do baptisms. Mom came and watched as well has suppling us with 12 names! It was Tess's first experience in the Temple. I'm so grateful I got to be there with her. The Provo Temple Baptistry is incredibly efficient. We hardly waited to do anything. Tess put her jumpsuit on backwards...makes sense because the zipper usually does go in the back:)
After the temple we spent the day shopping!! We tried several different stores for dresses but kept stricking out. Tess's size is kinda in between a big girl and a teen. We finally hit the jackpot at Dillards. She tried on about 12 cute dresses, we narrowed it down to 3. Then found her shoes and and some jewelry at Charming Charlies. It was a fun shopping spree and made Tess smile A LOT!
Super cool addition to our trip. Turns out the school that Tate and Lucas go to had an original mural painted by Grandpa Breinholt. The principle and kindergarten teacher (who had the mural in her room for years) fought to preserve it when the school was rebuilt last year. Turns out it was in Tate's kindergarten classroom and now is with Lucas. When Stephanie saw the signature of Grandpa's on there everyone got super excited. They are publishing an article in the newspaper about having his Great Grandkids in the classroom the mural is in! We went by and saw it and Dad and Mom took pictures with the principal for the news paper.
FRIDAY: Aimee made an appointment for us to be at the spa at 9am. We picked up Bryn and made pretty good time getting up to SLC. The weather- so we left 90 degree weather and brought the rain with us to Utah. It turned FALL and cold the entire time we were there. It was perfect really. The colors were really pretty and then to wake to snow on Timp was the icing on the cake.
Lovely pedicures at the most fancy spa I've ever been to. We put on warm fuzzy robes and flip flops. Sat in huge chairs and enjoyed an hour long pedicure. Heaven! The color names for the nail polish were clever and funny. I chose "sweater weather". Tess chose "Take Me To Your Leader". They gave us drinks and snacks. After being pampered we went to Kneaders for some brunch. So now Tess has eaten at my two favorite Utah spots.
We were dying laughing at how Aimee's face is covered by hair in the above picture.
On our way home from SLC we were behind a truck that had a big dog riding on top of it's tool chest. Tess was pretty nervous about the dog falling off. I kept a safe distance. We quickly changed into our Temple goin cloths and met up with Emily, Bryn, and Ella to do baptisms at the Timpanogos Temple.
Friday night was the 20 year NYRM reunion! It was so fun to see so many familiar faces. Though really I didn't do a lot of interacting, not as much as I wish I had. Here's Tess and I with Sis. Meiner and MacInelly with Lizzie.
Because of a BYU football game the traffic kept people from getting there until late. We had a yummy dinner (though I didn't eat anything) and then program with speakers and music. Mom had asked Sis. Meiners and MacInelly, Elder's Bryan, Wadsworth and Handcuff to speak for a few minutes about how their mission has shaped their lives. There were three musical numbers, Sis. Higginson sang, Sis. Roper played the violin, and a group of us sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer accompanied by the amazingly talented Elder Clark. It was a fantastic spirit filled meeting. Mom and Dad concluded the meeting.
Cara tried to get a flight out to the reunion.
Handcuff and Wadsworth
At 10pm Tess was ready to go home. I was going to drop her off to bed then head back to the reunion at mom and dad's church but Brad and Donna had arrived and Tess didn't want me to leave. This was the first that the Brad Breinholt family were meeting Mark's fiance, Kaylee. We hung out with this crowd for a bit and then tried to sleep through all the noise. MOm and Dad didn't get home and to bed until 1am!
SATURDAY: Due to the weather we had to reschedule our zip tour for Saturday--which worked out so much better since we had Aimee with us. We had such a blast! It was really cold but well worth it. The colors on the mountain were beautiful. I loved seeing the yellow aspen trees. When we got to the top of Bishop's Bowl it was SNOWING! Tess was singing to me "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!" We both just couldn't stop smiling, even though our teeth were freezing. As we made our way down the mountain it got significantly warmer. We had a lot of fun racing each other.
BRYN, ELLA , DEAN, TESS, AIMEE and ME.
We thawed out back at Grandma and Grandpa's for a couple hours and then got ready for the Women's General Conference Broadcast. We made it up to SLC in plenty of time. Brad was able to get tickets for the session for his family as well. Mom was able to sit with Donna and her girls and Aimee and Liz sat with Tess and I. We ended up right behind the ASL section which was perfect. It was neat to see one of Aimee's students interpreting a song during the session. I think Tess and I were both amazed at how huge that place is and the fact that the prophet was THERE! I kept watching the monitors only to remind myself that I was actually there and could look at the speaker!
This session was a really powerful one for me. Not only did I have my sweet Tess by my side but it was a power packed session. All 3 members of the First Presidency spoke. Every single talk spoke right to my soul. Tess and I took good notes. After the session ended we headed over the see the big Christus statue. Then Tess drove home with Dona and sat next to Suzanne the whole way, I'm grateful to Suzanne for being super friendly to Tess who felt kinda out of place around the cousins she doesn't really know.
SUNDAY: We enjoyed Conference. Mom invited everyone over for dinner. We enjoyed visiting and listening to Conference. Tess was so good with the little kids. She just jumps right in to entertain and help. She is so sweet and intuitive.
MONDAY: I woke and was at the Provo Temple for the 530am session. I really wanted to get a session in before heading back to D.C. Then I raced over to the BYU Bookstore to get gifts for everyone at home. I made it home in time to visit briefly with a missionary who wasn't able to make it to the reunion but wanted to see mom and dad. Tess played with the cousins, helped to babysit for Lizzie who was at an OBGYN appointment. Then we hit the road by 11am for the airport.
I'm afraid I make for a lousy traveling companion due to dramamine and motion sickness. I think Tess was really bored. It was a long travel day and we were anxious to be in our own beds. It was fantastic trip. Went by so fast, like good times always do. I'm so grateful Tess had this time with my parents and I had some one on one time with her. She is turning out to be such a jewel that girl, she's rare that's for sure! LOVE YOU MY 12 YR OLD TESS!
