I don't even know what to say about my trip up to BYU for Women's Conference. It was a complete BLUR. Much like stopping to get this picture.
As we approached the Utah sign, cruising along at about 90 mph, I lamented, "I wish I had noticed the sign earlier so we could have stopped and taken a picture." Followed by the screeching of tires and the jerk of a car. Not sure the brakes will ever be the same on that Aveo, but it was a rental car so who cares. And no. We did not actually all squeeze in an Aveo for our trip up there. That is a hilarious inside joke, that you will never get because you were not cool enough to commit to Women's Conference 2011. Not that I was an easy sell. I almost missed that hilarious joke myself. Typically I'm "the committed one," but I had poor Maggie hounding me for weeks trying to get me to agree to the trip. In the end she convinced me with her winning personality and incessant amount of texts. I'm so glad she did.
The whole thing was amazing. I loved the girls I went with and all the time we got spend together. I loved being back in Provo and all the great memories I have from going to school there. Even if we had to stay in a stinky boys dorm.
It was completely and totally worth all the stress of leaving the kids and being freezing cold for 5 days.
Just a couple of random highlights:
* Driving : On the way up Maggie almost killed us 2 or 3 times before we were even out of Phoenix. We mocked her driving and then she paid us back by taking us on the curviest route ever (through Jacob's Lake) where Karen and I nearly barfed.
Luckily she's a nurse and was loaded up with all sorts of goodies. On the way home, I took a turn driving, where I also maybe did a slightly poor job of driving and we almost ran out of gas because I forgot to check the gas before we turned onto UT-20. Let's just say after that experience only kind words were spoken about people's driving skills. And Heather even texted us later to thank us for preparing her to drive with her 16 year old on the freeway.
* The dorms. OK, totally scuzzy, but honestly, we weren't there much.
We ate breakfast in the Cannon Center and I get how people gain the Freshman 15!
I lived in Heritage when I was freshman where we had to cook for ourselves, so I pretty much lived off of toast and quesadillas. The first night we looked over the breakfast options and decided we would get omelets. So the next morning we paid out $5, got in line and were served the world's smallest omelet. $5 for that?? I asked the girl if maybe there was some fruit somewhere that I could purchase. She then informed me that EVERYTHING inside was free for the taking once you were inside. I guess we were all dinning hall newbies because our eyes were HUGE when we realized it was buffet. Oh butterscotch muffins. You were delicious.
* SNOW! We looked like total nerds when we walked out of class to a few flakes and screamed, "It's SNOWING!"
Someone stopped and asked us if we wanted our picture taken because we were making *that* much of a scene. I think they must have been laughing because you can't even tell it's flaking in the picture. The good news is, the next morning we woke up to this:
So we finally got some REAL snow pictures! And then we wondered how we were going to scrape the car off. And Heather, the only good driver, told us that she doesn't drive in snow.
* The classes. They were really excellent. The general sessions were probably the best, but I may have cried a time or two in the other classes. The shocker for me, was how cut throat some people were trying to get into classes. People would walk out early, try and cut in line. . . All while trying o improve themselves spiritually. I found that slightly ironic.
* The food. We ate and ate and ate some more. I was really nervous taking the girls to The Chocolate since I had kind of talked it up a lot. Is there anyone who doesn't know my obsession with that place?
What if they thought it was mediocre? Like my sister. Well I can say that they all are as obsessed with the Kitty Katrina as much as I am. Two trips including cake to bring home to family. Along with BYU mint brownies.
* My favorite peeps! I love visiting Utah because I feel like I'm reuniting with all my best friends. My sister braved the BYU bookstore
(that place was CRAZY with 16,000 women in town) to meet up with me, took me on a trip down memory lane by driving to all the places I lived in Utah and let me snuggle Olivia.
She even came to hang out with us and play games at the dorm one night.
I also got to meet up with our friends from when we were first married up in American Fork and see Vanessa's new baby. And Tasha met up with us so we could check out Tai Pan Trading (why does Utah have all the coolest stores??)
* The Temple. I have never done a live session so that in itself was amazing. Then add in not having to worry about getting home to a babysitter and the four hours we were there flew by. It made the whole thing one of my most profound temple experiences ever.
I think every girl's trip should include a trip to the Temple because you really feel a connection as sisters when you share time talking in the Celestial Room. I seriously felt like I was at a tourist attraction when I was staring at all the art and details in the Salt Lake Temple. You can feel the Pioneer Spirit.
* BYU. I love that place more and more each time I go. It was so much fun to run around the campus and see all the new buildings
(OK, I only made it running once because it snowed. Hello -- who is going to run in the SNOW?? I might slip. And it was freakishly dark at 5 in the morning and I didn't want to get mugged. PLUS Maggie gave me ambien so I actually slept). I made three trips to the BYU bookstore and spent a small fortune on stuff to take home to Dustin and the kids. And maybe a *few* things for myself.
I think my biggest excitement was the Jimmer jersey for Nate. I about died when Maggie asked who Jimmer was. And I literally started to choke when she didn't know who Lavell Edwards was. Hopefully all the girls left BYU feeling like true blue Cougars!!
And then I got to come home totally renewed to a clean house and these cute kids!!!
So who's in for next year???
I have no clue what to do about it. Throw a party? Leave him with a sitter and go boating with friends? Hang out as a family? 
And what about a gift? I usually don't get my kids a lot of gifts of big gifts for their birthdays, but I would like to get him *something*. Anyone have any ideas of things every 2 year old should have??
(Sadie is actually incredibly helpful in the kitchen and loves to pound out the meat for me)
Sadie: Embrie, do you know why I'm wearing bandaids on my thumbs?
As we approached the Utah sign, cruising along at about 90 mph, I lamented, "I wish I had noticed the sign earlier so we could have stopped and taken a picture." Followed by the screeching of tires and the jerk of a car. Not sure the brakes will ever be the same on that Aveo, but it was a rental car so who cares. And no. We did not actually all squeeze in an Aveo for our trip up there. That is a hilarious inside joke, that you will never get because you were not cool enough to commit to Women's Conference 2011. Not that I was an easy sell. I almost missed that hilarious joke myself. Typically I'm "the committed one," but I had poor Maggie hounding me for weeks trying to get me to agree to the trip. In the end she convinced me with her winning personality and incessant amount of texts. I'm so glad she did.
It was completely and totally worth all the stress of leaving the kids and being freezing cold for 5 days.
Luckily she's a nurse and was loaded up with all sorts of goodies. On the way home, I took a turn driving, where I also maybe did a slightly poor job of driving and we almost ran out of gas because I forgot to check the gas before we turned onto UT-20. Let's just say after that experience only kind words were spoken about people's driving skills. And Heather even texted us later to thank us for preparing her to drive with her 16 year old on the freeway.
We ate breakfast in the Cannon Center and I get how people gain the Freshman 15! I lived in Heritage when I was freshman where we had to cook for ourselves, so I pretty much lived off of toast and quesadillas. The first night we looked over the breakfast options and decided we would get omelets. So the next morning we paid out $5, got in line and were served the world's smallest omelet. $5 for that?? I asked the girl if maybe there was some fruit somewhere that I could purchase. She then informed me that EVERYTHING inside was free for the taking once you were inside. I guess we were all dinning hall newbies because our eyes were HUGE when we realized it was buffet. Oh butterscotch muffins. You were delicious.
Someone stopped and asked us if we wanted our picture taken because we were making *that* much of a scene. I think they must have been laughing because you can't even tell it's flaking in the picture. The good news is, the next morning we woke up to this:
So we finally got some REAL snow pictures! And then we wondered how we were going to scrape the car off. And Heather, the only good driver, told us that she doesn't drive in snow.
What if they thought it was mediocre? Like my sister. Well I can say that they all are as obsessed with the Kitty Katrina as much as I am. Two trips including cake to bring home to family. Along with BYU mint brownies. 
She even came to hang out with us and play games at the dorm one night.
I also got to meet up with our friends from when we were first married up in American Fork and see Vanessa's new baby. And Tasha met up with us so we could check out Tai Pan Trading (why does Utah have all the coolest stores??)
I think every girl's trip should include a trip to the Temple because you really feel a connection as sisters when you share time talking in the Celestial Room. I seriously felt like I was at a tourist attraction when I was staring at all the art and details in the Salt Lake Temple. You can feel the Pioneer Spirit.
I think my biggest excitement was the Jimmer jersey for Nate. I about died when Maggie asked who Jimmer was. And I literally started to choke when she didn't know who Lavell Edwards was. Hopefully all the girls left BYU feeling like true blue Cougars!!
And then I got to come home totally renewed to a clean house and these cute kids!!!
The kids did a great job dressing Sadie in her armor! Which was kind of necessary since she was wearing a bathing suit from a party 6 hours earlier. We'd hate to see her go off to battle in that. And with that we set off to make sure Nate and Ellie's feet were shod with the Gospel of Peace (and odor eaters). 
And while we were there Sadie and Luke each deserved a pair of shoes. And maybe Mommy needed some new running shoes. Now no more new shoes until July!! However, we will buying new socks.
We've finally got Sacrament down to a science. We all scrunch up on the left side of our pew. This works out well since my oldest three want to lounge all over me so the closer to me, the better. The Jandas sit on the other side of the pew as far over as they can. Luke then runs his train back and forth across the middle of the bench. Do not touch his train. Do not LOOK at him. Just throw some Apple Jacks in the tinder of the train every once in awhile and he's good to go.
Sundays are rough if you don't get a nap.
And what did we do when we were at the Doctor's office and sitting in a cramped room for an hour waiting and there was no app for that?
She MADE that! And I love it.
She sang her little heart out. And then gave me this really cute plaque.
Nate made the same thing last year and I had it up on a plate stand. One night I came home to find Nate's on the floor and Sadie's replaced on the plate stand.
I was actually a little irritated about the whole thing. When Ellie was in Kindergarten it was in the afternoon in the classroom and a big production. This year it was at 7:30 in the morning (have you ever tried to find someone to watch your kids at 7:30 AM??? Thank you facebook!) in the cafeteria and with another class which made it really impersonal. Plus there was NO FOOD. Nate was so excited about the whole thing, so he didn't eat breakfast because we were going to eat breakfast at school. The whole way he told me we could only take *one* muffin. Well peeps, they were MINI muffins. I think even Luke, the food hater, would need more than a mini muffin and two strawberries for breakfast.
Dustin made me a lovely dinner of stir fry shrimp and chocolate souffle, but poor Sadie was so sick she couldn't even eat hers. I decided that as a mother I should sacrifice and eats her dinner and dessert for her. See how great it is to be a mom???
I should add that he put the whole thing together by himself too. ANNNNNND. . . 
He lost two teeth the same weekend. Sniff sniff. He's getting so big!
