Utah--final post :)

This will be my very last post from my month visiting in Utah. (can't believe how long it's taking me to get caught up!) The first week I was there (Schindler ranch week) we left the reunion a couple days early so that we could spend a long weekend with Wesley's folks. We had a lot of fun just relaxing and enjoying good company and conversation. Jake was so happy to see them again, and also to see his Aunt Mel and cousins Scott and Mark! Grandma and Grandpa have worked hard to make their house very fun for everyone, from the G.I. Joe playroom for the boys, to the theatre complete with recliners and projector in the basement.

Since Wesley was only able to stay in Utah for 1 week, specifically to attend the reunion, we decided ahead of time that we would just fly him back home and that I would stay behind. I wanted my in-laws to have enough face time with the kids. After my parents returned to Virginia and my weekend with Cheronne ended, I drove back to Grandma's house and stayed there for the last couple weeks of my trip. During that time I kept very busy--did lot's of hair (caught up with a few old clients), had a few lunch dates with good friends, spent a day here and there with Syd and Mitch, and just enjoyed all the one on one time with my husbands family. My sister in law Melanie lives just down the street, and almost every night after I put Mia down for bed, I would run over there and spend a couple hours hanging out with her--watching trash TV, painting our nails, soaking up lots of girl time :)

Even though I don't work in a salon anymore, I still try hard to keep up with the new hair trends/techniques.. I've wanted to try color melting (ombre hair) for awhile, but needed a willing guinea pig. Melanie was an awesome model, and we had fun experimenting. She has the most gorgeous hair--slightly asian texture, nice and thick--perfection. I LOVED how the color turned out.

I heart ombre color.

We spent a couple days at Syd and Mitch's house too--I really miss living close to them.

at the park!

why oh why do we live so far from you guys!?!?

Mitch and Jake watching "Space Jam" lol. and oldie but a goodie :)

My last few days overlapped with a visit from Wesleys aunt, uncle and grandma from San Diego. I've met them a few times before, and it was fun to see them again, and get to know them a little better. Now that we live in Phoenix, we are just 5 short hours away from Southern California, so we will probably be seeing them more often in the next few years. I'm excited for those relationships to grow :) (unfortunately no pictures from those days--how did that happen? darn)

On September 15th (the day Mia turned 9 months old!), I packed up my car (oh man, was it packed too...can't believe I fit so much stuff in that little car) and headed out with the kids. I was nervous about undertaking such a long trip alone, but felt like I couldn't have been more prepared. My passenger seat was OCD organized with trip snacks in little baggies for Jake, pretzel rods for Mia (these turned out to be a total life saver), and a cooler packed full of caffeinated soda for Mom. I drove 5+ hours to Vegas on day 1 and then drove the last 5 hours on day 2. We made a pit stop at a hotel, and I just really took my time getting there, trying to keep it as low stress as possible on myself and the kids. Everything went much more smoothly than I could have hoped for! Mia (who is notorious for her carseat tantrums) was almost always content (thanks to those pretzel rods and the movie "kung fu panda" of all things) , and Jake was (as usual) my patient, helpful little road tripper.

I felt proud of myself, and proud of the kids after that drive--more than once I've used this blog to complain about my travel anxiety. How I get so stressed before trips that I can hardly sleep the week before them. I still get pretty tense before I embark on new adventures (sorry to my family who has to experience my intense behavior), but it feels like I'm slowly getting the hang of it. One of my favorite quotes by Heber J. Grant has become my "travel mantra" over the years--he describes so simply just how I feel each time I conquer another challenge in my life--from travel anxieties to the pressures of motherhood, to so many personal trials .

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed, but our power to do so is increased.”

― Heber J. Grant

It was a fantastic month in Utah--and when it was over I was excited to be back home with Wesley, ready to get back into the swing of things :) Stayed tuned for future posts, lots of updates to come!