The first weekend in May, I took a road trip with my friend Amanda. She had a hair show in Utah (she's a hair-stylist and a salon-owner), and I went along for the ride. We hadn't taken a road trip together in 2 years, and it was long overdue! We left pretty early on Saturday morning. Josh was with the boys at the Father/Son campout, so there was no goodbyes--I just left, which felt kind of weird. Amanda drove her car, and we headed for Salt Lake City, a 6-hour drive from Salmon.
We stopped at my mom's house in Tremonton on the way, and totally surprised her. I hadn't told her I was coming in case it wouldn't work out for us to stop and see her. We walked inside the house, and she was coming up the stairs, and she stopped and did a happy dance with her hands and kind of shrieked a little. It was adorable and Amanda and I both got a kick out of surprising her! We didn't stop long--just enough to say hello to her and dad, and then we continued on our way.
We arrived at her Sister-in-Law Erica's house in West Valley City that afternoon, and then the 3 of us left to go to the Jordan River Temple. I could not get over the assortment and variety and color of all the flowers in front of the temple!!!
 |
| I've never seen a flower like this before! Loved it! |
 |
| This kind of tulip was bigger than my hand! |
 |
| Erica & Amanda |
After doing a session at the temple, we went out to eat afterwards at one of our favorite restaurants: The Cheesecake Factory! There was some proms happening around the valley, so while we waited outside the restaurant for over an hour, we got to see some girls in pretty dresses and a limousine, too. We were starving by the time we got seated! But once again, the Cheesecake Factory didn't disappoint and it was worth the wait! Their food is so delicious!
I ordered something new this time, and I loved it. I've gotten the lettuce wraps the last few times, but this time I got the chicken coconut curry rice bowl. It was so huge, I ate it for 2 meals after this one!!! It was SOOO good!
I also tried two new cheesecake slices--I took them home and ate them later because I was so stuffed. I got the lemon/raspberry one and the caramel macademia nut. The lemon/raspberry one was super delicious and one of my favorites ever--in addition to the red velvet cheesecake one they have.
When we got back to Erica's house that night, we all stayed up together watching "The Amazing Spider-Man" on their downstairs TV. We finally went to bed around midnight--Amanda slept on the couch and I slept on the pull-out bed right by her. It had been a long, but fabulously fun, day!
The next morning, Sunday May 4, we slept in and lounged around all morning. It was rather lovely to relax!
 |
| Amanda and her nephew Robby. |
 |
| Amanda cutting her niece Sara's hair. Crazy is as crazy does!!! |
It was Amanda's niece Katie's birthday. She turned 7 years old! She got a fun hairstyle by Amanda, and she wore a new dress she'd just gotten for her birthday. She looked so cute!
 |
| Yes she's standing on the table. Birthday girls get to do what they want! ;) |
I love this photo of Erica with her daughters! They were dressed up and looked so pretty all ready to go to church:
Then it was time for Amanda and I to depart for the day, too. She had her hair show to attend, and I had plans to visit with two of my own sisters that live in the Salt Lake area, too.
Amanda dropped me off at my sister Tabbi's house in SLC, and I waited until she got home. Then she drove me to The Dodo Bird restaurant to meet up with my other sister Tawna and her fiance Bryce.
We had a huge brunch together! And then we ordered pie!
 |
| The Thwee Joals! (that's how Tabbi used to say 'the 3 girls' when she was little!) |
Tawna is a fan of Bare Minerals, and got a make-over while we were in the mall, too!
Bryce was obsessed with this jacket! It gave him a whole new persona wearing it, so he just had to get it! You can totally see his new personality in it, too!
Then we went back to Bryce's parents' house, where Tawna and Bryce are living until they get married this summer (they are purchasing their own place!). We hung out in Tawna's room and looked at their amazing engagement photos and saw some of her wedding decorations and chatted for a long while. Then we ate a super nice Salmon dinner with Bryce's family to celebrate his brother's birthday.
That night, Tawna drove me to meet back up with Amanda and her sister's family at a movie theater in West Valley so we could see "Amazing Spider-Man 2". It was good, but I hated the ending. Then we went back to Erica's house, and went to bed around midnight again! I was emotional and so tired, and was happy to go to sleep!
The next morning was Monday, and the house was so quiet after everyone went to work and school. Amanda and I slept in again! Then we took showers and got all packed up and left for a long day of shopping and driving. It felt like marathon shopping: we stopped at SO many places between Salt Lake City and Salmon! We didn't get home until that night, and the car was PACKED with groceries and furniture and supplies and bags! I couldn't believe how much we squeezed in it!
Our final stop was at the restaurant Costa Vida in Idaho Falls. I pleaded with Amanda to stop because it was Cinco de Mayo, and I was having serious cravings for a smothered burrito! We drove 5 miles out of the way just to go there (thanks Amanda!). I gained 4 pounds that weekend from all the good food I ate!
I was glad for the opportunity to have a getaway with Amanda! I enjoy spending time with her, and it's so rare to be alone together anymore. We laughed and sang and had a good time!
But I was also so glad to go home. That had been the 3rd weekend in a row that I was gone: Easter in Utah, music tour in Seattle, then girls' road trip to Utah, and I was really tired of traveling!
No comments:
Post a Comment