Our Unofficial Spring Break

Because it was the week that Justin had off from school, we took the kids out of school and went down to Utah this week.  We spent the week cleaning out my Mother-in-law's cupboards, straightening things, getting ready for spring.  We did some shopping down at IKEA in Draper.  That was my first time there, and I must say that I was totally impressed!  You can furnish your entire house on $20!  Well, practically.  We found all kinds of little things that we needed and could not live without and cannot believe we have gone this long with never having them.  So, now that we are looking around for a house, we know where to go when we need things for this house.  IKEA is my favorite place in the world.  The kids would like to live there.  You have everything you need.  You could live there forever! 

So then we went to In & Out Burger in Draper.  I had heard all the hype and was prepared for an amazing burger experience and was left wanting.  First, we had to sit on these little stools at a counter because it was so packed that there was nowhere else to sit.  And we were there at 4:00 in the afternoon on a Wednesday.  That was a little ridiculous.  And when we got the burgers, seemed pretty much like a burger to me.  And the fries, eh...  Okay, not great.  Give me some 5 Guys Burgers and Fries any day.  In & Out was a little cheaper than 5 Guys, but we always eat at 5 Guys for $20, and for a family of 5, that is pretty dang good.  Even the kids liked 5 Guys better.

We also saw How to Train Your Dragon while we were in Utah.  We saw it in 3D.  It was fun.  Lorelai fell asleep about 20 minutes in so she was not impressed.  The kids liked it.  I thought it was pretty good.  I was entertained.

We went to the Union Grill at Union Station one night, which was yummy.  I had the vegetarian pasta salad which was delicious!!!  We also went to Wing Wah while we were down there.  Love me some Wing Wah Chinese food.  MMMMM...  And I had a Chick Fil A sandwich for lunch one afternoon at the mall.  I really miss that place.  While we were at the mall...  Caroline got her ears pierced!!!  It was a very spur of the moment thing.  She has wanted them done for years and years.  But Justin has not let her.  He told her she could do it when she was ten, and then changed his mind when she turned ten.  Even as we were in Claire's he was trying to talk her into waiting until she was 12.  But I got my first holes when I was 5 and my second holes in 4th grade, so I really had no objections to her getting them done.  So, since it was so inexpensive, and we knew we could use this as leverage all week to get her to do whatever we wanted...  we let her get them done.  She was a real trooper and did not even flinch!!!  She said she did not even feel it!  Now she is proudly displaying her turquoise titanium tiny little balls to all who will see.  She gets to put in some new earrings in 6 weeks and she is practically counting down the days.

Monday evening I took the big kids down to Rich and Ginny's house to visit and to also see my cousin, Matt who came up to see us!  The kids had a great time playing with their cousins and with my cousin's kids.  Matt has 3 girls that are around Caroline's age and she had a blast.  Elizabeth, my brother's 4 year old was very sad to see us all go.  But we had a great visit.  It had been almost 10 years since I had seen my cousin!  We grew up together and always played together, so it was nice to catch up on what he has been up to.  He has been a bishop for the past 6 years and was just released and it seems that his burdens seemed lighter.  And my brother told me he had completed his Masters degree!!!  That is incredible news!!!  And his son Cody was there as well.  Cody, 19, is now in college at Weber and planning on going into the Army following in his father's footsteps which could not make Rich any prouder, I think.  So it was great to spend some time with my family.

We got home yesterday afternoon and today we need to go down to Idaho Falls to buy some food.   We have eaten out all week and I have to actually start cooking tonight.  Justin starts back to school on Tues and he is in a play, so the fun all begins again in a couple of days.  I will not see him except in passing in my dreams...  The kids have 5 weeks left of school...  and I have...  ummmm...  a lot of reading to do!