Trip to Utah and Education Week at BYU

I'm back, and I had a fabulous time! The trip could not have been more perfect, even though I fell and broke my foot! It was so good to see my girls again. I was able to spend 4 days with each of them one on one and I attended many classes at Education week. I could not get enough. I learned so much and feel really rejuvenated spiritually, emotionally and physically! I went to Education week with a dear friend and was invited to stay with her and her girls in their condo in Park City and boy was it beautiful! Park City has changed a lot since the last time I was there which was before the 2002 Olympics!

When I first arrived in Salt Lake my oldest, Anne Marie was at the airport to get me and the weekend of Anne Marie and Mom time was off! We went to the Olive Garden for dinner then dropped off bags at her apartment and got settled in, then hit a movie "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" I must admit this was not a movie I really had any desire to see....but it was great! and I really enjoyed it. And of course we stayed up talking and watching DVD's until the wee hours of the morning. On Saturday we went for Pedicures and to Anne Marie's favorite Sushi restaurant. I have only had Sushi one other time, but I will say that Anne Marie knew what to order and I did enjoy it. Because it was my first time basically the waitress brought us Shark to try.....I guess in honor of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel (not really, j/k) but I have to admit it was the best thing I ate there.......it tastes like chicken! lol!

I'm so proud of all that Anne Marie is doing and accomplishing with Work, School, and waiting to get into a Nursing Program.

Then we headed to Ogden so that I could see my Mother-in-law, Mom Brown now she has been married to Jay Jackson for 8 yrs after being a widow for 17 yrs, but she is still Mom Brown, isn't that funny! I know her last name is now Jackson, but she will always be Mom Brown! Since last labor day I have learned to Cherish these times with Moms! We played cards, a Brown tradition (Shanghi), and Mom took us to a Mexican Restaurant that would rival any here in Texas, I was surprised! But loved it!

Jay is so funny to play cards with, he always keeps us laughing! And Anne Marie and I both could not believe it when Mom discarded a player........unheard of!!!! It's going on the calendar as a day to remember!

On Sunday, after church, Allison and John were back from their Anniversary trip to a Bed & Breakfast in St. George, so they invited us down that evening for a piece of the top of their wedding cake and more cards......but the Clay Family Card game of Canasta!



We were surprised when Allison & John invited us down on Sunday, only because we knew it was their Anniversary weekend, but once they got home....John was ready to play cards!!!! too cute!

Monday Anne Marie and I talked, watched DVD's, and went to the Restaurant I miss the most "Training Table". Ohhhhh good stuff! Then Anne Marie had to go to work and Mary Ann who I was planning on going to Education Week with and who invited me to stay in Park City with came and picked me up and we were off to the Condo.

It really was an incredible condo!


Mary Ann with her girls Sara and Jessica. I was their Seminary teacher so it was fun to spend time with them. Jessica is starting BYU and was getting everything taken care of to start school. And Sarah is getting ready to have her second baby and was having time on her own with her mom and hopefully getting some much needed rest!

Walking around Park City

Tuesday after my classes for Education Week Allison wanted me to help her run some errands so we did and got caught up, visited my brother and his family, went to the mall, and ate at the food court. Then we went to her apartment and she showed me her latest photo shoot, engagement pictures that were just beautiful. She is really talented and I can only imagine how much better she will be when she gets the equipment she needs.

Then it was back up to Park City.

Wednesday after my classes were over John and Allison picked me up and we went to the Movie "Inception" man oh man, what a movie! It was amazing! I loved it. I would like to see that one again! Then Allison wanted to eat at Olive Garden as well.....so we did!

John said there were not enough pictures of him and me.....so we had to take one together.....but then after spending the night at their cute apartment while walking to the Wilkinson Center, to start my Thursday of Education Week, I fell and broke my foot! So now we have more pictures of John and me, ones however that I really could have done without, since these pictures had to have me hurt myself to get them. But I will say John is definitely majoring in the right Major -Athletic Training (Sports Medicine) because I was amazed with all that he did with ice and wrapping the swelling went down a whole bunch! Thanks John for the tender care!

We played cards after my wounds were looked after and ordered in Chinese! It was great Chinese and kind of nice to stay in for one night! Then Mary Ann came and picked me up when she was done with visits to her family and we went back up to Park City.

We went to morning classes on Friday then headed for home, driving this time, and drove straight through so that we were home Saturday afternoon! I definitely needed to get off my foot by then and I fell asleep on Alan telling him all about my wonderful week with our kids and at Education Week!

Yes!!!! I'm going to Utah to see my kiddos!

I have a ticket and I leave after work on Friday August 13th! It's my anniversary present from Alan, we will celebrate together before I leave....but this past year has been so crazy with Allison's wedding, my mom's funeral, my Dad's 2 heart attacks and surgery, My Dad's wedding to Barbara, moving into the house we bought and moving my Dad out...... that Alan wanted me to get a vacation that didn't have anything to do with anything except for what I want to do.... they only thing that would make it better is if he could come with me! But work for him right now is not conducive to this idea and this way he can take care of Aileen so I can go by myself. This might sound selfish......but I have not had time away from Aileen by myself in several years.

So I'm off to Education week, seeing my kiddos that live in Utah, and helping my friend drive home so she has help driving home all the way to Texas after dropping off her Freshman at BYU!

Going to Education week has been a dream I have had, and wrote about as one of my life's goals in my personal history. So Alan is making this dream come true! I sure love this man of mine!

Well, I'll be.... I am a good mother!

Really, the past few years this has been a wonderful surprise for me, that I love and adore Mother's Day! I must admit when I was younger, I believe mainly when I was working when my children were younger.....and then again just because they were teenagers! I almost dreaded Mother's day! Sometimes it was the most depressing day of the year for me! I would go to church or watch TV shows and listen to all the people talk about their amazing mothers etc...and I always felt that I fell short! I know that I am my own worst critic. But I know I was not the only one that felt that way, because before I knew why I was sad, I was talking to a friend saying "I don't know why I'm so sad today!" and that friend said, "I know why, Mother's Day is the most depressing day of the year!" We cannot have been the only two women in the world that felt that way!

After I was able to be a stay at home Mom that I had always dreamed of being, I noticed I didn't feel quite that sad about the Holiday, but still with Oprah, and Regis and Kellie etc... doing all these special shows about these amazing mothers I did sit and wonder what my children would and did think of me.....

After we became Empty-Nester's (2007), and have seen what amazing children Alan and I have turned out....I must say, I adore Mother's day, because guess what? To them I am amazing! And they are such great adults, how can I not be proud! So this past Sunday as I was reading my Mother's Day Book they all made for me and each person wrote what they loved about me (even my new amazing son!) I thought to myself......."Well, I'll be....I am a good Mother!" Who knew!

See slide show of the mother's day book they made for me below! John said that what he realized is that there are not enough pictures of him and me together! Isn't that cute!