Jack and I made it back to Wyoming after a week and a half in Utah. Truthfully I wish we could have stayed longer, but alas, Jack was getting more and more homesick for his "blue house, Daddy, and Savvy" by the day. I just couldn't hold him off any longer. Normally a week would be the longest I'd want to be apart from Jared, but he's in a long FPI rotation (family practice inpatient) at the hospital, and after 3 years of residency I've learned that it's better to be able to get away for some of this particular rotation. Jared has to work for 80-100 hours a week during FPI, and even when he's home he's so exhausted that he really only has the capacity to eat dinner and take a long bath before winding down for bed. Poor guy. It's a rough time for everyone. I'm grateful we live close enough to Utah that I can make the drive there and back with Jack pretty easily.
I'm so happy we were able to be with family for Pioneer Day, which also happens to be my dad and brother's birthday. We spent the afternoon fishing at Payson Lake and then driving the scenic Nebo Loop back home, which I've never done before. I'll have to do it again during the fall one of these years.
We went out for their birthday dinner at the new Leatherby's in Orem. It's been a long time since I've gone inside an actual restaurant to eat. So fun. The burger and fries were amazing, as were the enormous ice cream creations. Jack ate most of mine. Living his best life, that one.
Jack got lots of quality family time with Nana, grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. He's a very social dude. He's going to be so happy when we move closer to family next year.
^^A picnic in Canyon Glen. Jack has clearly outgrown all of his 2t clothes, as is evidenced by this 2t belly shirt haha
I don't have a picture, but Jack made fast friends with a seven-year-old boy named Hudson who lives next door to my parents. Hudson would pop over to play/chuck exercise balls at my head a few times a day. It was a good time and makes me horrified for my future as a parent of older boy(s).
^^A few days before we left, Jack woke up inconsolably homesick. The only thing I could do to distract him was take him to Bridal Veil Falls. We went early enough that there weren't many people there, and it was still nice enough for wading around.
^^My favorite meal of the trip was a girl's lunch with Mom and Grandma at The Taste in Provo. I gave my mom a gift card there for her birthday, but she was deep in recovery mode from her brain surgery and then covid hit. Last week I was able to make a reservation for us to have Afternoon Tea there with my Grandma Roper. I would absolutely recommend this as a fun experience. They are carefully staggering reservations due to covid, and it was nice to have the restaurant practically to ourselves. There was a variety of unique sandwiches on the bottom tier, biscuits with to-die-for whipped butter on the middle tier, and desserts on the top tier. They did a good job of offering traditional options everyone loves (cucumber sandwiches, chocolate brownies), but then also throwing in some unique items (bruschetta with, jam, feta, and mint; rosemary shortbread cookies). My favorite part was the company and the conversation. I learned quite a bit about my grandma's past that I'd never heard before.
Jack has been begging to visit a farm with his cousin Asher for weeks. We went to Thanksgiving Point one evening (best time to go to beat crowds and heat), and Jack even braved the pony ride after he saw Asher get on. Such a cute lil' cowboy.
Since our trip overlapped with the Utah Valley Parade of Homes, I took advantage of the excuse to tour around Utah Valley with my mom, brother Tim, and by myself during some of Jack's naps. This is a tradition that Jared and I have loved doing together in the past. Fortunately they had a virtual parade for at-home viewing, so Jared and I are able to do virtual walk-through dates together now that I'm back home. This time around I mostly paid attention to the neighborhoods and different areas of Utah Valley to try and map out where I could see us living when we make our way back in the next couple years. I always feel immediately at-home when I visit Woodland Hills, down at the very south end of Utah Valley. I love the views, the quiet, and being up in the mountains surrounded by trees (yes yes, fire danger, I know). It's my favorite UV town and we'd move there in a heartbeat, except that it doesn't have much hiking, and it definitely doesn't have Dry Canyon (my favorite place to get outside). I could definitely see us moving there someday though. It would be an easy half hour commute to family and Dry Canyon, and we could build a little further down on the mountain where fire risk is lower. Land is a lot cheaper in Woodland Hills too.
Our newest niece was born while I was in Utah! Baby Emery is the sweetest little bundle of joy. Jack did surprisingly well letting me hold her, and sharing toys with her when we went over to visit Peter and Abby when they were home from the hospital. As I was holding her I realized that it was the first time I've been able to hold any of my newborn nieces/nephews. We've never been in town for the others' births. I was grateful we were able to see her sweet face before heading back to Casper. Until next time, Utah! Our next visit will be just a month away, and filled to the brim with exciting times (interviews, Elko road trips, and meeting our future sister-in-law--gonna be great!)
