Utah wrap-up

Sunday morning it was time for our little bloggy weekend to come to an end.  M3, Ro & Ree as well as Donna & Lauren headed to the airport to fly home, Catherine & Hannah went to Tawni’s house for a few days, Lisa headed to her house and Maisie and I went home with Tiffany to spend a few more days.  It was sad to say good bye to all our friends but we look forward to the next time we all get together and hopefully Julie & Tess will be able to join us as we missed them so very much this year. 

After Maisie’s rough night she was just wiped out and slept the entire drive to Tiffany’s and then was unusually quiet, happy to spend time just sitting around playing her DSi with Eliza.  Eliza was just in l.o.v.e. with Maisie’s game and thankfully Maisie is a great sharer, as is Eliza, so over the four days we spent at Tiffany’s there was little arguing over taking turns and playing with Maisie’s game and Eliza’s Leapster.

Maisie and Eliza spent many hours huddled together playing electronic games but were really good, with no arguing when we told them that time was up and electronics needed to be put away.

There was also a lot of time spent coloring, drawing and wearing Princess garb.

High heels were worn, discarded and exchanged and there were long discussions between the girls about how shoes should or shouldn’t  match their outfits.   Maisie wasn’t always cooperative when it came to taking pictures but I love her just the same.

Sunday night, the stomach bug which had hit many at the condo over the weekend descended upon me.  Thankfully I wasn’t as sick as Donna or Maisie had been but every time I tried to lift my head from the pillow, I came close to losing the contents of my stomach.  I had a rough night but I really didn’t want to miss out on the plans we had for Monday which was to meet up with Catherine & Hannah as well as Tawni and her children at the Hatch Family Chocolate Factory followed by lunch at my favorite place, Cafe Rio.  Well, I made it to the Chocolate place but that was really more than I was up for so Maisie and I ended up heading back to Tiffany’s house for some meds and a nap while everyone else enjoyed lunch.

Before I had to leave we got a couple of pictures, here’s Maisie and I with owner Katie Masterson. 

It’s been three years since I last saw Tawni so it was great to see her again, even for the limited time I could remain upright.  Her boys have grown so much and little A, what a little spitfire she is and just beautiful!  I wish that I had been able to stay longer and visit but hopefully it won’t be three years until we meet again.

Maisie and Eliza are so stinking cute together and though they only see each other one week per year, they look forward to seeing each other, talk about each other and when they get together it’s as if they’ve never been apart.   They really are two peas in a pod and whatever one would do, the other would do too. 

In addition to Princess wear and high heels, there was lots of primping, silliness and giggles.

Just so you don’t think that I spent all my time at Tiffany’s laying around being sick, I’m telling you that it didn’t happen as the girl put me to work!  Tiffany bought 1/4 of a local grass-fed, organic fancy-schmancy butchered cow and asked me to do something with it.  Well really, she had asked if I would help her make some new and different freezer meals for when she starts back to work teaching next month, so that’s what we did.  In two days we made Marinara sauce, Bolognese sauce (with 5.5 pounds of meat!), Lasagna Soup, Cioppino,  Moussaka, Curried Shepherd’s Pie, Hearty Beef Curry, Oatmeal Coconut Raspberry Bars and Brownies with walnuts …from scratch of course.  I was so happy to be able to help Tiffany stock her freezer because she really loved everything that we made and will think of us all winter long each time she pulls a meal from her freezer.

Solli was also a fan of what we made, here he is giving the Moussaka a taste test.

Thankfully Wednesday night all of us were over the plague and Laurel was kind enough to host a second mini bloggy bash so that Maisie and I could see her family and the Brown family.  We spent the evening eating, chatting, playing and enjoying time together in Laurel’s beautiful yard. 

Maisie, Eliza, Maylin & Kai playing in the stream.

The big girls playing games together, Pearl, Hills, Maddy & Kens.

Solli really wanted water straight from the tap!

There was ice cream and Solli really enjoyed it!

Solli hanging with the girls, Hills, Maddy & Kens.

Kim, Laurel, me, Tiffany & Solli.

I nicked the two following collages from Laurel’s blog:Kim sacrificed herself and so that nothing went to waste she finished not only her ice cream but Kai’s as well!.

Ice cream and playing in the stream were both big hits with the wee ones.

The children didn’t want the night to end even when they reached the point of exhaustion and tears but they posed for one final picture.  Eliza, Grace, Maisie & Maylin.

Laurel has chickens and the children had fun seeing and feeding them.  Of course with all these chickens there are plenty of fresh eggs.

Laurel’s freshly gathered eggs.  For my final meal in Utah I enjoyed some of these wonderfully fresh eggs, delish!!

Maisie and I had a great trip and thankfully easy flights home.  Though we miss our friends and can’t wait to see them again, it’s great to be home!

Don't forget, only two days left to enter my Bento book giveaway over on Maisie Eats Bento.