Salt Lake Trips

I have been reading G.J’s grandma’s journal the past week or so. It was compiled into a really nice hardback book along with other histories and pictures. Her name was Hallie Searle, so our Hallie is named after her. She was an amazing woman with 9 children. I imagine I will mention a lot of her experiences in the future, but the one that is most relevant at this time is our Salt Lake trips. To them, “back in the day” a trip to Salt Lake was a big deal. Today, although it is still a big deal, it is much easier, except if you have 3 kids under 7, one of which was being very naughty.
Our niece was being baptized today, so we really wanted to be there for her. We headed out yesterday at 2. We arrived at 5 and met up with family at the mall. My kids were over stimulated from being in the car for 3 hours. They were thirsty, hungry, had to go potty every 30 minutes, and were very enthralled by all the stores and what they knew they had to offer. We were waiting for a table at a restaurant nearby, which on a Friday night for a party of 16 is no easy task. After 2 hours or so of trying to keep the kids happy, we ate. Thank goodness for Grandma and Grandpa! It was really nice to see all of G.J.’s family that we don’t get to see all that often. Hallie and Gavin were being very nice, except for another Build-A-Bear Workshop drama. They wanted to do one so bad. I was nice enough to let them buy an outfit for the bears that they already have at home. (See picture) They wanted a picture in this little photo booth (see picture), but Kayler was NOT happy, and screaming, so while they are taking this picture he is throwing a fit in my arms.
Anyways, after dinner, we headed to G.J.’s sister Lorrie’s house. My kids just love her kids, and Lorrie was so sweet and hospitable to us. Kayler would NOT go to sleep. He has a strange phobia just like his mommy about sleeping at other people’s houses. He had only had a half hour nap, and yet there we lay at 11:00 with him giggling/screaming/playing/crying. He finally gave in and we all slept until 7 a.m. We had to be at the baptism at 9 a.m.
I was excited for Hallie and Gavin to see the baptism, since Hallie is going to be baptized this September. They do it differently on the Wasatch front. Each child has their own separate baptism, whereas here, they just have a big service for all the kids in the stake that have turned 8 and then herd them through the baptism process. I like the more personal thing, but I guess we will have a really special lunch/dinner for Hallie when it is her turn to make up for it. Kayler was a BEAST at the baptism and dinner. I just wanted to relax and have fun with family, but nope, he had other plans. As soon as they uncovered the baptismal font, his eyes just lit up and I could just see his little mind thinking, “I would love to go swimming in that water.” After a quick daydream on my part of that happening, I held on tightly to him in the hall, not wanting a scene like that to occur.
They had a nice brunch, and then we realized there was a storm moving in. The kids were tired. We had no money, no energy, and just wanted to get home. So as much as I would have liked to stay and visit and shop and play, it just wasn’t an option. SO here I sit, 24 hours after this journey began, already home from our quick trip. G.J. and I get to go back all alone on the 20th-21st, so that will be much funner. Even though it was not all that enjoyable, we are very blessed, and I thought several times of G.J.’s Grandma Hallie and the trials in her life, and the trips to Salt Lake that she made, and somehow it made it easier. I wish I could have met her, but by reading her journals I have felt connected in a way. Have a good day!