We Ate Our Way Through Utah...And Here's The Proof!!

 

 We started with Sodalicious...and it did not disappoint! 

If you are in Provo or nearby...it is a MUST! 

The Rooster became very fond of the "Second Wife...Extra Dirty!" 

Every drink has it's own funny name...or you can mix your own!

 

JDawgs...again...a MUST!

   

 The Provo Food Truck scene... 

This is so much fun! And so delicious!!!

 

And then there was...Waffle Luv! 

Oh My!!!

   

 One of the great perks of the Waffle Luv location in Provo, 

is the fun mural that is on the dining room wall. It was painted by Provo artists one of which 

I am a HUGE fan of... Brian Kershisnik...I love his work! 

That just made the waffles taste better...yum...yum!!!

   

 And finally...Communal. 

A charming restaurant in downtown Provo, 

where only local and in-season ingredients are used. 

The food is beyond fantastic! It is an "experience" to dine there. 

What made it even more enjoyable was sharing it with my Darling Brother Ben! 

 He has a very developed palate and appreciates a wonderful meal!

   

And yes...

I do photograph the food it eat! ...don't judge me! ;)

Thank You To The Little Yellow House...

The little house we rented in Utah this Summer was called The Yellow House. 

And it was true to its' name! 

 It was a darling little yellow house that became our home for a few wonderful weeks in July. 

 It was located in the perfect neighborhood, close to everything we needed, 

and it had everything we needed to live comfortably while away from our home. 

One morning, before Sis. Precious entered the MTC, The Farmer stated that 

this little yellow house would be a beloved site for us for a long time. Not only because 

of the rest and refuge it offered us, but because it was the spot we held tight to our Precious 

for a wonderful few days before she began her missionary journey. 

It's where we laughed together. 

It is where we shed tears together. 

 It is where we tried to solve the world's problems 

and it is where we packed up our girl and said good-bye for 18 months. 

 The Farmer was right!

   

 While staying in The Yellow House, we became friends with our sweet neighbors. 

 It was fun to visit with them. What we didn't really understand completely, 

was that they were watching us. They watched us come and watched us go. 

 The morning we headed to the MTC to drop off our Sis. Precious, 

they watched from their windows as we loaded her bags in our car. 

 They watched a tender good-bye in the front yard and they watched as we all climbed into our car 

and drove away. And when we returned to The Yellow House,

without Sis. Precious, 

they greeted us in the street to tell us that they watched the heartbreak from their homes;) 

 They also told us that they shed tears with us. 

 And how great that Sis. Precious will be as a missionary. 

 Oh how I needed that when we returned to The Yellow House.

 

The night before Sis. Precious big day, The Yellow House was a full of fun...laughs...tears...friends...advice...and good-byes. 

To have The Darlings together was a dream for me.

   

 This made me cry...in fact...it is making me cry now!

Thank you to The Little Yellow House in Provo Utah, for allowing

us a very special few days within your walls!

p.s. the fringed couch make it pretty special too! ;)

 

Dear Friends And The MTC...

This is our glimpse of Sister Precious at the Provo MTC.  Thankfully I have a very

dear friend who is a nurse there.  She wasn't in the day that Sis. Precious checked in,

but the moment she was back to work she tracked our beauty down to make sure

all was well with her.  I sure do appreciate her and the love and support she has offered

my children, especially Sis. Precious.  When we were saying our good-byes on the curb

of the MTC...I told Sis. Precious that if she got really sad or needed anything to find

Nurse W. and she would take care of everything.  I sure am grateful to that dear friend

of mine...And I am REALLY grateful for the the sweet photo of our Missionary Girl!

We left Provo this past Monday.  It was extra hard for me to leave this time, most likely

because I was leaving The Aggie Boy and Sis. PreSh behind.  It made me really happy

to be so close to them.  It made me really happy to have the Aggie Boy pop in

and out of our little rental house for a few minutes a random moments.

As we left Monday we knew that Sis. PreSh was going to call us the Tuesday morning

before she flew to her mission.  The time was set...between 4:30-7:00am.

As I went to bed Monday night, I was sure to check my phone...and turn up the ringer.

Well...I awoke at 6:30...no phone call...no missed calls...I wondered what had

happened to our Missionary.  Just then the phone rang...and she quickly asked why we hadn't

answered...she had called 10 times;)  Turns out she had called the home number instead

of the Cel. number.  Anyway...what a wonderful visit we had!  She sounds great!!

She shared many experiences with us...what she had learned...what she was feeling.

And we shed tears together.

It will be hard not to talk to her for the next few months.  Until Christmas to be exact!

But she is ready for this experience. 

Once she arrived in Sacramento she email to say she was there and it was really beautiful.

I am grateful for Sis. Precious!  I am grateful she has chosen to serve!

p.s. speaking of dear friends...Sis. Precious had a friend from school as her companion

in the MTC...Sis. Briggs!!! What a small world!

July 2

 

July 2.

It came faster than I thought it would.

Her check in time to the MTC was 1:00.

We spent the morning having breakfast together...

Closing suitcases...

just soaking her up for the last few minutes that she was ours.

 

 

  There were other good-bye's that hurt her heart a little.

But never did she waiver in her position to serve her mission.

It is something that she had planned to do her entire life.

And then the time came... The Farmer gathered our small family together,

 we shared our feelings about our Precious. We shed lots of tears.

The Farmer then set PreShie apart as a full time missionary.

It was a very spiritual time for our family.

And then we loaded her bags into the car...and headed to the MTC.

 

.

 

We, along with many other families,

 parked,

then unloaded our very most valuable possession onto the curb of the MTC.

We held as tight as we could to our Precious, for as long as we could.

And we cried.

  Not because we were sad, but because we will miss her.

We are so blessed to call her ours.

  Gratitude brought this Mom to tears...

that she would pause her life for a time of service humbles me.

 

 

I know that The Farmer's heart broke a little on the curb of the Provo MTC.

He and PreShie have a very special connection.

But he was brave...mostly for me I think.

 

And then it was time.

Time for her to walk away from us and walk toward an amazing adventure.

 

.

 

And we stood and watched her go.

The most "bitter"...yet..."sweet" moment a parent can have.

Oh how we will miss our PreShie Girl...what joy and excitement she has brought to our family.

  I can't wait to hear about her adventures a full time missionary...she is going to be amazing!!

 

 

And then...

we went to Sodalicious to drown our sorrows...

and for the record...

It didn't work! ;)

Dreamy Provo...

 

We find ourselves in Provo again this year...

it is always a much needed "rest" mostly a mental and emotional rest from our day to day lives.

This year is no different! It also seems that each year as we come to this beautiful place,

we are having new experiences. Last year, we were counting down the days until the

Missionary Boy returned home to us. And this year...we are counting down the days until our

beautiful PreShie becomes Sister PreShie and begins her journey as a Sister Missionary.

 

 

Tomorrow is the day...the MTC day.

 Two years ago, the Summer before the Missionary Boy began his service, we were also in Provo.

  I wrote about what it was like to sit and watch families take their missionaries to the MTC,

they drive away. I considered myself lucky because the Missionary Boy would have his

 MTC experience in Preston England, and I wouldn't have to be one of "those" parents who did

the drive through at the MTC. But that's the beauty of life...I am now one of "those" parents and will

have that experience that has already been had by so many. What I have learned since the

The Missionary Boy served his mission, is that I will survive;) and they really did let him come home!

 I know...silly...but there were days that I wondered if he would ever come back.

  So this time...I am going into this experience with a little more strength.

 Or atleast I think I am.

 

 

The days here have been a perfect delight.

 Our family together...beautiful morning walks...connecting with old friendships...

 

 

Welcoming missionary friends home...checking in on the Trucker Boy...

 

Yummy food...lots of laughs...

late nights just being together...

trips to the lake... and dreamy sunsets...

 

 

It's the best I tell you...The best!