Another annual Girls Days came and went, and as usual, it was so much fun! We all arrived Wednesday night (July 16th). That is always one of the most exciting parts...when we get to see the out-of-towners arrive.
April surprised us with some yummy dessert that we ate out on their back patio under some newly strung lights. It was such a fun setting to go over our weekend itinerary! It was just beautiful. (The only thing we could have done without was the mosquitoes! We kept rubbing our skin with dryer sheets, since April had basically been attacked the night before. During Girls Days she actually had a reaction so bad to the bites that she went to the doctor and had to pick up some medicine to keep from going to the ER! Poor April!)
Thursday was our “Outdoors Day”, and April really kept us busy. Our first stop was Lisa Falls up Little Cottonwood Canyon. It was the perfect hike for two pregnant ladies (Amy and I were both pregnant, due two weeks apart). It was about a quarter mile of easy dirt and rocks to hike that led to a small waterfall. Short and sweet...just how I like it. And it was beautiful! It was perfect.
After some pictures and time at the waterfall, we headed further up the canyon to Snowbird. We took the aerial tram up to the top for a gorgeous view of the canyon and the valley. We were feeling adventurous so we hiked down to the lift to take us back down the mountain. While waiting for the lift to open up, we even explored the tunnel that takes you to the other side of the mountain. It was a gorgeous afternoon with perfect temperatures.
Yummy dried mango from Trader Joes
After all of that hiking, we had definitely worked up an appetite. We stopped for lunch at Salt City Burger Co. It was so good. We spent a good amount of time there just chatting and relaxing.
Next on our list was going to be swimming at the Riverton Pool, but the remaining open pool time wasn’t worthwhile. So, instead, April showed us an awesome park in Daybreak. It had some very modern toys and gadgets that were so fun, even as adults, to play on. It also had a small stream going through it, so we waded our feet in there for awhile.
For dinner, we ate at Zupas...always a favorite.
Our next sightseeing adventure for our “Outdoor Day” was Black Ridge Reservoir in Herriman. It is an awesome man-made lake, complete with a sandy beach. It was awesome! We had a fun time putting our feet in the sand and walking around the reservoir. It is surrounded by some beautiful houses and has an awesome view of the valley.
By the time we got home, we were all quite beat! April did an awesome job of letting us get a taste of seemingly all viewpoints of Salt Lake. It was such a fun day. And, as she ended every day, we had a nice little devotional and small gift before bed. She really knows how to make Girls Days special.
Friday was “Pampering Day”! I always love these days! We started the day off with initiatories at the Jordan River Temple. I love that each year we have been able to include a temple visit. Such a special time to go somewhere so sacred with people that you love! Next up was the Pro Do Blow Dry Bar. We headed to Draper to be glammed up and have our hair done. It was fun to have them wash our hair and style it anyway we wanted. Man they make it seem so quick and easy. Wish it was like that every day. Such a fun experience. Once we were all dolled-up, we headed to lunch at Thai Siam. Yum!
The next stop for our Pampering Day was VNY Nails where we got pedicures (always a favorite activity for Girls Days). We didn’t have anywhere fancy to go that night, but we did get to meet up with the whole family for a fun BBQ at the Grubers! Amy’s family was in town, so they joined us, as well as George, Karl, Jason, and Charlie. Capri and Duke weren’t in town, but we did get to meet a very special visitor….Alli’s boyfriend, Rick! (Since then, they have actually gotten engaged and will be getting married here in Utah on December 29th! Can’t wait!) It was fun to be able to take an evening away from just the girls and share it with the entire family. We had a delicious dinner, and the neighborhood was even doing a bike parade that evening, so the kids got to decorate their bikes and ride them down the neighborhood for everyone to see. We also had a fun family photo shoot complete with props. After dessert, we had a great time playing the celebrity game. Ah, such a fun night...and the best part was we still had a full day of “girls-only” activities the next day.
BBQ Pics:
Saturday was “Tourist Day”. We started earlier in the morning this day and went to the Farmer’s Market in downtown Salt Lake. We had such a great time trying all of the samples, buying whatever suited our fancy, and nibbling on treats. We also looked around at Tony Caputo’s...such a cool market with lots of unique things. Even though we had already filled up on sweets at the Farmer’s Market, we still made room for a special treat at Bruges Waffles. We got two dessert waffles to share, and oh man were they delicious! We got a peaches and cream one and then a strawberry, chocolate, and cream one. They were amazing! I can’t wait to go back and take Jason.
Next up was visiting City Creek...and you can’t visit a mall for Girls Days without stopping at H&M. We had a fun time picking things out for us and the kiddos.
Next we headed to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building where we watched the Joseph Smith Movie. I was so glad that April thought to do that because it had been years since I had seen it!
It was especially fun to be in Salt Lake that Saturday because it just so happened to be the day of the 1,000 foot water slide! Music was pumping through the streets and people were everywhere. It was so exciting! The slide was huge, and of course we wanted to ride it! I guess they were having some challenges with the water flow, so they stopped selling tickets...but that didn’t stop us. We still put on our suits and jumped in from the middle of the slide. I guess I should clarify that by “we” I mean Alli and April. Nancy, Amy, and I had a great time watching them and all the rest of the people. There was hardly any crowd or slide control so sliding down, being pregnant, could have been dangerous. We had seen lots of people fall or being slammed into. Amy did find a chance to slide down when there was a break in sliders, and all was well. It was such a fun event! I am so glad we were there for it!
Before too long, we were exhausted and it was time to head home. We got to relax for a short time before our next big event...the RSL game at the Rio Tinto Stadium! Who would have thought the girls would be going to a soccer game for Girls Days! I am sure the men were very proud. We had a blast!
By the time we got home that night, we were so exhausted. We had such a fun-filled day and entire weekend! By early Sunday morning, everyone had departed.
I am one lucky girl to have such great in-laws! I LOVE them! And I love our Girls Days tradition! Thank you, April, for another AMAZING Girls Days!!
