utah trip 2015

I feel like every summer I always end up in Utah for some reason. Whether it's for a wedding, a baby blessing, a reunion, or just a family visit, it just always happens. I had been pretty convinced that this summer would be the first one in a while that I wouldn't be traveling to Utah since there wasn't a real reason to go and I knew I would be pregnant all summer long. But when my sister, Ashley, called a few months back and said she wanted to throw me a baby shower in Utah in June, I found myself preparing for yet another trip to Utah!

I used to not really be a fan of Utah, but it's really grown on me the past few years. It seriously is my home away from home since I've never lived there, but I feel like I know the Salt Lake area as well as any place I've lived. With lots of friends and family who do live there, the headquarters of the church being there, and with the beautiful natural landscapes and mountains, it really is a great place to be. So I was really excited to go back.

Zach unfortunately was unable to take time off work to go with me, so my parents picked me up and the three of us did the long drive out to Utah together. I realized really quickly that I probably should have flown haha. Long road trips are usually a breeze for me, but being pregnant made it a completely different experience. My feet got super swollen and it was impossible to find a comfortable position in the back of the car. And us getting a blown out tire in the middle of nowhere Colorado at 11:30 at night did not really help the situation haha. So I decided to a book a flight home for the following Monday!

We arrived in Salt Lake on Friday night and picked up some Costa Vida (an absolute necessity) to eat over at Andrew and Ashley's place. We hung out with them for a bit and then my dad went to go pick up my sisters, Britney and Vanessa, and Vanessa's 6 month old, Nora, from the airport. We chitchatted with them at the hotel for a while and then went to bed. I shared a room with Britney the entire weekend and it was SO much fun. It felt like a super sleepover. 

On Saturday morning, we headed to Thanksgiving Point where I had my baby shower. We spent an hour or so setting up all the decorations before all the guests arrived. It turned out so beautiful and I loved seeing so many friends and family and feeling their support. I got a great haul of gifts and I can't wait for Baby Athans to get here to put them all to good use!! 

After the shower, my mom, Britney, and my cousin, Nicole, all headed to American Fork Canyon because Nicole offered to take some maternity photos of me! She did an amazing job taking my pictures and made me feel super comfortable in front of the camera. We got some really great shots and I cannot wait to see the rest!! Thanks again Nicole! 

After the photo shoot, we met the rest of our family for dinner at Red Robin and then me, my dad, Britney, and Vanessa all headed over to the cemetery where my Grandma and Grandpa Haws were buried. None of us, besides my dad, had had the opportunity to go there since they had put in the headstone and it was such a great tribute to them. Unfortunately it got really cold and rainy while we were there so we couldn't stay too long, but I'm so glad we got to go there and place some flowers on their grave. We all miss them so much.

On Sunday we went to church for Ashley's son, Robert's, baby blessing! He was born just a month ago on May 10th and he is seriously the most calm and sweet baby ever. I can only hope our little girl will be so cute and sleepy! After church we headed back to Andrew and Ashley's place for a nice lunch with Andrew's family. We spent a few hours there and then drove up to Farmington where my Aunt Shelly and Uncle Travis live so that my sisters and I could have the opportunity to go through some of my grandparent's things and choose some keepsakes to take home with us. It's totally crazy how much stuff you can accumulate over a lifetime! But I'm really grateful that I was able to come away with some things that I know I'll cherish for a long time. We then had a yummy dinner completely Grandma Haws style with Shelly, Travis, Josh, Jamie, and Jamie's three cute kids and hung out and watched the Cavalier's game. Then we headed back to Andrew and Ashley's for one last little visit and then went back to the hotel. 

My parents dropped off Britney and I at the airport Monday morning and we passed the time before our flights took off just chitchatting and eating Cafe Rio (another necessity). I realized my flight was delayed an hour so I was super nervous about whether I would miss my connecting flight from Houston to Austin. But miraculously, my plane landed in Houston just in time for me to catch my second flight! I was very happy to be home and to see my sweet Zachary again who missed me very much! 

As you can tell, we crammed A TON into this little weekend trip, but it was seriously so much fun and what I really needed. I feel like I've gotten this little boost to now get me through the next three months before our little one is born. I've sure got a lot to do, but knowing that I've got the support of so many friends and family helps me to know that it will turn out okay. Till next time Utah!