Last Monday, David and I were talking and he said "We should probably talk about our plans for this week." I gave him a funny look and asked him what he was talking about. He reminded me that a couple of months ago, long before Austin was born, he had been accepted to attend a really awesome UACPA leadership conference in Park City and we had decided that it would be great for him, and really fun for us to be able to come and stay in his hotel with him. He had been worried that Austin might be too little, but I had assured him that it would be fine. (We had stayed with Lydia in a hotel room when she was a month old, and I was sure it would be fine with Austin as well.)
Somehow, I had completely spaced that this little trip was coming up. Really, I just didn't put it in my planner, and if it doesn't go in my planner or on my calendar - then as far as I remember, it's not happening. I was a little wary, as we'd just spent the week before in Morgan with my family while David was on an audit in Kemmerer, Wyoming and we were pretty tired from the whole adventure. I had been having a little bit harder of a time getting back in the swing of things than I had expected and I wasn't sure that it was going to be the super-fun trip that we had been hoping that it would be. However, the thought of staying home alone with two children was enough to motivate me to re-pack our bags and get ready to head up the following Wednesday. I thought that there was just as good of a chance that I'd head home during the middle of the night the first night there as there was that we'd stay and have a great time.
Oh. My. Goodness.
I can't begin to describe how wonderful it was. It was exactly what my brain/body needed to recharge. David ended up spending pretty much every minute of each day and evening at his conference, so there wasn't as much Daddy time as we'd originally hoped, but that didn't stop my kids and I from having a fabulous time. We rested in our fabulous hotel room. We explored the beautiful (and tiny) homes smushed together throughout Park City. We went to story time at the library. We played at the park. We splurged and got ice cream before we ate our yummy chinese food for dinner. It was amazing and wonderful and I was thoroughly charmed by the entire town.
We stayed at the Silver Baron Lodge (where the conference was held) and it was easily the nicest hotel room that we've ever stayed in. It wasn't giant, but it was definitely upscale. The carpet was fluffy and soft, the kingsize bed was set bedside some extremely nice, antique looking furniture, there was a tiny kitchenette-esque area, and the bathroom was a.maz.ing: All stone/tile, giant bathtub, and a walk-in-shower that had two shower-heads, one being a rainfall showerhead. Seriously, it was so nice. Everything was clean and cozy and exactly what I had hoped it would be. (We knew it was going to be a nice hotel, and I'm so glad that it didn't disappoint!)
The morning that we checked out, Lydia and Austin were so wonderful. Lydia was content to sit and watch her Daniel Tiger and Austin slept on the bed. I was able to take a very long shower in the previously described bathroom. It was a.maz.ing. I don't know if I've ever enjoyed such a relaxing shower. Afterwards I tried, unsuccessfully to get a picture of Lydia and I in our matching Silver Baron Lodge Bathrobes, because come on, isn't that kind of cool?
David was at his leadership conference most of the time we were up there, but we were able to go to his "graduation" on Friday afternoon. (The above picture is David receiving his award/certificate.) Then we spent a few hours playing together in Park City. We walked up Main Street, took a Trolley Ride, played on the old bridge/grass, and drove around the Olympic Park.
Again, I can't say enough how relaxed and rejuvenated I feel. One of the people at David's conference asked me how I had survived, because it was probably really hard to bring such a tiny baby away from the place where you have all of your things. But honestly, it was wonderful. No dishes. No laundry. No worrying about anything other than just enjoying my family. It was everything you could want out of a true, relaxing vacation. (The only thing that could have made it better would have been if David had been able to spend a little more time with us. Oh, and if we would have been able to use the beautiful heated pool outside, but that was one thing I wasn't ready to attempt with two kids.) David had a great time at his conference and he felt like he learned a lot, made some good networking connections, and benefitted his future career. I feel SO much better than I have felt the last several weeks and I feel like I'm finally ready to get back into our regular groove.
