Hamilton in Chicago!

I've wanted to see Hamilton since it came out but tickets have been outrageous. Came across reasonably-priced orchestra tickets in Chicago I couldn't pass up--especially since we use points for flights and hotel. We were only gone a couple of days but still fit in lots of activities, good food and fun!

It rained the whole first day we were there but we each had our own umbrella and walked the city to have lunch at Frontera Grill, an afternoon at the SNL Experience and Broadcast Museum, dinner at RPM Italian, Garrett Popcorn and Hamilton that evening. Loved the show and hopefully will get to see it again...

Wednesday was gorgeous and we literally walked 8 miles down the Magnificent Mile, Navy Pier, Millennium Park and the Lakefront Trail. Chicago is definitely a city I can keep coming back to.

They're Engaged!

It's officially official! Garrett and Julia got engaged Friday, October 20. They've known they wanted to get married for a couple of months and done preliminary planning. They even won a free engagement photo shoot which they used a loaner ring for a couple of days prior. The "surprise" was Julia thought he was waiting for the real ring the following week but Garrett kept the loaner ring (which looks identical to her real ring) and used the Questival race they were participating in that night and one of its tasks of hiking to the top of Ensign Peak as the perfect time to propose. Garrett had friends go up prior and get things set up so when he started pulling her toward the heart-shaped ring of candles, Julia told him they couldn't walk over there or they'd be in someone's proposal. Yes, THEIR proposal! We're excited for these two and their upcoming wedding in the Bountiful Temple December 21, 2017!

Donald/Dad/Papa's 85th Birthday Celebration!

We surprised dad/Papa with a family dinner and party to celebrate his 85th birthday! The grandkids and great grandkids in NYC facetimed him and Hillary called from California and Hailey called from Provo since she had a class and Riley had an internship dinner.

We served two kinds of lasagne, breadsticks, salad, fruit and homemade coconut cream pies (his favorite)

We gave him a DNA test and a bound copy of his personal history Michelle typed up and put together and an album of personal letters and photos from all 28 of us that I put together and he said it was the best birthday ever and he couldn't have asked for better gifts.

We are grateful to have him as our dad and Papa! He's the best!!

Girls Trip to Orlando!

Our girls trip to Orlando was the best! Hillary flew from SoCal to SLC Thursday afternoon and Hailey and I met her at the airport and we all got on a flight to Orlando, arriving at our wonderful hotel the Loews Royal Pacific.

Since we stayed at a hotel on the Universal Orlando property we got into Universal an hour before the public (7-8 am) and also got Express Passes which were amazing!!! The longest we waited in a line was for one of the prime Harry Potter rides for 25 min. The rest of the lines were 5-10 min. or we just walked right onto the ride. 

Hillary has always been a Harry Potter fan and was so excited to ride the Hogwarts Express!

We shared a frozen butterbeer and a pumpkin juice and they were both delicious!

I had so much fun with these two minions...

After 12 hours in the park Friday, we headed back again Saturday morning bright and early in our Jurassic Park shirts and rode the Mummy three times in a row, the Harry Potter rides again and got soaking wet on a couple of water rides. Since neither of the girls had been to Blue Man Group we got tickets for the 6 pm show and then headed to Bubba Gumps for dinner. Another fun-filled, packed day!

Sunday was our last day (due to Hailey in school at BYU and Hillary's work) so we went on a 5-mile walk bright and early, enjoyed an amazing lunch which we got 50% off due to a long wait and an ambitious squirrel that jumped on our outside table, went to 1:00 church and the Orlando Temple across the street and headed to the airport for our evening flights home to Utah and California.

Saying goobye at the airport until we see each other again at Thanksgiving...