Travis & Stephanie Evans Family: Girls Salt Lake City Trip

After my dad invited all the boys on that snowmobiling trip last February, Abbey suggested we plan a girls trip! There were a LOT of texts back and forth trying to figure out a date. Shelley said she was too busy, but the rest of us were invested in making something work and it finally did! We went right after school got out, the first weekend of June. We left Thursday afternoon and got back Sunday evening. Abbey was a champ and did most of the planning and booking of the hotel, plane tickets and spa activities. My parents paid for everything. This was such a treat getting to go on a trip I didn't have to plan or organize!! My life is so crazy right now. Thank you, Abbey!! I was the designated driver. Not my favorite position but happy to contribute SOMETHING to the trip! And at least there wasn't snow. It was just a lot of one way streets in downtown Salt Lake to navigate. My mom splurged for valet at the hotel which was really nice too! We stayed at the Grand America.. ooolala! I shared a room with Jael. She likes to go to bed late... I can't keep my eyes open past 10pm, she likes the room warm, I need the fan on. We weren't the most compatible roommates haha, but Jael is the nicest person ever... we managed!

We started the trip with dinner at a place Jael recommended... Ivy. We took the light rail at Jael's direction, which felt a bit sketchy but we didn't die, so its all good ha. So many yummy appetizers.. we tried tartare for the first time. It was yuckyuck. It's just a raw ground beef appetizer!! I'm adventurous but could not get past that mentally. The rest was delish!

Note the flag. It was the Gay Pride parade this weekend so the gay support was out in full force EVERYWHERE.

We walked down to Rockwell Ice cream for a treat. We stayed quite a while laughing and laughing, telling mom stories. It's nice to know you're not alone when you feel like a crazy person, raising kids!

Walking back to the hotel we saw a newscast being taped!

Jael has an interesting way of keeping things organized in her purse!!

Friday morning we woke up and grabbed acai bowls and smoothies on our way to Purify Wellness Center for THE MOST AMAZING DAY EVERRRRR!!!!! Holy pampered, Batman! We started with the best yoga class I've ever been to! The teacher was the sweetest, most soft spoken, encouraging, uplifting lady you ever met. Then we got all comfy for a sound bath. You basically lay down on blankets and listen to a lady create a zen atmosphere with soothing sounds for an hour. Heaaaven. Then, we took turns listening to a guided meditation while getting beamer and infrared light therapy, relaxing in the salt cave and getting hour long massages. I mean, COME ON. I cannot describe the peacefulness!! I wasn't even on planet earth afterward. I was 100 pounds lighter, floating in clouds without a care in the world. We also did energy mapping. You put your hand on this sensor thing and it's supposed to measure your chakras and tell you how your aura's are doing. I've done this before and was all in. This time, I don't why, but I felt more skeptical. Maybe there's something to it, but it just felt like fancy palm reading mumbo jumbo. It's fine, the whole day was beyond incredible. We ran over to a restaurant in the complex to grab lunch real quick at one point because we were there all day. I honestly couldn't think up a better girls trip. I hope we do this every year!

Back to the hotel for a quick change and off to the Red Iguana for dinner!! It was right by the train tracks which made for a really romantic ambiance. We found some gelato nearby, afterward. I think we were all going to puke from being so full!

Sadly, Katie got sick Friday night with a stomach bug and everyone else opted to sleep in Saturday morning so I snuck away early and did initiatories at the closest temple that was open, the Bountiful temple! It was my first time visiting this temple and it was beautiful!! Up on a hill with a gorgeous view. It was interesting because they were doing a trial thing with initiatories where I stayed in one chair the whole time and two women took turns doing all the ordinances in a row for all my names. I loved it! It felt much more efficient. I really loved my morning here and was glad I made the effort to come.

I went back to the hotel to change really quick and then Abbey, Marcie, Jael and I hiked up Ensign Peak! It was a short, fast hike. More of a steep walk, really. So pretty at the top!! And found an ancestor mentioned on the monument!

Snagged mom and headed to Sweet Lake Biscuit and Limemades... Mmmmmm!!

Time to do what women do best. Shop! Except I really never shop anymore and feel like a fish out of water when it comes to current trends and styles. This picture says it all! The longest shorts I could find at any store! Luckily, Abbey is hip and cool and gave me guidance.

You KNOW we had to hit up Nielsen's! I haven't had one of their grinders in forever. Boy it hit the spot! Fries and fry sauce and concretes to boot. I think I gained 5lbs on this trip and it was worth it!

With properly pregnant bellies, it was time to go to the hot tub. I didn't get any pictures so I had to take screenshots of videos we took. We were working on some dance reels throughout the trip! Saturday night we crashed Mom's room and stayed up late talking and laughing and doing more dance reels. Such a good time!

I didn't think this trip could get any better then it did. With the Grand America Sunday buffet! I think it was $60 a person or something crazy like that. Words don't do justice to this spread. Everything from pastries, fruit, salad, crepes, seafood, prime rib, omelets, etc etc etc. We need 10 stomachs. My favorite was this caramel bread pudding croissant thing. Unbelievable. My mouth is watering remembering it! Sooo freaking delicious. All of it. And the restaurant itself was adorable and elegant and we may as well have been the royal family we felt so fancy.

With full stomachs we embarked on the worst part of the trip! Getting to church! Because of the parade, roads were closed everywhere. Everyone was trying to direct me and we just went in loops, constantly being thwarted by road closures. This went on for an hour! We finally went way out of the downtown area and found a chapel in a nice area Jael knew about. And guess who's ward we ended up at?! Elder Hollands!! So sad he wasn't there.

After church we went back to the hotel to pack up and head home. Sadness! It was over. No lies, this was one of the best girls trips ever. Mom and Dad spoiled us BIG TIME. I felt so grateful and happy and relaxed and did I mention grateful?? SUPER grateful. I am truly so blessed and lucky to be a Lindblom!