Parents Night Out!

Words to describe our get-a-way:

Awesome.

Memorable.

Amazing.

Fun.

For the last 2 years, we have been broke. Like, so broke we wanted to cry. So, Matt's birthday (and mine) have fallen by the wayside when it came to birthday celebrations. I mean, we did the traditional birthday dinner, but that was about it.

This year, we are in a better spot, thanks to Matt working his manly buns off for us. 

So we splurged and booked a hotel downtown for the night. 

Owen and Crissy agreed to take the girls overnight, which is no small feat considering Charlotte is still not sleeping through the night yet. 

Emma was so excited to hang out with Mitch and "Ca-Ca", and had a great time. 

Matt and I were able to relax, and enjoy each other's company like we used to in our pre-kid life. We laughed just like we used to, before we were so tired from parenthood. Matt and I talked to random strangers on the street, and even rode a bike taxi on the way back to the hotel!

Being a parent, you sometimes lose sight of who you were before kids. That you used to laugh a lot, and be spontaneous. Matt reminded me that who I am now is not bad, just different. I've evolved to take care of my children and to be a good Mom, it just comes with the territory. He told me that if I hadn't have changed to take care of the girls, then that would be something to worry about. He is my voice of reason when I am too hard on myself. One of the many reasons I love him so. 

It was just nice to feel like, "us" again. Like we were newlyweds, living downtown doing what we wanted when we wanted. It was good to be reminded that even though we are stressed with work and life matters, that "we" are still in there somewhere. 

It just takes a little "Parent Getaway" to let our single flags fly. 

Thank you Crissy and Owen for granting us this great opportunity, we so badly needed it! 

Matt is using a new app called, "Day One". It's an online journal for your computer/phone. He wrote down his own thoughts of our weekend together, and you can read it below:

FRIDAY, JULY 12, 2013, 9:14 PM

Why not start out on my 32d birthday to log the incredible journey I am sharing with my sweetheart. The night started out by dropping our two little ones off at their aunt Crissy and uncle Owen's home for a sleepover with their cousins Jessica and Mitchell. We zipped downtown SLC for sushi at a restaurant that we have had in our sights for quite sometime. The place is called Sapa and features an incredible ambiance highlighted by authentic Vietnamese tea houses that were disassembled in Vietnam and brought to Utah and consequently reassembled on State and 700 South. We ate and ate and ate some more before heading to the Hilton to check into our

room for the night. The excitement of a fresh hotel room (with hot tub) is always such a rush! I snapped a couple of shots of the room and we decided to walk through downtown on a nostalgic adventure so similar to that which we used to enjoy on a semi nightly basis back in our pre-children days. The air was warm, Rachel held my hand and was my steady reminder that I always get too close to the street while waiting for the crosswalk signal to change. I had my sights set on a strawberry and cream from Starbucks so that was our next stop. So refreshing! Along our walk we made some friends one of whom may have unwittingly made a lasting impression on us for life. His name was Doc and he was a former homeless person who now made a humble living selling newspapers in the street and helping others who find themselves in the same situation. He beamed when he spoke of his daughter and seemed humbly reverent as he told us of her searching him out by asking the various valets around town if they knew where he was sleeping back in his less fortunate times. He was brave and confident in himself. We continued on our way and found ourselves lured in by the air conditioning the rushed through the corridors of the outdoor City Creek Mall. Shopping! I needed a new hat because 50 isn't enough and Rach needed shirts and jewelry because she's a female. After shopping and noticing the creeping night we started the 10 block walk back when we happened upon Louis Alexander, bike taxi. Man, this guy was such a great addition to our new list of friends in the city. He had an iPod playing some hippy-bongo-Indian music and filled the aromatic night arm with the warm, masking smell of patchouli oil. As he pedaled us through the city en route to our hotel we shared small talk of culture, family, and drunks. Sophisticated to say the least! Only a couple of scares and we made it to the hotel safe and with a new friend and yet another line item to check off our bucket list that we have never yet written down. Energy drinks!! Our hotel, in all of its accommodation had none! In the car, windows down, and Nelly/Pandora playing loud we headed toward the Pharmacy. Rockstars and sleep aids were the only items on this grocery list. Inspiration hit on the way back to the hotel to stop at Dunkin Donuts for a midnight snack. After waiting ten minutes in the drive through line we decided it would be best to go in and wait in that line for ten minutes!! A six pack of donuts and we hit the hotel.
Without going into great detail we got back to our room and spent some good, quality, quiet, and uninterrupted time together; something the has been all but non-existent in our lives as of late. We slept in until 930 and left to reunite with the two little miracles that have changed our lives in such a positive way that words fail to describe.
As far as birthdays go, THIS was my best and most favorite ever. We made memories for life. We reminded ourselves of what it's like for us to be in love.

159 W BROADWAY, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, UNITED STATES • 81° MOSTLY CLOUDY

Created in Day One 


He is my love. He is my best friend. And this week, I have felt so much more thankful for him. So thankful for all the things he does, that I do not see, that he does for us. When we were dating, he told me there was no possible way that I could ever understand how much he loves me. I know that's true, he loves me and our girls so deeply in a way that I will never know. 

Happy Birthday Matty, and thank you for loving me the way you do. You make me the happiest girl in the whole world!

Here's some pictures from our weekend:

Sushi at Sapa, it was so tasty!