Sleepover 2023....Salt Lake City, Here We come.

This year we will have Ashly, Kinsley, Tessa and Jaxon and of course Ambur and Gimlet.  Or so we thought.  On our way there I got a call from Blaine letting me know that Jaxon doesn't want to come.  Poor boy he has such a hard time leaving his momma.  We thought he might change his mind, which he did, but it took Sara leaving the house and some technical negotiations with Blaine to have him come along.  But he was just fine after I got there and we got the snacks all divided up. Tessa was the first to make it to the car to greet me.  She gave me the best hug.  I didn't get to really hug her at Christmas because she was sick.  It was nice to see her felling good and ready to give Grandma a big old hug.  Kinsley and Ashlyn came around for a hug greeting as well.

 This year our sleepover as it has so fondly been called began on the 23rd of July.  We headed to SLC to pick up the race packet and then we will be checking in the at the hotel and then dinner and swimming.  I always get so excited, and this day was no different..

Since Maddox wasn't going to be going with us, I took the snacks and all the snack bags which I already labeled and I sat on the porch when we got to their house and we had a great time dividing up treats.  Some things everyone got one of and other things they could have as many as were there as we went around and each person got to choose.  

And we were off.  Not until I got a really sweet hug from Maddox.  That boy is so loving and sweet.  He is one boy I just miss on getting to know.  I hope to be changing that soon.

We made our first stop in Fillmore at the Maverick station and everyone got something to eat.  It is always a fun stop.  Then we headed onward to Salt Lake City to get our race packets for tomorrow picked up.

Nothing too exciting about the pick up.  But once again for the 3rd row in a year they didn't have the shirt size I ordered for Ambur or myself.  They corrected it by giving us a shirt that says 10K instead of 5k and that was just fine.  At least we would all match going through the finish line.

A while back I asked Blaine the kids' favorite place to eat.  I got 2 gift cards for each location and decided we would draw out gift cards until we got two that matched and that is where we would go to dinner that night.  The first night, Cafe Rio was the first to get chosen.  This is Ashlyn's favorite place.  Everyone seemed to find something they liked. and we had a great time.

Then we headed off to the hotel to get checked in.  I learned a while ago that you have to get reservations for the 24th of July pretty early and I got a 2 bedroom suite for a pretty decent price.  We arrived at the hotel and I went in to get checked in.  To my disappointment, I was told that they accidentally gave my room away for the first night so they were going to give me a discount but I would need to move everything to the reserved suite tomorrow after 3 pm. This was not the best way to start off.  They ended up giving me two rooms side by side.  We took everything up and got it unloaded.  Room 1 was Ambur, Ashlyn and Tessa.  Room 2 Me, Kinsley and Jaxon.  And before you know it, we were ready to go swimming.  I got them all new swimming goggles and nose plugs for a surprise and they seemed to be very happy with them.  Last year Jaxon forgot his floaties and he brought them this year but he didn't want to wear them.  I told him he needed to and he didn't argue too much.  The only one that doesn't like the water is Gimme.  It is so funny, she is a dog that should love the water just second hand and she literally can't stand it.  A little splash on her and she will move to another location further away.  

We had a great time, it was hot out and it felt pretty good, but we spent a lot of time in the hot tub...especially me.  It just felt great.  Then off to get ready for bed.  The girls showered and then I attempted to braid hair.  It was nice just to visit with each of them one on one while braiding their hair. I didn't get pictures of beddie bye time in my room, but Ambur got some.    

We all got settled in early since we all knew we had to go early tomorrow morning for the race.  Wouldn't you know it as soon as we got laid down the fireworks started.  Most everyone was asleep and I finally drifted off when the loudest noise came about.  It sounded like something was rolling right into the room.  It turns out is was a soccer team that was staying at the hotel for a competition running up and down the steps and banging on the walls as they did so.  I stepped out of my room and told them I have people sleeping and if they did that again I was going to the office.  Sure enough not once but twice more it happened and I called the office.  There was an immediate stop and finally rest.

I am so grateful to be able to spend this time with the kids.  I am excited for the race tomorrow and I am ever so thankful for Ambur's help with it all.  She is a trooper and I am grateful for her.  Heavenly Father continues to bless me with health and safety and I am thankful that I have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  What a great first day.