Author: lilydarais

Today was my FAVORITE day of the whole entire trip. I absolutely loved Germany, and spending a day there with Anthony, Malika and their kids was the greatest. No amount of blog raving will do the day justice–it included delicious food, a great museum/furniture store, fun for the kids in the form of an incredible slide, and a swim in the Rhine!!! That could not be topped.

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After the Vitra design stop, went to a giant slide. The kids went nuts for it, especially Ammon and Clarissa. Clarissa was scared at first and hilariously screamed the whole way down. This video is of her second way down (she’s on Abe’s lap):

The kids also played a little at a playground in Vitra.

Then we drove to a nearby German town for lunch and cake. Afterward we took a short walk on a nearby hill leading to a forest and then picked flowers at a nearby flower-field that sold pick-your-own flowers.

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Then Malika and I took the bus down to where people get into the river. It was the highlight of the whole trip for me. The weather was absolutely perfect. I love being in natural water, and that I was in the Rhine made it all the more exciting. Also I enjoy talking with Malika so much. She is so intelligent and wise, and I learn so much from her. It was just the greatest float!

At home Abe and Anthony were playing games with the kids and eating pizza. After our swim we had some pizza and then I took pictures of some of the books on their bookshelf so I could remember to check them out when we got home. I also took pictures of Anthony and Malika’s books.

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Our kids adored Emile and Amalia, and they could not stop talking about them for the rest of the trip. I loved seeing the circle of friendship continue. This was the true highlight of the trip for me–the best day in a series of truly incredible days!

This is Abe interjecting here. Tonight after the kids went down, Anthony and I went on a run at night through the forest. We stayed on the wider paths and the moon was nearly full, so lighting worked out even though it was night. It felt like old times as we used to run together. We talked and got caught up on life. After running we went back to his place and sat on the porch and talked all about life, facing death, religion, my spiritual journey, Anthony’s journey in Switzerland and his trying to decide if he wants to make more friends and more. It was a solid heart-to-heart and it left me loving him even more than before (if that’s possible). Anthony is such a good dude, and I can’t believe I’ve had the gift of having his close friendship since first grade. My time with him tonight was super special and a highlight of the trip for me.

We started the day by riding the glass elevator again and waiting in a very long line to see Chinon Castle. There was a medieval fair going on in the castle which made it a more popular destination than normal. It is the castle where Joan of Arc first met the Dauphin and got his permission to lead an army to free France.

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After the castle, we headed over to Chateau D’Usse, which is the Sleeping Beauty Castle. Inside they have rooms that tell the Sleeping Beauty story, which the kids enjoyed. They also have rooms that show how occupants of the Chateau lived during its glory days.

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After the chateau we went back to our Airbnb to relax during the heat of the day. I was reading a guidebook to the Loire Valley and discovered that there were mushroom caves nearby. They closed within the hour, but if we hurried we could make it and see if they would take us in the restaurant.

They were completely booked for the restaurant, but they did reserve a table for us for the next day. We spent the next two and a half hours wandering around the mushroom town and then back in Chinon trying to find a restaurant that wasn’t “complet.” The kids were crying so we got them ice cream to tide them over until we could find something open. (Even the grocery stores were all closed.)

Finally we discovered a fast food place that was open. By that point it was past 9pm and everyone was also tired. When the food finally arrived the kids were too tired to eat.

On Friday we woke up, packed up our things and spent one last morning in St. Malo. We picked up some pastries and sandwiches from the bakery by the city gates, and we brought them to the beach. Ammon, Mary and Clarissa all ate their food quickly so they could spend time playing in the sand. The tide came up so quickly that within an hour their sand castle was washed away and the water was lapping at the brick ramp at the base of the city walls!

Meanwhile Lydia and Abe were hunting in St. Malo for a sweatshirt, which they were unable to find. When the tide came fully up, we walked back to the car and started the drive to Chinon.

We had never seen fields upon fields of sunflowers before, and it was incredible to see how many sunflowers are grown in the Loire valley.

We were absolutely delighted by our Airbnb in Chinon, although we didn’t take pictures of it that day. After settling in we took a brief dip in the pool and relaxed after the drive.

Then we drove to dinner. We went to a pop-up restaurant recommended by our Airbnb host. The ambience was fantastic, but everyone was still hungry because the plates were so teeny tiny.

After these appetizers we drove to Chinon and found a pizza place on the town square. My four cheese pizza was one of my favorite things I ate the entire trip. It had a local chèvre, reblochon, mozzarella, and some type of green or blue cheese. So yummy.

Abe was starting to get sick, so after we went home and headed straight to bed. Clarissa claimed the princess bed and Lydia as her bed buddy, while Clarissa and Ammon shared the adorable upstairs bedroom down the hall from ours.

Today was the birthday for the love of my life. Ammon was so sweet that in the morning he prepared a breakfast for Lily, which you can see in this picture.

In the morning, Lily walked Basil and met a new friend, an older gentleman who was very nice and showed her all around his garden. She got great ideas!

After being inspired by yesterday’s salad, Lily decided to make a Nicoise salad after Basil’s walk. She had so much fun cooking. She has really been on a roll lately. In the past week, she has made eggplant rollitini, potato leak soup, yesterday’s cobb salad and now nicoise salad. She told me all her cooking lately has made her so happy and today was no exception.

I worked today, but stole some extra time to just be around and help clean kitchen messes and grill the tuna etc.

It was so fun having Clark around, and he made bread that was a hit for everyone.

The salad was sensational, as was the potato leak soup that Lily made. It also felt so festive, full and fun to have so many wonderful guests for Lily’s birthday. In addition to our household, we had Clark, Georgia, Amy, and her four kids. We all talked and had a wonderful time and enjoyed ice-cream cake for desert. We could hear the kids outside having a wonderful time while the grown-ups chatted inside.

I’m so grateful that Lily had such a wonderful birthday. I’m celebrating with her tomorrow at Grappa in Park City, but I’m so glad that Lily enjoyed cooking so much today, and I’m so grateful for all the guests who made things feel so special.

Lily, you are the love of my life, and I hope your 39th years is your best yet!!

This morning I woke up, got ready, and then had so much fun watching all the kids engage with the morning festivities. Here are some videos!

After enjoying the morning festivities with the family, I went auto-cross racing with my friend Chris Dean. I originally told him no, worried about being away from the family so much after just being out of town for work, but Lily really encouraged me, which was so sweet because she’s been so stressed.

I am so glad I went! First of all, it was just awesome to see Chris, but secondly, even though I know next to nothing about cars, I got to have a totally unique experience stepping a toe into car-enthusiast world, and the racing was so genuinely fun. I could have gone 100 times. It was very safe, and you never hit over 50 or 60 miles per hour because it’s a technical course where the focus is in turning technique. Chris was also super trusting and generous to let me race his Audi. He was also an awesome driving with 2.5 seconds better than my best time (which is a lot).

When I wasn’t racing or sitting as a passenger with Chris, I was helping place cones that were tipped over. I snuck a little footage while I was on the job to help me remember what the awesome experience was like.

At home, Lydia and Mary performed a dance for me that Lydia choreographed.

Also, while I was racing, Ammon lost a tooth. Here is a picture!

Lily made an incredible asparagus soup for dinner. She also had Georgia over for lunch. I think she made some type of special pancake for lunch, but I’m not sure.

After dinner, I played a fun ninja game with the kids on the trampoline in which I was training them and they had to punch and kick my magic wand that I moved around to make the task difficult. Then we finished that and I died and decorated eggs with them. Then we facetimed with Clark and Swathi and Lily and I cleaned and put the kids down.

Ammon is getting $6 tonight for losing his first tooth! Go Ammon! Also, after all the kids were down, Lily finished another book she’s been reading. She’s such a bookworm!

On Thursday after dropping Clarissa off at dance I headed to the Y to meet up with Courtney and Heidi. We had a great time hiking all the way up until switchback 9 when it got muddy and we needed to turn around if we wanted to be back in time for picking up our kids from various things. We chatted about our lives, shared outrage over Ukraine, and discussed what originally brought us together, our faith transitions.

At the base of the Y Heidi and I spent some more time chatting until Clarissa called me from someone else’s phone and told me her dance was finished. Abe had told me that he would get her after since Qualtrics is right across the street from Smash Dance, but he had forgotten. It was not a problem since the receptionist was so sweet and watched Clarissa until I got her–and the delight of getting my first phone call ever from Clarissa alone made my day!

After picking up Clarissa we picked up Nana, who treated us all to impossible whoppers that we brought home to Lydia. (She was home because she spent the entire night before reading and was too tired to go to school.) I had to run and clean Basil because he had gotten so muddy on the hike.

Clarissa and my mom spent a lot of time together and Clarissa was so upset when it was time for my mom to go.

Lydia had ballroom and in the evening, and Clarissa and Lydia had practice with Erica, the BYU student who now helps them practice harp on Thursdays.

In the evening Abe, Mary, Eloise and I went to the Utah Symphony at the Noorda. We had no idea what the Noorda was or where it was. It turns out we have a gorgeous performing arts venue less than five minutes from our house! Abe and I literally used to run the track across from it in the mornings and had no idea it was there because it is hidden behind some buildings.

My favorite part of the evening was when the orchestra played the Ukrainian national anthem. I have been obsessively following the news and reading about the situation, and hearing how poignant their anthem is had me in tears. Besides that every single piece played was thrilling–including Shostakovich Symphony no. 5, which they played since some can interpret it as resistance to the Soviet Union. Throughout the evening I kept thinking about the irony of how we had the opportunity to listen to music–even some pieces of possible resistance–while Ukranians are dying for their democracy.

It is painful to be privileged and feel helpless, but it is far more painful to watch your children and husband be slaughtered by a remorseless despot. I keep daydreaming of just flying to Ukraine and fighting alongside the Ukrainians, but then I think that since I do not speak Russian and have no idea what to do with a weapon, I would be more of a hindrance than a help. I have tried so many times to donate to the Ukranian military, but I think Russia has hacked that site. Instead I am donating to World Kitchen, listening to news, books and podcasts nonstop, and hand wringing.

On Wednesday I went to the 9am bikram yoga in Lehi. I always dread the commute but never regret having done that for my body after.

Then I came home, did a bunch of laundry, tidied the house, showered, and went to my therapy appointment. Vhari did internal family systems therapy with me and I felt like we made huge progress. I am such a fan of Vhari.

Then I did some groceries, picked the kids up, and took them to the park since the weather was beautiful! After the park we went to the Orem library to check out the Martha Hughes Cannon exhibit I’d seen an email about. I told the older girls to study the exhibit and tell me at least three facts about it while the little ones ran around.

After I read them all a book and then drove through Burger King for impossible whoppers for dinner. When we got home every child made it through their required instrument practice and I helped Ammon do an hour and a half of homework.

Abe came home late because his boss is in town and they had a work dinner at Block. Honestly, if I had to choose between an impossible whopper and a Block dinner, I’d actually hesitate a long time–before probably choosing Block. But those impossible whoppers are so good!

In the morning we all got the kids ready and pulled out before 9am so we could drive three and a half hours to Bryce Canyon National Park. Clarissa didn’t want pig tails or a pony tail, but asked for a unicorn hairdo (a unicorn tail?), so this is what I gave her.

Abe had been visualizing this day trip all week to get him through work stress. We all loved the hike from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point and Queen’s Garden in the middle. Afterward Abe took Basil on a quick 1 mile walk on the rim trail.

We listened to Just Mercy in our car. Lydia requested a lot of Sia in the car with Swathi, Clark and Meera. It was a fun drive!

After all the drama with ballroom, the kids went and won their competitions on Friday. I was floored. Mary, Ammon and Clarissa (who constitute half of their class) took first in their division. Lydia got first place for one of her songs and second for the other. I apologized to the kids for almost withdrawing them against their will and committed to at least finishing out the year. They all love ballroom, so they were happy.

The actual competition day was not as bad as I thought it would be. Getting the girls’ hair done was the hard part, and Abe helped tremendously by running around to four different stores to find hair nets, more scrunchies, and more gel.

Then Soren joined us and we all drove to Farmington. The event was held in a big arena and was surprisingly easy to navigate. The kids were really well-behaved and it was actually kind of fun sitting in the stands watching all of the dances.

Then I took the kids to Noodles and Company before dropping Lydia off at voice lessons and coming back home. Then we left the kids with the babysitter while the adults all went to Pizzeria 712 for dinner. We had the greatest time chatting and then went to Rockwell Ice Cream after for dessert.

When we got home we watched the documentary Cheer, because Clark said the culture might be similar to ballroom. We loved it!

On Thursday we got up very early to get ready for family pictures. I had not planned outfits ahead so needed a LOT of time to figure that out and get myself ready. Clark brought my mom over so she could be in the pictures.

Sarah arrived at 8am and took pictures of all of us together. It is always fun to take family pictures, and I realized as we were taking them that we need to make sure to do this annually. Sarah is my favorite photographer and I am genuinely confused why we have not only taken pictures with her in the past. I think maybe some years she has been unavailable. Going forward we are only going to use her!

After pictures we raced the kids to school and came home to pick up the remaining kids (Soren, Meera, and Clarissa) for an afternoon at Color Me Mine.

After that we picked up lunch at Kneaders and then headed home to rest a little bit before picking up the rest of the kids from school. They came home and played all together before we headed out for sushi at the Happy Sumo.

Afterward we split up. The older girls and I joined Amy and her girls for the BYU production of As You Like It. Abe went home to get all of the costumes to turn in because we decided to withdraw from ballroom. And everyone else went to the Mighty Baker to decorate cupcakes.

At night, Mary recapped the play: