Anniversary Trip

(I use the term "trip" oh-so-lightly.)

This wasn't the Hawaiian vacation I had dreamed about for the past 25 years (we'll have to reschedule that for the big 50th - a literal Hawaii 5-0), but it was away.  From work, from church responsibilities (sort of), and from everyday pressing matters (still waiting to be taken care of).

And it was very, VERY needed.

Here are a few pics from our two-nights/two-days away:

 The Great and Powerful Oz.  We liked it.  Bill thought it was going to be a remake rather than a prequel, so he was a bit confused for a few hours minutes.  I learned that self-shot pictures from these angles make me look in serious need of a lifestyle lift.  (Since most of the pictures turned out similarly, I am left to conclude that it's probably not just the angle.)  We also learned that the 10am showing is great because you practically have the entire theater to yourself.

We had lunch at a Japanese place... just down the street from Bill's old office.  I still can't believe that he spent 2-1/2 years commuting that far.

Wasabi bomb!

After lunch we went back to the hotel and took a nap.  We had intended to go hiking, but the weather did not cooperate - it was freezing.  Not to mention that in our haste to pack, we did not bring the best shoes for hiking.  Or heavy outerwear in anticipation of colder temps.  The nap was just what we needed.

That evening we grabbed some dinner at Smashburger (it was pretty much a sleep-alot-and-eat-yourself-silly kind of a getaway),

before heading over to the HS championship basketball game.  It was either that, another movie, or bowling.  We were both interested to see who would win, but enjoyed the fact that we weren't so caught up in the intensity that comes along with a personal vested interest in one team or the other.

Sunday morning we attended church at a local ward, which we discovered through friendly conversation was the Yoshikawa's old ward.  

Afterwards we took a scenic drive before making the hour-long trip back home to the fam.

(Another argument for a lifestyle lift.)

Not pictured: the boatload of ice cream/sorbet we devoured over the two-day timeframe.  Our favorites were Lemon Sorbet and Salted Caramel Butter Pecan.  Yum.

We arrived at home in time to say hello to Shi and Mar, and Britta and Austin, who had arrived late Friday night to spend the week with us, before heading over to the Yoshikawas for a St. Patty's Day green-themed dinner.  The girls had made two varieties of dessert to take with us:  "Better than BYU" mint brownies and chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls with a green drizzle/sprinkles.  They are much, much more talented and creative than I.

My meager contribution to the holiday? Before we headed off for our Anniversary Trip, I left these at home for the girls (idea from here, of course):

And before going to dinner Sunday evening, I helped Mar, the ultimate celebrator of all things festive (more on that next post), sparkle up her cheek:

Stay tuned for more on the week that followed.