Utah for Thanksgiving

When my parents told me they were driving from Seattle to Utah for Thanksgiving we decided to drive over too! We kept an eye on the weather and it kept going back and forth between sun and snow, so we just went for it. Wednesday after Chris got home from work we packed up and headed out! We stopped halfway in Grand Junction for the night and then woke up at 4:44am the next morning to finish the drive to good ol' Provo, Utah.

When I started this here blog back in 2008, Chris and I were newlyweds living in our very first apartment in Provo. I was born in Provo. We still have lots of family in Provo. So Provo is basically an awesome place :)

We stayed with my Taylor grandparents: Grandpa John and Grandma Cathie - my dad's parents. My Grandma Cathie is such a classy, elegant woman with an eye for place settings. I've always been envious of her plate collections! These floral blue Wedgewood dishes are no exception.

Jane and Fox getting to know their Great Grandma Cathie. My middle name before I was married was Catherine after her. Jane's middle name is Catherine after her. Sometimes, when I was little and people would ask me my name, I'd say Cat or Catherine :)

Thanksgiving morning my parents drove up to Salt Lake City and picked up my mom's mom, Grandma Doris. We got a four-generation photo which I will always treasure. And Gypsy the dog made the cut.

My Uncle David (my dad's brother) and Aunt Anissa cooked the entire Thanksgiving feast. They brought their three kids who are my cousins but are closer in age to Fox and Jane. Jane and Naomi played and played and played and it reminded me of playing with my cousins when I would come to Utah and visit them in Salt Lake City growing up.

On Black Friday we skipped the commercialism and headed to BYU - GO COUGS!

In the basement of the Wilkinson Center is a photo of my Great Grandma Celestia - Fox & Jane's Great-Great-Grandma. She's the lovely lady front and center in the photo below. The Taylor family roots go way back in Provo.

We went to the BYU Bookstore which has been thoroughly upgraded since Chris and I went here for college from 2003-2008.

Mmmmm candy.

We pointed out all of the buildings and Fox even said, and I quote, "You've encouraged me that I want to go to BYU!" We can only hope!

This cookies'n'cream milk from the vending machine in the HBLL (Harold B Lee Library) is where it's at. Floods of memories! That was back when I could eat anything I wanted and not gain an ounce lol.

Then we walked over the Museum of Art (or, MOA) which is where Chris and I met on January 22nd 2004. There was an AMAZING string installation in the ceiling.

We found the classroom and the very chairs where we first met nearly 16 years ago and told the kids if it weren't for this room they wouldn't be here.

We spent a few minutes looking at the various artworks and this rainbow marked scripture set caught my eye.

One more picture of this string art because I can't get over how cool it is.

I hope this will be Fox's building some day!

Then we walked over to J Dawgs - the best hot dogs in the world, I kid you not.

Holy tons of snow. So much snow. It snowed practically all day every day we were there. Makes for pretty pictures!

We weathered the weather and got lunch at one of our favorite joints called Burger Supreme. Still tastes good!

A few hours later we hopped back in the car and drove to the BYU Creamery On Ninth for some epic ice cream. It's all about the food while on vacation right?!

The next morning we drove back home. Short and sweet trip!

What should have been an 8 hour road trip turned into 11 because of bad weather in the Rocky Mountains, but we made it back home safe and sound and the trip was totally worth it. I loved spending Thanksgiving with so much of my immediate and extended family, re-visiting where Chris and I began, walking around our old stomping grounds, and reliving lots of good memories.

Happy Thanksgiving 2019!