Utah trip--Provo

Saturday was our day to go to Provo. On the way from Ogden to Provo (just under an hour and a half) we stopped off to see my friend Natalie. She moved away from Round Rock last December. She is expecting her first baby and I am SO excited! She made us breakfast. We couldn't stay long, but it was so fun to see her home and chat a bit in person.

I always take my kids to walk around BYU. Tell them a few stories about Michael and I attending school there. Maybe a sort of brainwash so they'll want to go, too. We go to the bookstore, get T-shirts, and walk the campus. Rachel and Alyssa in front of the library (notice the "Y" in the background). We met up with my brother Kirk and his wife, Rachel. Julie, Michael's sister, also joined us. My mom and grandparents also came along, so there was quite a herd of us. We had lunch at Cafe Rio because I'd heard all about it.

It was ok. Similar to Chipotle or Chuys.

Then we needed a treat, and I really wanted to go to this bake shop that Stephanie Nielsen (a.k.a. Nie Nie) mentioned on her blog. I don't actually know this girl, but I've followed her blog since her plane crash a year ago, and I've come to admire her. I actually asked my sister in laws (Rachel and Julie) if they wanted to drive around the neighborhood where I THOUGHT she lived to maybe happen to see her getting her mail or something. They thought I was crazy. We didn't try.

Now back to the bake shop. Nie said they named a cupcake after her, so I HAD to try it! This is the bake shop, The Sweet Tooth Fairy, isn't it cute on the inside?

Those colorful jars on the tip left are sprinkle shakers--a solid color in each one.
Julie and Alyssa
This is the cupcake named after Nie Nie. I wan't too excited to try it because I'm more of a chocolate kinda girl, not vanilla. But it was QUITE tasty. It had a little kick to it.

Here we all are chompin' down on our assortment of cupcakes (grandparents in the background)
We ate our yummy's and then the store owners put a few more flavors out. My boys really wanted to try the cookies and cream, but we were done. About to go. I nearly said no, but I figured its vacation...why not? So they got another and sat at the table above and I started to cut it up for them. I walked to the other side of the store where the rest of my herd stood. We were alone in the store at first, but a few other people had come in since. I walked up to my sis in laws and nearly at the same time, they both said, "Kristen, that is Nie sitting over there." To which I confusedly said...."what?" They repeated and added, "on the couch, over there, its Nie Nie."

Inside I got excited, but I didn't want to swing my head over to look. My boys were still at the table, so I headed over that direction and saw someone was sitting on the couch, but I still didn't want to look. I helped them a bit (or pretended) and slightly glanced up and realized it had to be her. I stood there (still pretending to help my kids cleanup) and wasn't sure if I should approach her. Not sure if she'd be comfortable or annoyed. But the debate in my head decided I had to try. I would be mad at myself if I didn't. So without really looking up, I turned to her with a smile and said, "Are you Stephanie?" To which she smiled back and said "Yes."

I sat in the chair next to the couch and we chatted. I told her I followed her blog, admired her, etc. We talked about my travel from Texas to Utah, how we saw BYU and had to come get cupcakes. I told her I usually prefer chocolate, but really liked the vaNIElla. She said she was waiting for an order for a party that night, that she will soemtimes go into the bake shop and find annonymous donations for her to get free cupcakes. She asked me questions. Was actually interested in what I had to say. We sat at first, but when she asked if this was my family, I turned and realized my herd was right there behind me. They had seen us talking and shuffled over. Julie and Rachel in front, just as excited as I was.

She and I stood and I introduced everyone...my kids...my mom...grandparents....brother...sis in laws. As we stood, Alyssa came up to my side and tried to ask me something while looking up at Stephanie. I bent down and she said, "why is her face red?" To which I said I'd tell her later. Well, that didn't work for her and a minute or two later, she said it again--in an unusally quiet tone for her. Stephanie realized what she was doing and she turned to look at Alyssa and sweetly said, "You know, I was in a plane crash and it caught on fire and I got burned really badly." To which I said thank you for explaining and sorry about that. She said she doesn't mind. Children are up front about it, but it is when she gets the stares from adults that bother her. We talked for about 10 minutes. Mostly me, but my mom or grandpa or someone chimed in a bit. Of course I thought in the back of my mind that I wanted to take a picture with her, but I knew she wouldn't want to, so I didn't ask. I'll just have to remember her with my mind. I really wanted to give her a hug at the end. I wondered if I would hurt her. As we said goodbyes, she put her hand on my back and said thank you for coming to talk to me, it was nice to meet you.

Our herd left to go nextdoor to the Quilted Bear. We waited until we got inside to squeel all about it. Mostly Julie and Rachel and I had read her blog. I was in shock. So excited that we ran into her. Julie and I just replayed the whole encounter to each other. She was still in the shop when we left, and as we stood inside the next store, saw her walk out with a few boxes of cupcakes. She walked swiftly, more agile than I would have thought in her pained state. I was glad to see that. She hopped into her black Escalade and drove away. Julie and I walked the store and a few minutes after we kept reeling, Julie said, "I almost forgot for a second that we met Nie Nie!" It was funny.

Here are my kids with their Aunt Julie. We said goodbye here in the Quilted Bear. Julie had to go to work.
That was Provo. We took the long way home for the kids to see the mountains. Bridal Veil Falls here.