Hogle Zoo

Hogle Zoo had their last Wild Wednesday (free day during winter) this past week. The weather was scheduled to be in the mid-60s, so I told Shane to take the day off of work and I excused the kids from school. That morning, everyone got up and started getting ready like normal, then I pointed outside to the already brightly shining sun and said, "I don't know about you guys, but I'M not staying inside on a day like today. I'll be at the zoo if you need me." They were floored. hahaha So we packed a lunch and headed to Salt Lake!

There was a new (temporary) art exhibit there. They had everything from pencil drawn to crocheted.

I loved this one.

This one won some type of award.

This one won a whole bunch of photography awards.

Daddy's girl.

Kaden insisted on pushing.

 Side note: we brought the single stroller for Ari, but she didn't use it once while we were there. Lexi, however, claimed that her legs were SO tired from walking (to the entrance from the parking lot) that she HAD to sit or her legs would fall off. There were a lot of overly dramatic tears.

Baby was getting a drink.

Eating a pine tree.

We'll go back in ten years and recreate this pic. :)

Sunbathing rhinos.

At the top of the slide.

This guy kept going up to the doors and making really, really loud seal noises that sounded a lot like my kids when they're hungry.

The other little girl would NOT get out of the picture.

The brown bears were boring - just sleeping.

When we were watching the giraffes, Ari dramatically gasped and said, "Mommy, dey don't have a baby! I dink dey need to get two babies. Den dey will have one and I can take one home!" *another gasp* "I would WOVE a baby giraffe!!" And then she went on and on about how the giraffe would sleep in her bed and she would cuddle it all the time.

The tiger was feeling playful.

Overheated from playing with the ball.

Kaden and Ari were howling at the grey wolf over and over, but he didn't howl back. haha

 

 Kaden has been learning about animals a lot the last two weeks and he saw a picture of the world's largest tortoise. When he saw this one, he started freaking out saying, "MOM! IT'S THE WORLD'S LARGEST TORTOISE! I CAN SEE IT!!!!!!"

We had a lot of fun, but I'm excited for the African Savannah project to be completed this spring. Then there will be lions and zebras again!

Lexi's first pictures!

We got Lexi's preschool pictures back last week. Unlike with Kaden, I wasn't the least bit worried that she would pull a silly face at the last second. :)

I didn't know until recently that Lexi was one of three girls in a class with seven boys. No wonder she loves going to preschool. haha

SCWC 2014

Back in September, I was able to go to a book signing in Draper for author Shannon Hale. She wrote Austenland (which was out in theaters at the time - it's on DVD as of last week) and I've been a fan of that book since it first came out. She's written other stuff since then (five or six years ago?), but that's my favorite. Anyway, while I was talking to her, she gave me advice for my own writing career. She told me the best thing I could ever do is go to a writing conference.

FYI, best. advice. ever.

I came home and talked with Shane about it and researched the best ones out there. I ended up signing up for the Southern California Writers' Conference (SCWC) to be held over Valentine's/President's Day weekend 2014. I impatiently waited five months and was nervous-excited to finally be going! I flew out this past Thursday afternoon since I didn't want to get up at 4:00 AM Friday to catch a flight before the conference started.

Oh. Before I left, though, I got a cut & color because I needed it and it would help me look more professional.

Before

After

 I love my haircut! Ok, time to go to San Diego!

Kaden wanted a picture of my airplane. This was 1 of 4 I flew in the past weekend.

View at the airport. LOVE.

I didn't tell them to put "West Salt Lake," but I thought it was funny because West Salt Lake is...well, THE LAKE. haha

The theme for the weekend.

Ready for the banquet Saturday night!

The main meeting area before (almost) anyone got there. We had the workshops in smaller classrooms.

 

This author came from Ireland to speak with us. He was so, so nice and smart.

The guy farthest to the left is the director of the conference: Michael Steven Gregory. The other two are successful self-published authors. They held a Q&A panel that was really insightful.

I didn't take many pictures of the weekend because I was in workshops most of the time. The weather in San Diego was beautiful and I broke out the flip flops for the first time this year. I can't even explain how much I learned and how many amazing editors, literary agents, authors, and fellow writers I met. It was great to be somewhere where everyone understands how you think (in regard to books) and when we talked about our characters like they're actual people, everyone nodded in agreement and asked questions about them like they were actual people. It was awesome.

My one horror story from the trip:

I had arranged for Super Shuttle to pick me up at the airport Thursday and then again Monday morning at my hotel. I thought I was being so responsible to get the driving taken care of ahead of time. Well, the Super Shuttle driver dropped me off at the wrong hotel (even though he had the address right in front of him). I tried to see the silver lining (at least I didn't have my kids with me - waiting around the lobby) and called the shuttle place to explain what happened. They were apologetic (kind of) and said they would send another van. AN HOUR LATER, another shuttle pulls up.

I explained what had happened to the new driver and read the address to him twice and he repeated it back twice. And then he dropped me off at the wrong hotel.

They all had the same name, by the way, so I had no way of knowing I was at the wrong one until the front desk told me so, which was after the driver had driven off.

At this point, I was supposed to have been at my hotel TWO HOURS earlier and I was mad (and ready to cry). I called a cab and got to the right hotel quickly.

I called the shuttle place again after getting settled in and explained the situation and asked for a refund. They told me they couldn't do that because they had already processed my credit card. I let them know just what I thought of that and they said that they would file a claim for me with their complaints department. I canceled my pick up shuttle for Monday and this is how that conversation went:

Me, "I'm worried the driver won't be at the right hotel and I'll miss my flight."

Shuttle customer service rep, "But they have the address..."

Me, "THEY HAD THE ADDRESS BOTH TIMES TODAY, TOO!"

I didn't really yell, but I so wanted to.

Anyway, luckily the rest of the trip went perfectly and my taxi driver on Monday found my hotel on his first try. ;)