My Stay-cation

This year for my vacation, I invited my 12-year-old niece, Emily, to come and stay with me for a week.  We had so much fun!  We were busy all week and both exhausted at the end.  Charlene came and hung out with us until Monday and then she had to leave and go back to work.

Some highlights include:

• The Stadium of Fire - where Emily won a Pitster bike (a mini motorcycle)
• Chocolate & Cheese fondue & games (we taught her how to play Settlers of Catan)
• The July 4 parade
• Brick Oven...yum!
• Jane Eyre - Emily's request - I was impressed she stuck through the whole 4 hours!
• Crying through Hachi - Serious need for Kleenex on this one!
• Shopping at the Park City outlet stores
• The bookstore - One of Emily's favorite stops
• A tour of campus in the golf cart
• Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief - Emily was DYING to see this!
• Not crying through Toy Story 3 - I think we lost all our tears in Hachi
• Temple Square - After 4 hours, Emily thought her legs would fall off!
• Playing "Popcorn"
• Laughing at the gaudy jewelry in Tai Pan
• Painting pottery at Color Me Mine

I had so much fun with Emily!  She is so much like my 12-year-old self.  Janet (my sister) told me that it's like growing up with me all over again.  Ha! Ha!  Here are some things that I notice Emily and I have in common:

• We both like grilled cheese best with tomato soup - all the better to dip it.
• We like the same music - everything from Backstreet Boys to Carrie Underwood.
• We like to shop as long as we don't have to spend too much time in one store.
• We stay up WAY too late reading books!
• We both HATE practicing the piano.
• And, we prefer our cheeseburger plain. 

I'm so glad that you came to stay with me, Emily, and that I got a chance to know you better!  :)