I was THERE

After wandering in the wilderness for 24 hours, I made it to Zion.  On the way strange and funny things happened, but I'll just share a few.  I wondered endlessly, as my mother drove, why, oh why do people live in Winnemuca or Lovelock?  What's the draw?  Where do they shop or work?  Do they just wander in the desert for fun?  What can be done on a Wednesday night in rip roaring Elko, if you don't gamble?

We actually found out the answer to the last one: nothing.  While in Elko, where we pit stopped for the night, we supped at a 1980s diner throwback, the Cimaron.  It was that or the casino, but the six-foot polar bear on the marquee scared me off.  The Cimaron was complete with floral curtains, metal pitchers and a Sizzler-style salad bar.   Our waitress was friendly enough, until she scared the pants off my kids.  They had bragged that they were missing school for this very important journey, for a whole week no less!  Then she told them one time she skipped school for a week and she ended up in jail.  They were terrified.  I assured them they wouldn't end up in the slammer and that "Cindy" (changed her name to protect her identity) probably was doing something other than just skipping school.

In the morning we partook of the bountious continental breakfast, only the best from Comfort Inn.  So we arrived in Utah Valley with our bellies full (and a little upset) with the whole world to see.  Sadly, we didn't get to it all.

But we did see:

Snow!  Which my delighted California children frolicked in for a total of 2 minutes before they pronounced it cold and miserable.  I had to force them back outside to snap this pic.  Miss A proudly declared she was glad she lived where Disneyland was and snow was not.

Katie's Gratulation (according to Mr. M)  Yeah for the graduates!  Diggedy Dave gratulated too, but we didn't actually see it, as he sat with us in the crowd ... an abstainer apparently.

Beloved Grandparents ...  Greats and Grands ... and horrible mom that I am ... I didn't get one picture to prove it!  We also saw the cousins, which is always fun.  I love to see how a life unfolds, watching these neices and nephews grow from children to adults.  Isn't that just one of the best things in life??

Best Friend Tami  We had so much fun playing at her beautiful house perched high on the foothills and then swimming at an indoor playgym/pool.  Memories ...

I had grand plans of partaking of the unique Zion manna.   You know, Great Harvest, Creamery Grasshopper shakes, Provo Bakery, Cafe Rio, etc.  And I didn't get to a single one!  Sorrow of my heart.  So I've come home completely healthy, not having gained any of the alloted vacation weight.  Boo.  I didn't even get to Mecca, aka, Roberts Crafts.  So bummed about that.  But the visiting and running around was worth the trade off.

So after caring for 3 kids sans daddy, missing my DH terribly, having great late-night chats with Mama Jefe, learning how to dip grapes from Big D(ipper), visiting with some of the best people in my life and seeing my grandparents again, I've returned home happy and filled.  A proper way to return from Zion, wouldn't you say?