Hanging Out at Grandma's

Since this is my blog, and I can do what I want, I will post things we did on vacation randomly, instead of chronologically. If this offends you, maybe you shouldn't be here. Really, just go....

Okay, now that we're down to just the readers of the blog that care about every detail of our vacation, we can get on with it. What? You don't care? Fine. You can go, too....

So, as I was saying, we have lots of pictures and lots of stories, and it makes more sense in my head to categorize them and post them randomly. So, we'll begin with hanging out at Grandma and Grandpa D's. We were there about a week before we headed to northern Utah, and then SW, SB, and I were there for nine more days after we had all of our northern Utah fun. We did a lot of swimming in the pool, which we could only do with Grandma or Grandpa present, and only on the "children welcome" hours, which are during lunch, and during dinner. Whatever. We didn't need to eat anyway. We were full of Creamies and Sun Chips.Speaking of Creamies, we had a lot of them! Yumm-o. We had fun sharing them with E and S, our cute cousins that also live in St. George. We pretty much loved everything about being around E and S. S is two and so funny. He's got a contagious laugh and tickled the girls to death with the cute things he did and said. E is almost four and the girls loved reading books with him. They enjoyed giving him hard words to sound out. He's a good little reader, that cute, smart boy.Here's a shot of the cute little guys we watched roaming around G & G's back yard: Actually, that isn't a very cute one, but that's the one Snow White took a picture of. And, here are the flowers she took a picture of:I promised her I'd post those.

I already told you about the girls going to see Footloose with Grandma and Grandpa, and here's a shot of them as they headed off for their date. My dad sort of looks like he wasn't excited, but he was. He would say, "What did you want me to do, a back flip?" He's so funny.
And then, the pictures from the do-over that Snow White had because she got sick the first time:

Other things we did while there were: eat at Cafe Rio (my choice) and Olive Garden(the girls' choice), (on a side note: I think my girls look so much like my sister, Em, in this picture, don't you?)

mini-golf, golf, shop, play games (only one of which sent little S to the Insta-care with a Nurse's Elbow. It's a long story, but he was fine), play horsey, go to the park, go to the splash pad, and just hang out. It was loads of fun.

And, I think that's enough remembering for today. Makes me tired just thinking about all that fun!

Wordless Wednesday--The New Specs

Cinderella with Emily, at Heber Valley Camp
Snow White with Daddy, at Heber Valley Camp

Smelling Your Age

In our church, you don't pick the congregation you worship with, you attend the congregation you are "assigned" by a geographic area, also called a ward. All leaders are lay clergy, meaning they don't get paid and they serve the congregation while also holding down full-time jobs and dedicating themselves to their families. Everyone pitches in to give the sermons on Sunday and to accomplish the other missions of the Church. So, my parents have the opportunity to be in a very unique ward, because of their geography.

They live in St. George, Utah which has it's fare share of retired folks. To make things even more interesting, they live in one of the several neighborhoods of "Senior Communities" that are reserved for residents aged 55 and over. At not even sixty, they are definitely the youngest people in their neighborhood, and thus, in their ward.

As we were lazing about yesterday, reading and staying out of the 103 degree heat, my parents were summoned to help one of their elderly ward members who had fallen while retrieving her mail across the street from my parents' home. They are the young ones, the ones that can help, and they do it willingly and without a second thought. I'm sure it's a comfort to the other members of their ward that there are a couple of "young ones" around to help out. Sleeping Beauty pointed out today as we sat in church, that Grandpa was the only one there with brown hair. All the other men had "silverish or whitish and maybe gray-black, but definitely no other brown." She's right, he was the only one not completely gray. (Don't tell my mom. She has beautiful silvery-gray hair, but is a bit bugged my dad hides his gray so well.)

Well, as a sufferer of migraines, who knows one of her triggers for worse migraines is perfume, I usually avoid the "old lady section" of church. I'm not sure why there is one in every congregation. Most people smell it before they see it, as those cute old ladies have a love for the olfactory pleasures of generous amounts of perfume. You've smelled the section in your church, and there is one at mine. It's inevitable. Part of the order of the universe, I think.

So, you can imagine my dilemma in going to my parents' ward: the place is full of "old lady sections" with the aroma all around. That's all their ward is made of. A migraine sufferers land mine. My girls were an average of seventy years younger than all other attendees today, which put me about fifty years younger than most, and definitely a lot less scented. A lot less. The cloud of perfume wafted down the halls as we approached the chapel. Luckily, it's one hundred degrees here today and the air conditioning was blowing at full power; enough air moving that I was able to get some fresh air occasionally. But not quite enough fresh air that my children were able to escape without losing some of their brain cells. At least, I think that's why they are reading a biography of Norman Rockwell at the moment, and singing, loud enough for the partially deaf neighbors to hear, "We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine...." Either it's that, or the neighbors are starting to rub off on us. I think it's time we head home.

Still Vacationing...

It's been kind of a lazy week. That's been nice. We've been swimming in Grandma and Grandpa's pool, playing at the park and splash pad, shopping for school clothes, (Can you believe the girls start school in a month from today? Yikes!) and just hanging out with our cousins.

I suppose we've had a few adventures, too. Grandpa took us to the driving range to try our hands at golfing. We won't say any of us are naturals, but we do have some of Grandpa's blood, so there is some potential, anyway. We're thinking if it had been under 100 degrees, it would have been easier to concentrate on our swings. That's our excuse, anyway.

Last night, Snow White and I went with Grandpa to see Footloose at the outdoor theater. It was a date do-over for Grandpa and Snow White, since she got sick last time they tried to go. The show was fun, and Snow White even got to go up on stage and do some cowgirl dancing during the intermission. Add that experience to the fun show, plus the snow cone she slurped, and you've pretty much got the formula for her dream night. It was fabulous.

Wednesday, I went to lunch with some of my Junior High friends. It was so great to see them and catch up a little bit. I think they look the same as they did twenty years ago, which means I must, too. ;) And, we went to Cafe Rio, so it couldn't have been a better lunch!

We introduced the girls to Cold Stone. Delish! Of course, they loved it. I do have some prety smart girls, after all. I'm just wondering how it took me ten years to finally take them there. Probably because I'm sorta smart, too, and like to savor my Cold Stone, which is easier to do sans toddlers and preschoolers. They are old enough to savor their ice cream now, and savor they did. Sleeping Beauty kept wondering on the chemistry of the whole process: "How do you think they make this taste exactly like the cake batter when you lick the bowl? It's crazy." Yes, it is crazy. And fattening. But, we're on vacation, right?

Which brings me to my next point: If you have gained many pounds as a side effect of medications, it is not a good idea to go on vacation for a month. It's too hard to resist all of the mint chocolate brownies, Cold Stone ice cream, Sun Chips, and endless supplies of Creamies in the freezer for four weeks. Yikes. Let's just say it's a very good thing only my family saw me in my swimming suit this afteroon. It's an even better thing that every single one of them had to take off their glasses to swim. Phew.

Speaking of glasses, Cinderella and SW finally got their new specs. And, they're pretty cute, too. I promise to put up a picture in the next week or so. The pictures went home with Cinderella and King, whom we miss terribly, and get to see in just four days!

Well, Hello There

It's been a while. Do I still have a blog? I think so. The last week or so, I've been trying hard to rest enough to enjoy vacation and the whole blog thing has fallen to the bottom of the priority list. So have reading and laundry. Thankfully, my mom doesn't care that I sat around in my pajamas all day long. Actually, she probably wishes she could, too, instead of going to work. The girls were more than happy to watch TV and hang out in pajamas. Luckily, Aunt Em saved them from their vegetative state and brought over little cousin S, who is two, to play with them (this activity is otherwise known as babysitting). Right now, they are chasing cute S around and he's squeeling and saying Snow White's name over and over just because he can. He loves her name, I think. It's cute.

So, anyway, back to this whole behind on the blog thing. We have been quite busy. Here is a list you can expect me to report on sometime in the near future. (By 'near' I mean anytime before Cinderella graduates from High School. I wouldn't want to get all overzealous or anything.)

• Meeting new cousin L
• The night we picked peas, dined on delicious (if slightly recipe-altered) food and watched a fabulous rainstorm
• Being in a parade
• Playing charades and dominoes with the fam
• Attending the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House
• Bowling and hot tub fun
• Creative napping strategies
• Staying with my college friend and having entirely too much fun
• Visiting friends who have grown up too fast
• The Night That No One Slept (except Sleeping Beauty, of course)
• Zip lines and broken paddle boats
• The Rodeo
• Feeding the friendly horses

This week, we aim to recover from last week's activities and try to get in a few more fun things as well. I should say that Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and I aim to. King and Cinderella have flown back home so Cinderella can pack for camp. She leaves tomorrow. Do you know how traumatizing it is to send your daughter off to her first week-long Girl's Camp from 2,000 miles away? Trust me, you don't want to know.

Also, I think I am the palest person in St. George, Utah at the moment. Seriously, I sparkle and blind others in the sun. Just call me Edward. (Okay, that was a way lame Twilight joke. Sorry. Just count yourself lucky if you don't get it because you haven't read the book or seen the movie. It was a lame joke, and an even lamer part of the movie. Anyway....)

I love Cafe Rio. I've been three times and it's not enough. I must go again before I leave the west. I think I could get out of my pajamas for a pork burrito, black beans, medium sauce, served enchilada style. Yes, definitely I could.

And lastly, I think it would be fun to write a book. Don't you? Whenever I read a clever, great book, I think to myself, 'I could do that. I could write a book.' But, really, it would just be hard and I don't think I could really do it. But, it does sound fun, doesn't it?

Until next random posting time...adieu!

Alike

Cinderella has heard a lot of "Boy, you look just like your mom!" in the last couple of weeks. It happens every time we visit extended family and attend reunions. Yesterday, we attended a reunion for King's mother's family. It was a lovely park, and the weather was beautiful. Cinderella heard about how much she looks like me more than once.

Today, after church, we were discussing this phenomenon. Cinderella was desperately trying to find things about herself that did not look like me, while the other two girls were trying to prove they belonged to me.

"I think when I smile, I look more like Dad," said Cinderella.

"I have your eyes, Mom, don't I?" asked Sleeping Beauty.

"I look a lot like you," said Snow White, "My bags under my eyes are exactly like yours."

Why, yes they are, Sweetie. Thanks for pointing those out.

Zions and Grafton

Monday, we headed to Zion National Park with the family. Dad borrowed a 12 passenger van for us to ride over in. The girls thought that was pretty fun. They especially liked the bouncy back seat.R.Jay came down from Provo to go with us. Emily and Shaun came, too. (Again, most of the pictures are from his camera.) We started with the "Overlook" hike. And when I say "we" I mean everyone but me. I was nursing a pretty good headache by 9:00 a.m., so I took a nap in the van while they hiked up to get a great look at the canyon. They loved it.The Park has a pretty great shuttle system, so we rode the tram and learned about the canyon. We got off and hiked a couple of times. Our first stop was at "Weeping Rock". It was a short little hike, and pretty, too. Water leaks out of the rocks overhead and kind of drips on you a bit. Many discussions were had on the inconvenience of water, rain, and wearing glasses. More discussions were had on the worth of hiking a small trail just to get "weeped" on. The consensus was we should leave the drippy place and go on a "cooler" hike. Whatever. I thought it was pretty, and I actually could make the hike which means it was pretty cool in my book.We also stopped at the end of the shuttle line in the room they call "The Kitchen". It's beautiful. The different colors of the rocks are amazing, and the sky was so blue. We took a little walk to the river, and after Uncle R.Jay braved the cold water, the girls thought they would give it a go. They had a great time wading in the ice cold refreshing water. Eventually King joined in, too.On the way home from Zions, we stopped at the Ghost Town of Grafton. It's a miracle we didn't blow out a tire on the van bumping along the dirt road to the town. I remember going there with my cousins, the Johnsens, when I was young. It felt a bit creepier then. It still does feel a bit creepy, though, thinking about the lives of the people that used to live there and when and why they left. There are still plenty of lizards living there. Lots of flies, too.

Our Grand Adventure

Last Saturday, we headed to the Grand Canyon with Grandma and Grandpa, Auntie Em, Uncle Shaun, and cousins Ethan and Spencer. Thanks to my superior organization and planning ahead skills, I had my camera, but left my battery to the camera plugged into the wall. Luckily, Shaun is a great photographer and remembered all of his camera equipment, too.

On the way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, we stopped at the historic Pipe Spring National Monument. It was interesting, and much smaller than I remember. When I went as a girl, there were people dressed in period dress working in the Cheese Room of the Winsor Castle. They don't do that anymore. Sadly, this made the tour lose some of the magic and charm to me. It was still interesting, and the girls liked it, but I think I'll still choose to remember it as it is in my mind from my childhood.We eventually made our way to Grand Canyon National Park. For our picnic just inside the park, the weather was beautiful.


By the time we made it to the rim of the canyon thirty minutes later, a storm was rolling in. It was pretty cool, but made for less than perfect viewing of the giant crevice. After being rained on for a bit, we took shelter in the Grand Canyon Lodge. It was cozy.After a few minutes, the rain slowed to a spritz, so we headed out to the viewing platforms. They made half of our party a little nervous about the heights, and the other half of us--okay, really only Shaun--so excited about the views that he forgot about his safety and climbed atop a little cliff to get a good picture. We were all screaming at him to get down, a picture wasn't worth a dead family member. In the end, he got some pictures and escaped with his life. Turns out we were overreacting a bit. Maybe. It really was scary.

I don't know what Snow White is doing in this picture. She was the queen of silly faces on this trip, for sure.
The death defying picture:
You see this white rock in the middle of this picture? That is what Shaun climbed up on to take the picture. He said it didn't make him nervous until he got a look at it from afar.
The canyon was beautiful. We had a grand time. It is definitely a memory none of us will forget soon.

Events of This Week

On Thursday night, King had a business dinner here in St. George that I was invited to. So, the girls went on a date with Grandma and Grandpa to dinner and a show at the outdoor theater while we went out with King's colleagues. King and I decided to rent a movie after dinner.

About one minute into our movie, Snow White and Grandpa walked into the house. Snow White had gotten sick just before their show started. We were hoping it was just because she got car sick or something, but she was white as a sheet and felt a little clammy. That night she threw up a time or two and she ran a fever for a while, too. Poor girl. I don't know why there is always someone who gets sick when we are on vacation. She recovered quickly and is feeling fine enough to fight over Grandpa's big leather chair with her sister, so I think she's back to normal. Hopefully that's the end of sickness this trip.

Friday, the girls, Daddy, and Grandpa went to the splash pad and the old time candy store. Mom, Grandma and Aunty Em went to a movie. Saturday, we all headed to the Grand Canyon. As soon as I get pictures from Em and my mom, I'll tell a little more about our trip. I remembered my camera, but left the battery plugged into the wall. Nice, huh?

Lessons Learned

So, we've been on vacation for three days, and already I've learned a lot things. I'm sure I've learned some of them before, but I guess I don't really catch on that quickly sometimes.

1. Arriving at the airport in a downpour makes it a little tricky to do the whole Long Term Parking thing.
2. In the desert, it feels like you can get a sunburn in two minutes. It's good to think of sunscreen before you actually get to the park.
3. Taking one half of an anti-nausea migraine medicine that usually puts you to sleep, puts you slightly more than halfway asleep. You really shouldn't get up to use the bathroom in turbulance when you are drugged like this. Some old ladies don't really like a fellow passenger nearly landing in their lap.
4. If you have a headache, trying out the spinny thing at the park isn't such a good idea, even if it seems fun.
5. Girls don't like chores at Grandma's house any more than they like them at home. Imagine that.
6. Eating ice cream after dinner, chocolate chips before bed, and donuts for breakfast really doesn't make you feel that great. Or that happy to do chores.
7. Driving your parents' nicer car can be hazardous to your happiness with the vehicles you own.
8. Those old classic cartoons that are never on TV anymore (Popeye, Tom and Jerry, etc)have a lot of drinking, smoking, and violence. It's a wonder I'm not an abusive smoking alchoholic. We'll see how my kids turn out after their exposure.
9. Going on dates with Grandma and Grandpa without Mom and Dad is totally awesome. I'm not saying if it's better for Mom and Dad or the kids. ;)
10. The phrases, "No!", "That's mine!", and "I don't want to!" are somehow so cute when your nephew says them. Adorable, really.