Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Last Week. I'm just a little late

I'm a little late on this blog, because Fred and I were out of town.  I did not write anything while we were away.  It was glorious, but I thought I'd write down our week for memory's sake.

Fred and I flew out for Salt Lake City, Utah on Monday morning.  Renee stayed with our crew and got them to school.  She then took Dash home with her.  He looks cozy, right?
Mimi (my mother) came in Monday for school pick ups, flag football practice, and various and other items.  She stayed until Wednesday morning.  While she was here the boys ate lots of salads and veggies.  Ha...just kidding.  They got whatever they wanted and had a grand time.
Mimi read to Andrew's class on Monday.  He was thrilled!  Then she stayed and had lunch with both boys.



Aunt Janice came in Wednesday and stayed through Friday morning.  She dealt with loose teeth, pajama day, and play practice.  A good time was had by all.  I can guarantee it!



 When Aunt Janice is the tooth fairy pays out BIG!  I may start pulling my teeth in her presence if I get $5.  Ha!
Friday afternoon Renee picked up the boys after school.  They went to Wendy's and then to the Peanuts movie.  Saturday morning they had football.  Apparently, it was cold as per my father in laws attire.
They picked us up at the airport and we grabbed some dinner at Gus's Fried Chicken and then headed to the University of Memphis football game.  Memphis got their first loss of the season.  Boo.  We left around the 3rd quarter.  I could not take the requests for food and drinks one more second.  Honestly, I think my children believe our ticket to the game is a license to eat the ENTIRE game!  I purposefully did not take any money in.  For crying out loud, we ate right before we went into the game.  This is how the game went:
Child 1:  Mom, I'm thirsty.
Me:  We just ate.  Plus, I didn't bring any money in, so no.
Child 2:  Mom, can I get something to eat?  I'm hungry.
Me:  We just ate.  Plus, I didn't bring any money in. so no.
Child 3:  Mom, mom, mom, I'm really thirsty.
Me:  We just had beverages at the restaurant.  Plus, I don't have any money.  So...no.
Child 2:  My throat hurts.  I think a shaved ice would help.
Me: No.
Child 3:  I'm really hungry.
Me: No.
Child 1:  Don't you think a burger would be good.
Me; No.


Seriously, this went on and on and on until I just snapped...in the third quarter. It started 2 minutes into the game.  I count snapping in the third quarter as a success.  Yep.  Nailing the parenting thing.

Fred and I had a great week together while the village took care of our crew.  We landed in Salt Lake City and then rented our car to drive to Moab.  We hiked around Arches National Park in Moab on Tuesday.  It was beautiful.  Stuff like this is not in Tennessee.  One hike that we went on required us to climb across the top of a boulder for about 200 yards.  The wind was literally gusting at 39 mph.  We were about 100 feet up.  At one point I started crawling.  Then I just sat down.  I have children that need a mother, so eventually I decided to just stop.  So did Fred.

Here are some other views from Arches National Park...





Wednesday morning we drove to Zion National Park.  Our plan was to hike there that afternoon, but it was raining and then snowing.  In a last minute decision we decided, since we couldn't hike in the snow, to drive 2 hours and 40 minutes (one way!) to the Grand Canyon.  Why not?!?  Neither of us had ever been.  Our plan was to just look at it, take a few pictures, and then leave.  Well, we should have turned around, but oh well, we have some great memories.  This was our drive.
I should have known something was up when everything was covered in snow.  When we finally got to the Grand Canyon there was NO ONE there!  Ha!  I finally saw some foot prints and followed them.  They led to a lone worker.  The visitor's center was closed.  This guy was just working on the cabins.  When I asked him where the Grand Canyon was he pointed behind my back and said, "Right there."  This was our view. Just kidding.  This was just the poster.
 This was really our view.  Do you see the Grand Canyon?!?  Me either.  It's behind us though.  I promise.
Here's my picture proving I was there.

Have you BEEN to the Grand Canyon?  Absolutely!  Ha!
We ended up driving back to the sweetest little town called Kanab, Utah.  We ate at a great restaurant and stayed at a wonderful hotel.  So all worked out in the end.
The next morning the snow was melted and we headed back to Zion.  We hiked Angels Landing.  Angels Landing is not for the faint of heart.  In 2.5 miles we hiked over 1000 feet of elevation.  There is one point on the trail where you have to pull yourself up on chains.  This is as far as I got.
Not one more step for me.  Pictures do not do this hike justice.  We were so high up.  We hiked and hiked.

 The middle part of the mountain is about 2/3rds of the way up.  After that we climbed up the mountain on the left through a series of 21 switchbacks.  Hello leg muscles.




Later that afternoon we hiked the the upper, middle, and lower Emerald pools.  I must admit I was pretty tired at that point.  If you have trouble sleeping I would recommend this trip.  No one had trouble sleeping...ever.
Friday morning we got up early and hiked The Narrows.  The Narrows is a hike through a river bed.  The river bed is there because the Virgin River carved it out between two canyons.  I think I reached my limit of saying, "That is so beautiful!"  while on this hike.  I have never seen anything like it!
We had to rent a dry suit and neoprene socks and hiking boots.




Saturday morning we headed home.  After a delay in Salt Lake City, a changed flight, and a Home Alone type sprint through the airport, we made it just in time to catch our flight home to Memphis, where we met up with our crew for Gus's Fried Chicken and a Memphis football game.  Fred and I had a blast together.  I can't believe we've been hanging out with each other this long and we still love and like each other. It's nothing but God's grace.  I'd go anywhere with this guy.

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