Girls Weekend

Spring Break 2013 - We're going nowhere. I wanted to get a condo in St. George but couldn't find anything so I went ahead and scheduled Alyssa's wisdom teeth extraction (she has 5 of them which explains why she's so wise) and Samantha is getting surgery on her foot. Remember that bundle of blood vessels Scott had in his brain that the neurosurgeon removed? Well, they grow on feet, too. Just a reminder - hemangioma. I know. Who knew?

So Alyssa wants to check out some of the colleges that are offering her scholarships before making a decision. Knowing that Spring Break is going to be miserable for both of them, she suggested we go to southern Utah and check out Dixie State University, my Alma Mater.Except it was much, much smaller back in the olden days. I think there were pioneers still settling the homesteads in wagons and gingham dresses. It was not a university nor was it a 4 year college. If it were, I'd have stayed. 

There was a big baseball tournament in St. George so I figured I'd get a motel room close by in Springdale, gateway to Zion's National Park. Isn't it about 20 minutes from the school? Apparently not. Closer to an hour. 40 minutes if I drive. It does not benefit from the warm climate of St. George. It is cold. Just like at home. We drove through a rain storm which turned to sleet which turned to snow which turned to a white out. Miserable. 

We got up to this -

No red rocks to be seen. No breathtaking views. Just overcast. We drove to the university and took a tour. 

On our way back, stopped at the ostrich farm. In the middle of nowhere. Just sitting there. 

The ostriches were eating and they do not come to me when I call. Like my chickens. However, when I did call to them, all 12 heads poked up. They heard me. They chose to ignore me. Kind of like my children.

Outside the ostrich farm. Our proof that we were there.

Breakfast, anyone?

 Then we drove through Zion's National Park. It was too cold to hike that day. We did a small hike the day after. It was muddy but the best pictures were at sunset.

There is also a tunnel that is over a mile long through the mountain. The benefits of going during the off-season is you can stop in the middle of the road and take pictures. This is one opening for the light.

This is through another hole in the tunnel.

"Did you see that deer?" the girls asked. What deer? The one right on the side of the road. So used to tourists, it didn't startle. Not even when I honked my horn. Because I'm rude.

This herd didn't budge when I honked, either. We came across a couple of herds. Since I'm clearly not observant, we were lucky enough to be following a car with people who were. We pulled off like lemurs whenever they did.

We were rewarded with deer and a flock of wild turkeys. Don't get so excited. It's not Thanksgiving.

And this made the drive worth it. This one shot.

Meanwhile, back at home, the boys were doing whatever boys do. I assume they turned on ESPN, ate in the family room, burped, farted, and walked around in their underwear. I didn't ask.

Except that the reason they didn't come is that Jacob had a basketball tournament in the city league. Their team won the championship. They lost one game all season.

I think we were all winners this weekend.