The End and Post Script of Spring Break

Even if we didn't do Route 66 Joad style, it was still nice to get off the road and into a swimsuit. The Tuscany Inn and Casino was really nice, and it was only $70 including resort fees and tax. Our suite was spacious and in a separate building from the casino. The pool and hot tub were perfect for us.

After swimming and dinner, it was around 8 or 9. My idea of relaxing is not being in a hotel room with 7 kids, so I suggested walking to the giant ferris wheel. Everyone wanted to play on their kindles instead, but I could only imagine the restlessness that would ensue around bedtime if we did that, so I called them pansies and wusses, and basically shamed everyone into going with me to prove their mettle.

 Jake didn't have shoes on, and Freestone and Araceli had to carry Tizzy the whole way, but it was an adventure. The older kids got to wander around the shopping area a little, and when we got back to the hotel, they fell immediately asleep. I stayed awake and tried to decide what to do the next day. The kids had voted to stay in Vegas and swim and relax the next morning, but I wanted to leave early and see something on the way home.

At 5:30 the next morning, I didn't have the heart to wake them up, after having asked for their opinion, so we did what they wanted. Breakfast and swimming until 10 am, and then we hit the road. It was a good call. We loved squeezing in an extra pool day, even if it had to start at 7 am.

Traffic was heavy along I-15, and I didn't want to do the spring break interstate crawl. Spur of the moment, I turned off and took the road less traveled. Sounds like a poem, huh?

I kept telling the troops that we would stop in Ely. When we got there, it was a pit. And that's saying a lot, because I can find adventure in a hole in the wall. Ely was nothing. We stopped at this kitchy-looking gas station, and when we went in, two big, hairy dogs barked at us. I was afraid one of the kids would knock over a whole rack of liquor bottles. It was that kind of place, but with dogs. We left.

The adventure was inside the car, anyway. The kids were hilarious and delightfully rowdy.

The roads were completely empty, and I drove 80 the whole way. It was so beautiful and serene, I was thankful not to be on the crowded interstate. This route is about 60 miles longer, but I didn't care. We did hit one traffic jam. The culprits were fat and wooly, and we were only too pleased to oblige them passage. They made our journey momentarily picturesque, and very noisy! The sheep dogs' skills were on point. I wouldn't be surprised if those border collies had won contests. They had the sheep in perfect order. I saw the two dogs do a complicated manoeuvre to get one sheep back, coming at it from way far away. You can tell by how enthused I am about the sheep dog skills, that it was truly the only excitement on our drive.

This (most likely Basque) shepherd was a beautiful human, with a horse that looked like something out of a picture book.

And then it was back to this, which I also love, and depend on to fill up any empty places in my soul. Ironic, huh? It's so empty!

An hour after returning from the 8-hour drive, I was wondering where to go next.

 So we visited Nana, then went to Hawaii. Not really. The King family was just having a whatsapp war, seeing who could post the most outlandish lie about travel. This is because Golda and Ruby did an April Fools joke on instagram, saying that Golda had surprised Ruby in Amsterdam.  About gave me a heart attack.

Anyway, Araceli and Tolly went with me to PC, and we did a little cool down lap to our spring break. Saturday was General Conference. We drove down Emigration, breakfasted at Ruth's, walked around Temple Square and returned home refreshed. I love my kids. They're so fun to be with. Scott and I were smart to have so many built-in friends.