The Trips

This year we weren't sure if the annual Preslar Boys' Yellowstone trip was going to happen. That was partly due to the amount of travel Troy was doing for work and wasn't certain that he could get the time off. It ended up working out early in August, although the boys decided that they needed to take a different approach this year. They hadn't reserved their back-country camp spots like they had in previous years so they decided on a car-camping trip, hitting the really famous sites that the younger boys had never seen before. I think overall it was really fun for them to be together and to see those amazing spectacles, but were overwhelmed by the pressing crowds. They learned that hoards of tourists could really make life miserable in the park. I think from here on out any trips to Yellowstone will either be in the back country or will happen in the fall when the park empties a bit. I don't think they ended up with many pictures, but I know they especially enjoyed the Grizzly Bear Refuge Center.

They were gone the same week that Romney was at Brighton camp, leaving me with Emma to keep me busy and entertained all week. Romney was returning on Friday afternoon, and my sister-in-law Sheri and I concocted a plan to surprise our girls with a little vacation of our own. I picked up Romney from the bus and we continued straight on to St. George. 

On the way to St. George we first made a stop in Cedar City - Sheri had reminded me that in the summer evenings before the Shakespeare Festival put on their big productions each night there was a free Green Show outside that anyone could watch. I have wonderful memories of all the times my mom went to the huge trouble and expense of taking us on trips to see those plays and how much I loved the Green Shows. Silly actors and jugglers, improv and singing. So fun and festive. There was just one problem. There were always these bar-maid type gals with corsets and puffy sleeves walking around selling these little pies. Or tarts maybe. I don't know. All I know was that they looked delicious and we were NEVER allowed to buy any. I just wanted one so bad! Other than that my memories of the Festival are pretty dang awesome. This year we had neither time nor money nor interest in taking small children to see any Shakespeare. But it did sound really fun to see the Green Show. Sheri was working and not able to join us but Peter came up with the kids and we met on the lawn where we watched a Green Show that was really a much more polished performance than the goofy stuff I remember. But it was delightful still and the girls loved clapping along and laughing at the charming actors. There were even little pies and tarts for sale. Peter, having the exact same memory that I do of those pies, so close but so far away, gave me a look and we immediately shelled out the money for as many pies as we wanted. Oh how delicious they were, and so worth the wait. I love my Peter.

The plays are now being performed on bigger and better stages across the street from the original old theater, which is just there, open for passers-by. We stopped and let the girls put on plays and run around for a while

After the show we continued on down to St. George. I told the girls that's what we were doing for a few days but little did they know that the next day we would pretend to take a spur-of-the moment day trip to Las Vegas and hopefully avoid alerting them to the fact that all our suitcases were in the car with us and our plans were even bigger.

On Saturday morning we did indeed take our surprised and excited troop of kids off to Vegas where we spent one seriously sweltering Saturday afternoon. I don't think I've been in Vegas proper possibly ever before. I guess I remember one trip to a casino buffet on my way to California with friends in college but that's about it. It is the strangest place. We kind of just walked around, sight-seeing some of the famous casinos and watching people. I'll say it again. What a strange place.

After we ate lunch we piled back in the car and asked the girls how they would feel about going to California instead of going home. They didn't believe us at first but when we started driving they were so excited. It was Cara's 8th birthday weekend and we were so happy to surprise them with just a little trip to the beach. To be continued......