And We're Home

We’re home! No one could be happier about this little fact than I am. I’ve had a newborn baby three times to care for, I’ve had mono, I’ve lost sleep twice on international flights and I have NEVER been as thoroughly exhausted as I was last night. I could have cried for Adam who must have been equally tired and is headed to London today. Poor Adam!

We had an eventful and wonderful trip. I have some pictures to add but first I have to tell you, for future reference, our breaking point. It’s Wendy’s in Ellensburg, WA. And involves chocolate.

Emma won the contest of who could suck on her crème saver longest without it disintegrating (you have crazy contests when you spend too much time in a minivan). Her prize was that she got to pick where we had dinner and she picked Wendy’s. After all of the eating out that we did in the past week, I couldn’t face another hamburger and French fries so I decided that I’d have a frosty for dinner. (Healthful eating habits are diminished some by excessive minivan exposure also.)

I leaned over Adam in the drive thru as is our custom and ordered all the food. He doesn’t want to be involved in the ordering process. I KNOW I ordered a frosty. It was my dinner after all. When we got the order (after a long wait in the drive thru—apparently Wendy’s wasn’t an original idea), there was no frosty. Adam said we didn’t get our frosty and the guy said we hadn’t ordered one. Indeed it wasn’t on the receipt so Adam asked if we could add one to our order. With a smirk on his face, the guy said, “No, there are 4 cars behind you in the drive thru”. Adam asked if we could just pay with cash and get one. No. Adam said fine and we pulled away, determined to go next door to McDonald’s for a milkshake instead. Then, Emma, the only one who had wanted fries, asked for her fries. They weren’t there.

Adam’s breaking point.

He said, “I’m going back.” I told him it wasn’t THAT big of deal but he was already irritated by the frosty thing.

He parked and walked inside and came back outside with a REALLY BIG frosty and a bag with two REALLY BIG orders of fries. He said, “Well, that wasn’t a very positive interaction.” He’s a REALLY BIG man and when he gets disgruntled, people usually sit up and pay attention.

We were just about to get back on the freeway, determined to never darken the door of Wendy’s again when Mark asked for his chocolate milk. We, of course, didn’t have any chocolate milk. If we’d had ANYTHING else to drink we would have just skipped it but our water bottles were empty. Adam turned the van around and we returned to Wendy’s. I said I’d go in this time. I figured I’d save the Wendy’s employees from Adam. I went in and there was a huge line. I cut to the front of the line and (very nicely, I promise) told them that they’d forgotten my chocolate milk in the drive thru and could I get it please? The lady looked at me and then at the huge line and seemed like she was about to tell me to go to the end of the line. I said, “This is my second time coming back because my order was messed up, can you just give me the chocolate milk?” Again she just looked at me.

Thelma’s breaking point.

I don’t have Adam’s size but I think at that point I may have had fire in my eyes. I said, “Go. Get. My. Chocolate. Milk.” She looked startled and said to no one in particular, “Where’s the chocolate milk?” She then walked over to the fridge and retrieved it. My manners returned and I thanked her and we were on our way. Chocolate laced dairy products and all.

The temperature dropped 30 degrees when we went over the mountains in Western Washington. The sky is cloudy today and I am missing the warm sun but I wouldn’t trade anything for the divine sleep I had last night in my own bed.

And now…the pictures.

Mark and Hyrum...Star Wars meets sagebrush

Braeden on the water slide.

Deseret and Emma

The Bionicles enjoyed Nevada too.

Clarissa, Carolina and Braeden

Carolina (never without a dress) playing Duck Duck Goose at the traditional "Grandma Party"

Deseret and Emma helping baby Olivia play Ring Around the Rosies.

Ruben

Mark and Liliana


Some of my favorite flowers in the world, yellow roses, were kind enough to bloom while I was there

An amazing moon rise. See all the clouds? No? Exactly.

Pretty Liberty

Mark feeding a calf. Deseret was feeding animals for a friend and let the "city kids" tag along.

Emma and a different baby calf.

Emma was "Young Clara" in the play, Rumplestiltskin.

Braeden was a gnome in the play. He's the one in middle, front row.

My favorite thespians.