Crazy Vacation -- Part 1

Well hi! 

Okay, enough of the small talk, I'll blog about our "crazy" vacation. 

It was truly a crazy, fast, packed full of stuff. On Wednesday we rented a car--better gas milage, great deal through USAA--and drove from Boise to Las Vegas. 10 hours in the car with each other. It was awesome! Listened to this book on tape Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code, talked, drove, ate. We were amazed how time flies when there are not little ones to worry about. Matt asked before we left, "Did we pack enough?" Yes babe, we did. It just seemed really light without kids' stuff. 

 Okay, arrived in Vegas Wednesday night, and unpacked at Matt's Uncle and Aunt's home. Though about going to a movie, but instead drove up and down a commercial street FOREVER. We were trying to find a place to eat but could really decide on anything... Okay, we'll go into Whole Foods. So glad we did! All the food was so beautiful! I picked the soup--two, actually. YUM! 

Thursday morning came, and we got ready to see Red Rock Canyon. 

*Funny story. A few days before we left for this trip I'm looking at the map of Las Vegas on google maps, just trying to see if there is anything cool around besides the strip. I see a grey block area with "RED ROCK CANYON" labeled on it. I say, "I wonder what that is?!" I google, and low and behold, it's this cool geographical place! I run down stairs, ask Matt about it, and he's like, "Yeah, I've been there, and it was cool." I think: Dude, seriously, we've been married for almost 7 years... didn't you know I'd love to see something like this? I collect the map napkins from SouthWest airlines, for crying out loud. Then he says, "I'm glad we are doing this trip, helps me remember you like things like this."

Well we spend time at Red Rock Canyon. It was really cool. We didn't do too many trails, and actually the one that we chose was a total bust, but the views were sweet and the rocks were so cool! And so red. Loved the Calico Hills. 

After the hills we got our stuff from the Uncle and Aunt's home, then headed to the strip. We stayed at the Luxor, which was okay. 

Here's the thing, we came to Vegas on the BUSIEST week in Vegas. Apparently the Consumer Electronics Show is a BIG deal. Like that's were the iPod was introduced. That kind of big deal. And all the hotel rooms were way high in price... Luxor was the only reasonable place, and we wanted to stay on the strip for at least on night. Long story short, the Luxor is okay... but if you can stay somewhere else, do so. 

Around 4pm we drove down to the Venetian (parking is free everywhere), and started walking the strip. We don't drink, we don't gamble, but we had fun! Saw all sorts of cool stuff. Like the Bellagio's fountain. AMAZING! I loved it. Loved it, loved it, loved it. "Time To Say Goodbye" with Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman was my favorite. I think it's mine and Matt's new song. (The lyrics are pretty magical, and really not sad. They're all about hope and being back together.)

After walking the strip once we headed back to the Venetian to see a really cool show, "The Phantom of the Opera"!! We got the tickets from Matt's Uncle and Aunt (what's up Cam and Nickee!), who got them from a person they know who has sweet connections. And we sat right under the chandler! It was such a great show. The stage was amazing, the cast was amazing. Of course the chandler "fell" on us, and of course I ducked and screamed. 

And the 7pm show, we headed over to the Mirage, and got tickets to Cirque Du Soleil LOVE (the Beatles). Being that we have military identification, we got 35% off of the ticket price. Not so bad, eh? The show was really great. Great music, great performers. Afterwards we were told that Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi were in the audience, like right below us. 

We walked the strip again, then got home at close to 1am. 

Friday morning came, and we were both awake at 8am. Matt was like, "why the heck are we awake?!" and I was like, "let's go, and get to the Hoover Dam!"

We left Vegas, and drove an hour to the Hoover Dam. It was so cool!! I have been wanting to see this man-made structure for-ev-er. (Can you tell my minor was geography?) We didn't do any tours, but we did walk around the Dam, and go on the new Memorial Bridge. So glad that we made this part of our trip.   

I drove on our way down to Phoenix, Arizona. But I was a little distracted by all the awesome scenery. Can I just say that this part of the United States of America is really pretty? Okay, I'll say it, "It's pretty!" Canyons, hills, rock cliffs. The place has it all! 

About 20 miles after the Dam I saw a sign that pointed to water access in the canyon. I took that turn and followed it. Matt was a little worried, but I had to see what was down there. It ended up being a cool little place, though nothing spectacular. 

But this is something that I re-learned about myself: I love silence and nature. 

My heart aches for it. When I turned off the car, and let down the windows, I could literally feel my soul jump for joy! It was quiet, and vast, and isolated. 

Being a mother of three small boys doesn't allow for much quiet. Living in a city doesn't allow for much quiet. Like BIG silence. The whole world is hushed... there is no wind, there are no cars, people do not scream. This is where I love to be. In silence. Vast, nature, silence. 

I almost cried, actually. It had been so long since I had felt that total peace within me. 

You may say, "Shannon, you whack-o, why do you love that so much?"

"Well," I may say, "it may have to do with where I grew up. In the woods. K-3rd grade I lived in the middle of the woods, and the trees were my friends. I've always felt peace in nature, and I think I'm just weird like that."

I told Matt after we got on the highway that he'll come home one day and I'm not in around, the boys will probably say, "Mom went running out the door naked, to the woods... we don't think she's coming back." Not really... but really. 

After that fun detour we got back on track. To Phoenix we drove, and to Phoenix we came... to see TREVOR AND MICHELLE!! Oh friends, how we have missed you!! We lived next to each other for 4 years while in Rexburg.  Where they moved, we moved. Where we moved, they moved. They are such amazing people, and I have learned so much from Michelle. 

I may cry while typing this... it may have to do with the fact that I've been listening to "Time to Say Goodbye" like 5 times in a row, but I really think it's because I love Michelle and Trevor so much, and appreciate everything they have done for us.

They totally took us in as friends, babysat Isaac at crazy times, dealt with Matt's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder semi-awkwardness social interaction, and Michelle really helped me grow up into a woman. Oh, not to mention that mine and Matt's 3 boys are like the same age as their 3 boys! Totally not planned, but cool. 

Okay, so we arrived around 6:15 pm that night. Had dinner. Talked. Hugged. Reconnected. Re-realized how much we really miss each other. Then went to bed. 

Stay tuned for the next installment! And if you read this whole thing... wow. You need a cookie. OR a slice of the amazing chocolate cheesecake that we made. So come on over and overload yourself with chocolate ganache/cheesecake goodness!