Lucky 13 . . .

Thirteen years ago today, Eric and I became the parents of a gorgeous baby girl!  She has grown into a gorgeous teenager!

Lunch with friends at Flatbread.  Mom and I joined them, listening in on their teenaged girl chit-chat.  Happy to report there were no angst-filled discussions about boys!  So not ready for those conversations . . .
What I liked best about the gathering--noticing that each girl had a beautiful freckle-covered face.  They may not always like their angel-kissed skin, but it made me smile to notice.  I recently came across an image that read,  "A girl without freckles is like a night without stars."  So true!  (And yes, I am aware of the fact that freckles are really a manifestation of sun damaged skin, but my family wears them proudly.) 

Hanging out at Goody's on 13th Street in Hyde Park.  My family party idea for Katy was for her to open 13 presents for her 13th birthday on 13th Street.  Lucky for us, there is an ice cream parlor on that street!  She enjoyed the "theme" and the presents.  So happy when everything goes as planned!!  On a side note, Eric and I shared a banana split at Goody's on the Monday night before Katy was born--she debuted on Thursday.  A customer asked me when I was due.  You should have seen her face when I said,  "Yesterday!"   

 Birthday morning at the festive table.  I am aware that I say this with great frequency these days, but time is going by way too fast . . . My first baby is 13!!!!!!  

Birthday evening cheesecake with strawberry sauce.  My slice was Mother's Day cheesecake!!

Vegas in the springtime . . .

We really enjoyed our trip to Zion but we were also excited to continue on to Vegas to visit with my family.  We were not able to make it last year, so it was nice to be able to make the trip this spring.  Spring in Vegas can be pretty pleasant.  Sunny every day and temps well below 100 degrees.  Loved it!!  So thankful to have family members that were willing to take time out of their busy non-spring break week to spend time with us.  It meant a lot to Katy, Emma, Eric, and I.  

Wandering through Springs Preserve. If you plan a trip to Vegas, this place is a must-see, and it is far from the maddening crowd!  

Taking a break with my dad and Laurie, otherwise known as Papa and Grandma to the girls.  

I love this watering can/garden shed!   

I took this shot during our

spring break trip in 2008.  Both the girls and the plants have grown!  

My dad took this picture as we were leaving.  We spent 2 to 3 hours at the Preserve and enjoyed every minute.  They have a cafe on property and several fantastic exhibits.  Again, if you are planning to go to or through Las Vegas, the Springs Preserve is well worth the detour!   

Wandering through the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area just a few miles outside of Las Vegas---home to wild horses, burros, desert tortoises, and much more, including some impressive geological features.  

Hanging out with Christian, Valerie, and Jordan.  Super cute cousins!!!   Katy and Emma loved spending time with everyone, as did Eric and I.  

Super delayed post . . .

We were lucky enough to coordinate our school spring break with Eric's vacation week so we took advantage and got the heck out of Dodge, a.k.a. Boise.  

Our first stop was Zion National Park.  We pulled in late on a Saturday night so we were not able to take in the grandeur of it all until we woke up the next morning!  Wow!  Double Wow!  I can see why people are drawn to that area--so many geological works of nature.  I had no idea how close we were to the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Canyonlands, Arches, and the list goes on.  It would be worth it to spend a week wandering the landscape.  We allowed for one full day, so we hiked what we could amongst the spring break crowds.  I was not expecting so many people.  I was thinking, "Hmm . . . Sunday in Utah.  The crowds will be sparse."  Ha!  Foreign tourists did not factor into my calculations.  They were everywhere and spoke many different languages--We heard German, French, Italian, and possibly Hebrew.  It was kind of cool, but kind of crowded with a whole lot of staring and pointing going on.  Do-you-think-they-think-we-are-as-weird-as-we-think-they-are-when we are staring, dumbfounded, at Westminster Abbey, the Eiffel Tower, or the Colosseum?  Pretty likely, I am sure.

On Monday, we woke up to snow on the higher peaks in the park!  There had been rainstorms throughout the night and the upper elevations received a dusting of the white stuff.  Cold, yet beautiful.  We were not prepared for a cool/wet morning hike, so we spent time in the lodge, the visitors center, and the museum.  We had to be out of our unit by 11:00, so we finished up in Zion, packed the car, and drove to our other destination---Vegas, Baby!

We stayed in a fabulous place called Cable Mountain Lodge.   We were in the "luxury/classic" suite.  It was great!  Even Pee Wee liked it . . . that is he/him peeking out the front window on the upper left! 

Sunday sunset view from the front door . . .

 . . . more of the same.  

Hanging out near the Emerald Pools trail.

Being silly along Riverside Walk, near the Narrows.