Are We Through The Wilderness Yet?

The drive from Pocatello to Clearfield is just less than two hours. Kale surfaced from watching Ella Enchanted at about Tremonton to ask if we were through the wilderness yet. Such a different perspective from mine.

Do you remember the lady that wanted the quiet wing of the hotel. Well, she was in the lounge yesterday morning working on her laptop and watching CNN when we came down for breakfast. We managed to drive her to quieter pastures in about three minutes. I was torn between being embarrassed because my children were acting like such well...... children and wanting to be a smart aleck and ask her if she wanted to join us for breakfast. Old Bitty!

Packing the car this morning will be an adventure. We always leave mom's with twice as much stuff as the kids came with. We had to go buy some cookie sheets yesterday to keep the magnetic building things on that she game them. I know she is reading this--thank you mom:)

Family dynamics can be difficult sometimes and my family is definately not the exception to that rule. I got to see my brother last night for the first time in over two years. It has lifted a huge weight off of me just to be able to talk to him again. We used to be so close and then we grew up, got married and things happened. It was fun to talk about our crazy kids. He will always be my baby brother.

I'm going to start a list of my favorite things about each of the states that we go through. Just for fun. If any of you want to play along comment on your favorites.

Washington
1. The best thing about Washington were the friends I made. Michelle, Kristen and Monique that's you.
2. The Pacific Science Center and the zoos.
3. Living close to my great-aunt Marjean and Uncle Lyn who took us in and treated us like their kids and loved us. They are the only family we have ever lived close to.

Oregon
1. My Oregon friends that got me through nine years of marriage, babies and life. Holly, Beth, Cindy, Cia, Brenda, Michelle, Heather, Darla, Madison, Kelsey, Amy, Carol and so many more.
2. Green, green, green.
3. The Sellwood Pool.

Idaho
1. 75 mph speed limits that let you go 82 without feeling guilty. The ultimate for the angry driver.
2. Knowing this is the place I grew up and survived.
3. The mountains.

Utah
1. The awesome Wasatch Mountains. Some of my favorite memories from my college days are hiking Rock Canyon over and over and driving through the mountains with Sharisa with the music blaring and singing at the top of my lungs to some silly Vince Gill song.
2. Most of the world plays that game that they try to find a connection to Kevin Bacon through the people they know. I can't remember the name. Well in Utah they play the game trying to find some connection to a General Authority of the Mormon Church. So here we go...when I was in Young Women's we took a trip to Salt Lake to take blankets we had made to the Children's Hospital and visit the Church Office Building. Our leaders surprised us with a visit with Neil Maxwell. In person he talked that same as he did in General Conference. Leaving his office we met Howard W. Hunter in the hall. This was about 10 years before he became President of the Church and I just remember thinking what a kind old man he was. Later he proved to be a tough cookie when that Cody Judy guy put a gun to his head during a talk at BYU. When I was in college I worked in a plant nursery and President Benson's daughter-law-came in and bought a ton of pots. Not all of them would fit in her car so I drove the rest to her house on the way home from work. I've been to Reed Benson's house. Exciting I know. This is why we don't live in Utah.
3. This is already too long. Until tonight..................