Spring Break 2011

This year for Spring Break, we decided to stay home.  Shane had to work and we didn't have any big plans.  However, after sticking around home for several days with "not-so-nice" Spring weather, we were bored... so we salvaged the week by taking a two day break.

On Friday, we went and played.  We ate out at a yummy restaurant and went to Provo Beach Resort.  It was super fun.  The kids got to do a ropes course and we bowled.  It was fun and I need to tell you that I WON bowling.  I have rubbed it in my families' faces all week since.  (In fact, I think they are getting tired of hearing it).  But I was on fire (as the kid's would say).  I actually bowled three strikes in a row at the very end which clinched the win.  It was a lot of fun.

My Monkey's on the Ropes Course

On Saturday, we decided to take a road trip.  We went to Nevada to Lehman Caves.  This is a bit of a drive, but so worth it.  The cave is beautiful.  And it was very fun to see.  I had been there a few times as a child, but none of my kids had seen it and it was spectacular.

Inside Lehman Cave

The best part of the entire week, though, was visiting my Dad's childhood home.  My dad grew up in "the middle of nowhere".... really.  I know a lot of people say that, but he truly did.  His story is an incredible one and quite lengthy.   The gist of it is that when he was four years old, his family moved to a very large ranch outside of Garrison, Utah.   The nearest town of any size was about an hour and a half away with only spotted homes throughout the vast valley.  He was schooled by his father in a one room school house and he was raised much of the time without electricity and running water.  His childhood was much more like that of a pioneer, than the life of someone his young age.

As a child, I visited the ranch a handful of times, but no trip was or will ever be more memorable to me than this one.  The home in which he lived has not been occupied for nearly 20 years and was in fact sold outside of the family several years ago.  We drove to it and got permission from the new owner (who has built a new home nearby, which is the only home around for miles).

As we approached the property, a flood of memories came back to me.  So many things that belonged to my Grandparents and my Dad are still at the ranch.  Very few things have been hauled off.  The house is dusty and somewhat damaged, but it was like stepping back in time.  It was a wonderful experience, though a hard one.  I felt so fortunate that my kids got to see where their Grandfather grew up and get a slice of his history.  We were able to look over the dust and damage of the home and see a lovely glimpse into the life of my Grandmother, who was a talented, posh lady.  I did not know her well, because she passed away when I was just 8.  But she had made this small remote house in the middle of nowhere, a home.  She had painted and created a lovely living space for her small family and I felt close to her seeing her handiwork and feeling her presence there.  My Grandfather, who I knew much better as he passed away just three years ago at the age of 100, farmed and ranched the area and I was reminded of some of his life by being there also.  I hope that my children and family will always remember this day and the special memory that it made to be there with my Dad.  My words don't do justice to the feelings that I felt and still feel about the experience.  I thank my Dad for sharing a distant part of his youth with all of us and making it a wonderful day to always remember.

Dad, in front of one of his old cars

The cabinets that my grandmother painted

Outside of the House

My Grandmother's Beautiful Sofa

The one room school house and play area