Wandering The Desert Alone... With Two Kids

On Monday we head out for the yearly pilgrimage out West. But I can't seem to get excited about it this year. Not sure why. I am sooo complex and mysterious.

Cough.

It may surprise you that I repress a lot. The repressed stuff is manifested in chewed fingernails and fluctuating weight. Which I think is part of my problem.

Or it could be the three-day drive.

Granted, I did that third day to myself when I decided this was the year for the Grand Canyon.

But it calls to me.

But not too much. One sunset, a sunrise, and we'll be on our way.

We're going to have breakfast in the canyon with my parents, Uncle Roger, Aunt Judy and cousins. It's a traditional family childhood memory that I want to pass along to my girls.

But that's not at the Grand Canyon. It will be later, in one of the canyons outside of Salt Lake -- I can't remember which one is which because I grew up in Minnesota where we do lakes. Sorry for the confusion.

We'll do the parade at Grandma's on the Fourth, of course.

And we'll go to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House with the girls to see the temple before it is dedicated. That's at the top of my list.

Then there will be visits to family and friends. But I'm cutting the pace and number way down this year... so maybe only half a million. After all, I'm planning on two weeks instead of the usual four.

Unless I change my mind.

Then I would be around for the traditional Harry Potter opener with Karen. And maybe a trek up to Idaho, the place of the Fabanich. Fireworks on the 24th of July. Hanging out with Housley girls. Another half million visits to family and friends.

But right now I'm planning on two weeks.

We'll see.