Vacation - Day One: The Trip

Well, today began the beginning of our much needed vacation. Since Johnny did a funeral over a month ago, our poor family has literally done one thing after the next...and many times three things at the same time! But AT LAST we headed out at 8:30am for LAX with 4 suitcases, 8 carry-ons, 1 stroller, and 4 kids. The kids LOVED going through security. They especially loved taking off their shoes (although kids don't have to, they were just doing what all the big people were doing!) and walking through the metal detector. Taylor set it off because he was smuggling in so much change in his wallet.

I was sad to leave LA. (Happy to leave the Valley - but sad to leave LA.) I decided that this is the trip to determine whether or not I really love LA. (And whether or not I can fit in anywhere else!) The flight to Salt Lake City was uneventful. The kids had plenty to do in their backpacks. They LOVED the free beverage service, adn Carter ate 3 bags of peanuts!

We got in to SLC and everything changed...as we walked off the flight and I was pushing Sophie in the stroller, and the boys were in matching outfits with their backpacks on walking between me and JDog. All of a suddden I looked up and saw a cute white family with little blonde haired kids. And then I saw another one, and another one and another one. Then I realized "I'm NOT in LA anymore!"

I realized everyone was also looking at my family and thinking the WE WERE MORMON!!! It was just so strange having come from LA where walking around with 4 kids people look at you like your are green and have antenna come out of the top of your head...But in Utah it was common place. Also, everyone seemed white - even in the airport! I will say that everyone seemed so nice and polite...and everyone's kids were so well behaved! (We had a few bad attitudes to get over since we'd already been traveling for 6 hours.) I just felt like a fish out of water. Very strange. So I think Salt Lake City is out for places I think I could live in. (And to think I was going to apply to BYU in High School to become a missionary to the mormons.) It's a very clean, nice and polite city...but somehow, I don't think it's for me.

The flight from SLC to Raleigh-Durham was fine. S&E fell asleep for awhile. I was never able to once crack my book open...but we got here without too many hang-ups...so that's good.

Once in Raleigh, Grammy & Pop-pop met us and we drove 2 hours home getting in around 1:30AM (EDT). It was good to crawl in bed - and CRASH!