Our Christmas Adventure
Longest. Road Trip. Ever.
Typically the drive from Arizona to Utah takes us about 10 hours. However, the days leading up to our departure were so incredibly hectic that we weren’t ready to go until the late afternoon. And we HAD to get out. Our kids were driving us crazy, you know the feeling? When they are just so sick of your house and desperately need a change of scenery?
We knew we couldn’t make it to Utah leaving at 4 pm, without driving all night long. So we decided to cut the trip in half, stopping in Las Vegas. Hubcap got this awesome deal at the new Vdara hotel so we snatched it up. The drive to Las Vegas went great. The kids slept a lot and were well-behaved. We arrived at our hotel at about 9:30.
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| Yes, the first picture I’m showing you is this bathtub. LOVE. Hub and I both took baths in it (I don’t think I’ve ever known my husband to take a bath) and fell in love with this. Look for this tub in our future house. |
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| Beautiful night view from our room. Hub spent literally an hour or two just taking pictures. He’s a view-addict. We could live in a cardboard box, as long as the view was nice. |
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| He even got up at dawn to capture this beautiful picture. |
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| Cool shot of the Kayak sculpture in front of the hotel. |
The next morning we headed out to see the Bellagio, because no trip to Vegas would be complete without seeing the latest art in the Conservatory.
{Cuz we don’t gamble and certainly don’t go to any of the inappropriate shows.}
{*Warning: My hair was horrible that day cuz the dang shampoo/conditioner sucked.*}
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| He’s eating a polar bear. |
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Ahh…Christmas.
Oh yeah, our families! We had to get on the road. We loaded our stuff up and headed back out. To rain. Then snow. Then LOTS of snow. It was the worst trip ever. Okay, we didn’t get in a car accident, so technically it wasn’t the worst. But we did drive at 25 mph for about two hours while my baby cried and I couldn’t do a thing to help him since it was dangerous to be without a seatbeat during that snow storm. Then we sped up to 40, wow! Really cruising now!
We kept hoping the snow would let up as we got into the Valley, but no.
It never stopped snowing.
So we drove for a total of about eight hours (normally a five hour trip) in the pouring rain, snow, and ice. With two whiny/crying kids.
If you’ve never had to live through an experience like that, count your blessings, my friend.
We made it to Lehi. And we woke up to this wonderland:
(seriously this is the view outside my in-laws house, isn’t it gorgeous?)
Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother’s house we go….
I think I said a total of 2,745,347 prayers to get us and others here safely. So far I think my prayers have been answered.
Thank You.
Please be safe if you are traveling for Christmas!!
I SO understand what you were feeling. You made it, yea!
Wow, does not sound like fun. We were going to drive down from ID to California until we heard about the snow in UT and the rain in Cali. We decided we didn't want to drive in that mess 🙂 Thank goodness for prayers!
Glad you made it safe. I live in Utah County, and Nebo School District declared it a snow day today. First one I have ever experienced in my entire life living here in Utah. There was a ridiculous amount of snow!
Welcome to Utah! Be grateful you didn't have to continue to Idaho. 🙂
Thank you for sharing the snow pictures. I'm in Okinawa, in 70* weather, so I'm living vicariously through the blogs I read, and I have to say, you have by far and away the best Christmas-y snow pictures. I would love to spend a Christmas in a similar place, wow! Also, tons of empathy on that car ride. I'm too scared to drive in snow/ice (lucky I live where I do!), but on a trip through Florida when visiting family, I was driving alone with my 18 month old while pregnant and there was a horrible rain storm, like couldn't see 5 feet in front of your car rain, and the road started to get flooded (on I-4!). I actually called my husband and let him talk to my daughter, then got on with him and told him that I didn't want to freak him out, but the weather was really awful and it was too dangerous to pull over (someone else pulling over wouldn't be able to see me until they hit me), and that I loved him in case we didn't make it. Yes, I worry a little….
I'm with Aaron on the pictures of views. I love 'em. Can't get enough.
I would be too insecure to take a bath in that tub, being right by those big ol' windows. They had blinds right?