Corniche Beach - Abu Dhabi

Corniche Beach - Abu Dhabi

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Our Summer at Home

It's hard to believe that our summer vacation is over.  More unbelievable still is how much we crammed into those action-packed weeks spent state-side.  Here's a run-down of some of our vacation highlights:

1. Las Vegas Trip

Mommy and Daddy finally got some much-needed alone time when we were able to leave Dalila with her grandma and grandpa the first weekend we spent back in the states.  What better way to celebrate our daughter's reunion with her grandparents than with an adults only trip to Vegas!?!  The original guest list for this shindig was huge, but, as time progressed, steadily started to shrink, and shrink, and shrink.  Ironically, the only friends who ended up joining us in Las Vegas were the ones who lived the farthest away!

Regardless of the attendance issue, we had an incredible time in Sin City.  I had never gone to Vegas with the sole intention of experiencing the night life alone, and it was EXHAUSTING!!  Night one included a show and blackjack - just Jeremy and I.  On the second night, our friends joined us and we were able to snag a table plus bottle service at Chateau night club (for the bargain basement price of $800!!!).  We ended the night playing the tables in the casino at the Paris, where we stayed.  The last night was spent at Marquee night club where we had to forego the table (which would have set us back another $3,000!) and just wander the club.  This was the most difficult night, as Allegiant Air does not understand what Vegas is for and scheduled the ONLY flight back to Idaho Falls that day for 6 a.m.  No worries, that's what Vegas all-nighters are for.  This actually ended up working in our favor, as Jeremy was able to walk away from the blackjack table with a HUGE win right before we had to leave.  Success!!

The Vegas Gang at Chateau Nightclub


2. Heisel-fam Reunion

Camping trips are kind of the thing in Idaho, especially where the Heiselmann family - my mother's branch of relatives - is concerned.  Why?  Well, many reasons: we love nature, fresh air, etc. But mostly just because it allows us to congregate in a large group, light a huge fire, be as noisy as we want (we don't DO campgrounds - we camp out, OUT of the way), and once the night is through, everyone can just walk back to their various lodgings, be it a tent, a camper or, hell, even a picnic bench if need be.

It's been a long time since we've been able to get a large chunk of the Heisel-fam together to pull off one of these infamous camping trips, so we were ecstatic to be able to plan this one.  We chose the Heise Hot Springs area for our location; it's beautiful, close to home, AND now features a zip line course!!  Enter the highlight of the trip.  This zip line trip was AMAZING!!  There are seven lines that crisscross the foothills and allow for a different perspective on an already beautiful and beloved area.  And, while the required gear is less than flattering, the whole experience was completely unforgettable, from the courage shown by my cousin's 6 and 8 year-olds who chose to take the zip line trip with us, to the masterfully executed leg-sweep performed by a member of our group on one of the instructors at the bottom of zip line number four (whoops).  We finished this trip off with a night of star-gazing in the midst of a stunning meteor shower and the whole trip left me with the warm-fuzzies and oodles of love for my Heisel-fam.

On our way to our campsite - Dalila and Skooter sharing a treat 

The view from the highest zip line

Jeremy's video of the first zip line.  It's pretty good considering how much we spun while zooming through the air.

3. Yellowstone with the Allens

We're not done with the camping stories yet, because the following weekend brought the Allen family camping trip!  The destination this time around was Yellowstone National Park - a must-see on my and Jeremy's list of destinations for our summer at home.  This trip featured just a few more bumps than we would have liked (including a literal bump when Dalila fell and bumped her head, prompting a ranger escort to the closest clinic and instructions to watch our little munchkin for the remainder of the trip for signs of a head injury).

Aside from the head bonk, we had forest fires and mixed-up schedules to contend with, but nothing took the Allens down!  Our campground was right on Lake Yellowstone, so we were able to take a short walk down to the marina and enjoy fantastic views of the beautiful lake.  The last day brought a leisurely drive through the park where we found ourselves in the middle of a bison migration of some sort.  The best view here was of a mother and baby buffalo swimming across a wide river as we sat with Jeremy's sister and brother-in-law watching the whole thing. We even dragged Jeremy's dad on a hike down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, complete with a warning sign about the dangerous trek and 328 scary, steep, metal steps down to an incredible view!  The Allen family Yellowstone trip, bumps and all, ended up providing the perfect opportunity to connect more closely with Jeremy's amazing and loving family.

Dalila, being adorable on Fishing Bridge.

One shot of the Great Buffalo Migration

The informative warning sign at the trail head.

Jeremy's dad - plugging along!

A view of the falls from the bottom of the trail.


To describe every part of the summer that I loved would take FAR too long.  Each moment was meaningful and we were deeply grateful to have the time home with our family and friends.  A massive thank you goes out to everyone who took the time to make us feel loved and welcomed back home.  We can't wait to see what next summer's trip to the states will bring!