May 5th through May 9th, 2011 - 146th through 150th Days

Cinco de Mayo!  On Thursday the family traveled to Laredo, Texas because we had an open house in Austin, Texas on Saturday for Amber and Mitch.  Now, you may ask, why would you travel to Laredo, which is 350 miles away from Austin?  The reason, money!  I saved $750 flying into Laredo and driving to Austin!  Hey, if it's only $100 savings, that's one thing, but $750!   We traveled to San Antonio on Thursday night and got there about 11:00 at night.  The person at the front desk was very nice, and I was nice to her (I wasn't sure if it was a her or a him, but she had earrings and Nicole assured me it was a she).    We woke up early Friday and went to the River Walk.  The River Walk is way cool!  There are shops, resturants, and beautiful plants all next to the river and the walkway is right next to the river and snakes through the town.    Then we went to a shop and took an old fashioned western picture.  I was dressed as a gentleman gunslinger and the boys were outlaws.  The two ladies (Nicole and Kaylee) were southern belles.  We then goofed off around the city and then went to the Alamo and got our history leason for the day.  Then we went shopping and went to the movie "Thor".  It was awesome!  After that we ate more (I think we did more eating then anything else on this trip), and then went back to the hotel and crashed for the night.  The day felt like it went on for about 48 hours.

On Saturday we woke up early and drove 2 1/2 hours to Austin, Texas.  We hung out at the Huntsmans and helped them prepare for the reception/open house and we also went shopping for the mom's for Mother's day.   I think the people in Austin are quite possible some of the nicest people in the world.  Usually, it's not fun to stand at a reception where you don't know a soul, but we had fun because everyone was so happy to see us (or at least they acted happy to see us).   I even had fun playing practical jokes on some of them.  One of the ladies came through and said, "My name is Susan, and my husband is Scott, our married daughter, Ashley and her husband Jason are back in the line a ways."  She then pointed them out.  When Ashley and Jason got to us about 15 minutes later I shook Ashley's hand and said, enthusiastically, "You must be Ashley, and this must be your husband Jason!"  Her jaw literally dropped open and she said, "Yes, yes, you're right, that's me.  How did you...?"  I then gave it all away when I laughed and said that I had already met her mom.  She said, "I was impressed, I just thought you had memorized the entire Huntsman family tree" (she was from the Huntsman line).    After the beautiful reception we went home and watched Amber and Mitch open presents, then we went to bed late and got up early for church on Sunday.  Sunday was Mother's Day so it was nice.  After church we got in the car and drove for 4 1/2 hours to Laredo, where we got on a plane for another 2 1/2 hour plane ride to Las Vegas.  We arrived in Las Vegas at 10:00 and had to travel home to St. George.  Talk about a long day.  This day even felt like it was 48 hours.

On Monday I woke up to rain, but it was a great day.  We took dinner to a good friend of ours who had just had surgery, and then we had Family Home Evening and went to bed.  It was a great week!