Summer Escape

Earlier this month, I escaped the humidity of New England and spent four nights in Las Vegas. I timed my trip to surprise a dear friend for her 40th birthday. She was speechless! I enjoyed two nights camping in the Spring Mountains and two nights in a hotel in Henderson. Driving a Smart Car was a fun treat, too.

What I'll Miss

Today was our last full day in Las Vegas, so I decided to make a list of some of my favorite things about this area. I will miss:

• hiking at Red Rock and in the Spring Mountains
• my mama friends from book club, hiking and camping
• the smell of desert rain
• that Las Vegans take school zones seriously
• the state's homeschooling law is simple and straight forward
• the dry heat (well, the days that are under 100° F anyway)
• having true wilderness an hour away
• the convenience: practically everything we could ever need is within 30 minutes or less
• that large families are fairly common
• the great parks and playgrounds
• the proximity to Utah's National Parks