Crystal Lakes day 1

The desert is in bloom.  But we are not.  We are ornery, whiny, and bossy.  Every last one of us.  Two of us are disabled by severe allergies.  Two are suffering from sleep deprivation, and one is just normal.  We tromped out determined to HAVE FUN!  Each plant is clothed in it's yearly best. Blossoms of every kind color the red rock dessert. 

A desert tortoise ambled by.  I wanted to feel his little toenails and his leathery skin.  Little Mother spied a brand new baby and we thought he was the cutest little thing.  Unafraid, he let us touch his little legs and stroke his litttle head.  His mouth was stained a bright green from the fresh desert greens he was munching.  Ladybug and I found a large one in a cave a while later who prefered to stay in his shell.  I think we

committed some sort of crime by nearing the slow house bearing reptiles.  I hope we are not jailed.

Briz brought me a present.  It was a horney toad pendant.  It was very attractive till it decided it might be cooler under my shirt. 

Little Mother climbed rocks up a ravine. Using small holes as hand and foot holds, she made her way up.  We heard a scream!  One hand hold held what looked to be a scorpion. 

As the sun rose higher, the smell of baked warm rock, sage, and hundreds of earthy smelling blossoms filled our senses.  It must be this heightened sense that makes the desert so good for meditation. 

Hearts and minds purged of ill feelings by nature, Briz set back for home with the two littlest.  Ladybug and I continued our adventure.  All went well till nature called.  I left the trail and went into a small canyon behind the cliff.  While thus engaged, Ladybug scampered up the cliff "exploring."  When I emerged, I called for Ladybug.  She was pleased to pop out at the top of a cliff.  When I called her down...she discovered she was stuck.  There was no way down.  She shook, she trembled, she scraped and slid.  Finally, Mother came to the rescue.    I supose it was worth it, because in gratitude, the chattered all the way back to the car. 

Later, we joined Melinda and her 5 boys for batting practice.   Briz and Haylie won the the go cart race.

Austin and I sprayed a cute girl he liked in the bumper boats till we were soaked. 

Ladybug and Little Mother won enough tokens at the arcades to buy several little dollar prizes.  Melinda and I tried our feet at the dance game.  We both got an F.  

Later, we took lessons in pool stackers.  What a blessing to get to know my two new nephews.  They are darling.  Our goal was to get 3 stacks in the pool at the same time, but one fell.  Sleepy.  Sleepy.  Sleepy.  But, if we had to go home today, the vacation has been wonderful.