It's been real, Utah.

Our last day in Utah, 

we hoped it would never come. 

We made the best of the situation though, and planned a full day. 

 Lunch with the Shreeves.

Garrett and Marlyn were in town visiting family, 

 lucky we got the chance to meet up. 

It's been years. 

 

 All trip we've been talking about riding the ski lifts in Sun Dance, 

but never found time to do it. 

We did today and it was a thrill. 

It was like riding a really long, very slow roller coaster that doesn't go upside down or turn sharply.

[Cassie's kind of ride]

It got a little chilly as we reached the peak.
It's July and these mountains are still snow capped.
Say what?!

 We saw a doe with two of her children.
Fawns.
You learn so much in nature.
No bears though.
Such a shame.

We were the last people on the lift.
We decided that even if we fell off, we wouldn't die,
just be maimed or seriously injured.
[Dobby quote]
When we landed,
Courtney, her husband Tyler and daughter, Lynley
were waiting and ready for my first ever photo shoot.
[oh yes, NieNie Diaries writer NieNie was there! Right behind us!]
[Out of respect, I didn't take photos - but with all her kids - my Utah experience is complete!]

Hopefully not expecting anything too fancy,
Courtney asked me to take her family photos while I was in town.
It's a blog post in itself,
and I'll only put the better ones up when I do,
but I'd be lying if I told you that every photo was perfect.
Proof that I'm not:

 These are just funny.
There are some good ones though.
All in due time.
It was really fun to spend time with them
and take their photos.
Lynley is so photogenic and friendly, not shy at all. 

 [taking it all in, for the last time]

A random but beautiful storm rolled in that afternoon.
It was like Utah was saying a sad goodbye.

Tuesday night.
You do know what that means, right?
Karaoke.
We had much more success, tonight, than our last attempt.

With our original group,
we were joined by Courtney, Tyler, and Gavin.
Cortney [that's with an "o" not an "ou"] - wasn't about to let me convince her to sing again,
or attempt to sing again,
but I got the karaoke queen to sing the Beatles, "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" with me.
After much debate,
Cassie telling me she was bailing,
and our names being called to come up, before we were mentally prepared,
we somehow did it.

I couldn't apparate faster off that stage.
So embarrassing.
My voice cracked at one point,
I'm still hoping that the music was so loud that no one noticed.

We didn't get booed off the stage,
so I'm considering it a success.

 The realization of our rapidly upcoming departure set in.
We said our goodbyes, packed our bags, and slept for what seemed like minutes.
The next thing we knew, we were at the airport waiting with Aleksi in the security line.
We said our sad goodbyes,
and had to literally run to catch our flight,
Home Alone style.
Shoes untied, security stuff not placed back in our bags - we literally picked everything up and ran.
We got to the terminal and there was no one there.
"We just missed it."
We could even see the plane, right there. 
Suddenly, to our surprise an airline worker came out of the airplane shoot,
"Are you guys for this flight?!"
"Yes?"
"WegottaGO!"
He literally chased us onto the plane,
we jumped in, strapped our belts, and took off.
What a morning.

Layover in Denver.
Then we were home.
I don't know why I was smiling because all I feel is depressed.
It's like a huge chunk of my heart fell out.