Girls' Weekend

Back in June I bought tickets to the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City.  I bought two trips worth, to see plays in August and then again in September.  Kent didn't want to see too many all in one go, but there were several I still wanted to see, so we planned the second trip.  I invited my mom to some as yesterday was her birthday and I thought it would be a fun way to celebrate.  Then, as we were coming home from our two days in Cedar in August, Kent said, "I don't think I want to go back to Cedar in September."

What?!  Tickets were purchased and non-refundable, and I was anticipating another fun time.  He said he'd think about it.  But then as the time drew closer, Kent was going to have to go on an 11-year-old-scout campout with Brandt, both Brandt and Blythe had games, and none of them could really miss them.  So what to do?

GIRLS' WEEKEND!!!!!!

Yep, that's right.  I talked to my sisters, Mikayla, Tysen, and Sharae, and suggested we leave our children under the care of their fathers, celebrate Mom's birthday, and be together.  We have tried to do this once a year, but it hadn't happened so far and there were no definitive plans, so we all began arranging our schedules and figuring out how to make it happen.

And it did happen.  While Kent and Brandt went camping on Friday evening, we had cousin Annie come be with Blythe.  Blythe went to her soccer game with the Bradfords, arriving at their house about 7:30am because Annie had an early work training, and then being dropped off at Brandt's football game when she was done.  Brandt came home early from his campout so he could get to his game, and Annie finished her training in time to collect him and get him there.  I heard that Blythe and Annie watched four movies on Friday afternoon/evening, and I know they didn't have dinner until nearly 8:00pm.  They ate popcorn and drank lemonade and spent a good portion of the evening sending silly texts to Tess.  Blythe had a marvelous time.  Kent and Brandt survived another campout, this one in the colder weather with a bit of early rain.  Brandt was warm through the night; Kent wasn't.  They were engaged in various activities on Saturday afternoon and made it to church on Sunday morning.  All was well at home in my absence.

I had a great time with the girls.  We drove down on Friday afternoon and talked and talked and laughed and laughed on the way.  It's nice to be with adult family members without the children.  We love the children, of course, but it's hard to have any sort of meaningful conversation when they are around because they need you and are loud and interrupt and need you.  So to be able to just talk and share was great.  We arrived in time to check into the hotel, get some dinner, and then go to the play.

Friday evening we saw The Tavern.  It was opening night and the world premier, which made the it extra special.  The writer of the play was there, and we got an introduction by Brian Vaughn, the artistic director of the festival.  The blurb about the play says,

On a dark and stormy night a wild wind blows all sorts of oddball characters into a remote Utah tavern—a mysterious vagabond, a damsel in distress, a politician, his daughter, and her fiancé. A thief is on the loose, suspicions abound, and no one is who they seem! Everyone tries to solve the crime, which only multiplies the laughter as this melodramatic farce rolls to its madcap ending. Filled with laughter and anticipation, this satirical comedy shifts the action and plot to locations and characters in Utah that just might feel familiar.

It was very, very funny!  We laughed and laughed and had a marvelous time.  Here are a couple of pictures.

Saturday evening we had tickets to another play, but we had nothing else on the agenda.  It was a wide open day.  After some discussion, we decided not to go hiking, but instead, head to St. George for shopping, lunch, and pedicures.  And that's what we did.  I bought the children some clothes, all cold weather appropriate, and me a couple of things.  After lunch we did go for pedicures, and I, stupidly, dropped my phone in the water basin at my feet.  It won't ever be the same.  It didn't completely die, but the screen is pixelated.  I felt like an idiot.  Ah well.

See the phone in my lap?

Shortly after this picture was taken, it went for a swim.

Mikayla had a pedicure last week, so she got a manicure instead.

The birthday girl!

On our way back  to Cedar City, we stopped by Craig and Monica's for a brief visit.  I hadn't seen their new place, and neither had my mom, so we had a tour and chatted for a bit.  It's lovely and they seem happy.  I miss them.

Back at the hotel, we played Quirkle.  I love gaming! 

We went to dinner, then back to campus for our second play, William Shakespeare's Long-Lost First Play (abridged).  It's a very silly play, and rather raunchy.  I was glad neither of my children were there, for while I'm certain there was a lot they would not have understood, there was plenty that was obviously off color, and I wouldn't have wanted them to see it.  Funny, though.  Here's the description:

Brought to you by the same guys who starred in the PBS film version of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), this highly-imaginative, vaudeville-infused comedy tells the not-quite factual (well, not at all factual) story of an ancient manuscript purported to be the first play by William Shakespeare. Using questionable scholarship and street-performer smarts, a trio of comic actors will throw themselves into a fast, funny, and frenzied festival of pure hilarity.

It really was pure hilarity. 

Falstaff and Mistress Quickly

Cleopatra

At the end of the first half, just before intermission, there was a "flood," and all three of the actors came out from behind a large blue piece of fabric with water guns and sprayed the audience repeatedly.  One of them yelled out, "I'm getting paid for this!"

Lucky him!

We got up in the morning and went to church just across the street from our hotel.  We only stayed for sacrament meeting.  It was their ward's Primary program, the best sacrament meeting of the year.  Even though we didn't know a single person, we enjoyed the sweet children.  On our way out of town, we stopped by the temple.  The open house will begin at the end of next month and the building will be dedicated in November, I think.  It's lovely, perched on a hill, and can be seen from the freeway as you come into Cedar City.  

Tysen drove, and on the way home, the other four of us played cards.  She didn't mind driving as she doesn't much like cards, and we all talked and played as we wended our way home.  I was glad to be with these women I love so much, and to feel like our relationships were strengthened.