An Unexpected Trip Way Down South

My baby sister Cassie is getting ready for her first year of college! I can't believe that she is so old. She has been working at Rue 21 in Lehi and her manager was able to transfer her to the St. George store so she could have a job while she goes to Dixie State. Her new manager wanted her to start work a week before school started, so the night before she had to move down, Alex and I took Cassie out as a "sister's date" before she left for school. We were actually going to go laser-tagging but there were only two other people there, and they were little kids, so we went to dinner instead. It was so fun to talk about Cassie's plans for going to school, and living away from home for the first time! It took me back to when I was just a college freshman and everything I went through in those last days of summer back in 2006.

After dinner, Alex and I decided that we wanted to go with Cassie and my mom to St. George to get her set up in her dorm. I hadn't planned on going to St. George, so I had nothing, no toothbrush, pajamas, nothing, but we did it anyway! We had to run over to Alex's apartment to get her stuff, and while we were there, I had to illegally park next to this awesome sign. I love the addition of the word "absolutely"... like that makes a difference to people. Ha!

We left early the next morning (and only had to turn around once to get Cassie's medicine), and made it to St. George by lunch. I drove with Cassie, and taught her how to use her cruise control- definitely an important skill if you're going to drive back and forth from Salt Lake to St. George. My mom and Alex drove the Tahoe with Cassie's stuff and, most importantly, her cute bike! That was her graduation gift from my mom and Jeff, and I thought it was so cute! Can't you just picture Cas cruising around St. George on her sweet bike?

Cassie has her own room in a dorm with five other girls. It was fun to set everything up and look at all the stuff she bought for college. I fear that the shelf in her closet is going to fall down with all the clothes she hung on it! After getting her room all set up, we went to the grocery store to fill up her refrigerator and pantry too.

After all the shopping and running around picking up stuff for Cas (we also went to the Dixie bookstore so we could all have something with the Dixie name on it), we were pretty exhausted and going a little crazy from the heat in St. George. We were trying to take a good picture of all the girls together, and ended up with some of Alex and her "lightsaber" (really the roll that the rug was rolled around). Alex wouldn't let us throw it away because she needed it. Being a Star Wars person myself, I understand. Notice the presence of the lightsaber in the next few pictures...

Finally we did get a good shot. Not too bad considering I had to balance my camera on the roof of the Tahoe and set the timer, right?

We were able to spend the night in a hotel and take Cassie out to breakfast all together the next morning before heading home. I was so happy we got to spend some time together, just girls, and be with Cassie as she gets started on her exciting college experience! I am so excited for her, and I know she is just going to love being in college! It also gives us a reason to head down to St. George too!