Summer Vacation - day 2

Day 2 found us driving to Dinkey Creek (just outside of Shaver Lake) to camp for a couple of nights! I was VERY nervous when we checked in and they told us that there was a bear in the area and that we needed to keep anything that had a scent in the car and our coolers covered (since bears know what they look like and will break into your car if they see them), but I tried not to think about it!

The camp site we had was huge! It had rocks all along the back of it, which the kids LOVED, of course! They were climbing all over them from the second we got there!
We got right to work setting up the tent and the rest of camp.
As soon as we were done setting up, the kids took out their new binoculars to see what was around us! I had just sat down to read when...
IT STARTED POURING RAIN!!! Of course, I hadn't gotten the DVD player out of the car yet, but I did manage to get out the games. So, for the next TWO HOURS we sat in the tent and read, played Sleeping Queens, War, and our new favorite...SPOONS!!!

The rain was so bad that we had a lake around our tent, so Shane had to go out in it and dig a trench...with a rock! We were really roughing it!
Once the rain finally ended...we assessed the damage. Our chairs were soaked...and totally muddy...as was everything else! For the most part, the inside of the tent stayed dry...we had a few puddles here and there, but we kept up with them with some towels we had in the tent with us.
So...dinner was spaghetti o's in a cup...with no place to sit and eat it! You can tell the kids really minded that...NOT!
Of course, we had to do Smores...no matter how wet and soggy everything was! We were lucky to get a fire started...yes, all of our wood got wet too! Mason found some bark that would burn...and true to form...he had a flaming marshmallow on the end of his stick before long!

Summer Vacation

Ok...so, here is the first segment of the long awaited (I'm sure) vacation diary! We decided to spend our vacation camping up north this year! So, on day one, we headed off to the Sequoia National Park!

Yes...everything was "shoved" in the van...there was even stuff on the roof! We were SOOOO COOL!!! The kids had plenty of room however...and the best part of all...they couldn't touch each other!

Yes mom...I make my kids jump out and take pictures in front of signs too!

The Sequoia's were amazing! The scenery there was so beautiful! The kids loved looking at all of the huge trees!

This is one of the views we had as we drove into the park. It was amazing!

We took a hike to the General Sherman Tree. It is the biggest tree ever! The kids couldn't get over how fat it was! They even found some trees close to it that they could walk in. They thought that was pretty cool!

After driving all day, we left the National Park and went to Fresno for the night. Shane had booked us a room across from Fresno State. Well, when we called for directions, (yes we were lost before Shane would put the notch in his mancard and call for directions) they told us that they had overbooked and didn't have a room for us! GREAT! They told us that they had one at their hotel over by the airport and so to go over there. We did...and when we got there, they told us that they didn't have any rooms with two beds in them. GREAT...AGAIN! Then then told us that they would give us adjoining rooms. Of course, that second room was coming out of their pocket, because we had a confirmation for our room at the other place...for $99 which included breakfast...which this hotel also had to comp! We finally had our room keys in hand and went to dinner...around 10:30 p.m.! When we got back, we went to our rooms...only to find that our "adjoining rooms" were on opposite sides of the hall! Shane went down AGAIN and finally we had rooms that actually connected!

So...other than the "tiny" hotel problem...day one was actually pretty great!

OH...extra bonus to the hotel story...they called us a few days after we got home. They had charged the room to someone elses credit card and needed our number!

Update from Afghanistan

Check out Kari's blog (my sister) for an update on my little brother Donny who is serving our country in Afghanistan! I could type out the same one...but she did such a great job, I'll just link you to hers! (Click on her name above!) Donny is the one in the far left hand corner looking away from the camera! Oh, and by the way...the post is a little graphic...so be prepared!

A Day at the Beach!

So...we have been on vacation for a while! Over the next week or so, I'll update you on all of our fun!

I'm going to start with our trip to the beach...finally! The kids have been dying to go since before school got out!

Adrienne and I took the kids to Corona Del Mar. I love that beach! The kids were so excited! It has been so hot here, that we didn't think twice when we planned our trip...but wouldn't you know it, the day we chose was the first overcast day all summer! We figured it would burn off by the time we got to the beach...but no such luck! Carter even asked us why we chose to go to the beach on a grey day! The good thing was that we weren't miserably hot when we weren't in the water. The bad thing was that the kids were freezing when they got out!

Adrienne made Rylie and Sam into Mermaids on the beach...they loved it!

Yes...they were COLD!!!

Parker was excited to catch some waves...his first run of the year!

Mason...freezing while he tried to eat his lunch!

They might have been cold, but they had a blast! While Carter was sure it was going to snow on him at one point...and was very worried that he had on shorts, the sun finally came out...and he was the first one to notice!

Look, Look, Look!

Ok...so technically, I'm still on vacation...but I couldn't resist!

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW TWILIGHT TRAILER!!!

Enjoy!!!

Rylie Finally Sees Ga-linda...the "Popular" Girl!!!

Today I finally took Rylie and Parker to see Wicked!!! (Yes, for those of you counting, this was time number 5 for me!!!) Rylie has been dying to see it ever since I saw it for the first time, back in December! She knows all of the songs...and we listen to the CD all of the time! They both loved it!!! They didn't care that we were on the very back row of the upper section...they were actually very good seats...right across the isle, so there wasn't anyone in front of them! They sat and ate their skittles and watched the entire show! I had to remind Rylie that the people came to listen to the people sing the songs, not her...but she was so mesmerized by the whole thing that she didn't even try to sing!

Waiting to get into the theater...yes, the "wiggy" hair was out again!

I know, I'm not supposed to take pictures in the theater, but since this was of my kids and not of the set, I figured it was ok!

In a fun twist of fate, Linda called me on Thursday to tell me that she was planning on getting tickets for this afternoon, and she wanted to know how the kids liked it...she thought they had already gone! We were very excited to find out that we were all going to the same show! This morning we decided to all go together and make a day of it! Wayne was very brave to take us all! And let me say that he can maneuver Hollywood like nobody I have ever seen before!

After the show we stopped at the Rainforest Cafe for dinner! The kids had a great time! Between the animals, the rain storms, the balloons, and the "dirt and worms" they had the best dinner EVER!!! By the time we got home, my kids were completely worn out! It was a great day!!! Thanks Linda and Wayne for making it just as fun for me as it was for the kids!!!

Now...to find more Wicked tickets...just kidding...I'm really not going again...not that I don't want to!!!

Ending the Night with a BANG!!!

Happy 4th of July!!! We had a great holiday! We hung out all morning...well, Shane let me sleep in while he took the kids to breakfast, and then the kids watched me beat the easy level of the new Guitar Hero game! (I let them play too!) Then we were off to the Padgett's to celebrate the day!

The kids had a great time in the pool!

Rylie even unveiled her new "zucchini" for the occasion!

Mason and Parker always love it when Tim gets out his little league baseball pin collection! They always come away with new additions to the collections they have started, courtesy of Tim!

Parker and Shane waiting for the fireworks to start! We had a great view of the city firework show from just in front of Tim and Julie's house!

Me and Julie after a fun day of celebrating! Don't worry...that's an IBC in my hand...I promise!!!

As soon as the fireworks were over we jumped in the car and were home in time to set off some fireworks of our own! (We got some while we were in Farmington for Ty's wedding a few weeks ago!) The kids did some sparklers and then Shane pulled out this HUGE firecracker! Now...this is the first time we have ever bought firecrackers. We usually go for the fountains, etc...so this was a new addition to the regular stuff! Shane looked like a little kid pulling this huge thing out of the wrapper! He went to set it off in the middle of the yard and all of a sudden it sounded like we were in the middle of a war zone! This thing was so loud! Rylie and I had our ears covered and it was still loud!

So...now the other part of the story. We had no idea that on the other side of the fence, there was a tent full of sleeping kids! Yes...you can imagine what happened when that firecracker went off! The screams of terror from these little kids were indescribable! The the screams of anger from the woman with them weren't very pretty either! (It wasn't our neighbor...we didn't know who this lady was!) The cries of disappointment from our kids when our firework show abruptly ended were very heartbreaking! Shane and I felt awful all the way around! Of course we never would have done that if we knew there were people sleeping outside...but it wasn't even 10:00 on the 4th of July! Shane apologized over the fence...and we called our neighbors immediately...they were cool about the whole thing...but we still felt so bad!

So...the moral of the story is...don't set off fireworks in your backyard before checking over the fence! Ok, ok...it should be don't set off fireworks in your backyard at all, but it's kind of a family tradition, so I think we'll have to stick with the first one!

Let's Play at the Park!

Our summer has been crazy so far...but we love it! Every day we seem to be going here or there...but it all includes hanging out with friends and having lots of fun!

Friday we went swimming with Giovanni, Chelsea, Steven, Devin and Tiffani...Rylie was so excited to finally get her arm ALL wet!!! Tuesday we all hung out at Paula's...swimming once again...we loved it!!! Last night we were able to spend time with the Knolls and everyone we are going camping with in a few weeks...it was supposed to be a planning party...but of course it turned into a pool party for the kids!!! (I took pictures Friday, but they turned out blurry...and then, of course, I forgot my camera Tuesday and last night!)

Today, Adrienne and I took the kids to the park! With how hot it has been...it was actually pretty delightful!!! We were in the shade of course! The kids were starving...and had to eat their lunch by 10:30! They were so funny!

After lunch, the kids had enough energy to finally play and have some real fun! Rylie and Sam loved the monkey bars!

Such little monkeys! No...Rylie isn't even a little nervous after falling off of them and breaking her arm 7 weeks ago!

Mason, Carter, and Parker played catch and soccer ball wall! They also ran a few laps, because in Carter's words, "that was some manly work!"

Adrienne with the two girls...this was after Rylie and Sam had dumped all of our water all over themselves...and the boys!

Two "cool" dudes! Parker is the cool dude taking the picture!

We had a great time! And for those of you wondering, Adrienne and I only discussed "the books" for a few minutes...we actually found other things to talk about! (Shocking, I know! ha ha ha)