Family Vacation, Road Trip Style - Part 2

Leaving Fairfield, I put everyone in nice outfits. On the way to Tahoe there is this beautiful river and I desperately wanted a great family picture. So, everyone was dressed, not allowed to eat or touch anything and we were on our way. When we pulled off the road, I didn't remember the mountain being quite as steep. I talked my kids into climbing down, which was hard to convince Colton, and just kept reassuring them that they would be fine. Then, in my flip flop, I took a step. Just one, because then I rolled the rest of the way down the hill. I was fortunate enough to only break my flip flop in the process and to have a hubby awesome enough to take pictures of me on the way down for my memories.

We did get a picture at the bottom. Not exactly like the one I had hoped for, but it's a picture.

The next day we rented a boat. We have been to Lake Tahoe three times and never wanted to spend the money, but this year we decided to go for it. It was a really neat experience. All of the things that we see year after year from bike rides and hikes were all at a different perspective. And the boys loved driving the boat. Their favorite part though was when James forgot to turn his hat around and got the boat up to 40mph and it went flying off into the lake. They used the hook and on the second time around, got his hat out of the lake.

The rest of Tahoe was relaxing and fun. We rented bikes, we took hikes, we played goofy golf, and we swam a lot. It is so beautiful there. You can really see God's artwork as you watch the sun set over the lake. Of all the places I have traveled, I am pretty sure it is one of my favorite. It ranks right up there with Disneyland for all the complete opposite reasons. :)

On our way home from Lake Tahoe we decided to go to Carlsbad for a couple of days. About two years ago we had some friends move close to the Anaheim area so we planned to meet up with them for dinner on the way down. Well, it was a Friday and we hit the outer edge of Los Angeles at 4:00pm. We only had 38 miles to get to their house. We were hoping. We were praying. We were moving a 2mph. In two hours we moved a grand total of eight miles. I could have walked it faster! Once we got there it was great though. The kids played like they had seen each other the day before and it was great to visit with John and Tina.

In Carlsbad the only thing on our agenda was the beach and we accomplished it. The weather was perfect. The sand felt so good under my feet. The waves were gorgeous and even though we ended up going farther out than planned and getting soaked in regular clothes, it was a treat to play in the ocean.

Overall, it was a great vacation. 2100+ miles in 11 days. We still liked each other when we got home. Nobody got hurt. All nine loads of laundry are done. Pictures turned out fairly well. I really do love my family and I am fortunate to have the experiences with them that I do.

Family Vacation, Road Trip Style - Part 1

The past 3 years we have been going on a road trip for our family vacation. Every year we end up in Lake Tahoe, but where we stop on the way there and back changes every year. So far, we are three days in and as always, the memories are great.

The first day we were super ambitious and bit off 764 miles. We actually made it in 12 hours and 45 minutes, but by the 10 hour mark, everyone had lost it. At one point, we stopped and I asked everyone if they wanted a drink. Nobody did, so we were on our way. Of course, 30 minutes later, James asks me how buried the waters are and if he could reach it. Since they were packed under 3 duffel bags, sand toys, shoes and all sorts of other junk, I told him probably not but that I could stop. He told me to keep going, so as we start passing all these dry fields on the way to Napa, there are signs that say, "congress created dust bowl" and "water crisis" to which my dear hubby replies, "yeah, no kidding." I immediately pulled over on the side of the freeway and he got his stinkin' water! :) It was all giggles from there.

The next day we went to the Jelly Belly Factory for a tour. It was pretty basic and we actually got three whole jelly beans to sample before buying another $17 worth. On our way to leave, we noticed that the Budweiser plant next door had tours too. We felt a little weird since we had the kids with us and it was 10am, but we went for it anyways. Man, do they know how to put on a tour. Free pretzles, soda for the kids and three 8 oz beers for James. Since there were five other families, we let our feelings of being bad parents fade quickly, but drinking at 10am wasn't helping too much. When we left there, we went to Walmart to get the boys some water balls for the pool and ended up eating lunch at the McDonald's in Walmart. Oh yeah, now we were officially white trash.

We went to play laser tag and goofy golf all afternoon. It was pretty warm out and must have taken it out of Dawson because when we went to the grocery store to get food, we look down and there he is, sitting on the bottom shelf of the bread aisle. The bottom shelf where bread is kept! When he got up, seven loaves had a butt imprint on them. He also tried to sit on the wine display and a stack of t-shirts that we being sold. There are some days that I just want to ask, "who's kid is that?!"

Today we took the ferry from Vallejo to San Francisco. Sometimes James and I come up with great plans and they just fall apart. Right now Dawson is into anything related to the ocean, so since last year we went to the Monterey Aquarium, we thought this year we would try the Aquarium by the Bay on Pier 39. Well, it is by the Bay and it is two whole underground tunnels long. And that is it. And we got in for the bargain price of $39.95 and were done in 35 minutes. Since we had 5 hours to kill before the ferry went back, we wandered around, ate lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., which was fun, and ended up walking through the aquarium three more times. All in all it was a fun day and memories were made.

Tomorrow we head to Tahoe. But right now, we are off to the hotel pool. Didn't you know if you are a kid, that is the best part of a vacation? :)

6 years ago...

Six years ago, I was up in the middle of the night because at 4:54am, Dawson came into the world. The weeks leading up to that were chaotic with doctors and bed rest and hospital stays and juggling poor Colton around, but it was always exciting. And, it has been exciting ever since.

Dawson is the only person I know that can bring me to my knees daily. Sometimes out of frustration, sometimes out of laughter. He is so much like me and gives me a run for my money. He can reason his way through any situation and when something makes sense to him, he will argue his point endlessly. He has THE best one liners and doesn't even realize how funny he is.

He is so sweet. He loves to cuddle. He wants a back rub every night. And any time he is sitting by you for that matter. He is uninhibited and not scared. He has not conformed to the ways of the world and goes to the beat of his own drum. He is special.

He runs into poles that leave permanent bumps on his head. He puts Pix-O's in his ears that require surgery. He still wants to wear floaties even though he can swim. When he complains and I call him on it, he says, "I am not complaining, I am just saying it in a whiny voice." He is Dawson through and through.

Six years ago, my life was forever changed. I cannot imagine what it would have been without him. My baby is six years old!! Oh, how the time flies!

So Much To Write, So Little Time

The only reason I have this blog is so that I can have memories. So many things happen each and every day and they just get stored away until we forget. I love retracing my steps and remembering some of the moments I have written about. The problem now is that I can't remember to blog. So much has happened in the last couple of weeks and I am sure 90% of it has already fallen out of my brain already!

The biggest moments happened the day school got out. My baby, my almost 9 year old baby is going to be a 4th grader. I have no idea how that is possible, especially because I remember 4th grade like it was yesterday. And then, my other baby went and graduated kindergarten. Seriously, I was a wreck. At least I knew what songs to expect, so I was able to keep it together a little, but seriously, how can this be happening? I am so excited about this stage in their lives. Watching them grow is amazing and I am usually filled with as much joy and pride as frustration, but it is because they are growing and figuring out their paths in life and I am so lucky to be able to take the journey with them.

Not even three days after school got out, I got bored. My boys were bored on the first day, but I waited until the third. The problem is that when I get bored, it usually results in me overcomitting myself either with my time or my finances. Well, this time I decided to do them both. The kids have been asking for a dog for a couple of years now. At Christmas we told them we would consider getting one after we got back from Hawaii. Well, on May 23rd, I more than accomplished goal #73 on my list when we went and picked out a 10 day old yellow lab. I have to say, she is one of the cutest things I have ever seen. We don't bring her home until the beginning of July and while I have been preparing myself for chewed couches, potty accidents, sleepless nights and all the other inconveniences that a puppy can bring, I am actually really excited about the long term benefits for my boys with having a dog.

Now, on to the stories. I am sure I am forgetting so many, but at least I am getting these down. About a week ago, the boys and I met the Wood girls to play softball. I am not good, nor do I claim to be good, so 11 pitches later, I finally hit the ball. Fast forward a couple of days. On the news is a story about a lady who was 87 and accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake running over a lady in a parking lot. The article said their was no impairment to which I commented, "except her age." Colton asked what impairment meant and what I meant and James explained to him that when you get old, you get slower and lose your reflexes and coordination. To which Colton replied, "like mom when we played softball?" Isn't that sweet? This is the same kid that asked me if I was going to join the Biggest Loser for my next diet and I had to explain to him that I only had 10-15 pounds to lose and that show was for people who had hundreds of pounds to lose. I think we need to work on his tact. :)

Then there is Dawson, my dear little exhibitionist. We had some friends over to play on the water slide and as they were walking into the bathroom to change, he barges past them, drops his drawers and uses the bathroom without skipping a beat. Did I mention our friends are 9 and 11 year old girls? So we have the talk with him about changing and using the restroom in private. About an hour later, the kids come in and the girls are getting ready to go into the bathroom to change. Even though I looked Dawson directly in the eye before he came in and told him to go into my room to change, he decided to do his own thing. He had gone into the bathroom and taken off his trunks, only he didn't have any clothes in there, so butt naked he opens the doors, says HI to the girls and takes off streaking down the hall. And then poor Caity goes, "Oh my!" I laughed so hard.

I wish I could remember more and that I had more time to sit here and rack my brain, but I am thankful for the couple memories I got out. :)