Our Yearly Vacation -

So this post has pictures galore! I am missing a few from Tricia's camera, but here are the ones from mine.

We started out on Wednesday, November 17 and headed to Provo. We left a day earlier than we anticipated because I wanted to be able to see my Grandma Coy (mom's mom) who is not doing well at all. So we started early so I could love on her for a little bit.

We left there after I saw here on Thursday morning and headed to Vegas. We stayed there with Aunt Kathy and I was able to see my cousins and go to my sweet cousin Dianne's baby shower. My kids took a bath in Kathy's bathtub and thought it was the greatest ever! Swimming pool even! Hunter and Tyler had a blast (except when Tyler got water in his eyes.)

We left Vegas on Friday and went to Tricia and Matthew's in Valencia, CA. We spent the next 4 days with them.

We went to a place called Mountasia on Saturday. Hunter climbed a rock wall, the kids played laser tag, we ate french fries, and rode rides that didn't give out tickets. Travis nearly fell going into the place because it was raining. He was holding Dallin and watching him slip was like slow motion. He was so sore the next couple of days because of that near fall - as he tried to save the baby from cracking his head. :) What a guy!

Sunday was church and a super yummy roast and then a brisk walk to a nearby park where we saw some rabbits and played on the playground. Dallin and Maesyn carried around our portable DVD player and watched movies all over the apartment.

Monday we attempted Disneyland. It was insane. I was hoping that it wouldn't be that busy the first day of the week of a holiday - but it was packed...I tell you PACKED. I think the kids had a lot of fun. The bus ride to and from the car was even a highlight. Dallin was exhausted by the time we'd been there a few hours and he hated his little "monkey harness" - but he finally fell asleep for just about 45 minutes which was good. Tyler got to ride the Matterhorn - which was a huge deal to be on a big roller coaster. However, Gwendalin missed riding Indiana Jones because the pushed her hair down with one index finger and told her she wasn't tall enough. But she sure was pretty enough with her nice face butterfly paint! :O) We took in our own lunch which was handy for snacking. All in all, it was a good day - just way TOO MANY PEOPLE. Better luck next time. Actually we think we might do Lagoon or Magic Mountain next time, our kids loved the roller coasters the best.

We were going to leave on Tuesday from their house but we were having too much fun watching TV off of their computer after we put kids in bed. and playing with cousins and so we decided to stay one more day (that's the day I didn't have the camera) We went to the Santa Barbara Zoo....it was the perfect size! love love loved the Gorillas. Anyway, the beach was on the agenda as well, but it started raining so we went home and the kids tried swimming in the apartment pool and hot tub - these were not heated and the hot tub was broken...but they attempted it anyway in 52 degree weather. They asked for hot chocolate when they were done. :)

Wednesday we left and headed to the Phoenix area....also not a good idea to travel the day before Thanksgiving. It was horrific. We made it to my brother's house and were able to see both of my brothers and their kids for a few minutes (not nearly long enough) before we left that side of the valley and went over to Grandma and Grandpa Chesley's house. I don't get to see my brothers and their families enough at all and I wish I could because my kids need to know those cousins too....maybe someday we can have a reunion if everybody would get on board.

Thanksgiving was fun - it was good to see the family and let our kids play with those cousins too! Gwendalin loved taking poeple's restuarant orders on a new notebook grandma gave here and also doing grandma's hair. On Friday I got to see my bestie, Marie! We just hung out at her house after a round of lunch at Higley Hotdog! She introduced Travis and I to a scrabble game on our phones.....we are now addicted. I wish I could see her more. But she'll be here in a few weeks... :) hurrah!

Friday night Travis got to see his brother Clark! It's been about 10 years since he's seen him. That was a real treat for our family. We enjoyed Native New Yorker for dinner with him at the house and then watched a devastating loss at football for Boise State.

We didn't know when we were going to leave because Travis kept watching the weather and it was bad towards Utah/Idaho. But Saturday morning he looked and then we left - it was unplanned but we took off and made it to Provo in 11 hours. Sunday was the kicker! We left Provo and headed home through a snow storm. The roads we usually take were closed and we saw tons of people that slid off the road and 2 people that actually died (they were covered on the side of the road) - police and emergency vehicles were doing their best to keep everything under control. It was scary, but Travis got us home safely. And Sunday night we all slept soooooooo HARD! It was great!

We are so glad we got to go, so glad we got home safe. So glad we made memories as a family!