We weren't really planning a trip this summer. I was pretty content to stick around here this year, but then Rick's brother got engaged to a super-daring girl and we had an instant vacation plan!
The wedding was in California, but we didn't feel like we could go all the way West without a quick stop in Utah to visit family.
First up - COUSINS!
We only stopped in Salt Lake for 2 days - so it was all craziness all the time.
I saw a sign once that said "Grandma's house; Where cousins become best friends." That is SO true of my kids. They love to see their cousins, and really are great friends.
These guys were all born in an 11 month period. The four of them haven't been all together at once since 2003 (?) because Kate was in Germany for a few years and then Maya was in Australia. It was such fun to have them together. (I know you're jealous of that assortment of teeth!)
Jacob loves Kate.
Everyone loves Sam!
Emily adores Mini and really looks up to her. (She's a great example.)
Jane and Josh are great friends, and since Sam is the cutest baby around - he's always welcome too.
Of course, we have many more than that (15 on my side) - these were just who I happened to catch when I had my camera out.
Next on the Agenda - Cherry Hill!
Mini and Annabelle
Jacob and Luke loved jumping in backwards -
Even though they never seemed to co-ordinate perfectly.
Jacob's leaping into the water was so joyful and enthusiastic - made me so happy.
The guys swim together.
Seriously, I think this boy spends more time under the water than above it!
The girls liked leaping too!
The cherry hill cousins!
Heading South
We rented a car in Salt Lake and headed south. We met Corinne at BYU and she gave us a brief tour. (Thanks Cori!) Rebekah was staying in Utah while we went to CA, but I had my Mum bring her down so she could see it too. Bek says she'll go to any college except BYU. As we walked around she said "I know what you're doing, and it's not working."
Well, she may not have been excited about it - but Emily was.
Emily plans on getting a swimming scholarship to BYU. We took her to see the pool but it was undergoing some maintenance and was empty. (It was OK, we used our imaginations.) There were pictures of the swim team on the wall. Em looked at them all with their names and then noticed one said "Team Captain." A girl. "There's a team captain?" she asked. Guess what her new goal is?
These two are such cute buddies. Jane calls him "my Joshy."
St. George
Driving from Salt Lake to Oakland, CA via St. George and Vegas is not the best way to drive - unless you really need to visit the Stanley's, which we did!
We sure miss these guys since they left NY - but it has been wonderful to see them a few times since. Erin took us into town to this great little free water play are - the kids thought it was fantastic.
We are ALWAYS fed well at Erin's. If I didn't already love her so much for the wonderful person she is, I'd visit just for the great food! Back at their place we hung out, ate, talked and let the kids play - DS, in the pool, paper fashions, swimming, jumping on the tramp ....
Jane swimming.
Jane jumping.
Petrea swimming.
Roxcy and Petrea swimming.
This is my favorite picture of the trip; Jane-oooooo!
Emy and Roxcy.
Jacob and Colin.
As much as we would have liked to just stop there forever, the next morning we set out for Las Vegas.
After checking into the hotel, we took the kids to M&M world. It's probably a little ridiculous that there's one of these in Times Square and we've never taken them, but candy is really a vacation / holiday thing for us, so there never seemed to be a reason to take them here. Also, if I take them in Vegas - they'll never even know there's one close to our house - so no temptation.
Look at those red little faces. It was DRY and about a THOUSAND DEGREES.
We let the kids each get a bag and choose their own colors. I admit - I kind of wanted some too, how can you not just love those tubes of single colors all lined up.
Jane is an absolute candy addict - this was heaven on earth for her.
I loved seeing the colors they went for - no surprises, but still fun to see together.
Jacob's "water & sand" mix.
We hurried back to the hotel to meet Dena. Actually, our sweaty little kids begged for a quick swim, we had a quick dip and Dena was at our room before us!
This was one of the best nights of the whole trip for me. Dena is the sister of one of my dear friends from here. She lives in Vegas, but has come out to NY a couple of times and earned money for school by babysitting. She is completely delightful and my kids love her. She had gone home to Vegas just a couple of days before our trip - so we were able to arrange for her to babysit Jacob & Jane for us at the Bellagio there. Could not have been more perfect.
We quickly showered & dressed, while Dena got the little guys ready and we just took off - I would have never been able to do that with someone they didn't know or I didn't trust.
Where were we going? The reason for our stop in Vegas was for Rick and I to take Emily to -
I forgot to garb the camera to get a picture of the 3 of us at the entrance. Oh well. We all loved it. I couldn't get over the "floor" of the pool that so quickly changed depths. I also kept wondering if they find acrobats and coach their swimming, or great swimmers / divers & teach them acrobatics? As we headed back to our room, Emily said when she grows up she wants to be a swim coach AND a member of Circque du Soleil.
We had planned to head out early the next morning, but there was no way the kids could fathom leaving without another swim in the pools. They were right there - how could we not go?
The beauty of hitting the pool at 8am when it's just opened, is you pretty much have it to yourselves!
The Wedding
The Oakland temple was lovely and the day was beautiful. We can't believe that goofy Uncle Don got such a great girl to marry him!
Or smiling into the sun ....
They did love the fountain, and tossing in sticks, flowers or whatever else they could grab when I wasn't looking.
Congratulations Don & Nichole.
The reception provided time for cousin bonding.
Um. And a little getting into trouble, cousin bonding!
Monterey Bay Aquarium
The next day we drove down to Monterey, where we met up with my friend, Margo. Margo and I met in Bankok in 1972, so she has known me most of my life. I adore her, and have learned a lot from her through our friendship over the years. She also loves the Monterey Bay Aquarium and it was wonderful to combine going there with seeing her again.
My kids are crazy for touch pools. Especially Jacob - who would spend the entire day there if we'd let him.
Darling Margo.
Touching the rays.
Sea Stars.
We loved the Jellies.
We all enjoyed a great dinner at a restaurant that jutted out over the water - poor little Jake fell right asleep at the table. When he's done he's done! He did wake up as we left, and we all enjoyed a walk along the beach back to the hotel.
The next day we walked around town and enjoyed the air and all being together. We saw pelicans, seals and sea otters in the bay. That rock is not naturally white - the "decoration" is compliments of the birds!
We took a boat trip out on the water. There were MILLIONS of jellies. I guess there was some huge underwater cavern that has an upflow at that time of year, so the bay was teeming with them. They passed around this one in a jar for a closer look.
Emily and I tend to get boat sick - but Jake loves to be on the water!
We loved the seals and sea otters everywhere.
LOTS of them!
Back at the pier there was a bird man.
Nothing is better than throwing rocks .....
I need a zoom lens. A seal in the foreground, 2 sea otters playing together behind.
I love seeing my kids run and enjoy being outside.
We were just delighted to see the seals, otters and pelicans. So close. This harbor seal was resting on a rock just a little way bit from shore & the walkway.
I love being by the ocean, I always feel completely rejuvinated whenever I am by the sea.
We had a great time, but the trip was over. That evening we drove back up to Oakland, and took the flight home to NY.
We got home to a lawn that had been attacked 1st by grubs, and secondly by racoons digging for grubs. I was pretty disappointed, because it meant we had to put down chemicals to kill the grubs - after all my work to keep it organic.
Anyway, we killed the while thing, dug it all up and put down new sod. It looks wonderful now and I'll remember to buy nematodes next year! Nothing says "welcome home" like a mini crisis, but school started a couple of days later - so we were quickly forced back into real life.
