Disneyland

 

I'll be back next week. I'm going to Disneyland!

Blast from the Summer Past

I was looking through photos and found these great photos from our summer vacation to California. For the past few years, the kids and I leave R behind and head to CA for a week or more to visit sisters and cousins. Our last day in CA in 2012, we drove out to San Francisco to visit with Auntie J.

First, Auntie J took us to some great Mexican food. Even though it was mid-July, sweaters were required. This IS San Francisco.

Auntie J, S, and C waiting for our lunch

After Mexican food, we went to get ice cream. DELICIOUS!

C, S, MK and A

 MK really enjoying her chocolate ice cream. Auntie J (in the background) thinks it's hilarious. S is also in the background, but is highly engrossed in his ice cream to notice anything else.

MK enjoying her ice cream

Enjoying ice cream with Auntie J.

Auntie J, S, C, and MK

Airport

The boys at the SLC Airport

The Boys

R's younger brother is doing an Ironman Race today, and R and the boys flew to AZ to watch.

This is the first time on an airplane for S, and the second airplane ride for C. 

While the boys are away, the girls will play. 

MK and I are having girl time.

Yellowstone

I know. I know. You all thought I dropped off the edge of the earth. But I didn't. I went to Yellowstone.

We took the kids for a trip to Yellowstone in May. It was still VERY cold, but so incredible. R's dad lent us their RV and little car to tow. The kids did great and enjoyed all the sights and animals. The rangers gave us a paper for the kids with pictures of animals that they can check off when they see them. They loved that and being able to check things off. We saw A LOT of buffalo (including babies), deer, elk, eagles, bear (and her cubs), and even a wolf.

This is a picture outside our car window. The Buffalo roamed wherever they wanted.

Yellowstone

When we went to see Old Faithful, it was SO COLD. We could tell it was going to erupt soon, so we stood out in the cold to wait for it. MK was NOT happy to be out in the cold. She was tired and cold and hungry. She finally yelled "I don't wanna see it!" Then, she buried her face into my neck and passed out. She slept through it all. I finally put her down in her stroller as we walked around and went to eat. This is what she looked like:

Yellowstone

All you can see of her is her nose! It was so funny. She slept for a couple of hours.

We went on a lot of walks/hikes around the area. One of our favorites was the Artists Paint Pots and Mammoth Hot Springs. Here's a picture of all three kids at Mammoth.

Yellowstone

We had a blast. R took a million pictures on his super duper camera. The boys even took some and really got into it. Love vacations!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas all! We have had a great morning and a smooth drive to R's dad's house in So. Nevada. Thank you to everyone who helped make our Christmas possible. The kids have had a great time....R and I, too.

California Trip Part 4 -- Family Day

Our last day in California we spent with my entire family. We did family pictures in the morning at one park, then went to another park with more room for lunch and games. After the park, we all ended up at Steph's house for a light dinner and more games. It was a LONG but FUN day. Here's a picture of S waiting around while others were having their pictures taken.

S

S took this picture of me. Not bad for a 3 year-old, right?

I liked this one of R, my dad, and Brett.

 

MK really like Brett and would snuggle up to him. She was having a hard time while in CA--always needed to be held by me. No one else would do. My arms were quite sore by this point of our vacation. As long as she couldn't see me or hear me, she would calm down and enjoy the person she was with. Here's a picture of her with her cousins. She loved to look around her....I just had to be careful to not be in her line of sight or she'd lock her sights in on me and reach for me.

 

After lunch, Leslie goaded S on until he tackled Brett. It was hilarious to watch! Brett and S wrestled for a while....and S took Brett by surprise with his moves. S likes to practice at home with R and C. S was very determined.

 

And here is Brett admitting defeat.

 

We all gathered around to watch and play bocce ball....a Haws Family Tradition. Here I'm playing against Gerald. Leslie and I schooled Brett and Gerald. Whassup!

 

C is trying his hand a bocce ball. He'd try so hard to throw that ball....and it'd go maybe 5 feet. It was pretty funny.

 

And here is R sitting with MK watching the game.

 

R couldn't get time off of work to come to CA with the kids and I. He did, however, fly out to CA late Friday night and spent all of Saturday with us there. Then, lucky guy, he was there to enjoy the drive back to Utah on Sunday.

When we arrived in SLC, it was about 8:30 pm and S asked me, "Can we go to T's house for dinner?" Um, no. Sorry. "Then can we go to Lady C's?" Sorry, no. Not turning around and driving another 10-12 hours to do that. They miss their cousins.

It was such a great trip--being able to see my family, support my brother, enjoy some new adventures. It had been a year and half since the last time I was able to go out to CA. I'll have to see what I can do to make it happen more often.

California Trip Part 3 -- Graduation and Park

The main reason we trekked out to California was to be there for my brother's graduation. He received his doctorate degree in Math from UC Davis. WOW! I know. It was great to go to his ceremony and cheer for him when his name was called and he walked across the stage to be hooded and receive his diploma. He is currently driving cross country with his wife to his new job at University of Kentucky. Here is a picture with the kids waiting for the program to start. S fell asleep on the drive to the campus. He woke up a bit while we visited with Dave and Tami at an Ice Cream Social (I mean, who doesn't wake up for ice cream?) but is now just bored.

My brother Dave and his bride, Tami. Next year, it'll be Tami receiving her doctorate.

Luckily, David walked the stage pretty early on in the program because the kids were restless. I had quite a few "looks" from people sitting by us. One lady even told me I was brave to come with 3 small children, but what else am I to do if I want to support my brother? Well, once he walked the stage and we cheered, Leslie and I gathered up the kids and went outside to let them run wild while everyone else got their chance to walk. I let C, S, and Lady C use my camera to keep them entertained. They found a group of trees that they called their "jungle house" and played.

I thought this picture was pretty funny. It's Lady C pushing S in the stroller through their "jungle house." (photographed by C, copyright)

After the program, we took pictures and then went to dinner together to a great steakhouse. It was amazing how the noise level dropped considerably once we left. It was a fun day. The kids and I went back to Stephanie's house. The next day, Steph, J, & T took us to a nearby park that had a 3 story play sturcture and a water fountain play area. It was a bit chilly, but my boys were determined to play in water. (At Steph's they kept putting their hands in her pool saying it wasn't too chilly and can't we please swim. Yeah, right after this lightening storm passes.)

I can never get S to hold still for a picture...this is the best I got of him that day. Every other picture he is in motion....there was just so much for him to do and see, he didn't want to stop for a silly picture! If you can tell, he is rocking back and forth on his feet and saying "cheese." This is him posing for a picture....this is a common picture, just change backdrop and we have a million of these. Love the kid.

And here is C being silly....as usual. Like his fangs?

We packed up when it started to sprinkle and headed back to Stephanies.

California Trip Part 2 -- Jelly Belly Factory & Leslie's House

While visiting family in California, I took the kids to the Jelly Belly Factory. My sister, Steph, came along with her son T as well as my dad. It was a first for my dad. He said that mom always took us, and he had to work. The kids LOVED having Boppi (aka grandpa) along for the "field trip." We were able to get right in on a tour where we saw how jelly bellys are made from start to finish. They've changed the tour over the years....it used to be that the tour was along the factory floor. Now, we walk above the factory and view the goings on from the 2nd floor. Here is a picture before all the candy. Notice, they are standing still. Rare, I know. They just haven't had any candy yet.

 

Here is my dad at his inaugrual tour.

 

Everyone on the tour is required to wear a hat. Here's MK in her's. She wouldn't leave it alone.

Here is C already opening up and eating his free samples.

 

And this is S and his cousin T after the tour looking around the jelly belly store.

 

After we loaded up on Jelly Bellys, we had lunch at Wendy's. Then, we parted ways. The kids and I went down to Leslie's house while Steph, T, and dad went back up to Steph's house. C and S were excited to go see the "gingerbread" aunt. Last Christmas, Leslie made every grandchild their own gingerbread house that they got to decorate themselves. C thought that since we were going to Leslie's house that that meant he was going to do another gingerbread house. Um, no. He was slightly disappointed when I told him that there would be no gingerbread houses. They cheered up once we were there and they had more cousins to play with.

Here is Leslie's C holding MK.

 

I didn't get many more photos while playing with Leslie. It was just so nice to be there hanging out with my sister. We bbq hamburgers, got our eyebrows done, let the kids run wild, and sat around and talked. The kids had a sleepover in the living room. Leslie put out a queen sized air mattress for C, C and S. When I checked on them in the middle of the night after MK woke me up, Leslie's C was the only one still on the mattress! S had moved to the couch, and C was on the floor. Whatever.

Califonia Trip Part 1--Concrete Slides & Bike Rides

We had so much fun visiting family in California! We've been home 2 days now, but we are all still pretty exhausted from all we did. I wanted to post some fun pictures from our adventures last week.

First, the kids and I went to a park with my sister Steph and her son T. There is a park nearby that has concrete slides. We brought some cardboard along and let the boys go. Here's one of C.

 

I love the look on S's face on this one, even if you can't see him so well.

 

Later, once the others came home from school (they still had a few days left of school when we showed up), they all wanted to go on a bike/scooter ride. I forgot that CA has helmet laws and didn't bring the boys helmets, so they had to borrow some from their cousins. C's fit okay. But S's helmet barely stayed put. It was pretty hilarious. I thought that the helmet would be the reason for any falls he might have. But, S did great. They all went around the block a few times. Here's the group picture.

 

C posing for the camera, showing off his borrowed helmet.

 

Here's S coming in the home stretch. The helmet kept falling in his face. I love how he's trying to peek up to see. It reminds me of how he wears his hats. He likes to wear his hats down low over his eyes....maybe that's why this helmet didn't bother him at all.

 

The boys keep asking for their cousins. It was a fun trip. More pictures later.

Visiting California

I've been lucky to be able to come to California for the week to visit with my family. My little brother just received his PhD in Math! That was fun to yell and shout for him when he walked across the stage to be hooded and receive his diploma. I've been playing with my sisters and nephews and nieces and parents. I'll post pictures later when I get home. I have to pick R up from the airport in a few hours....he couldn't get time off of work and will just join us for the weekend and the LONG drive back to Utah.

Vacation = Laundry

Am I right? My laundry room is still full of dirty laundry, and I've been doing laundry for 2 days. Yikes! We came home Sunday night from a fun trip to sunny Arizona to visit with R's mom, step dad, sister, brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, pets, etc. We had a blast, but now I feel like my house has exploded. I'd say more, but I need to go change the laundry. MK needs clean pjs.