Travel Log, collage stye

Well, no one really wants to hear about someone else's trip but since I'm not forcing you to read this and you are I'll try to make it as interesting as possible.  We made it out of the house in relatively good time.  I thought I had left the house in good shape so when I came home to a kitchen table that had not been wiped off, I knew then that aliens had indeed invaded while we were gone.  We stopped for dinner in Nephi and ran into some crazy people at the park.  My sister and her family were on the same route as we were so we decided to meet up.  We got there just in time for a bird to poop all over my nephew who hates anything to do with poop (gags just thinking about the idea of changing a baby's diaper0 so this was pretty funny.  Jack rode with them to Hurricane where we were all staying at the compound...

My brother owns his home, a rental next door where my sister used to live, and the house next door to that where we moved her to ALL DAY SATURDAY!  I only put that in caps because if felt like all day.  We got all of her big stuff moved and plenty of the little stuff.  Did I mention we were in Hurricane, Utah and it's HOT there?  I only put that in caps because it only felt hot.  It wasn't much more than 110.  We took the kids swimming for an hour in the afternoon.  I kept wishing the smell of poop would go away and shouldn't have been too surprised when I went to change Katie Anne out of her swim soup (she likes to call it that).  Can I just say here that I detest changing swim diaper poopies?  And it was 1 of 2, the next one being also full of sand.  TMI?  Anyway, one bonus of being in Hurricane is built in babysitters with all the older cousins around. The 7 adults went to dinner at 9:00 to Texas Roadhouse and yes, I ordered a whole rack of ribs and they were delicious!!!

Monday morning we headed to Ridgecrest, of all places, and arrived on one of their hottest days of the summer so far.  Thank you, weather, for reminding us of one reason why we moved!  I am SORRY (and I put that in caps because it is so heartfelt) that I took only the above pictures while I was there.  Many thanks to Shar and her family for putting us up while we were there.  She is a giver of the first degree!  I had invited ourselves out to dinner twice and lunch once so we got to see some of our good friends.  I think the thing I liked hearing the most was, "It doesn't even feel like you've left!"  I think I'll just take it as a compliment.

I was blessed with the wonderful opportunity of attending a Twilight party, where I was outwardly despised because I had ***GASP***not read all the books. We then took the party to the theater for a midnight showing of Eclipse.  I slept though parts here and there and covered me eyes during the fight scenes even though, as my friend pointed out, they're vampires - no blood!

Somehow I managed to get up the next morning.  We packed up and headed to THE BEACH!  (And I put that in caps to show just how excited we were to be going to the beach again!)  We had a fantastic time and the first afternoon and the next two days were gorgeous.  It was a birthday present from the weather fairies because you know what?  Turning 36 isn't exactly fun but sitting around on a beautiful beach watching dolphins jump in and out of the water is really, seriously, fun.



We also ate lots of wonderful food while at the beach.  If you do watch the slide show you can watch for John's effort at being Edward.



One of the days was a little chilly so we ventured in to Santa Barbara.  We went to the Santa Barbara Mission where we took the tour (don't you just love that little monk directing us?) and learned that the woman who's tale is depicted in The Island of the Blue Dolphins is buried here, although with about 4000 unmarked indian graves, they aren't sure where. 

We also went to Stearn's Wharf to be touristy.  Unfortunately, we got a little lost on the way (Ronelle's fault) and we ended up on the backside of the Four Seasons.  Let me tell ya, if you want to feel like a hick just drive your huge Ford Truck (being camping dirty helps too) down the back side of the Four Seasons!  Our truck cost as much as most of those cars bumpers!  I'm quite sure we were having more fun than any of those clean people.  At the Wharf we read our palms, ate fish and chips (DELICIOUS!  and I put that in caps because I want you to understand what I'm saying here), and spent way too much on salt water taffy.  Should have had the $7 ice cream cone!

Well, you made it, almost.  Above are a few miscellaneous pictures.  Jeffrey needed a little space to himself in the truck so he hung his blanket to divide him from everyone else, or at least from Katie Anne trying to grab his candy.  We stopped on our way down (see how un-trippified we are?) to see John's grandma who just moved to an assisted living place.  She looks happier in the picture than she will tell you she is, but we are glad to know she's in a good place.  Then you can see a few of the cousins there at the 4th of July parade that lasted a good 10 minutes.  At least we got to see one and enjoy a few of the 4th of July festivities on the 5th.  We went to an ATV rodeo (luckily Katie Anne wasn't too interested so we got to go lay on the grass under some huge trees) and to a neighborhood bbq and to the fireworks!  Woohoo!  John went to two days of scout camp in Zion's.  On Tuesday they hiked the Subway then we drove home.  We got home in the wee hours of the morning but I'll tell you right now I could have kissed my bed, I was so happy to see it.  

Since then we have been watering (grass is dead), weeding (never ending!), doing laundry (finally folded), and catching up on everything else.  So there, THE END! (And I put that in caps so you'll know to quit reading).