Four Weekends In A Row

I love to travel.  I love going places, visiting people, doing something out of the norm, even just for a few days.  Especially now that it is 10 degrees above blazin' hot here.

Even if we didn't do the greatest job of spacing out our trip, we still had a fantastic time.  Our four out of town weekends in a row started with a beach trip to California.  Jon is 1/4 salt water and every so often we have to make our way back to his beach mecca.  It had been a good  long time since we had made the trek and visited our friends the Mercuros so we set a date and were ready to go.

But because of some really unfortunate situations, the Mercuros had to cancel on us the night before we were going to leave.  

Then out of left field came the game saver.  Jon's cousin Chase and his family offered to let us crash with them.  

I think this might have been one of our favorite family weekend trips ever.  Everything went just about perfectly.  We showed up Friday and headed straight to Newport beach to get our swim on.  

Scarlet got a big chunk of her dad's beach side.  She had no problem with jumping right in the freezing ocean water.  Asher also thought the ocean was pretty darn cool

 Rhode got about 100 feet closer to the water's edge than he did last year.  I would call that significant progress.

After some good water time, we took a walk down to the pier.  We watched the fishermen for awhile when a loud barking noise drew our attention to the water.  Three sea lions entertained us for the next 10 minutes while they barked at the fisherman and swam around the edge of the pier.

We then headed over to the Campbells.  Chase and Sierra have three beautiful children, Johanna (5), Emerson (3) and Dylan (18 months).  I was excited for our kids to meet but it is always little nerve wracking letting their first introduction be while you are in their house.  If they don't get along, there isn't really anywhere for them to go...

It was a wasted worry.  Our kids got along so well it was almost scary.  The girls and boys instantly paired off and played happily nonstop all weekend long.  Even Dylan and Asher got along!  Plus, Chase and Sierra are just about the most agreeable and fun people ever.  Seriously, if the house next door to them had been for sale (and we were crazy rich) I might have just bought it right there so the weekend could have just kept going!

Our weekend activities included a trip to the farmer's market (hah, like we needed another reason to love the area) some time at the park and a trip to a very fun, private beach.

 Their kids have the sweetest temperaments, especially Johanna.  She is just the most pleasant little girl!  Instead of having to wonder if Scarlet was going to pick up some bad habits from a new friend, i was hoping Scarlet wouldn't share her bad habits with Johanna!

Even though our kids are the same age, the Campbells are on the small end of the scale and my children, well, aren't so much.  This picture just cracks me up.  I think I perfected the "wide stance so you don't tower too much above your picture crowd" pose.

 

Rhode and Emerson were instant buds.  It was so fun seeing Rhode play with a little boy his age.  There aren't a lot of those around here.  The really funny part is how simiar Rhode and Emerson look.  They just look related.  At one point, Rhode looked at a picture of Emerson as a toddler hanging in their house and asked, "Is that me mom?"  It did really look like him.

Our last trip to the beach was so flawlessly perfect it is hard to even believe.  The kids played so happily, the babies dug in the sand and ate a few gallons of it.  The sun was warm and shining.  We brought food to barbeque and smores which all turned out deliciously.  And as we were wrapping up our day, some dolphins decided to swim into the area.  Jon and Chase tried to see if they could get a closer look.  They didn't get too close, but they said they could hear the dolphins talking to each other under water.  So cool!

The weekend could have only been made more perfect had we been able to see the Mercuros as well!

WEEKEND #2

Unfortunately, when we got back into town, my kids and I were instantly sick.  It was a bad one too. Coughs, fevers, achiness, runny noses, we were a mess.  

We had planned to visit our friends, the Stouts in Arizona for Memorial Day weekend but our chances of being able to go were looking slimmer and slimmer.  We delayed our trip for a day but our kids seemed to be recovering so we decided to go for it.

Luckily, it was the Stouts.  We love them, they dig us.  Our kids think they are all siblings.  It is always an enjoyable time.  We visited an old mining town and got to see some glass blowing (which I find incredibly fascinating, even though I know I wouldn't last more than 5 minutes without losing a hand)

We got to have an adult only night out and had some fun adventures around the town (which included some very fun thrift shopping, the fruits of which will be highlighted in a later post).

But, our kids were just really still sick, which meant long nights of coughing and gagging (remember my kids, the gag champions?)  Plus, we passed our germs along after we left.  I think they still like us... but I wouldn't blame them if they didn't!

WEEKEND #3  My family got to take a weekend off while I jetted of once again to California for my girls trip/race weekend!  We had the funnest group of girls you could imagine.  It felt so good to laugh straight through a 3 hour car ride.

Mindy Warren, Me, Brittany Peterson, Shauntelle Rowberry-Pallet & Tavia Hart

We got to pick up our race gear, enjoy a few running perks (yay free luna bar!) and then we went looking for our pre race pasta dinner.  Our find was delicious beyond expectations and the evening was incredibly enjoyable.  

We even shoved all five of us into one hotel room.  When was the last time I slept 3 to a bed in a hotel room?  Years... I must say it is not something I have missed but it was pretty hilarious.

And then the morning was there and it was race time!  We were running the Fontana Day's half marathon.  It was chosen specifically for its elevation map.

Looks a little better than my last one huh?  It was glorious!  For the most part, I do not think running is fun.  But this race was actually fun.  We started out at a camping grounds up in the mountains and slowly meandered our way down the mountain, and all the way downtown.  I usually want to die at about 8 miles but I didn't feel that bad this time.  

Jon challenged me to try to run the whole time (which I do not normally do) and with that in my head I just kept on moving.  I only walked while drinking water, as I didn't want to die by water inhalation.  

The weather was perfect and I was feeling great.  My only low point was as I was approaching a flag and thinking it would tell me I was at 11 miles.  Unfortunately it was only 10 miles... that was rough. But I just kept moving.  I finished my last race at 2:41 and I really wanted to finish this one at 2:20.  I was just about out of energy as I approached my finish line, until I saw my time!  I was so excited I was able to pick up the pace and finish strong.  My final time, 2:13!

The drive home was just as fun as the way there, with just a tad bit more muscle cramping.  It was a weekend I could totally do again.

WEEKEND #4  

 And for our fourth out of town weekend, Jon, Asher and I hopped a flight to Moses Lake for the Today's Generation Dance Recital.  It is always a crazy weekend.  Jon and I are filming the show, my sisters are in the show, my mom is crazily running around backstage for... some reason.  And my dad make sure we all stay fed and watered.  There isn't a lot of time to hang out, so I uninvited my other two children this time.

Asher got to come but spent recital day at Grammys house with his favorite person besides his mom.  She might even have a one up on dad...

Kendall and Grammy enjoyed a little Asher time as well, but seriously, only a little.  We arrived Friday afternoon and we back on a plane at noon on Sunday.

 

We did make one interesting discovery while home.  My sisters posted some baby pictures of us on the wall for a Mother's Day present.  Check out these little babies.

Uncle Bryan

 I guess I do have a few genes floating around my children!

We have been home for a few weeks now.  It has been nice to catch up a little... but I am ready to hit the road again.  Anyone want visitors?