The past 6 months...
Disneyland: We flew to
Long Beach, CA on Nov. 6 for a fun trip to Disneyland! Rene met us
there for a couple days. It is always fun to be there and to have her
with us. We LOVE Disneyland. We had great weather and few crowds in
the 5 days we were there.
Thanksgiving: We
had our own little Thanksgiving dinner, but the turkey wasn't ready in
time, so we ate all the side dishes then went to see The Muppets Movie.
Hockey:
We went to at least 18 Utah Grizzlies Hockey games this season! We had
so much fun watching, cheering, and getting to know favorite players.
During one notable game, there were so many penalties that there were
only two Grizzlies players left on the bench--all others were in the
penalty box.
Washington, D.C.: In November my
parents called to tell me they would be home from their mission by
Christmas. They offered to have me come one more time to visit them and
the city. I went in early December and the weather was nice. The
night I got there, we went to see the new MLK (Martin Luther King Jr.)
Memorial, WWII Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial at night. The next day,
Mom and I went to the art gallery then Dad picked us up and we went to
Mt. Vernon. Dad dropped me off at the American History Museum then Mom
and I went to a concert at the Kennedy Center.
Friday, some of
their students (mothers) came to their apartment for a luncheon and
lesson. Mom and I then went to the State Department. This was new for
me. This is where the US hosts foreign embassadors, where special
dinners and speeches are given, etc. That night my parents went to help
at the temple and I wandered through Gerogetown. The next day Dad took
me to the Lincoln Cottage, another new one for me. This is where
Lincoln spent his summers. I went to the Portrait Gallery, then the
three of us went to the temple visitors center. Sunday was church, then
we drove to the Catholic University cathedral and went in for part of
mass. That night we wend to the Jefferson Memorial. Monday morning,
Dad dropped me off at the FDR Memorial. I walked from there to MLK,
Korea, Vietnam, and Lincoln. It was a pleasant walk on a chilly
morning. We went to Arlington National Cemetery to see the Changing of
the Guard, then we found the part of the cemetery where recent burials
take place. There, we saw several freshly dug gravesites and headstones
from those who died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Some were born
around the time I was; others were born in the 90s. Many did not have
headstones yet. This was very touching, very sad, and very real.
Around the same time, President Obama announced all troops would be home
by Christmas! Tuesday was the last day I was there, and I went to the
Newseum, another first. This is not a Smithsonian museum. I liked
seeing newspapers, famous news clips, etc. and the top of the mangled
Twin Tower building that fell in 9/11.
Kindergarten:
James did very well in school! He was a good student and was well
behaved. In fact, he earned the "Responsibility" award in his class.
His teacher called to tell me and I was a but surprised, but proud as
well. He told me he is "one of the goodest kids" in his class, and also
told me who the "baddest" ones are. :) He did well on his last two
report cards. He made friends with boys and girls alike. James is
doing well at reading too.
4th Grade: Emily's
teacher just loved her. She said when we went in for Parent-Teacher
Conference, "I just don't know what to do with her." (In a good way).
Emily tested for reading at a 7th grade level. She got perfect 4's and
E's on her report cards. Her teacher said Emily doesn't engage in
gossip and backbiting like some girls in her class. We were glad to
hear that!
Christmas: On Dec. 23, we drove to
St. George, and on the 24th we drove from there to Phoenix to visit
Rene. It was a long, boring drive through the desert after we crossed
Hoover Dam. At one point we almost ran out of gas and rolled into a gas
station while the gas light was on. I could just imagine Kevin having
to walk miles and miles to get gas while the kids and I stayed in the
car and having to call Rene and tell her we wouldn't make it for
Christmas Eve. But, it worked out and we had a fun Christmas Eve with
her. On Christmas day, we went to a park where the kids tried their new
rollerblades. Karin and her family came from California and we all had
a nice dinner together. We loved the weather at that time--it was
sunny and warm. We spent a lot of time outside on the patio, in the
pool or hottub, and at parks. One night we all went to see the Phoenix
Coyotes NHL hockey team play the Boston Bruins. It was neat! The kids
both got Rollerblades and Nintendo 3Ds's (hand-held game console) for
Christmas.
Before we got on our way to St. George, we
stopped at my parents' house. The kids did not know my parents would
be home from their mission. They walked downstairs in their house and
Emily said "Oh, hi" when she saw Grandma. It was a nice reunion and a
great surprise!
New Year: We rung in the new year with
our friends, Adam & Heather Milner, and their kids. We had fun
staying up till 3am talking and playing.
Work: The
school year was a good one for me. I enjoyed teaching US History, AP US
History, US Government, and Geography. I really like the flexibility
of my job. Being able to teach online from home is something I never
imagined would be possible, especially because the internet was new when
I graduated from college and started teaching. It is a lot of grading,
emailing, phone calls, etc. and once a day I do a live lesson online
with students.
Kevin's work is going well. He has done well with the classes he trains and earns respect from his peers and supervisors.
Hockey, Part II: The
kids started hockey lessons in March. They went to the Olympic Oval,
near our home. The Oval is where the 2002 Olympic Speed Skating events
were held. The kids started skating lessons 1.5 years ago, but we have
been wanting them to learn hockey. This program went two nights a week
and they both did well at learning some fundamentals. They both look so
cute in all their hockey gear. They get incredibly sweaty under it
all. We are proud of them for working hard and not being afraid.
This
prompted Kevin to make his hockey comeback. He played as a youth, but
when trumpet started to become more important, hockey had to go. In May
he started on a D-League team ("old" people, ranging in age 25-48 or
so, who have not played or who have not played in a long time). He
bought all his own gear, which is quite an investment. So far, he has
done well and scored goals and assists in each game.
Illness and Injury:
In the he 2nd game Kevin played, he bruised his liver. He somehow got
the stick hard into his liver, and it was so painful the next day that
he got a CT scan which showed the bruise. Over the next few weeks he
healed. His thumbs and wrists have been hurting since then also.
In
March, I woke up one day with limited mobility and pain in my neck.
After 10 days of it not getting better, I went to physical therapy (this
is after I saw a doctor and the muscle relaxer and pain medication were
not helping). After a few sessions, I was doing lots better. At the
same time, Emily got a stomach virus and had to miss her piano recital.
Soon after, while my neck was injured, I got the same virus and
actually passed out on the bathroom floor. Kevin heard a thud and when I
didn't respond, he found me slumped on the floor while the door had
been jammed into the wall. The next day, Kevin got the virus too and
was throwing up all day. We thought James was clear, but that night at a
hockey game, he threw up at the entrance, and they refunded our money.
Today, I have an ear infection. I get them once a year or so. It is painful!
Visit:
Rene came to visit on her birthday, March 25. It was a good time for
her to be here because my neck was hurt and she was able to help. Aunt
Jackie, Uncle Kevin, Cousin Less, and Dog Buddy came for a few hours for
pizza and visiting.
Summer: this is the
first summer we have not been on year-round school, so we have a full
summer. I have all of July off and the kids have been out since June 2,
not starting back till August 28. In June, I had two conferences to
attend. The first was the Utah Common Core for Literacy in Social
Studies. The second was one I applied and was accepted to: The
University of Utah Hinckley Institute of Politics Huntsman Seminar for
teachers. There, I and 25 other selected secondary teachers from around
the state got to meet important political and public figures. We spent
a day at the courts and city building, a day at the capitol, and two
days at the U. It was incredibly interesting and informative. Several
local political and public figures came to speak to us. I learned a lot
and was glad I got to go!
We've been swimming a few
times with our friends. We've been sleeping in and hanging out. I've
been biking a bit, as the weather permits.
Reunions: This
year I have seen several friends and family members I haven't seen in a
while. We had the George and Annie Sowby Family Reunion at Cherry
Hill, UT at the end of June. Several Sowbys from AZ, CA, and UT came.
It was fun to be with them and their families. We enjoyed the water
park there. I got to see my college friend/roommate Melissa Payne
Farnsworth in Logan one day. She was visiting with her 4 boys (a set of
twins) and the kids and I drove up to see her. It was great! I also
got to see old high school and college friends Kristen Jolley Larson and
Jared Jepson. It was fun to catch up with them and see their kids.
They were great friends. Last week, Kevin, the kids, and I went to
Riverdale to visit with his high school friends Jason Ricketts and Cory
Wilkin. Cory and his family live in CA and we usually see them when we
go to Disneyland. My brother Craig and his kids visited from Kentucky
last week. It was fun to see them! We had a big swimming party at
David's house with everyone. The kids had a blast and the adults
enjoyed visiting. On July 23-24, we went to Logan overnight and visited
with Kevin's cousin Les. They have a beautiful yard with a little
stream in the back. We enjoyed visiting and taking it easy.
Puppy: This
is big--we got a puppy! After meeting and seeing Les's (Kevin's
cousin) golden doodle Buddy two years ago, we have been thinking about
getting a dog for the kids to enjoy and take care of. We surprised them
by driving to Brigham City on the 4t of July to choose and bring Pepper
home. It was been quite a trip. We got him too young (only 6 weeks)
and there is a lot for all of us to learn. The first few days he was
mopey and cried a lot at night. After that he got used to being with us
and has done better and better every day. We are adjusting to having a
puppy around all the time and having to change our plans or schedules
to accommodate him. He is not fully immunized yet so we cannot take him
in public or to parks, etc.
The kids have been pretty
good with him. They love to play with him but argue about who will take
care of him at 7am when he's happy and ready to play. He is a cute
little dog who is growing all the time. We're enjoying him for the most
part and are looking forward to when he's a little older and the
accidents stop and he is old enough to get out.
Friday, July 27, 2012
James turns 5 (Sept. 2010)
5 years old!
Nana (Rene Hilman) came from Phoenix, AZ on the night of the 22nd. We all greeted her at the airport. She hasn't seen us since July of 2009 and she was surprised to see how tall Emily is and how smart James is. She brought fun gifts for them and the kids showed her the card and pictures they had made for her.
James had preschool on his birthday, then Nana and I took him to Chik-Fil-A at his request. Later in the day he fell asleep face down on the couch. He needed a birthday nap. The kids had their first ice skating lesson that night at the Olympic Oval. Kevin bought them new hockey skates and gloves. They both did great! Emily has been skating twice but James never has. They both were brave and though they fell, got up and tried again.
James opened his gifts from Nana that night and he got just what he wanted: a remote control car. He and Emily had lots of fun with it. Friday morning as soon as he got out of bed, he was playing with it.
Friday was James' birthday party with his friends. We hired Spiderman to come. There were 13 kids and a few adults at the party which was in our back yard. It was nice weather. Spiderman read them a story, lead them in a superhero workout, and painted their faces. The girls and boys had a great time. Grandma and Grandpa (Steve & Laurie Sowby) came before the party with presents.
Saturday, September 24 was another fun day. Kevin's aunt and uncle, Jackie and Kevin Yeates (Hank's sister) and cousins Les & Nanci Cunningham and boys came from Logan. We grilled steaks and enjoyed good food and good company. Jackie and Kevin spent the night with us and Rene. It was a fun day!
Sunday was the Primary Program in church. Emily had a short talk about the Holy Ghost. She was very articulate! She also sang with a group in her class James did well on his little part.
Jackie, Kevin, and Rene went to Logan. We enjoyed a nice Sunday afternoon with naps and a walk on the Jordan River Trail.
New Year 2010-11, Christmas 2010
New Year's Eve and Day
Kevin didn't have to work all week, so we enjoyed having him around. We
stayed up late, slept late, ate out, saw movies, etc. It was fun.
On New Year's Eve, the kids went to my parents' house with cousin Emma. They stayed the night there. Emily organized a party, complete with a fancy dinner, games, and balloons. They stayed up till midnight then went to bed.
Kevin and I went to see a movie then drove to Logan to see his cousin Les (Cunningham) play in his band Nervous Les and the Side Effects. They played in a tavern in Logan, where it was -5 degrees! We rang in the new year there then drove to Ogden to stay at the Marriott Hotel. My parents had some rewards points they needed to use so they gave them to us. We didn't get to bed till 2am and didn't wake up till almost 11am!
Later we picked up the kids at David & Shannon's house. We went ot dinner at The Sonora Grill, one of our favorites, then played in the hotel pool. We hung out and watched TV till bed.
It's been a fun round of holidays and it's been fun being off our normal routine, but I think we are all looking forward to going back to "normal," then going to California on January 20!
On New Year's Eve, the kids went to my parents' house with cousin Emma. They stayed the night there. Emily organized a party, complete with a fancy dinner, games, and balloons. They stayed up till midnight then went to bed.
Kevin and I went to see a movie then drove to Logan to see his cousin Les (Cunningham) play in his band Nervous Les and the Side Effects. They played in a tavern in Logan, where it was -5 degrees! We rang in the new year there then drove to Ogden to stay at the Marriott Hotel. My parents had some rewards points they needed to use so they gave them to us. We didn't get to bed till 2am and didn't wake up till almost 11am!
Later we picked up the kids at David & Shannon's house. We went ot dinner at The Sonora Grill, one of our favorites, then played in the hotel pool. We hung out and watched TV till bed.
It's been a fun round of holidays and it's been fun being off our normal routine, but I think we are all looking forward to going back to "normal," then going to California on January 20!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Christmas!
Christmas morning, we slept till after 9am. James came in our room, then went and got Emily. Once the video camera was ready, we let them go see what Santa brought. Emily got a pink Razor scooter she asked for, and a Taylor Swift CD. In her stocking was a necklace, 9 pairs of earrings, and other items. James got his beloved and sought after Nerf Shotgun. He has been talking about it for weeks. He too got a new scooter, a blue one. In his stocking were some paints and paintbrushes, because he recently took a liking to "arting," or so he calls it.
From Nana, James got a cool set of remote control trick cars. He has already worn the batteries out. He also got some cute Star Warts T-shirts. Emily loved her little sewing/craft kit from Nana. She already decorated a shirt with fabric paint.
The kids have had fun on their scooters. It was dry weather on Christmas day, so they were able to be outside. Today it's been snowing so they have played inside.
We saw the Disney movie "Tangled." It was a cute movie and the kids loved it.
Today is Sunday, so we went to church. Kevin and I had a nap after church while the kids played downstairs. I have been organizing and creating a photo book of the year 2010. I have over 1,000 photos from the year that need to be put into a book and printed.
Kevin is taking the week off and I have time off as well, though I will be working a couple hours per day (there are days/weeks when I don't work a full 40 hours, so it's fine that I work during the break). We plan to sleep in, hang out, go to movies, etc.
Cool Places
Cool Places
I thought I'd make a list of places/destinations I love. Here they are in random order:
Disneyland and Disney World. I have enjoyed Disneyland as a child, teenager, young adult, newlywed, and with my own children. I have great memories of going there with different people--the Sowby Family, the Hilmans when Hank was alive, on my honeymoon, and with high school or college marching band friends. It helps that my husband was born and lived close to Disneyland as a child and and loves everything about it. We went to Disney World for the first time as a family in 2009 and loved it. I was amazed and how huge Disney World is--several miles between parks.
Washington, D.C. I first visited D.C. when I was 8 years old and I fell in love with it then. Since then, I have been 8 times. It was seeing D.C. as a child that sparked my interest in history and as I studied and taught history, my interest in the city grew even more. I loved taking our kids there in the fall of 2009 and having them be excited about it. (My daughter now has a poster of Abraham Lincoln hanging in her bedroom). Every few years there is a new monument or something new to see. I am anxiously awaiting the MLK Memorial to be finished. My parents lived there from 09-10 and will be there again from 11-12, so we will be sure to visit more than once.
National Parks: Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Arches. I saw Bryce and Zion a few times as a youth. I saw the Grand Canyon once as a teenager and once last summer with my dad and kids. I went to Arches for the first time in 2009 on a work assignment and loved seeing Delicate Arch with my family. The Utah National Parks are amazing, beautiful, wondrous, and inspiring.
England. In 1995 I lived in London as part of a study abroad program. I loved being immersed in the art, theater, and culture of the city. I also loved the quaint towns, cathedrals, and scenic rolling hills. I got to go again in 2005 when I was pregnant with baby #2. It is a destination I look forward to seeing with my husband and children.
Italy. Italy is one-of-a-kind. I went twice with my mom, once in 1995 and once in 1998. The city of Venice is unlike any other place. It is something one has to experience in order to understand. Rome and the Vatican City are amazing. The art contained in those places is amazing. Again, it is something one has to experience to understand the awe.
Other cool places I've been:
China--it was neat to stand on the Great Wall and in Tiananmen Square, but it was so 3rd world that I have a hard time wanting to go back.
Japan--Tokyo is the most "foreign" city I have ever seen. I know that sounds funny, but the lights, tall buildings, crowds of people, and non-recognizable writing are crazy. Outside the city, traveling a few hours north via train, it was beautiful and green.
Mexico--not the resort or tourist parts. Between Christmas and New Year 94-95 my parents took us to do a service project in a remote village. It was 90 miles by bus from Mexico City and another several miles by cattle truck. The landscape was interesting. It was dry and desert-like with giant green aloe plants. Within view was a volcano.
Europe--Germany, Austria, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Scotland. I had a great time traveling Europe by train with my mom. I turned 20 in Austria.
Israel--I was 14 when we went. My memory has faded, but I remember certain places: The Garden Tomb, the Dead Sea, the Dome of the Rock, and the city of Jerusalem. What an experience for a young girl!
The Oregon coast--I've only been once but I thought it was so neat. I liked how pine trees lead to a beach. It was scenery unlike I've seen anywhere else.
Places I want to go:
The Oregon Coast
New York City (I've been twice but want to go with our kids)
The South--maybe Memphis or Nashville
Boston
New Orleans
A cruise--somewhere warm in when it's winter here
Disneyland and Disney World. I have enjoyed Disneyland as a child, teenager, young adult, newlywed, and with my own children. I have great memories of going there with different people--the Sowby Family, the Hilmans when Hank was alive, on my honeymoon, and with high school or college marching band friends. It helps that my husband was born and lived close to Disneyland as a child and and loves everything about it. We went to Disney World for the first time as a family in 2009 and loved it. I was amazed and how huge Disney World is--several miles between parks.
Washington, D.C. I first visited D.C. when I was 8 years old and I fell in love with it then. Since then, I have been 8 times. It was seeing D.C. as a child that sparked my interest in history and as I studied and taught history, my interest in the city grew even more. I loved taking our kids there in the fall of 2009 and having them be excited about it. (My daughter now has a poster of Abraham Lincoln hanging in her bedroom). Every few years there is a new monument or something new to see. I am anxiously awaiting the MLK Memorial to be finished. My parents lived there from 09-10 and will be there again from 11-12, so we will be sure to visit more than once.
National Parks: Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Arches. I saw Bryce and Zion a few times as a youth. I saw the Grand Canyon once as a teenager and once last summer with my dad and kids. I went to Arches for the first time in 2009 on a work assignment and loved seeing Delicate Arch with my family. The Utah National Parks are amazing, beautiful, wondrous, and inspiring.
England. In 1995 I lived in London as part of a study abroad program. I loved being immersed in the art, theater, and culture of the city. I also loved the quaint towns, cathedrals, and scenic rolling hills. I got to go again in 2005 when I was pregnant with baby #2. It is a destination I look forward to seeing with my husband and children.
Italy. Italy is one-of-a-kind. I went twice with my mom, once in 1995 and once in 1998. The city of Venice is unlike any other place. It is something one has to experience in order to understand. Rome and the Vatican City are amazing. The art contained in those places is amazing. Again, it is something one has to experience to understand the awe.
Other cool places I've been:
China--it was neat to stand on the Great Wall and in Tiananmen Square, but it was so 3rd world that I have a hard time wanting to go back.
Japan--Tokyo is the most "foreign" city I have ever seen. I know that sounds funny, but the lights, tall buildings, crowds of people, and non-recognizable writing are crazy. Outside the city, traveling a few hours north via train, it was beautiful and green.
Mexico--not the resort or tourist parts. Between Christmas and New Year 94-95 my parents took us to do a service project in a remote village. It was 90 miles by bus from Mexico City and another several miles by cattle truck. The landscape was interesting. It was dry and desert-like with giant green aloe plants. Within view was a volcano.
Europe--Germany, Austria, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Scotland. I had a great time traveling Europe by train with my mom. I turned 20 in Austria.
Israel--I was 14 when we went. My memory has faded, but I remember certain places: The Garden Tomb, the Dead Sea, the Dome of the Rock, and the city of Jerusalem. What an experience for a young girl!
The Oregon coast--I've only been once but I thought it was so neat. I liked how pine trees lead to a beach. It was scenery unlike I've seen anywhere else.
Places I want to go:
The Oregon Coast
New York City (I've been twice but want to go with our kids)
The South--maybe Memphis or Nashville
Boston
New Orleans
A cruise--somewhere warm in when it's winter here
Funny Kids
Funny Sayings
JAMES
At Disneyworld in Florida, after riding Dinosaur, James screamed/cried "I did not have fun!" (Age 4)
Also there, while seeing the Hall of Presidents, James asked "Did President Lincoln come back alive?" (Age 4)
While listening to an instrumental piece by Duran Duran while we were in the car, toward the end of it, James asked "Is this guy every gonna start singing, or what?" (Age 5)
"Where does the Disneyland come from Dad? (Age 2)
"Do pirates resist?" (Exist) (Age 3)
"This room is a ba-saster (disaster)" (Age 3)
"I make apple juice" or "it's working!" while being potty trained
"Light-ming" (Lightning)
EMILY
"Secrets of the Child." (Age 2)
"Felicious (dishes) (Age 1)
"Arbitration" (age 1.5)
"Fff--ffff" (Woof, when she saw a dog) (Age 1.5)
"Dovel up Supterstar" (Double as a Super Star, Hanna Montana song), (Age 4)
Song: "There was a baby int eh world. He used to cry, and you would give him a bottle to feel him better." (Age 3)
California, January 2011
California Trip!
Kevin and I surprised the kids by getting Phantom tickets. We sat on the front row of the balcony. We had seen this same production in the Venetian in April 2010 and loved it so much we wanted to see it again. This time we had a different vantage point. Emily saw the Phantom double climb into the chandelier for one of the scenes. We enjoyed the beautiful theater.
The next day we got breakfast at McDonald's on The Strip. (Before our trip, James and I ran into a neighbor at Target. James excitedly told them we were going to eat at McDonald's in Vegas). We drove through the ugly desert to the town of Barstow, CA, and continued on through the desert and mountains into Riverside County. My phone has a GPS and maps on it, so we used that as our guide. Our destination was to Westminster, CA to visit with the family of Marie Como. Marie is Kevin's God Mother and lifelong family friend of Hank and Rene. She died the week before and her memorial service happened to be on the day we were to arrive in CA. We had fun visiting with Angel and other family members in the same home Kevin spent so much time in as a child. Our kids had fun outside and with the dog. We later heard that they were very well behaved and very cute kids.
From there, we drove about 5 miles to the Pacific Coast Highway, where we got our first glimpse of the ocean. We knew a different route would get us to our destination faster, but we wanted to enjoy the scenic and historic highway. We drove through Newport where we saw lots of expensive cars and had a close call. Kevin nearly hit a Bentley. He hit the brakes hard enough to lock our seatbelts and scare us.
Our destination that evening was Oceanside, where my parents had rented a beach house. We followed the directions which took us to Pacific Street, where we saw the ocean again. We arrived just as the sun was setting and I snapped a picture of the sunset with my phone. We found the beach house and my dad directed us in.
The beach house is one my mom found through a vacation rental website. It had two levels, 2 kitchens, 2 bathrooms, and slept 10. We had the upstairs and they had the downstairs. The house was probably built in the 50s but had some remodeling done. The back yard had some grass, then sand (fire pit, lounge chairs, tables, etc). then the beach! It was literally in the back yard. It was night but we enjoyed the sounds of the ocean.
The next morning was Saturday. Kevin, the kids, and I went to San Diego Zoo Safari park. We took a tram tour and saw several animals. The kids particularly liked the baby elephant we saw after the tram ride. The park was nice, but it was hard to find our way around. We were there about 3 hours total.
The kids wanted to get to the beach house and play at the beach. It was very nice weather--in the 70s or low 80s. Of course the water was cold, but we enjoyed in nonetheless. This was James's first time at the ocean, and Emily was too small to remember (she was 3 months when we went to San Diego and 15 months when we went to Seal Beach in Orange County). They were thrilled! They loved running in and out of the waves, carrying buckets of sand and water, collecting rocks and shells, and having fun. Kevin and I had fun watching the kids and had fun ourselves lying on the beach. We all took a walk a mile away to the pier and back. There were lots of people on the beach enjoying the day.
When the sun went down, it got cold. We went inside and got showered. We had dinner with my parents.
Sunday, we had took some pictures on the beach. We went to Sacrament Meeting at an Oceanside ward. The kids just wanted to get back to the beach to play. We first went to San Diego where we went to Old Town. We ate at a good Mexican restaurant outdoors and enjoyed the Latino music and dancing there in the square. We left to get to the beach before the sun went down. We played for a couple hours then went inside.
The next morning, we went to Sea World. We got there right as it opened at 10am. My parents met us there later. We saw the Shamu show twice, a dolphin show, and a pet show. We rode the Shipwreck Rapids ride, which James declared he did not like--as it was over. Sea World closed at 5 so there wasn't a lot of time to do much.
Tuesday morning was the time Kevin was most looking forward to: Disneyland! We drove (with my phone's navigation) to Anaheim and checked into Hotel Menage. We walked on Harbor Blvd. to the Magic Kingdom. We kept in the tradition of riding Pirates of the Caribbean very first. We all rode Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain (both the kids' first time), Thunder Mountain Railroad, Matterhorn, Indiana Jones, Finding Nemo Submarines, etc. We also went to Disney's California Adventure for my favorite ride (Soarin' Over California), Grizzly River Rapids, and our new favorite, Toy Story Mania (we liked this in Florida too!). At night we saw "World of Color" which is in DCA. It is a show akin to "Fantasmic" at Disneyland, but different.
Wednesday was another Disney day. This time, my parents met us there. They had not been to Disneyland since 1995 when my brother Rob was 9. Ours were the first grandkids they have enjoyed Disneyland with. We did many of the same rides we could all do together, and we got Grandpa on Indiana Jones and Thunder Mountain Railroad (his hat blew off and someone caught it!). We rode the train and saw Asimo the robot. The crowds were light and the weather was nice.
James got chosen to be a part of the Jedi Training Academy in Tomorrowland. Kevin and James went to watch it while Emily and I did something else. From a distance, we could see him jumping up and down with his arms in the air, wanting to get chosen from the crowd with other kids. He got a light saber and a jedi robe. Along with other little kids, he got to be trained as a jedi and even got to fight Darth Vader. He was thrilled.
My parents went back to Oceanside that night. They were flying out Friday morning.
Thursday 1/28 we made our way to Universal Studios in Hollywood. We passed the famous Hollywood sign and LA skyline. Universal is a park Kevin and I visited on our honeymoon, but not since. The highlights of this visit were the tram tour (twice), Jurassic Park (which we waited in line for 2-3 hours in 1996), The Simpsons ride, and seeing the views. The tram tour was fun because we got to see the new King Kong 3D attraction. It is a 3D experience while on the tram, with a movie screen surrounding the tram. Kevin loved it; James did not.
Our last day of the vacation was Friday, when we went back to Disneyland for one last hurrah. This day, James was sick, so he and I didn't get there till around noon. Kevin's friend, Cory Wilkin, and his wife and two daughters met us there. We spent the afternoon with them. Kevin took Emily on Tower of Terror this day. We finished our day in the gift shop, getting Mickey Mouse earrings for Emily.
Saturday morning we packed up and checked out. We ate at Mimi's Cafe then made the boring drive to Las Vegas. We once again stayed in the Excalibur Hotel. We went to a nice outdoor mall south of the strip where we did a little shopping and ate a nice Italian dinner. During dinner, Emily said she didn't feel well. When we were walking to our car, she threw up in the bushes.
Emily got sick during this trip. She had a fever and cough. It would come at night and in the morning, but she managed to keep it away during the day. Kevin made a few different trips to local stores to get medicines. Later in the week, James got sick also, with croup and a fever. He did OK and had fun anyway.
Sunday we headed toward St. George and ultimately home. We stopped at my parents' first to attend their setting apart for their mission. They left on February 1 to drive to Washington, D.C. The whole family was there (minus Craig and family, who live in Kentucky). We were tired, but it was nice to be with our family for this occasion. We got home around 9pm.
The next day it was windy and snowy. It was kind of a shock to come home to cold temperatures after being in sunshine and warmth for 11 days.
All in all, our vacation was great. We loved being away and in the warm sunshine. It was a great time of year to go--after Christmas and in the dead of winter. We are grateful to my parents for sharing the beach house with us. We got City Passes at Costco, which allowed us to have 6 days of park admissions for a low price.
Moab, Solo, March 2011
Moab, Solo
I left Monday morning around 10 and got to Arches National Park around 2. It was a great drive, with clear skies. It was nice weather while I was there. After a stop at the visitor's center, I went right to Delicate Arch. I made the 1.5 mile uphill hike in about 30 minutes. Once I was getting close, I got excited. I knew that around the bend I would see the Arch. It was exciting to see it again. The family and I saw it for the first time in 2009. When we went in 2010, it was too snowy to hike. I was up there by myself. Not another sole was there. I tried to take pictures with me in it, but decided to focus on the arch instead. I walked around to the other side and saw a view I had not seen before. It was windy, but nice to be up there.
On the way down I passed some hikers. I drove into the city and checked into the motel, did some work on the computer, then got some dinner. I watched TV and went to bed.
The next morning I went to the Moab Library to administer the test to 4 students. They got done within an hour, so I packed up and headed back to Arches. It was another gorgeous sunny day and the contrast between the red rock and blue sky was amazing. I hiked the Park Avenue trail, an easy one-mile hike. As I hiked and looked at the towering rocks and blue sky, I wondered how people can think God does not exist. It was evident to me there, that He does exist and that Jesus created this beautiful world.
I had to drive an hour south to Monticello. Along the way I stopped at Hole-N-the-Rock, a real eyesore. It is a "museum" of a house some guy carved into the rock in the 1960's. I bought some cute earrings for Em and a cowboy play set for James, so it was worth it.
As I continued to Monticello, I was really low on gas. I prayed I would not run out. I was happy when I saw a gas station over the hill. I filled up, got some lunch at the Juice Tree, and went to the library for the next round of testing. Again, they finished fairly quickly. I left around 3:30 with Dead Horse Point in mind. I had read about it and heard about it, and wanted to make it there. To get there, I drove a little bit north of Moab onto a side road where people enter Canyonlands National Park. Along the way there were cattle in the road. The drive was not very scenic and I was wondering when I'd get to the point. I didn't pass any other cars and when I pulled into the Visitor Center parking lot at 5pm, no other cars were there. I ran in and paid the entrance fee, then took a look. It was neat, but as the Ranger told me, it was not "the famous" scene. She directed me a mile up the road to the lookout point. Again, I was the only one there. The lookout was amazing. It was like the Grand Canyon. I was there as the sun started to set. The scenery was gorgeous. I cannot believe I have live in Utah my whole life and never seen this place. I spent several minutes up there taking a lot of pictures. I used the self-timer to get some shots of myself. It was neat and strange at the same time, to be there all by myself.
I left DHP and drove to Green River. By that point, I had 3 more hours to go and knew I would not be good to continue home. I had a previous reservation in that town. There is nothing there, really. I checked in, got dinner at the gas station Subway, and showered and went to bed. I left around 8:30 am and made it home to get James from the babysitter at 11:30 am.
I enjoyed this little trip. Though the main purpose was for work, I am glad I planned ahead and made time to see some of Arches and to see Dead Horse Point. It was worth it!
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