On Friday morning (July 11th), we set out to California. The drive was pretty uneventful. It was Joseph's first experience with the desert and in order to save gas and avoid overheating and getting stuck in the desert, we used very little of our AC. This in turn caused Joseph to call the desert: evil.
Notice the new hair cut - the shortest I have ever had
Me in front of our buffet (the basketball shorts I am wearing has a long story)
After Vegas, we continued our journey through the desert. After passing Baker and reading 101 on the world's tallest thermometer, we got stuck in dead traffic. At first we thought it was just back up from what I call the "fruit check." We thought things would pick back up again but they didn't. Finally we saw why.
That night the Rays (my sister's family) came over to Dad's house and we played Wii with all the kids. Jacob is very serious about his Wii playing. Then the adults played some big people games.
Day 2 - Jarom's Birthday
Saturday was full of preparations for Jarom's birthday party. It of course was Indiana Jones themed. We made a "pin the treasure in Indy's hand" game and filled up two buckets of water balloons. The Ray's borrowed a huge blowup slide and pool and brought a slip-n-slide. The day had been hot and cloudless. Just as Joseph was finishing setting up the water activities outside it started raining.
Rachael brought her kids in their swimming suites and only brought PJs for them to change into for the drive-in we were going to later. Therefore, Jarom hosted his party in his PJs. We called it the Hugh Hefner party. All the kids still had fun.
Even Jordyn wanted in on the Indiana Jones attire
Jack at the party
Rachael cooked all the food, which was Delicious! It was homemade pizza, wings and a homemade Oreo ice cream cake. (When I say homemade I mean even the ice cream.)
Jarom (aka Hugh Jr.) the Birthday Boy. He turned the big 4!
After the party we went to the drive in theater. The double feature was Wall-E and Hancock . I wasn't super excited about Wall-E from the previews, but it ended up being OK. However, I love Will Smith and was excited to see Hancock. I was very disappointed in it.
Day 3 - SundaySunday was church and then more hanging out with the whole family.
Day 4- Beach
Monday was beach day. We went to Balboa beach. Everybody had a great time. Joseph played on the boggy board the whole time. I had Joseph help me go out past the break line. For about 20 minutes we had fun going over the swells and being in the ocean. Then a wave decided to break before the other waves. I was tumbled everywhere and hit my knee pretty hard against the ocean floor. If I had been just Kristi who tumbled, it wouldn't have fazed me very much and I would have kept playing. However, since it was Kristi and Baby Chase, I was a little worried and decided to end my ocean playing for the day.
Jack
Jarom and Jeremy
Joseph having FUN with the boggy board
Digging for sand crabs
Burying Jack
On the way back home, Rachael took me to the famous Pinkberry she can't stop talking about. It was really good. It is like a frozen yogurt place we have in Provo.
Joseph got incredibly sun burnt! He was in a lot of pain. That night Jacob cooked us hot dogs for a wolf requirement and we also had s'mores - yum yum!Day 4 - Going home (or at least to the Rays)
The plan for Tuesday was going to be: wake up, pack the car, stop by Rachael's to play on the Wii and visit for about an hour, then head back through the desert.
The plan got mixed up when we stayed at Rachael's for 8 hours instead. As fun as Joseph had driving through the "evil" desert without a sunburn, he decided he couldn't bear to drive with the sunburn and wanted to wait until dark.
Joseph and the Ray boys played Wii most the day while Rachael and I just talked. We all went to In - n - Out for dinner, then around 8pm Joseph and I started back for Utah.
Notice Jacob's intensity
I fell asleep after Baker and Joseph drove all the way to St. George. I drove from St. George home.
While I was driving around 2 O'clock in the morning, I turned a corner and saw a massive deer with antlers and all standing half way in the left hand lane and half way in the right hand lane (which was were I was driving). The deer very casually walked all the way into the left hand lane and then turned its head to stare at me as I passed it on the right. I was very shaken up! I think it is a miracle the the deer moved just as I passed it and saved us all from death. Traveling at 80 miles an hour there was no time to stop. Luckily we were the only ones on the road.
Joseph's peeling face the next day
3 comments:
That's too bad about the birthday and about Joe's sunburn. Don't worry about the Dark Knight being to scary. It was just intense and there were some creepy parts, nothing really scary. Hey looks like from the pictures of the trip we're do for other side view picture of your belly. How about it?
Great summary of the visit and great pictures. Poor Joseph and his peeling face... hope it is better now.
I was listening to the radio yesterday and a Chevron commercial was on giving hints for fuel economy. Turns out keeping your windows down and AC off is great for around town but not for highway driving as having the windows down on the highway interrupts the aerodynamics of the car and actually uses more fuel. Who knew?? Next time you drive through the evil dessert you can use your AC. Yeah!!:)
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