Vacation Notes

I really should be sleeping, since I am still so tired from our trip and events and late nights of visiting. Come to think of it, I am ALWAYS tired, even when I am not on vacation.

I have posted a few things of what we have been doing here but thought I would give more details on some of the other things. It seems like our trip goes so fast and after we are back home I forget all the fun things that we did. I thought this would be great to remind myself and the girls of the things we did this trip.

One thing I failed to mention was on 4th of July, Lauren was still afraid of the loud noises and also afraid some of the fireworks might land on her so she stayed in the house and looked out the window. At one point she tried laying on a blanket on the ground with her Uncle Kelly, then she tried sitting in her Aunt Tracy's truck and finally went inside. I think she had more fun following the dogs around in the house especially the two that climbed into the tub to hide from the noises.

One of the reasons we decided to come up here to WA during this time was that two of my dad's brothers from California would be here too. My Uncle Buzz (along with wife Aunt Nancy) and my Uncle Wayne (and wife Aunt Phyllis). My dad's family is so fun to get together with. They crack me up. It reminds me much of how I feel when my family gets together... Lots of laughing and joking around! Aunt Nancy is normally the group chef, or is it cook. She was telling us she was one of them... she was saying one of them makes the meals and cleans up, and then the other just makes the meals. She was stating that she is the one that only makes the meals and DOES NOT clean up. She is a GREAT meal maker no matter what she calls herself cook or chef!

The funniest thing was when we got up here, Robert brought his running shoes and clothes so he could run up here to get ready for his WA Ragnar Relay Race he is doing the 24th or July. On Friday I think it was, he went running, came back showered and realized he didn't bring any underwear except for the ones he wore here. LOL Previously we realized he didn't bring church clothes or shoes, but he got his black church socks. We missed church that first Sunday we were here. It was somewhat nice since the kids were tired from the trip up and then being up later for the 4th fireworks. When Rob would go running, I would wash his underwear. He also ended up doing hay for my mom twice in the same weekend.

I took Robert to the airport on Sunday, dropped him off. I was able to go see my friend Jennifer and her ADORABLE twins (boy/girl). They are just the cutest! Her kids are about a month and a week older than Samantha I think. Her little boy Carter kept grabbing my finger and wanting me to take a walk with him. Her daughter Ellie, wasn't as friendly toward me, but did warm up a bit. I sure wish I was closer, I think our kids would be great friends and I would love to do more with her and her little family!

My brother Kelly's son, Thomas was at his other Grandma and Papa's and wasn't here when we first got here. He ended up coming on Wednesday I think. My girls were pretty excited especially Emily who is the same age and Amber too. Amber loves boys that age. She still tells me at night, "Tomorrow I am going to Jacob's house." She still loves her little Jacob that was on our street at our old house. Now Amber will say, "Where did Thomas go?" when she can't find him or after he has gone back home.

The girls are having VIP sleep over at Grandma and Grandpa Hayes'. They are packing up to move to UT, and I think it works great to have that one on one time with the girls and the girls of course love it. One girl at a time goes and stays with them overnight and then I switch the next day. Lauren was the first to go over. Samantha and Amber will not be having a turn.

My parents and my Aunt Nancy, Uncle Buzz, his son Gene, and then their grandaughter Drelan went to see Mt. St. Helens. I debated on going, the girls really like to go but I didn't want to take the little ones. Then I thought if I didn't go then we could go over to the Hayes' and hang out there a little bit. We ended up going over there and having dinner and dropping off Lauren for the first VIP sleep over. They also went to Lewis and Clark State Park I think, or close by. There is an old growth forest there with a walking path through it. Emily went with them for that.

We have been burning the midnight oil by playing Mexican Train (domino game) I think it is called. I had played it before along time ago with our friends Nathan and Adrian at their cabin but it has been literally years. I think Emily was just a baby at the time or maybe she wasn't even born yet. That is how long it has been. But I really like the game. We start the train with the double 12 and play all the way through to the double blank. Several nights we will end at like 1:30 am. It is normally no big deal for others, but my little Samantha has been getting up about 7 am every morning if not earlier. Amber a few times has woken up at 6:30 am too. Although the other day I took almost a 3 hour nap. I may have been able to keep sleeping, but I noticed it was almost 2 pm and we were going to go riding at 2.

The girls rode horses again today. My mom, her niece, and me went for a ride this evening when it cooled off a bit and then let the kids ride in the field. Lindsey stayed the night at Grandma and Grandpa Hayes' so she missed out on riding.

Samantha is getting really close to walking. She can do it, but just isn't brave enough to let go to do it on her own. I can trick her into it sometimes and she takes a few steps and then realizes what she is doing and down she goes to sit down on the floor.

I can't think of anything else to report on that I haven't already done. Oh yes, except for my neice Renee had her baby. That will have to be a post all in itself. I have some pictures to post on that one for sure.

I guess that will be it for tonight, and now I feel like I can go to bed!