The most recent round of knock knock jokes started like this:
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Chicken butt!!! Ha ha ha ha.
Now I don't like the word "butt." I ask the kids not to use that word, hence the "hilarity" of this punch line. After the first time, I had a little talk with the kids about appropriate references for one's gluteous maximus. I won't equate the word "butt" with swearing, but I will say that I have always believed that prolific swearing is due to one of two things: small vocabulary or lack of creativity. So I decided to build the children's vocabulary, discussing with them the plethora of more appropriate names for that part of the body: bottom, rump, posterior, "nether quarters," behind, gluteous maximus, patootie, the list went on and on.
Now the knock knock jokes go like this:
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Chicken bu-TOX! (Jonny's pronunciation of buttocks)
Not really sure that's an improvement, but it makes me laugh anyway.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Disneyland!
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| Here are the kiddodiddos all ready for fun. We departed Stansbury Park for Anaheim early Sunday morning, stopping for church in Arizona. (Not one of our finer moments, but at least we tried.) The kids packed "the essentials" and I was surprised that the jester hat was essential. It made this 15 hour ride much more festive. |
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| Crowded into Roger Rabbit's car. What a ride! |
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| Meeting the Mouse: this is one of the nicest pictures we have of our family with Mickey. And this was one of the best trips to Disneyland. |
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| This is in Mickey's house, when you are waiting to meet him. Fun times! |
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| Here's Jonny in Dumbo. He rode with Gary. |
Simon, Rachel and I rode Dumbo together. Rachel cried when it was time to get off. She cried when she had to get off every ride.
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| The workers had to pair our kids up just right to meet their age requirements. Kids under 8 can't ride without an adult. Consequently, James and Amelia were frequently paired up. You couldn't tell that here. He's hiding because he does not want to be seen with Amelia (front Dumbo.) |
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| We stopped by the Big Thunder Ranch to check out the animals. This is the best smelling petting zoo, hands down. Rachel liked the goat, but she thought it was a dog. |
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| James, Simon, Mia, Jonny and Rachel line up in front of the Small World ride. I was so looking forward to taking Rachel on this ride. Babies love the colors, movement and music. She cried in line and promptly fell asleep, missing the whole thing. She also snoozed on Buzz Light Year's Space Ranger Spin. |
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| Mia on Small World. pretty girl! One addition I enjoyed on the ride was cartoon Disney characters. They are done in the style of Small World's other characters and are pretty subtle, but if you are looking you can find Jasmine and Aladdin, Ariel, Woody and Jesse, Pinocchio, and other friends. |
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| Jonny driving on Autopia. Because of fast passes and baby swapping, I think Jonny ended up riding this a lot. (5 times) |
Disneyland was great time. We used a touring plan from a Disneyland guide book and made full use of our time there. I love having a plan when we go. It means that no time is wasted on figuring out what to do next and everyone is happy because they know that the rides they want are on the list.
Fast passes and baby swapping let the kids ride the ride multiple times in a row. For example here are a few ride totals from our more popular choices:
Splash Mountain:
Jonny and Amelia 4 or 5 (depending on who you ask)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh:
James and Rachel 6+ times (James did Splash Mountain, but did not want to get more than once. Consequently, he hung out on Winnie the Pooh with Rachel)
Indiana Jones:
Amelia and James 4
Autopia:
Jonny and Simon: at least 4 times
Space Mountain:
Jonny and Amelia 2, Simon and James 1
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad:
Everyone but Rachel rode this once.
Pirates of the Caribbean:
Everyone but Mom and Simon rode this. It was "too scary."
Buzz Light Year
Everyone rode this twice. Rachel was awake for one of those times
Star Tours:
Totally redone, Jonny and Amelia rode this twice. Simon and Rachel were asleep in the stroller so they missed this one.
Good time had by all. Wish you could have joined in the fun!
Snowy 5K
Yesterday it snowed. It never snows here before Halloween. It happened to be the race day for James' Spooktacular 5K. He joined a running club at the beginning of the year and has been running twice a week to prepare for his first race. So, with snow on the ground he and about 300 other runners took off. 29 minutes later, with blue lips and a red nose he crossed the finish line! He was tired but very happy to have made it the whole way. I am so proud of James for finishing such a big race. He can't wait to do it again.
What moms like
Last week, I attended a brief puppet show put on by Amelia's brownie troop. The girls sang "The 13 days of Girls Scouts" (like the 12 days of Christmas, but they sang about all the things their troop has done.) Amelia was day 2: painting on the wall. Other girls sang about the girl scout promise, going to camp, etc. When it was over I told Amelia how cute it was and how proud I was of her for singing so nicely and she went into this harangue about how moms like EVERYTHING because they are SUPPOSED to like everything, and didn't I realize no one was singing on key and wasn't I stupid not to know how dumb it was on my own. So I was trying to hustle her out before she hurt someone's feelings when one of her troop mates (who was listening intently to our exchange) said "Mia, moms DON'T like everything. They don't like clothes on your bedroom floor. They don't like toys all over the house. They don't like fighting..." and a few other things that I forgot. I gave her a major Woot! Woot! and congratulated her for her words of wisdom.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Mowgli
Last night I was reading to Rachel before bed. It was a Jungle Book themed story. When we got to a page with Mowgli, she pointed to his legs and asked "pants?" I said "No, Mowgli doesn't wear pants." We turned the page. There was another Mowgli picture and Rachel repeated "no pants" then she suggested "skirt? shirt? YEAH" I think she was trying to tell me he's got to wear something.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
What would you choose?
Tonight when I was leaving for a rehearsal (by the way, I'm in a show), 17-month-old cute-as-a-button Rachel approached me and said, "Hold me! Hold me!" I was happy she wanted to spend a moment with me. But just as I started to lean over to pick her up, she became very excited and detoured to her left to go around me, saying "Brush! Brush!" and then picked up a toy hairbrush on the floor behind me.
What would you choose? Your dad, or a hairbrush?
What would you choose? Your dad, or a hairbrush?
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
That's Entertainment!
This morning I got a nice quiet hour to fold the laundry. As I was putting it away I found out why: Rachel had amused herself by dumping a bowl of oatmeal on Simon's floor to drive race cars through. Now a different child might not find anything amusing about oatmeal and cars. They might say it was "boring:" But not Rachel. She spent that hour having a great time. Was it a mess? Well, yes, but I was glad to have a kid who was willing to entertain herself. Now I'll just have to work on providing appropriate substances:)
Sunday, October 02, 2011
The Relatives Came (it was us)
Have you ever been tired? I mean so tired that you can't function? Let me give you an example that a few of you commenting readers can relate to (I hope.) Giving birth is a tiring experience. But even more exhausting is about day 3, when you are still physically exhausted from the process AND also being up 48 hours straight with a newborn who doesn't really sleep. Then add to that the hormonal shift from being pregnant to NOT being pregnant. For me, that's about as tired as I ever get. And I usually respond by crying for several hours straight because I don't have anything left to hold it in. Well, on the way home from our vacation, that's pretty much sums up how tired I was. The second leg of the flight home, I was a wreck.
So it's a really good thing that Gary was functional. Actually, he was my real hero, taking care of drinks and bathroom and stories and everything else the kids needed so that I could rest and recover.
And so I think that's why I am having such a hard time blogging about the trip. It's hard to remember exactly what was going on through the fog of fatigue.
So here it goes
Day One: After wrangling for a rental car that fit our family, we met up with extended family at the Jelly Belly factory. Now I have been on this tour a few times, both in Wisconsin and CA. All things considered, this was perhaps the most comprehensive tour I have ever been on, due to the fact that I was trying to keep a tantruming child away from the tour group (if you were at the zoo with us, multiple that intensity and duration by 10.) So I didn't see any of the videos or hear the guide telling his cute stories. I was just able to look out over the factory and just watch the machines. The robots were fascinating. Watching the candy evolve though the different processes was beautiful. And seeing Rachel try to interact with the robots and to get their attention was pretty precious: Hi! HI!
That being said, I don't really think it's a great place for meeting up with anybody. There's no place for all the hugging and kissing and squealing that should go on when family meets up. It's a mad house of lines, people and echoing noise. So trying to keep tabs on all of the kiddodiddos who wanted to explore and trying to keep their tantrums to a minimum (that would be epic FAIL) was really all I could do there.
Day Two:
This day began with a tour of Pittsburg, my home town. It was kind of a drive by deal. I was impressed with the buildings new and old which seemed so brightly painted and vibrant. The new high school was impressive. The old one was a lot of separate buildings in widely varying states of repair. The new one seems to be contained in one building, which threw me, as every school I attended in Pittsburg had many buildings connected with outdoor walk ways (even elementary school.) I think it was a wonderful improvement which will bless the community.
Then we had lunch at the New Mecca Cafe. YUM It's been around for decades, and the owner is a man who has given everything to the community. In return the community adores him. He is a town treasure. The food is good and brought back memories of all the occasions we ate there as a family and when we would go to events with free burritioes (fun runs, honor roll lunches, and even my brother's eagle project!) I don't think I am the only one who thinks the food is good- they actually cater for major league baseball teams in the bay area, as well as the Boston Red Sox (when they are in town.)
After that it was a mad dash to Alameda where we went to Crown Beach. This was really wistful for me. I dressed the kids in swim suits and jackets. But I have been to enough cold beaches in San Francisco (put your feet in until you can't take the cold anymore- run out to warm up, repeat) that I did not bring my suit. I also did not know if this beach was safe for more than feet, so I was mildly panicked to be there. I'll just say it: I am a beach wimp, especially when it involves my kids. The ocean is so big and deep and wide that the idea of one of the kids getting lost at sea just sets me on edge. This actually turned out to be a beach with warmish water, gentle waves and no under tow. The children enjoyed swimming- especially James who freaked me out beacause he was fearless in the water. He swam out with Uncle Ben (smartie who brought his suit, yes I was jealous) until we could barely see them. I played in the sand with Simon and Rachel and made castles for the dead crabs we found. I was thrilled by the quality of the specimens, but I think I annoyed my sister there by showing her dead things.
Amelia went to attend one of Aunt Vivian's girl scout troop meetings. She was proud to bring her uniform. They did a Try It about water- Amelia's troop will be doing it later this year locally. Then we went to the yacht club for a dinner/fundraiser for my neices and nephew's sailing club. Ruth and Charles got certificates for completing summer racing lessons. It was chilly, but a nice time to be with others. Thanks, Vivian!
Day Three, a Friday, Uncle John hosted his own birthday party. It was a cook out at a lovely park called Coyote Hills. Thanks, John! There was this butterfly garden there and also an incredible walk though the reeds. That was on a boardwalk built over the wetlands. I could have spent a while out there. I think all the kids enjoyed wandering among the reeds too. My sister in law's parents drove out from Utah to see her and Ben and Liz. The contentment was real and it just gave me warm fuzzies to see them so happy. Gary took some of the kids on a hike to the top of a hill and I wish I had done that (I forget what I was doing instead): Amelia told me that was her favorite part of this section of the trip. All of the kids spent time running races with Cami's dad. All the teenagers and grownups spent some time relaxing in the grass. and I ran around trying to take pictures- they are really fuzzy though. Maybe I should have sat more too. Although when I did, Charles kept asking me if he could have my cheese amulet and all about it's mystical properites. (sorry the answer is still NO)
Day Four was baptism day. Joshua and Esther turned 8 in the spring and wanted to be baptized when we were all together. I was so grateful to be there for that. It was a special time. Especially when Joshua got baptized and his brother Daniel cried out "that looked fun!" and Joshua said "It was!" I really wanted to hold Leslie's baby, Caden (he was so cute!) so that she could more easily conduct the meeting, but Rachel was too jealous to let that last long. Indeed, behavior was an issue and so I saw the baptism and Gary participated in the confirmation and we told eachother about what we missed later.
We took a huge group shot of everyone in front of the Oakland Temple (sorry we didn't turn our camera in for that, so you'll have to imagine) then we went to Fenton's Ice Cream Parlor for lunch. Delicious salad, ICE CREAM and good laughs. (for Utah folks, Fenton's is the same as Leatherby's) We had the kids change at the restaurant before they ate as we only brought one change of church clothes. That was a small adventure, but well worth the trouble. (So if I post pictures, we would all be wearing two outfits at the single event.) Thanks Jake and Leslie!
Day Five we went to church in the ward I grew up in. The biggest surprise was the chorister turned out to be Michele, who was about 3 when I moved out. She only ever wore a green lion king shirt (at first it was like a dress, then she grew and grew until it was too short) I asked her where her lion king shirt was and she got a very nostalgic look on her face. I was also able to visit with an old Laurel class teacher. She was brand new in the church when I met her. She was surprised that I remembered her lessons. My favorite person to catch up with at church was Mary. She is the same age as me and we had a lot of fun together as kids- playing leap frog and feeding the ducks. We also loved to call her dad "monkey face" because of his mustache and beard. She has down's syndrome and the ward has found the perfect calling for her: librarian. My dad said that if you don't turn in your things, she'll hunt you down. Anyway, she told me her calling is great because she can hang out in the library talking on the phone and eatting cheez-its so when Rachel did not want to sit through Sunday School you can guess where we went (the library.) Mary is getting married in a year or two and she showed me pictures of her fiance and told me about her work at Taco Bell and her hopes for a career in day care. She called her mom on the phone to tell her I was there and passed the phone to me. Her mom's voice sounded exactly like I remembered. We colored a picture together (gee- why won't my kids do that with me?!) and then I took Rachel for a visit to the nursery. Some of her cousins were in there and they were so cute playing. Too bad Rachel wasn't old enough for full time nursery fun. I know my parents would have loved to see me in class- my dad did come out a few times to tell me to come in. Rachel was distractingly loud in class so that didn't last long.
After church, we went to my parent's house and chatted for several hours. I took a lot of pictures, especially of all the cousins picnicing on the lawn. Maybe the photos will go in a post of their own. I think every shot has someone chewing, but that's okay. They still look cute. My favorite part was when Bruce surprised us all by showing up part way through the day. He was working on a tug boat on the river and got an hour off to come and see everyone. He has to be on the boat 2 weeks at a time and we hadn't seen him yet on the trip. I asked him how things are going and he told me about watching the birds grow up on the bay. Delightful conversation.
All too soon it was time to head back to Freemont, where we were staying. (We had to pack up to drive to Utah the next day) It was hard to say good bye- in more ways than one. We weren't the only ones heading out at that time and so it was hard to track everyone down for goodbyes. Goodbyes are also difficult, especially when we only get out every few years and everyone grows and changes so much between visits. Thanks Mom and Dad for hosting the crowd!
It was a really nice too see everyone, how the children have grown and what new interests everyone has. Between events, Amelia and James had fun chasing around with Charles, Ruth, Sara and Emily. They mostly played "roary monster" with Rachel and Anna (the toddlers) and also giving bucket and wagon rides to Simon and Jonny. The jumpoline was a big hit too. We always stayed up way too late talking and telling stories, with people nodding off at times because we were all too tired to go to bed. It was a nice visit and I wish there had been more time for relaxing together and getting reaquainted with each family member. I am grateful for the time we had together.
Day Six: Driving to Utah. This was actually an easy drive. No traffic, no snow, and almost no stops. Well, we did do a drive through for lunch and maybe 3 bathroom breaks. We made really good time and were there before it got dark.
Day Sevem: This is where I get really fuzzy on what was happening when. We even sat down with Mom and Dad to get the schedule of events (written down in detail) so we knew where to be and when but I don't have the list anymore to refer to. I think the kids did slip and slide for a couple of hours while the grown ups did laundry. Then it was time to get ready for family photos. My sister in law Tirah had a friend take lovely shots of the family group. She was so patient as there were a lot of people to work with. The setting, the Benson Grist Mill was great and I really liked the resulting shots. We were all supposed to wear jewel tone colors and that would have looked really cool. I was excited about that. I couldn't find jewel tone colors for children. I think it was the exact wrong season to find them. Summer pastels were all I could find. I shopped everywhere, especially online trying to find colors that would work. Then I decided to try shades of blue (rise all loyal cougars!) but all I could find was baby blue and I don't think that flatters my coloring (vanity!) In desperation, I headed to my favorite Goodwill, where I was able to find the birght blues I wanted, though they were mostly long sleeved. Sorry to ramble about buying shirts. It just consumed me before the trip so I thought I'd share the story. (The week after we got back jewel tones were in- fall clothes had hit the stores)
After the photo shoot, we headed over to Nana and Pops for a wedding shower for Dave and Lindsey. All of the local relatives brought yummy food (thanks!) and Angie brought the most darling decorations. Tirah brought a large homemade cake. She said it was her first from scratch. Yum! I was so excited to meet Lindsey and Ace (her son.) They really are darling and I am so glad that they are a part of the family now. We all tied a quilt in the basement. It looked fabulous! The colors were vibrant and fun.
Day Eight: I think this day we did crafts with all the cousins. Fun decorated journals and puff painted hats. The kids really were proud of their results and wore them as much as possible the rest of the trip. That night we were able to attend the Salt Lake temple with Lindsey for her first time. It was a sweet occasion. She looked so radiant and virtuous. Chris and Tirah babysat for us that night and I am so grateful for their support. Tirah also had relatives in town for her side of the family and she took time away from them to help us. Thank you!
Day Nine: This was day 3 of the cousin slumber party and the kiddodiddos were loving it. Cousin time was the best memory from this part of the trip for them. (Yes we were there for the wedding, but the kids didn't get to see the wedding, so that didn't rank up too high on the list for them.) Gary and I took the kids as well as Pop and Cousin Cameron for a trip to BYU. It was great to see the campus. We took a free tour, courtesy of the alumni association and it was great. They had a large golf cart to drive our group around in and the guide pointed out various points of interest. It would have taken all day on foot. In the cart it took 45 minutes and the kids were thrilled to feel the wind on their faces. As we rode past the library, we saw grounds crew workers having a contest to see who could jump up and click their heels the highest. That was funny. After the tour, we went to the museum of art, where I often wandered as a student. It was a great place to reflect and destress. One fascinating exhibit was someone's video of putting books in a front loading washer and washing the books. I could have sat through the half hour video because I wanted to see how they turned out. The kids thought it was great for like 30 seconds. In the basement of the MOA there was a quilt exhibit. I saw there a quilt I had always dreamed of making- a representation of the 10 commandments. I never have made it because I my abilities are not that great and I would be embarrassed to display the result. The quilt on the wall was exactly what I have feared my quilt would look like. The people were boxy stick figures and while the colors were good, the whole thing looked very amateur. It gave me courage to realize that things do not have to be perfect or professional to add beauty.
After that we ate lunch and ice cream (YUM) at the Creamery on Ninth East. This was brand new when Gary and I were there.
That night all of the guys went out go carting and bowling for David's bachelor party. I think they had fun even though Dad hurt his back. Tirah brough over Jake and Abby and all the cousins were together again. They played Scene It and loved it (even though there was some squabbling.) I took Rachel in the yard and painted our toenails with some yellow polish that Tirah brought. I didn't want to paint Rachel in the house as that would have got paint all over. I was glad to match Tirah and Rachel. I had wanted to do something girly like that in CA too but forgot when the time came. The other girls were too busy playing games to paint up.
Day Ten: This was the wedding day for David and Lindsey. It was a beautiful day. Sunny and clear. Peaceful. Chris and Tirah watched the kids while we attended the ceremony. All through the ceremony I kept remembering Dave as the little boy he was when I met him and it made me more than a little misty eyed. Take a picture of me on the trampoline! See my cool tricks on the finger bike! See my disney pictures I drew. Here's the floor plan for my dream house (it had a courtyard.) He was 9 when I met him for the first time, younger than James is now. He was almost 14 when we moved to the East. And here he was a grown man, making and keeping sacred covenants. I could not be more proud of him and the choices he made.
After the ceremony and pictures, we headed over to the Lion House for a celebration lunch. It was delicious. We sat at a table with Gary's Uncle Mike and Aunt Martha. I was so grateful to have some one to sit with and make it feel more festive. Our family fills up a table all by itself practically and so at social occasions where you sit at tables (church parties) we don't get to socialize as much as smaller families who share tables. When the kids are bigger, I think we'll be able to disperse through out the crowd better. But that is a tangent. Mike and Martha were lovely company for the meal. Lindsey's mom, Karma put on this lovely program with singing all about the love story of the happy couple. She is a treat. I feel lucky because all of my in-laws (on all sides) have such awesome parents and I am glad to know them.
After the wedding lunch came a really funny moment. Dave and Lindsey cut the cake at the end of the lunch after most people left, so not many people to admire or eat the cake. As Dave was leaving to change, he told us "be sure to take care of the cake." So we did. We boxed it up into bakery boxes- 6 large ones. Then we looked around and realized that our group was the only one left. So Chris, Tirah, Gary and I loaded up the double stroller with the wedding cake and stand and (with other misc. items in hand) herded the kiddodiddos through downtown Salt Lake back to the parking garage. On the way we ran into the groom, who traded us tuxedos for a diaper bag. I am sure our group looked pretty silly with a double stroller full of cake, arms full of kids and tuxedos, etc . Or maybe it's normal and I just think it's funny.
When we got home, Nana said What am I going to do with all that cake?! we told her Dave said to save it. Seveal times that night, I heard her answer the phone with "Hello, do you want cake?" So hopefully he got some when he got back from his honeymoon:)
Day Eleven (were we really gone that long?): We went to the Salt Lake zoo. I think it's nicer than the National Zoo. James and Jonny were convinced they trainned the tiger to wink whenever they clapped. One of the kiddodiddos didn't like the zoo much and when the whining turned on, I was not this smooth mom who turned it into laughter or anything cool. Fortunately, lots of Gary's relatives are cool like that, so a crisis on the level of the Jelly Belly factory was avoided. After that it was a picnic in Liberty Park with Nana, Pop, Cameron, Chris, Tirah, and several of Tirah's relatives. Her cousins visiting from Oklahoma were sweet enough to have their kids babysit my kids at the park so I could break with the grown ups. I would have loved to sit with the grown ups but I was too sleep deprived to completely process the offer and and take them up on it. I do have fun memories of chasing Simon and Rachel around there so it's not a big loss, I guess. We headed over to this awesome water sculpture of the canyons and rivers. I think that was one of my favorite parts, wading around in the cool water. Then there was a ferris wheel for the kids, I was proud of James for being brave enough to ride it.
After that, we had to hurry and pack up because we were leaving for Disneyland early the following day. We did manage to sit down to a family dinner. Things had been so busy that we mostly ate in shifts, as people had time. It was nice to have the experience of sitting together for a meal for the last night. Uncle Adam had made and frozen this amazing lasagna for us. That was so kind. It was meatless, because Jonny refuses to eat meat.
I think the only thing I forgot to mention was that I had fun pushing the kiddodiddos and cousins around on Uncle Dave's old unicycle. I tried it myself a few times but could never get it going.
We packed up the van and in the morning we left for Disneyland. That's an adventure of it's own though. So I think it will get it's own post.
I am grateful for everyone who made the trip possible and comfortable and pleasant. For all the service and love shown to my family. I am grateful for my relatives (and there are many!) and wish that I could have spent time showing each one the love and admiration I feel. Thanks for the memories!
So it's a really good thing that Gary was functional. Actually, he was my real hero, taking care of drinks and bathroom and stories and everything else the kids needed so that I could rest and recover.
And so I think that's why I am having such a hard time blogging about the trip. It's hard to remember exactly what was going on through the fog of fatigue.
So here it goes
Day One: After wrangling for a rental car that fit our family, we met up with extended family at the Jelly Belly factory. Now I have been on this tour a few times, both in Wisconsin and CA. All things considered, this was perhaps the most comprehensive tour I have ever been on, due to the fact that I was trying to keep a tantruming child away from the tour group (if you were at the zoo with us, multiple that intensity and duration by 10.) So I didn't see any of the videos or hear the guide telling his cute stories. I was just able to look out over the factory and just watch the machines. The robots were fascinating. Watching the candy evolve though the different processes was beautiful. And seeing Rachel try to interact with the robots and to get their attention was pretty precious: Hi! HI!
That being said, I don't really think it's a great place for meeting up with anybody. There's no place for all the hugging and kissing and squealing that should go on when family meets up. It's a mad house of lines, people and echoing noise. So trying to keep tabs on all of the kiddodiddos who wanted to explore and trying to keep their tantrums to a minimum (that would be epic FAIL) was really all I could do there.
Day Two:
This day began with a tour of Pittsburg, my home town. It was kind of a drive by deal. I was impressed with the buildings new and old which seemed so brightly painted and vibrant. The new high school was impressive. The old one was a lot of separate buildings in widely varying states of repair. The new one seems to be contained in one building, which threw me, as every school I attended in Pittsburg had many buildings connected with outdoor walk ways (even elementary school.) I think it was a wonderful improvement which will bless the community.
Then we had lunch at the New Mecca Cafe. YUM It's been around for decades, and the owner is a man who has given everything to the community. In return the community adores him. He is a town treasure. The food is good and brought back memories of all the occasions we ate there as a family and when we would go to events with free burritioes (fun runs, honor roll lunches, and even my brother's eagle project!) I don't think I am the only one who thinks the food is good- they actually cater for major league baseball teams in the bay area, as well as the Boston Red Sox (when they are in town.)
After that it was a mad dash to Alameda where we went to Crown Beach. This was really wistful for me. I dressed the kids in swim suits and jackets. But I have been to enough cold beaches in San Francisco (put your feet in until you can't take the cold anymore- run out to warm up, repeat) that I did not bring my suit. I also did not know if this beach was safe for more than feet, so I was mildly panicked to be there. I'll just say it: I am a beach wimp, especially when it involves my kids. The ocean is so big and deep and wide that the idea of one of the kids getting lost at sea just sets me on edge. This actually turned out to be a beach with warmish water, gentle waves and no under tow. The children enjoyed swimming- especially James who freaked me out beacause he was fearless in the water. He swam out with Uncle Ben (smartie who brought his suit, yes I was jealous) until we could barely see them. I played in the sand with Simon and Rachel and made castles for the dead crabs we found. I was thrilled by the quality of the specimens, but I think I annoyed my sister there by showing her dead things.
Amelia went to attend one of Aunt Vivian's girl scout troop meetings. She was proud to bring her uniform. They did a Try It about water- Amelia's troop will be doing it later this year locally. Then we went to the yacht club for a dinner/fundraiser for my neices and nephew's sailing club. Ruth and Charles got certificates for completing summer racing lessons. It was chilly, but a nice time to be with others. Thanks, Vivian!
Day Three, a Friday, Uncle John hosted his own birthday party. It was a cook out at a lovely park called Coyote Hills. Thanks, John! There was this butterfly garden there and also an incredible walk though the reeds. That was on a boardwalk built over the wetlands. I could have spent a while out there. I think all the kids enjoyed wandering among the reeds too. My sister in law's parents drove out from Utah to see her and Ben and Liz. The contentment was real and it just gave me warm fuzzies to see them so happy. Gary took some of the kids on a hike to the top of a hill and I wish I had done that (I forget what I was doing instead): Amelia told me that was her favorite part of this section of the trip. All of the kids spent time running races with Cami's dad. All the teenagers and grownups spent some time relaxing in the grass. and I ran around trying to take pictures- they are really fuzzy though. Maybe I should have sat more too. Although when I did, Charles kept asking me if he could have my cheese amulet and all about it's mystical properites. (sorry the answer is still NO)
Day Four was baptism day. Joshua and Esther turned 8 in the spring and wanted to be baptized when we were all together. I was so grateful to be there for that. It was a special time. Especially when Joshua got baptized and his brother Daniel cried out "that looked fun!" and Joshua said "It was!" I really wanted to hold Leslie's baby, Caden (he was so cute!) so that she could more easily conduct the meeting, but Rachel was too jealous to let that last long. Indeed, behavior was an issue and so I saw the baptism and Gary participated in the confirmation and we told eachother about what we missed later.
We took a huge group shot of everyone in front of the Oakland Temple (sorry we didn't turn our camera in for that, so you'll have to imagine) then we went to Fenton's Ice Cream Parlor for lunch. Delicious salad, ICE CREAM and good laughs. (for Utah folks, Fenton's is the same as Leatherby's) We had the kids change at the restaurant before they ate as we only brought one change of church clothes. That was a small adventure, but well worth the trouble. (So if I post pictures, we would all be wearing two outfits at the single event.) Thanks Jake and Leslie!
Day Five we went to church in the ward I grew up in. The biggest surprise was the chorister turned out to be Michele, who was about 3 when I moved out. She only ever wore a green lion king shirt (at first it was like a dress, then she grew and grew until it was too short) I asked her where her lion king shirt was and she got a very nostalgic look on her face. I was also able to visit with an old Laurel class teacher. She was brand new in the church when I met her. She was surprised that I remembered her lessons. My favorite person to catch up with at church was Mary. She is the same age as me and we had a lot of fun together as kids- playing leap frog and feeding the ducks. We also loved to call her dad "monkey face" because of his mustache and beard. She has down's syndrome and the ward has found the perfect calling for her: librarian. My dad said that if you don't turn in your things, she'll hunt you down. Anyway, she told me her calling is great because she can hang out in the library talking on the phone and eatting cheez-its so when Rachel did not want to sit through Sunday School you can guess where we went (the library.) Mary is getting married in a year or two and she showed me pictures of her fiance and told me about her work at Taco Bell and her hopes for a career in day care. She called her mom on the phone to tell her I was there and passed the phone to me. Her mom's voice sounded exactly like I remembered. We colored a picture together (gee- why won't my kids do that with me?!) and then I took Rachel for a visit to the nursery. Some of her cousins were in there and they were so cute playing. Too bad Rachel wasn't old enough for full time nursery fun. I know my parents would have loved to see me in class- my dad did come out a few times to tell me to come in. Rachel was distractingly loud in class so that didn't last long.
After church, we went to my parent's house and chatted for several hours. I took a lot of pictures, especially of all the cousins picnicing on the lawn. Maybe the photos will go in a post of their own. I think every shot has someone chewing, but that's okay. They still look cute. My favorite part was when Bruce surprised us all by showing up part way through the day. He was working on a tug boat on the river and got an hour off to come and see everyone. He has to be on the boat 2 weeks at a time and we hadn't seen him yet on the trip. I asked him how things are going and he told me about watching the birds grow up on the bay. Delightful conversation.
All too soon it was time to head back to Freemont, where we were staying. (We had to pack up to drive to Utah the next day) It was hard to say good bye- in more ways than one. We weren't the only ones heading out at that time and so it was hard to track everyone down for goodbyes. Goodbyes are also difficult, especially when we only get out every few years and everyone grows and changes so much between visits. Thanks Mom and Dad for hosting the crowd!
It was a really nice too see everyone, how the children have grown and what new interests everyone has. Between events, Amelia and James had fun chasing around with Charles, Ruth, Sara and Emily. They mostly played "roary monster" with Rachel and Anna (the toddlers) and also giving bucket and wagon rides to Simon and Jonny. The jumpoline was a big hit too. We always stayed up way too late talking and telling stories, with people nodding off at times because we were all too tired to go to bed. It was a nice visit and I wish there had been more time for relaxing together and getting reaquainted with each family member. I am grateful for the time we had together.
Day Six: Driving to Utah. This was actually an easy drive. No traffic, no snow, and almost no stops. Well, we did do a drive through for lunch and maybe 3 bathroom breaks. We made really good time and were there before it got dark.
Day Sevem: This is where I get really fuzzy on what was happening when. We even sat down with Mom and Dad to get the schedule of events (written down in detail) so we knew where to be and when but I don't have the list anymore to refer to. I think the kids did slip and slide for a couple of hours while the grown ups did laundry. Then it was time to get ready for family photos. My sister in law Tirah had a friend take lovely shots of the family group. She was so patient as there were a lot of people to work with. The setting, the Benson Grist Mill was great and I really liked the resulting shots. We were all supposed to wear jewel tone colors and that would have looked really cool. I was excited about that. I couldn't find jewel tone colors for children. I think it was the exact wrong season to find them. Summer pastels were all I could find. I shopped everywhere, especially online trying to find colors that would work. Then I decided to try shades of blue (rise all loyal cougars!) but all I could find was baby blue and I don't think that flatters my coloring (vanity!) In desperation, I headed to my favorite Goodwill, where I was able to find the birght blues I wanted, though they were mostly long sleeved. Sorry to ramble about buying shirts. It just consumed me before the trip so I thought I'd share the story. (The week after we got back jewel tones were in- fall clothes had hit the stores)
After the photo shoot, we headed over to Nana and Pops for a wedding shower for Dave and Lindsey. All of the local relatives brought yummy food (thanks!) and Angie brought the most darling decorations. Tirah brought a large homemade cake. She said it was her first from scratch. Yum! I was so excited to meet Lindsey and Ace (her son.) They really are darling and I am so glad that they are a part of the family now. We all tied a quilt in the basement. It looked fabulous! The colors were vibrant and fun.
Day Eight: I think this day we did crafts with all the cousins. Fun decorated journals and puff painted hats. The kids really were proud of their results and wore them as much as possible the rest of the trip. That night we were able to attend the Salt Lake temple with Lindsey for her first time. It was a sweet occasion. She looked so radiant and virtuous. Chris and Tirah babysat for us that night and I am so grateful for their support. Tirah also had relatives in town for her side of the family and she took time away from them to help us. Thank you!
Day Nine: This was day 3 of the cousin slumber party and the kiddodiddos were loving it. Cousin time was the best memory from this part of the trip for them. (Yes we were there for the wedding, but the kids didn't get to see the wedding, so that didn't rank up too high on the list for them.) Gary and I took the kids as well as Pop and Cousin Cameron for a trip to BYU. It was great to see the campus. We took a free tour, courtesy of the alumni association and it was great. They had a large golf cart to drive our group around in and the guide pointed out various points of interest. It would have taken all day on foot. In the cart it took 45 minutes and the kids were thrilled to feel the wind on their faces. As we rode past the library, we saw grounds crew workers having a contest to see who could jump up and click their heels the highest. That was funny. After the tour, we went to the museum of art, where I often wandered as a student. It was a great place to reflect and destress. One fascinating exhibit was someone's video of putting books in a front loading washer and washing the books. I could have sat through the half hour video because I wanted to see how they turned out. The kids thought it was great for like 30 seconds. In the basement of the MOA there was a quilt exhibit. I saw there a quilt I had always dreamed of making- a representation of the 10 commandments. I never have made it because I my abilities are not that great and I would be embarrassed to display the result. The quilt on the wall was exactly what I have feared my quilt would look like. The people were boxy stick figures and while the colors were good, the whole thing looked very amateur. It gave me courage to realize that things do not have to be perfect or professional to add beauty.
After that we ate lunch and ice cream (YUM) at the Creamery on Ninth East. This was brand new when Gary and I were there.
That night all of the guys went out go carting and bowling for David's bachelor party. I think they had fun even though Dad hurt his back. Tirah brough over Jake and Abby and all the cousins were together again. They played Scene It and loved it (even though there was some squabbling.) I took Rachel in the yard and painted our toenails with some yellow polish that Tirah brought. I didn't want to paint Rachel in the house as that would have got paint all over. I was glad to match Tirah and Rachel. I had wanted to do something girly like that in CA too but forgot when the time came. The other girls were too busy playing games to paint up.
Day Ten: This was the wedding day for David and Lindsey. It was a beautiful day. Sunny and clear. Peaceful. Chris and Tirah watched the kids while we attended the ceremony. All through the ceremony I kept remembering Dave as the little boy he was when I met him and it made me more than a little misty eyed. Take a picture of me on the trampoline! See my cool tricks on the finger bike! See my disney pictures I drew. Here's the floor plan for my dream house (it had a courtyard.) He was 9 when I met him for the first time, younger than James is now. He was almost 14 when we moved to the East. And here he was a grown man, making and keeping sacred covenants. I could not be more proud of him and the choices he made.
After the ceremony and pictures, we headed over to the Lion House for a celebration lunch. It was delicious. We sat at a table with Gary's Uncle Mike and Aunt Martha. I was so grateful to have some one to sit with and make it feel more festive. Our family fills up a table all by itself practically and so at social occasions where you sit at tables (church parties) we don't get to socialize as much as smaller families who share tables. When the kids are bigger, I think we'll be able to disperse through out the crowd better. But that is a tangent. Mike and Martha were lovely company for the meal. Lindsey's mom, Karma put on this lovely program with singing all about the love story of the happy couple. She is a treat. I feel lucky because all of my in-laws (on all sides) have such awesome parents and I am glad to know them.
After the wedding lunch came a really funny moment. Dave and Lindsey cut the cake at the end of the lunch after most people left, so not many people to admire or eat the cake. As Dave was leaving to change, he told us "be sure to take care of the cake." So we did. We boxed it up into bakery boxes- 6 large ones. Then we looked around and realized that our group was the only one left. So Chris, Tirah, Gary and I loaded up the double stroller with the wedding cake and stand and (with other misc. items in hand) herded the kiddodiddos through downtown Salt Lake back to the parking garage. On the way we ran into the groom, who traded us tuxedos for a diaper bag. I am sure our group looked pretty silly with a double stroller full of cake, arms full of kids and tuxedos, etc . Or maybe it's normal and I just think it's funny.
When we got home, Nana said What am I going to do with all that cake?! we told her Dave said to save it. Seveal times that night, I heard her answer the phone with "Hello, do you want cake?" So hopefully he got some when he got back from his honeymoon:)
Day Eleven (were we really gone that long?): We went to the Salt Lake zoo. I think it's nicer than the National Zoo. James and Jonny were convinced they trainned the tiger to wink whenever they clapped. One of the kiddodiddos didn't like the zoo much and when the whining turned on, I was not this smooth mom who turned it into laughter or anything cool. Fortunately, lots of Gary's relatives are cool like that, so a crisis on the level of the Jelly Belly factory was avoided. After that it was a picnic in Liberty Park with Nana, Pop, Cameron, Chris, Tirah, and several of Tirah's relatives. Her cousins visiting from Oklahoma were sweet enough to have their kids babysit my kids at the park so I could break with the grown ups. I would have loved to sit with the grown ups but I was too sleep deprived to completely process the offer and and take them up on it. I do have fun memories of chasing Simon and Rachel around there so it's not a big loss, I guess. We headed over to this awesome water sculpture of the canyons and rivers. I think that was one of my favorite parts, wading around in the cool water. Then there was a ferris wheel for the kids, I was proud of James for being brave enough to ride it.
After that, we had to hurry and pack up because we were leaving for Disneyland early the following day. We did manage to sit down to a family dinner. Things had been so busy that we mostly ate in shifts, as people had time. It was nice to have the experience of sitting together for a meal for the last night. Uncle Adam had made and frozen this amazing lasagna for us. That was so kind. It was meatless, because Jonny refuses to eat meat.
I think the only thing I forgot to mention was that I had fun pushing the kiddodiddos and cousins around on Uncle Dave's old unicycle. I tried it myself a few times but could never get it going.
We packed up the van and in the morning we left for Disneyland. That's an adventure of it's own though. So I think it will get it's own post.
I am grateful for everyone who made the trip possible and comfortable and pleasant. For all the service and love shown to my family. I am grateful for my relatives (and there are many!) and wish that I could have spent time showing each one the love and admiration I feel. Thanks for the memories!
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