Thanks to Kiersten being in Company Dance we got to go to Disneyland this summer!
Kiersten was able to dance in California Adventure and she got to attend a work shop as well.
Justin didn't feel like he could get time away from the office. I was pretty bummed, but I am getting use to it. I didn't want Kiersten to miss out on this opportunity so I asked my mom if she would come with us. She was excited about the trip!
It ended up that my mom is having some medical issues and she wasn't feeling up to coming with us. All of us were bummed about her not coming! But we totally understood.
So I had to figure something else out.......I decided to take our favorite babysitter, Katelyn Curtis with us to help me. And thanks to my awesome mother-in-law I didn't have to take Mr. Grant. My mom did help out with Mr. Grant as well.
I was a little concerned about how the trip would go without Justin or my mom.......or a second adult for that matter. I was pleasantly surprised the trip couldn't have gone smoother........that was once we were actually able to leave town.....
So our fun actually began at the Gun and Pawn Shop in Safford.
As we were driving away from our house to head out, the battery light on my dash started blinking. We had to stop at CKC anyway so I told Justin about it. He had one of his mechanics, Stretch, take a look at it. Guess what...... the Yukon needed a new alternator and it would be a few hours.
It was a little frustrating but I was very grateful it happened while I was still in Safford.
I was a little worried though because we don't drive the Yukon that much, mostly for out of town trips. We had taken it the weekend before this to Morenci and during that trip the TV's in the headrests finally stopped working. They have been having issues for some time now. And on the drive home from Morenci one of the kids rolled down one of the rear windows and BOOM the whole window fell into the door. It would no longer roll up.
So after all that and now with the alternator being bad, I was a little worried to take the Yukon all the way to California.
But I had no other choice........well I could take the Maxima but we would be crammed. My other choice was to take one of the old lady Buick's that my father-in-law loves so much. But to me they have the most uncomfortable seats EVER, plus they scream 80 year old!
Sorry Dad......it's cool if you like them but I don't :)
So I was taking my chances on White Lightening!
We had planned on driving to Tucson and stopping for lunch, but we decided to grab lunch in Safford while we waited for the Yukon to be fixed. We ate at El Charro and as we were walking to get in our car, Hunter asked if we could go in the Pawn Shop. He has asked me many, many times to go there but they are always closed or we are running to something else when we drive by it.
So Hunter was ECSTATIC!
He loved everything in there
Our plan was to drive part way on Tuesday and then continue on to Cali on Wednesday. We got to Yuma with ease and the kids were being AMAZINGLY GREAT!! The drive was easy and the kids could not have been better! White Lightening got us all the way there.......thank goodness! I was so happy to have made it and since we made it on Tuesday that meant we had a full day for the beach!
I love Logan's face in this picture!
Told ya it was cold!
We haven't been to the beach, well a beach with waves, in a couple of years. I guess my kids have grown up because they can now boogie board all by themselves!
It was super nice! But kind of sad........I don't want them to grow up :)
I could just watch them without having to be in the water. It was pretty cold water especially considering the temperature outside was only in the 70's.
So I was glad to not have to get all the way in the water. I usually love to boogie board myself but it just wasn't warm enough for my taste.
So I was glad to not have to get all the way in the water. I usually love to boogie board myself but it just wasn't warm enough for my taste.
I love Kiersten's (Partial) face.......she had the time of her life.
She was a boogie boarding fool!
Hunter had a great time out in the waves as well.
One time he caught a monster wave........I happen to be watching him when it came along. It shook my nerves as a mom, but he caught it and rode it all the way in!
He was so excited about his monster wave..........oh sorry it was a GnArLy WaVe! It was so fun.......Hunter kept saying the funniest words. Gnarly was one of his favorite words this trip!
The kids were freezing when they were out of the water so to stop and pose for a picture wasn't very fun. Thanks for being troopers and for doing it anyway.
It was fun to watch the kids enjoying the ocean so much!
Hunter was freezing so he dug himself a hole and covered up to get warm.
Logan kept asking me if he could boogie board. I had taken him and pulled him a little on the board but I just didn't think he could go out and catch a wave without help.
Boy I was wrong!
He is a great boogie boarder!
He just couldn't get enough. In fact when we stopped to go get a bite to eat on the board walk he wanted to stay in the ocean and "surf," as he called it!
Great job Logan!
He and Kiersten could not get enough boogie boarding.
It was so fun to watch them and see their thrill and excitement!
I love it!
What would a day at the beach be without making a sand castle.
Huntington Beach was great! Perfect for families!
We took a little 30 minute ride from our friend Tilly. As we would see he through out the day the kids would always say, "Hi Mr. Tilly Man!" He got a kick out of it!
He was nice enough to let all 5 of us cram together. It was fun but we decided to try biking ourselves....
The kids were dying to try out one of these bikes and so we rented it for an hour.
It was fun for about the first 30 minutes and then after that it was just exercise :)
Only one person had it made.....Logie Bear!
We got so worn out from all our biking that we stopped for a treat.
We enjoyed snow cones and funnel cake.
No pictures of the funnel cake......we ate it too fast!
Yummy!
Katelyn was the best!
She was so much help. She played with the kids in the ocean and on the beach, she talked and laughed with them on the long drive and did anything I asked without any complaint.
I couldn't have asked for a better helper!
I am totally asking her to come with me again when Justin can't get away from the office. Because I am sure there will be another time.
I love the beach!
But more then that I love being with my family on the beach.
It was sad to not have Justin and Mr. Grant with us but we had fun any way.
Thanks babe for letting us take this trip!
Day one of being in California was a success. Can't beat some fun at the beach!
So glad we made it safe and sound and that White Lightening got us there!
