California...Here we Coooome!:)

aaand they're off...

The Trip There

Remember the Alamo

Aleesia did. She had learned about the events surrounding the Alamo in school and was so excited to go see the actual place. Who can go to San Antonio and not see it, at least once. I love this city!!

The kids loved the different types of cacti:)

It was so fun to see the differing landscape between Texas and California. The kids were most excited about the deserts, believe it or not!:)

More of the Alamo

More Cactus

More Desert

....And He's Out

32 Hours Later...

This was all of our first trip to the beautiful state of California. Don and Elizabeth, Samuel's sister and husband and children live just outside of San Diego where there are beaches and mountains and really, really good weather. I finally understand why there are so many songs written about California.:) Besides the beauty and natural diversions, we really enjoyed spending the week with Don and Elizabeth and the Packard clan, who gathered there for a family reunion of sorts. I also experienced a reaffirmation about what a fun, talented, and unique family that I married into:). And one of the highlights of the trip...bum bu du dum...the 10K mud run race that Samuel and I ran with the Packard clan. Okay, so, we walked a lot of the time, and it doesn't deserve credit for being THE highlight of the trip....but we had a great experience bonding through winded conversations and running through mud...lots of mud. All that being said: really fun, and repeatable experience:)

The Way Back Home

Our Stop in Utah

The Tractor Ride at This is the Place

Mom, Aleesia and Brett at This is the Place Rachelle and Conner were kind to take us to the Natural Science Museum in Provo.The kids were so excited to see the animals so close! We enjoyed our time there and with Trey, Rachelle, and Conner.

Evan and Olive...so sweet:)

Aleesia and Evan chillin' at This is the Place

Evan and the Tiger

Our Wind-Blown and cold Family at the Salt Lake City LDS Temple

Tommy and Grant at the Duck Pond at This is the Place...The ducks, we jokingly blame for the "Duck Flu" that we experienced on the second part of the trip.

And the host and hostess with the mostest award goes to: (drum roll).....Thomas and Melissa, who, hosted us for a long, messy, and excruciating night of waking with sick kids every hour and washing sheets, towels and blankets. One of the children being ours, and the other hers...curiously enough, the two who were allegedly seen with duck waste on their hands and/or in their mouths.:) We used our bucket for Evan and Brett every hour in the car on the way home, then, when he was done, it was Grant's turn. Those darn ducks!:)

Despite the flu, the memories made and lessons learned were irreplaceable, wonderful, and oh so sweet!