Disneyland September 2011

 

At a ward dinner some moms were talking about how much fun it is to go to Disneyland and mentioned going before their kids are three so they get in free.  I never wanted to take kids to Disneyland until they were five and could remember what our money was paying for.  Well I mentioned this to Josh and he got very excited about the possibility.  Before you know it we were planning and wanted to go before Kaige's 3rd bday.  If I take work off, my bosses have to take work off to cover child care so I rarely ask for time off.  They had a family reunion planned in September and Josh was off so it wasn't long before we were planning a trip to Disneyland.  Kaige was a little younger than I had wanted him to be, but the timing worked and I was happy that it was just after school had started in the middle of the week, so hopefully we would be missing the crowds. 

Josh's dad and step mom decided to meet us there for a day.  It's always more fun when we vacation together.  We do things we wouldn't normally do, they spoil us and we splurge a little more.  The first morning they treated us to a character breakfast.  It was both a success and a bust.  Kaige was terrified at first.  Dess bought him a book to collect autographs and that was the best $5 spent.  He still was nervous but he wanted them to sign his book.  The food was delicious and it was wonderful to have all the characters come to you.  I was just too dang sick to really enjoy it.  That was the case for the whole trip.  Poiette and pregnancy doesn't really mix well with much, especially Disneyland, and especially with a record breaking heat wave. 

Kaige really did love it!  He went on the Buzz Lightyear ride at least 20 times.  It was fun to be able to get off and walk right back on, and we did...over and over again!  He also loved the Bugs Life bumper cars and "tea cups". Both Josh and I just couldn't do that.  The first ride we went on was Matterhorn.  Not a good choice.  The ride is rickety and the white monster with red eyes gave the poor boy nightmares for weeks.  He also got freaked out in the Bugs Life movie, but that's ok...he is our shy boy and loved most everything.  He can't wait to go back, and he wasn't too young.

We kind of decided as a family that if we can afford it we would make it a tradition to go before the youngest turns three.  That's before I realized, I would probably be pregnant the next couple times.  Blah!

Back to reality

We couldn't have been more disappointed for our vacation to come to an end. We spent a whole week there, and would just like to retire and be permanent house guests. Mike and Odessa have a lovely home with an awesome backyard. We spent hours just being outside in the grass. It was so fun to come outside and find Josh playing ball with Kaige. Josh also found an owl up in the trees and was determined for Kaige to see it too. Kaige saw and squished snails for the first time and we all enjoyed playing the ladders game and just being outside in fabulous weather. It was a great vacation. I think we'll have to spend at least a week visiting Papa and Grandma Dess every year.

California Day 5

We really just bummed around all day and enjoyed doing nothing much of anything with some of our favorite people. They had to work most the time we were there so it was good to spend time with Mike and Odessa. That evening we had dinner on the pier near the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant that they work at.

There are some huge sea lions that dock themselves on a bottom ledge of the pier. We all enjoyed looking at them. Seeing them that close you realize just how huge they are.

Dinner was amazing! This place even made crab cakes taste delicious. We sat at a table that had an opening surrounded by mirrors looking down into the ocean. Neat!

California Day 4

Papa had the day off so we decided he needed to enjoy it Kaigey style. After a yummy breakfast at Pimso Beach we went to the San Luis Opispo's Children's Museum. I worried about the guys being bored some but there was alot for them to do to interact with Kaige. He had a ball! Kaige isn't a stranger to trains. He loves them both at work and at home, but this one was extra neat because it had a hole in the middle that he could pop up in where he could reach all parts of the train table.

I don't think a police officer would be my first choice for Kaige to be when he grows up, but he sure would make a cute one. He loved getting to sit on the motorcycle too.

This place had so many places for him to be a driver. He absolutely loved the firetruck, motorcycle, train, and space shuttle. Ever since then he has wanted to play in the driver seats of our cars. He is 100% boy!

I just love the whole fireman look especially the boots.

He really enjoyed every activity center they had and I look forward to taking him to the Children's Museum of Phoenix.

I developed a love of farmers market when I lived in Oregon. Thursday night is the San Luis Obispo farmers market. I was thrilled that Mike and Odessa wanted to go and that we could enjoy the food and atmosphere. I have never had a larger more yummy strawberry than the ones I bought at this market. Grandma Dess bought Kaige a balloon. He didn't want to have it tied to his wrist and everyone including Josh made comments about it only lasting a minute before it floats away. I said something like Josh you better jump and get it for him. Well he lasted a few minutes and was determined not to have it tied to him. Next thing you know I hear the most sweet desperate cry for a daddy. I look back and Kaige is pleading for his daddy to get it. "Daddy! Get it daddy! Daddy!" He was sooo cute and so pathetic at the same time. It tugged at my heart strings. It was such a tender moment and as irrational as it was I was upset that Josh wasn't by, didn't hear his precious plea, and couldn't be the hero Kaige was needing.

California Day 3

I'm totally bummed that I didn't bring my camera along for our fun day. We went to Avila Valley Barn and once again enjoyed a country market and free animals to look at and feed. Next time I want to bring a picnic to eat there and enjoy some yummy old fashion ice cream after. I bought some fresh squash and some corn that later inspired us to grill corn on the cob and some burgers for a yummy BBQ that night.

We hit the beach, and boy was it beautiful. The water was cold, so getting my feet wet was enough for me. Kaige was very leery of that huge massive monster they call The Ocean and yet he was drawn to it at the same time. He eventually thought it was really fun for me to carry him towards the water and then run to towards the beach so that the waves couldn't get us. Of course we played with sand, shells and sea creatures and just had a fun time being together and enjoying Kaige experience new things.

California Day 2

Tuesday we drove up the coast and saw the Elephant Seals. I'm always impressed to see hundreds and hundreds of the huge animals sun bathing on this beach. Kaige got quite a kick out of them barking and wasn't happy when they fought. I think we even decided a couple of them needed time out.

We enjoyed a few hours in Morrow Bay. We went to their fabulous little aquarium and Kaige had fun feeding their sea lions and going from tank to tank to see the fish. I think he visited each tank a dozen times. This town has lots of fun shops to browse through and yummy places to eat. One shop that we always have to make a stop at is the shell shop. Josh and I were surprised that the first thing Kaige did was put a shell up to his ear and squeal that he could hear the ocean. It was so cute and we don't have a clue where he learned that from. He spent the whole time picking up different shells and listening to the ocean. On our drive back I find Kaige in his car seat happy as can be listening to the ocean in both ears.

California Day 1 April 25, 2011

Our trip to California was packed with family fun. Our first day we took Kaige to a small little country store that had a free critter corral to enjoy. Kaige could have spent hours there looking at all the animals.

July 2010 Oregon Hedge-a-palooza

This is a family reunion we have been looking forward to since I was pregnant. It has always been important to us that Kaige meet his Great Great Grandma Blanchard. I love the way people speak of Alice Blanchard. All of her posterity speaks of her with the utmost of love and respect. She is a wonderful woman who continues to send birthday cards to every single one of us. I'm so thankful that we were able to make the trip and get a photo with 5 generations in it. Not all kids are that special. :) Now Kaige has met all of his Grandparents, 6 Great Grandparents, and 1 Great Great Grandma.

It was quite the adventure getting to Portland. We had overbooked standby tickets and even a trip to the ER because of a scorpion sting to get in the way. But once we made it, this reunion was a wonderful vacation.

Kaige got to meet both his Great Great Grandma, and his Great Grandma along with many "Great" Aunts and Uncles. We all had a blast, but watching Kaige enjoy himself was the real treat. He would get anyone he could to hold him out on the balcony and point to the birds, ocean, and moon. He got his Aunt Jessica to keep running into the waves, and learned how to cheer Yes from his Papa and his Great Uncle David.

I had only met some of Josh's family once on a whirlwind trip that was less than 48 hours. I enjoyed getting to know them better as we all stayed at a beach house in Lincoln City on the coast. They are all wonderful. We were given car seats, cribs, bedrooms, and just about anything else we needed to make our traveling experience as cheap and comfortable as possible.

I was nervous about Kaige and his sleep schedule for the trip. We hadn't been very successful on previous trips, and I didn't want us to all be miserable because of a cranky tired toddler. The first nap there, we put him to bed and he didn't make a peep. What? Not a protest, or scream?This was just too good to be true, but I didn't dare check him for fear I would ruin a good thing. My curiosity got the best of me and as I peeked in I was surprised to see him asleep in the midst of a white munchkin wonderland. No wonder he didn't make noise. He didn't want anyone to come in there and put an end to his fun. There was a table close to the pack and play with a box of tissues sitting on it. He grabbed that box of tissues and pulled, played, and threw them all over. It was the funniest thing to find him asleep in the midst of all this soft torn up tissue. I wish I had gotten a picture of his fun!

We enjoyed the weekend filled with cards, food, outings, reunion, the beach and most of all great company. I am thankful for the love that the family I married into has for each other and the fun they have when they all get together.

4th of July 2010 Holbrook

We decided to combine two of my favorite things and head up for a visit at my grandparents home in Holbrook for my favorite holiday.... the 4th of July. Kaige was a 1 1/2 years old, and this trip was long overdue. Josh and I went cliff jumping in Winslow with Uncle John and some brothers and cousins. I know Josh wasn't thrilled with the idea, but it ended up being lots of fun. We celebrated all weekend long. Birthdays, baby blessings, independence, and family! Kaige loved the fireworks, and I loved his personal ooo's, ahhhs and wows. He loved all the attention he got from extended family and took a special interest in my cousin Melissa.

The last day there we enjoyed the quads. Little did I know just how much Kaige would like them. He is definitely his father's son, and has a need for speed. Kaige had his daddy driving him all over, and if they would stop he would yell GO! He really loved the take off and could have ridden all day. A sunburn and a tantrum later, we got off the 4 wheelers and said our goodbyes. It was good to be back in Holbrook, and in my grandparent's home. Kaige loved it so much and we are looking forward to return trips.

Memorial Day 2010 - Utah or Bust!

My bosses decided to take a week vacation, so we jumped on the opportunity for a family road trip ourselves. I'm not sure Utah was ready for us. On the way up we stopped in Fredonia to place flowers on My Great Grandparent's graves and other graves in my Grandma Palmer's family. I made the flower arrangements and was excited to do this. I had never done anything to celebrate Memorial Day before.

We were pretty tired after trying to drive through the night, so our first day was kind of spent lounging around at Josh's Aunt Jane's home. We stayed with her and were treated like royal guests. Sunday morning I wanted to go on a nature walk. Aunt Jane suggested a certain trail, and up the mountain we drove to walk around a lake on one of her favorite walks. We are from AZ, so the last thing we expected to see was snow covering everything and a frozen lake. It was kind of funny. It was almost June and because of an unexpected snow storm the week before no-one thought about it being covered. It made for some good pictures, and Kaige thoroughly enjoyed feeding the many squirrels his goldfish crackers. There were dozens of them, and they obviously weren't strangers to humans. That night we went to my Uncle Randy's home for dinner and spend the evening with them. They are always the best of hosts. Kaige had lots of fun with his little cousin Joycelyn.

On Memorial day we met my best friend Val and her family at Heritage Park. Kaige loved the animals and train the best. There is so much to do there, and it will be an even more fun place to visit when he is a little older and can be interested in older activities. We went to their home for a BBQ that night. The boys played really well together, and it was so fun to be with Valerie again. It's kind of weird to include our husbands and kids, when I think we would have loved nothing more than to be just the two of us......talking about them. I got to meet her daughter Lily for the first time. Their family is adorable, and I wish we didn't live in different states, but I am so thankful for her and the friendship that has stayed strong despite the years, and miles.

Tuesday morning I went shopping with my dear friend Sophany. She lived in AZ years ago, and we have always been close. She is Cambodian, and a riot. She took me all over the place, shopping all the stores I could only find in Utah. She cracks me up, and is so much fun. I spent way too much money, and laughed so much! That afternoon Josh, Kaige and I went to Temple Square and enjoyed all that it has to offer. As we juggled nap times and all that we wanted to do, we ended up short on time and didn't spend nearly as much time there as we would have liked. When we went and saw the large Christus, Kaige said, "Hi Jesus" as soon as he saw it, and every time he saw it after that. He loved looking at it, but if we tried to get too close to get some good pictures, or leave him by himself by it he would freak it. The size really intimidated him. We saw a presentation on family, and I know it touched me even more because I am a mom now. We had to cut our visit short to meet up for Cafe Rio with Josh's family. Everyone loves Cafe Rio, but my body sure didn't. I was sick the whole rest of the night. :(

Aunt Jane stayed home from work on Wednesday to spend time with us. We spent a casual day, and did some more shopping. I got a migraine in the midst of this, so by the time we got back to the house, I just wanted to lay in bed. We decided to try one more store to look for our "Prayer at the Valley Forge" picture. As I got ready to go, I realized I didn't have my wallet anywhere. I must have left it at the last store I was at.......5 hours ago...... We called the store, and the lady said I've been waiting for you to call. I know there are good people everywhere, but I have to think that had I not been in Utah, my luck might have been alot different. I am so thankful for the honesty of the person who had found it. I had $600 cash in there.....and it was safely waiting for me. I felt so blessed! Then we went and not only found the picture we had been looking for, but it was so much cheaper than the one I had been trying to get ordered. We both fell in love with a painting of Jesus and bought it as well. So much for that $600 cash, but I am so thankful that I was able to recover it, buy these beautiful pictures that have added so much to our home. I just love when Kaige sees the picture and says, "Jesus" with his little finger pointing up at it. That night Valerie was such a good sport and came out to see me at the house. She made the drive and even played some cards.

We love to play cards with Hedgecock relatives, so we played cards just about anytime we could. Aunt Jane gave Kaige his own little mini deck. We were to the last hand of up and down the river, and we were playing it Indian style, where you put the card on your forehead. Everyone but you can see what you have and you have to guess what to bid. Then we looked at Kaige and stuck to his forehead is his little mini card. It was the cutest thing ever! He was playing just like us.

I could have spent another month in Utah, catching up with loved ones, sight seeing, and enjoying the beauty and great weather. But it was time to come home. Kaige was a trooper and did so well most the drive. By Flagstaff he was done and the sun in his eyes didn't help. He cried, "All done chair!" over and over. Poor boy! It was nice to be back home and in our own bed....but we hope another opportunity arises to go up there again in the near future.

The next day, we decided to go to Tim and Jessica's house that is only 10 minutes away. It took alot of effort to get Kaige buckled in as he arched his back. He did not want in that seat again. He screamed the entire way over there. I think he thought we were going to be in the car for 10 hours again. Can you say a little traumatized????