The Beach Trip

So on Saturday we thought it would be fun to take my sisters to a real California beach.  Great idea, right?  WRONG!  We happened to choose the worst day ever to go to the beach.  Hungtington Beach was celebrating 100 years, Hurley was having its official skating/surfing competition, and someone else was hosting its annual volley ball tournament.  All of this equals humongous crowds, no parking, and LOTS and LOTS of traffic.  The normal 1 1/2 t0 2 hour drive to the beach itself took 3 hours.  Driving down PCH trying to find parking (which we didn't) took another hour.  And finally, I had to pull over and eat or else.  So with the help of our trusty dusty GPS we found a nearby park and spent an hour eating and laying out, trying to get the tan we had come all the way down there to get.  After that hour, back in the car we went, in a last attempt/hope to find a parking spot.  Here we are in the car, dying of boredom, while waiting in a line to get a parking spot.

Mark still pumped to go to the beach.

Me, Melissa, and Heather behind a towel... hoping beyond hope that this time we'd get lucky and find a spot.

Melissa is bored and sad that our well planned out trip turned into a bust.

Heather won't let me take her picture.

So close yet so far away!

Finally after an additional 30 minutes in the car we found a parking spot!  We made it to the beach!!  We left the house at 10:40 and got to the actual beach at 4:00!!  WOO!

At the beach

Heather and her beloved cell phone.

Mark getting his rays.

Sisters!

Everyone.

Mark and Ceri came with us (lucky them).

So all in all it wasn't the most ideal trip, but we did eventually get to the beach and we had fun.  It was a nice break from the 100+ degree weather in Apple Valley and we learned that a pregnant woman must eat in a timely manner or else all hell breaks lose.  

The next day, Sunday, my sisters and I sang together in church, and then Melissa said her goodbyes and drove back to Provo.  Monday I dropped Heather off at EFY in Redlands and will take her to the airport on Saturday.  And then back to school and the usual grind.  It was so much fun to have my sisters here and to play in my neck of the woods!  I hope they come visit me again!  

Lion King and Vegas

This has been a really fun summer!  We have had a lot of fun people we love come visit us!  First my mom, then Hyrum, and now two of my sisters, Melissa and Heather.  Katelyn is in Japan or I'm sure she would have joined in the sister fun.  I have divided their visit into two different posts, so this is just the first.  Last Wednesday Melissa drove down from Provo, while Heather flew in from Oregon.  We spent a fun first night just being sisters and hanging out.  Then Thursday we drove to Vegas to see the Lion King.  It was AMAZING!!  You couldn't take pictures in the actual theater, but just believe me when I say, awesome!  I would recommend it to anyone.  Here are Mark and I in front of a poster.  Am I starting to look a bit big all around now?  Yes, yes I am.  

We stayed at the Luxor hotel for the night.  Poor Mark didn't get to go swimming, his one and only desire.  The pool closed at 5 pm (and since we got there at 4 he really didn't have much time) and we didn't wake up early enough for him to swim before check out.  Oh well, we still had fun together!  

In front of the Luxor.

Hyrum Visits

This post could also be entitled, "Mark likes kids!" or "Kids like Mark!"  Both of which are surprising statements as Mark has, up until now, tried to hide his natural fatherly instincts.  I knew he had it in him.  I'd seen little snippits of it throughout the last few years.  But this is proof for all else out there that he will indeed be a great dad!  

Anyway, Mark's brother, Cody brought down his little boy, Hyrum, to visit and we had so much fun with him.  He is two and the smartest, cutest little boy ever.  This kid can already recognize letters, numbers, animals, colors, and most shapes.  I have kindergarteners who can't do that!  So smart!  We went on walks in the stroller (probably like 3 a day!), crashed blocks, Nany (me), Mawk (Mark), the piano, the couch, the floor, and every other possible thing you can crash into, read books, sang songs, watched Cars (twice), built "tall houses," ate lots of crackers, played outside, played with water, and did every other imaginable thing you can do with a 2 year old.  He loved Mark and even fell asleep with him after the rest of us were unable to get him to calm down.  Awww!  So cute!  Here are some pictures from one of the nights he was here.    

Mark and Hyrum match!  Totally not planned.

Swinging on the swing together.

Probably looking at ants.  Hyrum LOVED finding the black and red ants.

Playing in the water.

We just love our nephew!  Come visit us again soon!  We hope you and your future cousin get a long really well and have lots of fun together!