So the first two weeks of vacation are officially over and as they say, "Vacation has worn me out." Course, I have 5 kids and I am 5 months pregnant, so I'll cut myself some slack. It HAS been a blast! Most of our travels are done and behind us as great memories and the next two weeks will be more calming, though still fun.
First, we turned back time and spent 3 days in Jackson, CA, at my parents adjusting to the time zone difference. Marc played with the kids. I caught up with my parents and did 1 day of school with the kids. The kids caught up with my parents and dove into my mom's stash of toys!
Second, we packed up our cold-weather clothes and headed up to Lake Tahoe. My dad says I drive the twisty mountain roads like an old pro. Guess that skill isn't easily forgotten! We ate cheap at Taco Bell and took the kids to McDonald's playland where we caught up with my brother Scott, his wife Sandi and their 4 boys: Ethan, Eric, Dillon and Decklin. It has been 2 1/2 years since we saw them and I just wanted to hold Scotty for a long, long time! After a quick stop at the grocery store, we headed up the hill to The Ridge timeshares that look down on Lake Tahoe. Technically at that point, we were in Nevada. We had great 2-room suites next door to each other that the cousins were able to run in between and spend time with one another. The non-gambling thing to do in Tahoe is to go to a casino-top buffet dinner, which we all dove into with relish! I told my kids that after they had some decent dinner protein, they could have all the dessert they wanted. They LOVED it of course and mostly had soft-serve ice cream with sprinkles and oreos. My poor nephew Ethan did not get the go ahead for all-you-can-eat dessert and had to stop at 2. At dinner I stood up and announced to Daniel that he had been chosen as Sparky of the Year back in Florida and his jaw dr0ppped. It was fun to tell the whole family at once! The next day we took the kids out to big breakfast at The Red Hut and to the time-share park. Once we saw some snow, we all piled in the cars and drove down to it where the kids tried to hit the adults with snowballs and vice versa. Daniel snuck up on Marc and hit him square in the ear with an icy ball! We had dinner and breakfast in the rooms and took the kids to the indoor pool, but mostly the kids were happy to play in the rooms with cousins!
After leaving Tahoe we headed down the hill to Placerville and on to Coloma, CA where gold was discovered in Sutter's Mill. We saw a gold panning demonstration and a forging demo at the old Blacksmith's shop. We stopped in an old store for ice cream where the kids got huge scoops of ice cream for only $1.25!!! We walked by the old stone and iron jail and saw an original Stage Coach. Grammy and Papa left us then to go on home and the kids spent the whole next hour throwing rocks into the American River. This was by FAR their favorite thing! Daddy taught them how to skip rocks across the top of the water and Leah decided to try swimming in the icy water, but thankfully, only her face and the top of her shirt ended up under water! After Coloma we drove through a California favorite: In N Out burger! We spent the rest of the evening visiting with College and Seminary friends: Phil and Jamie Layton and their 4 kiddoes. It was a sweet time of fellowship after not seeing them in the last 5 years!
Sunday morning was Mother's Day and my kids gave my mom and I some cards I had picked out-yes, I said I had picked out! :-) We attended my parents church here in Jackson before grabbing our suitcases and heading 30 min. to my brother's house. My brother and sister-in-law just moved into a new house last month and Marc and I had fun drooling over their 3,500 square feet of SPACE!! Scotty made all of us ladies a nice BBQ tri-tip lunch and Marc got to watch his golf match! After golf concluded we headed 2 hours east to Sonora, CA. We stayed in a hotel there so that our travel into Yosemite National Park the next day would be shorter. Dad and I took the kids to the pool and Marc even got to eat from his second "place I have to eat at while in California," Carl's Jr. Monday morning we headed off to Yosemite and all its beauty! Marc and I made the big kids ride in our car so we could hear their reactions as we headed down to the valley floor, saw Half Dome and all the waterfalls. Unfortunately, the kids were actually a little bitter that they couldn't ride with Grammy and Papa like Jake and Leah did. . . so much for "family" vacation!!!
Yosemite was gorgeous and Yosemite Falls gave off such a cold, strong wind that most of the kids wouldn't even go up to the bridge at the base. We toured the American Indian Village and ate lunch before purchasing promised souvenirs at the gift shop. Dan and Sarah both picked out wooden edged "Swiss Army" knives with their names on them-very cool!
After driving 3 hours home, Marc had to pack up his stuff and Dad took him to a hotel next to the Sacramento Airport. I was very sad to have him leave but certainly not ready to leave yet myself!!! Marc's flight was at 6:20 in the morning so we let him fend for himself to get there on time! He did arrive safely home WITHOUT missing his flights and in time to teach his first class on the Doctrines of Grace at 7 pm in Florida!
No comments:
Post a Comment