So, here we go. An update that includes a few pictures. In the middle of September, we went up to my family's cabin. It was so much fun, but just days before going up, we found out that my grandparents had made the difficult decision that it was time to sell it. So, the trip was quite emotional for me. I would find myself choking up at various times during the weekend. It hasn't sold yet, and it is unlikely to sell during the winter, so I hope that we will have the chance to get up there one more time. But a lifetime of memories are associated with that place for me. I will dearly miss it when it is gone.
John discovered these sweet goggles while up there. Hotness personified, no?
Here is a picture of our sweet kitty, Minnie just a day or two after we got her. Her name is short for Mignon (which means "cute" in french). The story behind the cat is that Megan has been begging for a cat off and on for a long time, but it had ratcheted up in frequency. I had told her to wait until after our trip - so we wouldn't have to make arrangements for a kitten. Fine. But then... She (Megan) was having a bad day, and while I was thinking on how to help her, I had to drop off a package to the UPS store for John. Well, there happened to be a guy on the side of the road next to the parking lot where I was going, and he had a sign that said FREE KITTENS. On a whim I pulled in and looked in the cage. And Oh My Goodness!! The cutest little kitty won my heart. A quick phone call to John later, I had a kitten in my car with me. Megan was thrilled, and frankly, I became more attached to that kitty than I dreamed I would. We arranged to have John's brother come stay at our house while we were gone so that she wouldn't be too traumatized by our absence. It worked out (even though he dubbed her "devil kitty" because she would be so crazy when he got back from work...).
So, the very end of September we headed out on our vacation to California. Sophie turned 8 that very next day - It was hard to have her celebrate on the road. But she was a really good sport, and was happy for what little fuss we were able to make over her.
After leaving St. George, we stopped in Las Vegas to visit John's sweet grandmother. She was so happy to be surprised by our visit. It was good for the kids to be able to connect with their great-grandma Shirlee again.
California. Perfect beach conditions: fun waves, warm weather, happy kids... We had never gone to Laguna Beach before. But it was so much fun! What a fun little town.
Disneyland was a blast. It wasn't as deserted as it had been on our trip in January (of 2012), but the crowds weren't too bad. We missed the worst of the UEA crowds. :)
That being said, we did still wait an hour + to ride the Radiator Springs Racers. But what a fun ride!!
Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Disneyland.
Pretending to be dead at the end of Grizzly Rapids
Poor Max had to cover his ears during most rides, but he did it with a smile!
To infinity!
Buy this hat, I must...
It was a wonderful vacation, much needed. I kept thinking: In less than 2 years, the dynamic of my little family will change. Forever. Bryson will leave on his mission. And from then on, it's different.
It's difficult to imagine when you are early in your years of mothering, that those days will ever end. People say ALL the time that it goes by so fast. I remember feeling like, "thank goodness!" Right?
Because it's HARD! The constant demand of attention and energy - it feels never ending.
But it's true. The days go by. The kids get bigger - pretty soon you can look them straight in the eye - standing side by side. Then they start to get a little taller, and taller, and before you know it, they tower over you. They start wearing your shoes. They drive. They date, they get jobs.
We felt very strongly that we needed to take this trip. To step out of our every day and make the opportunity to create memories as a family.
And it was so worth it.
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