the trip

OK back in summer

if we can remember that 

I took a trip

the trip was suppose to be  for my father 80th birthday

but things change 

it turns out only Grace, Tyler and I flew to Utah and spent two weeks there 

a few highlights

Brick Oven

been a favorite of mine since I was a kid!

24th of July Celebrations!
aren't cousins the best!

crafts with Aunt Joan!!

Grace wanted to celebrate her birthday with Laura
so they had a cousin party for her

 somehow I didn't manage to get a picture of the family dinner but the clouds were cool!

 splash park
Grace loved it! Tyler wouldn't go?

 Utah monsun season

 the best city pool I've ever been to!

other changes that were made to this trip was

Eric, Alex and Jared were suppose to come a get me after they finished Scout camp

for several reasons that didn't happen

so my sweet sister and niece drove me and my crazy kids home!

after a late start, a flat tire and I can't even remember what else happened 
we were just getting to Twin Falls Idaho when the sun was going down
Amazing!!
I made Joan stop on the bridge (there was a pull out) and I jumped out of the car and took a picture
I have a thing for sunsets
we didn't spend the night here
we unfortunately stopped for dinner
which made us sick…...

day 2 of the drive went better and Tyler and Grace are so easy to travel with
we were just coming to the mountains when the sun set 
I had to get another picture
this one is just thru the windshield so don't mind the squished bugs!

back home!
Joan and Laura only had 1 day to "vacation"
so to downtown Oak Harbor
exciting place!

Sunset on the beach
Laura's request!

blurry picture but I don't have many pictures with these 2 amazing gals!

Alex says we have the same smile
I don't know you might be able to tell we are related

happy day
there visit was too short
but we made the most of it

OK the catch up will continue

North

the family reunited its time to head home

what a lucky dad!

he gets to drive now!!

rearrange of seats for the car sick one!

its best if she is in the middle and can see out the front window

hold on to your care bears

we only lost 1 once

luckily we spotted it just in time!

this is where the plan kind of went wrong
I thought we were headed to see General Sherman and the Avenue of the Giant trees
Eric understood we were going to the redwood forest
we headed north on I-5 and turned left at Redding on 299
YIKES 
this horrible miserable road 
4 hours of winding to the coast
everyone getting car sick.....
reaching the coast north of the trees
but hey we were actually in the redwood forest
just not the part I thought we were going to
great lack of communication
when you think you understand what each other are saying...

OH WELL!

we did see Elks freely roaming which was very cool

 and made a few stops

Hey look...
"It looks just the same as at our house!!"
nice

I'm not sure I can ever get Eric or my kids back to the California coast to try again at the redwood trees
I hope so because we really did miss out

we did stop in to see Paul and Babe

Jared was too cool to get his picture taken


ah the mostly happy family

We stayed the night in Crescent City
we had a light house view!

we watched the sun set from our balcony
some claim to have seen the green flash 
I missed it
we went to a local pizza place, really yummy, and a then a swim

 so not a total loss of a trip
but a really long day!

our visitor

My Laura came to see me!

I call her my Laura

because even though she is technically my niece she is also like a sister to me

she had some vacation time from school and work and came to see me!

she did a great job being cousin to my kids

on my side of the family most of the kids cousins are much older than them

so it was great that she took time to be with them

she even jumped on the tramp with them! 

that is a brave woman!

as requested we went to the beach one evening
my only regret of her trip is that we didn't make it to the beach more
only 2 of my kids choose to come with us
too bad for those others

if you look hard you can see an eagle in the tree
it really was huge we just couldn't get closer for a better picture

best time on the beach is sunset! 
I love it
so I had to take a few pictures
just be glad I'm only sharing 3
I took considerably more...