A weekend away

This past weekend we decided to take the Jet Skies to Redondo Beach for a little fun. The plan was to leave right after Kaitlin got out of school so we could get there before dark and swim in the hotels pool, but Russ wasn't ready yet so we waited...and waited and finally left at 5:45pm. We could tell from the start it was going to be one of those trips.....

Traffic wasn't too bad heading out. We were cruising along pretty good and making good time when....BAM....a tire blew out on the trailer. Great, we were 25 miles outside of Baker and stuck on the road. By this time it was almost 7pm and Parker and Kaitlin were getting hungry. We decided to call Susan and see where she was at (she was leaving after us and meeting us in Redondo)...hoping she was leaving and could bring us a tire. No such luck..she was still working. We unhitched the trailer and drove ahead to Barstow. Russ dropped me and the kids off so they could eat and he could go find a tire. By the time we got back to the trailer and got back on the road it was just about 8:30. Susan had left home and was about 1/2 an hour behind us. We all decided that since it would be 10pm by the time we got to Victorville we would just stay the night there and go the rest of the way the next morning.

When we woke up the next morning we loaded everyone up in the car and started our dive to the beach. Russ wasn't sure exactly where we were going so I used the google maps on my phone to get directions. Apparently Google maps isn't as accurate as Mapquest and it lead us to the city next to Redondo....no big deal....just took us a little longer to get to the beach. We finally got there around noon, fed the kids lunch and discussed the plan of action for the day. We decided that Susan would take the kids to the beach and I would go with Russ on the jet skies for 1 1/2 hours, then me and Susan would switch.

We launched the jet skies and at first mine wouldn't start. Russ had to fix a bolt on the battery, then we were off. We got about 30ft out of the no wake zone and mine died....NO POWER AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN.... Russ had me jump off so he could see what went wrong, but no luck. It was broke. He had to tow me back to the dock (I was glad to get back on the jet ski because sitting in the water was starting to make me nervous that something would bite my toes). When we got back to the dock I called Susan and she brought the kids over. Russ was still trying to fix the ski, but it was no good. We decided to have them pull the skis out of the water and spend the rest of the day at the beach.

Sunday we did pretty much the same thing. Kaitlin, Parker and myself woke up bright and early and got everything loaded up in the car so we could enjoy the rest of our time on the beach after everyone else woke up. Kaitlin was a big help and even pushed the stroller while I carried our bags. We had to park our car at the dock over night because of the trailer, so we had a little bit of a walk to put our stuff away.

After everyone woke up we ate breakfast and headed straight for the beach. Parker wasn't too fond of the cold ocean water. It splashed him in the face and he screamed. He was okay if I was holding him, but if I made him stand up then he got scared....he enjoyed most of his time on the blanket playing in the sand...even got to taste some of it (YUMMM). I got to spend some time jumping in the waves with Kaitlin and chasing her around the beach with the seaweed that had washed ashore. We had a good time, but we couldn't spend too much time there since we still had to drive back to Vegas.

Before we left we hit the arcade and let the kids play some games and ride the rides. We finally hit the road around 2:30pm. The ride back wasn't bad. I fell asleep and so did the kids. I woke up when we hit the I-15...and just in time. Again....25 miles past Baker (pretty much in the exact same spot we broke down on the way up) we blew the other tire out on the trailer. GREAT!!! We had to leave the trailer at a rest stop and go to Baker for another tire. This time there wasn't a tire ready and we had to wait till almost 8:30pm before we got a tire. It was 9pm when we got back to the trailer and back on the road...at least we would get home before 10pm...or so I thought. About 20 minutes later...as I was dosing off again....Russ yells a bad word (not to repeat on the blog) and pulls off to the side of the road. Something was smoking. He got out to check and saw that a bearing broke. We were stuck on the side of the road again.

Russ sat there and was working on the trailer for a while, then decided to call his brother and have him bring another trailer out. His brother said it would be a little while because he had just ordered hid dinner and had to go home and take some stuff of his trailer, but he would come out when he was done. Russ decided to leave the trailer on the side of the road and drive me and the kids home, then go back out to fix the trailer. We finally got home at 11:30, and I tried to convince Russ to stay and go back tomorrow, but he didn't want to leave the jet skies all night (I don't blame him, but I didn't want him to be tired and driving). He went back out and I passed out with the kids. Russ didn't get back home till 2:30am, but he got everything fixed. I making a call....NO more trips with the trailer or jet skies this summer.

Ring Ring

Kaitlin got to ring the bell again at gymnastics last night. She successfully did her full hip circle. For those of you like me who don't know what that is...it's when you do a pullover and then swing your hips forward around the bar to complete a circle (I guess that's a good way to explain it). She was so excited...she is the only one in her class that could do it. She is doing so great and having so much fun.

6 Month Check up

Yesterday was Parker's 6 month check up. He is now 16lbs13ozs and 25in long. They said he is doing great and were surprised with his crawling, standing and his two front teeth. He had to have 3 shots...which he didn't like at all...and since his legs are all muscle it makes it worse. The doctors kept saying he is so strong...really really strong. They kept saying it till we left the office...I guess that means he's strong. I'm just glad he is doing good and growing like he should. I love my little man.

Got to get away for the weekend

This past weekend was labor day weekend so we decided to take advantage of the extra day off and head up to the Cabin. The weather called for rain, but it ended up being nice the whole weekend.

The kids got to ride on the 4-wheelers and Kaitlin had fun on the tire swing and zip line. Parker fell in love with the 4-wheelers and every time someone started one up he started kicking and panting because he wanted to go for a ride. We put him on the front of one with Russ driving and me holding him from behind so he wouldn't fall. He loved it....we must have gone of every trail 3 or 4 times. We even went by the graves a couple of times...and Russ is still talking about digging them up. I guess he can, but I don't want to be there...no mummy's curse for me.

Some of the Spooky graves

Sunday night we decided to go down to the 40 acres to see the horses. The 40 acres is only about a 5 min ATV ride straight down from the cabin so we loaded the kids up and headed down. The horsed belong to someone who pays to let them graze on Russ' family's property and they are pretty friendly to people, but none of them have ever been ridden. There is also one donkey with the horses...and Russ decided it would be fun to try to ride him. That didn't go over well with the donkey and Russ jumped off...luckily he didn't get kicked.

That night we roasted marshmallows around the camp fire and Kaitlin got to make a smore. She skipped the graham cracker though, because it was more fun to just eat the chocolate bar. :) Parker also got to enjoy in the gooey fun and had his first taste of marshmallow. His eyes got huge when he put it in his mouth and he started kicking and laughing. I guess he liked it. His Great Grandpa was at the cabin too and thought it was funny so he gave Parker a whole bag of marshmallows to play with.

Monday morning before we left we went back down to see the horses. This time we brought apples so the kids could feed them. Once we feed one they all swarmed us and were trying to get the apples. The kids got a little scared because the horses were all around us grabbing anything they could get their mouths on. Once all the apples were gone we jumped in the Rhino and left. We headed back to the camp to pack up and head back to Vegas. Too bad we couldn't stay longer. It is so peaceful and quiet up there.

Happy Birthday to Dallas

Friday we celebrated Dallas' birthday a little early and all went to the Hard Rock Pool. A bunch of girls were able to show up and the Cabana even got upgraded to one with a private pool...(it was supposed to be Rihanna's Cabana, but she didn't show). Even though I'm not totally comfortable in a swimsuit in public I did it anyway so I could celebrate with Dallas and I'm glad I did because it was a fun time.

The Cabana

Dallas made a new friend...a big drunk guy who pulled her into the pool...at least she saved her drink.

Happy Birthday Dallas

Happy Birthday Dad

Sunday was my Dad's 46th Birthday and we all decided to go to the lake. My dad hasn't taken his boat out in a while so he was going to meet us at the lake with the boys and we would bring our boat and all the food. They got there about 1/2 an hour before us and when we pulled up the boys were already leaving. They said they were board and wanted to go home. That got on my nerves and I yelled at them. They couldn't even suck it up for one day and spend the day with their dad on his birthday....someday they will regret it.

Well...off my soapbox. They day started out super windy. I was afraid my dad's little boat wasn't going to make it. The swells were going up over the front of their boat and it was rocking back and forth. They made it to the beach area in 1/2 an hour from leaving the dock...they had to go real slow. Once at the beach are we all played in the water and Dad threw in a fishing line...not even a nibble though.

We were all having fun when it happened.....the first bee sting. Not for the kids...oh no....FOR ME!!! That's right 27 years and I've never been stung by a bee. I thought I was on a roll...guess it had to end someday. I'm just glad none of the kids got stung. I was holding Parker as I was coming out of the water and it got me on the inside of my arm....must have been on his back. I'm so glad it got me and not him. It took me a while to recover and Russ and my Dad were making fun the whole time.

The kids were getting restless so we all jumped in our boat and threw out the tube. Russ let dad drive for a while, but the kids said he was going to slow so Russ had to take over. Guess he is too used to driving his little boat. Charlie got scared (not sure why) to get on the tube so I convinced Kaitlin to get on with me to show off to her Grandpa...she will do anything for him. To my surprise she did it. We were on it for a good 10 minutes and only got off so we could drive back to the beach are because Dad had to head home.

We got back to the beach and said bye to Mom and Dad so they could get home before the waves and wind got so bad they wouldn't be able to make it. I'm real glad we all got to hang out on his Birthday. Before they left Kaitlin gave Grandpa his gift she got him....a goody bag with candy and a birthday hat.

After they left we rode around the lake and headed over to another beach so the kids could play. Kaitlin decided she wanted to ride the tube again...this time by herself. She made it almost the whole way there, but we made her get off for a while so we could go faster.

They played at the beach for a little while, then we decided to head back because the wind was getting too bad. Kaitlin got back on the tube and rode almost the whole way back to the dock. She was on the tube for like a half hour going over all the big waves the wind was creating. I'm so glad she got over her fear of the tube and had fun...I'm so proud of her.

And he's off...

Parker started crawling this morning. I sat him on the floor so I could make Kailtin's lunch and he was off. He kept going after a little ball...so I grabbed my camera so I could tape it. When I got to daycare I asked them if he had crawled there and they said he just scoots....yeah....he waited for me to crawl. :) I'm so excited.