Busy and Fun Spring Break

Spring Break 2010 was tons of fun and crazy busy! Trav and Parker were in Utah for Conference weekend and were gone for Easter so it was just Conner, Calissa and I at home. Quiet, right? Well, not quite! All three of my brothers, their wives and children came to visit! What a fun time we had. BJ and family arrived on Friday night and we were able to go to Chrystal's mom's house on Saturday for Danny's 1st birthday party. We visited, ate yummy food, the kids played in the jumpy house, Danny opened presents and we visited some more. Then, we headed back home and Kevin and family arrived. We enjoyed a dinner with them and then I came home to do some cooking for Easter dinner.

We woke up on Easter morning and enjoyed our homemade cinnamon rolls (a Conference Sunday tradition) and then went to my parent's house for an Easter Egg Hunt with all the cousins (minus Parker).

After the amazing egg hunt in the backyard with 9 cousins, we enjoyed a yummy dinner with everyone. We enjoyed watching Conference in the afternoon and a no fuss dinner that evening when everyone came back.

Monday, we went to see "How to Train Your Dragon." I must admit that I had heard nothing about this movie and wasn't so sure about it, but it was a great movie with a great message! I was pleasantly surprised! We all went out to lunch and then hung out the rest of the day. Abby was going to spend the night at our house, but got a little scared, so Calissa decided to stay at Grandma and Grandpa's with her instead. After getting home and getting a call that Calissa needed her blanket and taking it over to her and then getting another call to come back and get her because she was scared, I was not in the best of moods by the time that I ended up at home for the final time! :) Travis and Parker returned home on Monday night and we were very excited that they made it home safe and had such a wonderful time!

Tuesday, Travis went to work for the day and I did laundry and took a few meals to a couple of families in the ward who had just had babies. Calissa and I also got to go have Manicures and Pedicures with Grandma, Aunt Kellie and Abby. Then, the women went to lunch at Lettuce in Walnut Creek. Then, I can't remember what we did on Tuesday night! Boy, my memory is going fast!

Wednesday, we got our car washed and detailed (it definitely needed it after being ridden in by 6 teenage boys! Calissa got in on Tuesday morning and said, "This is disgusting!" I couldn't have agreed more!) and Trav and the kids got their hair cut. Then, we got packed and headed off to Pismo Beach. We met everyone at In n Out Burger in Gilroy and then were on the road again. Pismo was beautiful!! It was 70+ degrees and clear! We enjoyed playing on the beach after we checked into our hotel.

Chrystal's beautiful artwork! A wave washed it out shortly after we finished taking pictures of it!
Note to self - when we go to Pismo in June, make sure the kids change into their swimsuits before we head down to the beach for 'just a few minutes.' They ALWAYS end up getting wet! Here is BJ with the girls - splashing in the freezing cold water!
Hanging out on the beach.


Wednesday night half of the group headed to the Melodrama to see "Lumberjacks in Love," while the rest of us swam in the pool and watched Danny and Kaylie.

Thursday morning Drew, Kevin and Travis went golfing in Morro Bay. They said the weather was beautiful and it was a gorgeous course! We woke up to a beautiful day with no fog (which is rare for Pismo). I got up and went running on the beach and then those that were left went down to the beach to play in the sand and water.

Brothers - Parker and Conner

Cousins - Abby, Calissa and Maddie
There were 10 cousins in all. My kids are all older than the others.
(There were 7 kids between the ages of 1 and 6.)


Sister-in-laws (or Sisters-in-law?)
Chrystal, Kellie, Tina and me

Parker got buried in the sand by his cousins. They thought it was great and Parker was a good sport. We started to take a picture and Christopher (the one with the yellow shovel) decided as we were counting that on three, he should hit Parker in the head with the shovel. I know we shouldn't have laughed, but laugh we did! Poor Parker!

Here is Parker climbing a rock on the beach. He didn't want to come down. Although I guess I can't blame him since he had been hit in the head by Christopher! :)

BJ, Chrystal and their kids (Nathan, Maddie, Kaylie and Danny) had to head back home to Arizona on Thursday. We had a great time with them and are so glad that they got to come!

Thursday evening, the rest of us went to the Melodrama. "Lumberjacks in Love" was a fabulously funny musical! We all had a great time and are excited to go see another show in June! Check out this link: http://www.americanmelodrama.com/

Friday, we woke up to the fog, but it was still beautiful. We walked on the beach again, played in the ocean and swam in the pool before we needed to head back to Concord.

Sam-O with dirt on his nose!

Our hotel up on the cliffs. We just have to go down 100 or so stairs to the beach. (Or, walk down the street a few blocks and go down those stairs since the tide was in so far in the mornings).

One last time at the beach looking for shells!

There were hundreds of ladybugs on the beach this trip. You had to consciously watch where you walked or you would step on some. Although my dad stepped on a couple even though he was watching! The waves would come in and then the ladybugs would get picked up by the water and then deposit them back in the sand. It was a little strange, but at least it was ladybugs and not another kind of bug! You'd look down and see them climbing up your legs! I picked up my bag to head back up the stairs and had more than 8 on my bag! Weird!

Saturday, we were back to baseball games and real life ... more laundry, homework and getting ready for school to start again. Abby's 5th birthday was on Saturday also, so Calissa spent the day celebrating with Abby at Pixieland and playing at Grandma and Grandpa's house. We were able to join everyone for one last dinner and milkshakes at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

It was great fun to be together, but we were exhausted to start the busy week!