Colorado Vacation

We arrived home safely yesterday after five days in Colorado with LaVor's family. After everyone found out his brother was coming to the states, a family reunion was planned since it's been almost seven years since the entire family was together.

The trip started last Tuesday afternoon. My parents kindly drove us to the airport and wished us luck with two boys who had never flown on a plane before. The Lime was excited, then nervous, then scared, and excited again after we passed through security.

We had enough time after we arrived at the airport, and before our plane left, to grab a bite since we wouldn't be eating on the plane. It was one of the most expensive Mexican dinners we've had and the least tasty. But it was food and it helped keep the cranky children at bay.

Doodlebug and The Lime couldn't eat fast enough. The airplanes were much more interesting and so they ate their food at the large windows overlooking the runway.

A little more waiting and it was time to board the plane. As soon as we got on, the staff said hi to our boys and LaVor mentioned it was their first trip. "After everyone is seated, come up to the front and we'll let you check things out!" they said. The travelers couldn't get in their seats fast enough; the boys were excited!

The captain let the boys press buttons, pull levers, and talk over the loudspeaker. I didn't realize the whole plane could hear them until we were on our way back to our seat and everyone smiled and oogled over them. LaVor said The Lime sounded more like a little girl but what do you expect from a six year old?

Before long, we were sucking on our candy and taking off. We flew over our house and saw a fire upclose that we could see from our house.

For the most part, the boys were okay on the flight. There was some fighting over the iPad and other toys but nobody had to tell us to be quiet or give us dirty looks. Towards the end, the crew said the airport was so backed up that we needed to keep circling until there was room for us. Unfortunately, the plane didn't have enough fuel to do that so they were worried we were going to have to make a detour to Cheyenne to refuel. I didn't have enough candy for an additional landing and takeoff so you can imagine my relief when they said a space opened up in a matter of minutes. We landed and sat on the runway for about a half hour until a gate was free. We anxiously departed the plane and found LaVor's parents waiting for us. They drove us to his sister's house where we happily crashed for the night.

Doodlebug wakes up early and being on vacation means nothing to him. We were excited to wake up and find LaVor's brother and his family also arrived safely in the middle of the night. The boys jumped right in to the cousin fun as if there had never been any time apart.

After breakfast and showers, we met the rest of the group at LaVor's parents house before heading to a Rockies game. Day games aren't our favorite but it was their last day in town before heading on the road.

Down the street from the stadium, I saw a man motion to a homeless man to follow him to a nearby hot dog stand. The Lime asked what I was doing when I grabbed my camera and I told him I wanted to document this act of kindness. Warmed my heart!

We're not Rockies fans but we were excited to see they'd be playing the Blue Jays, the team of former Athletics Josh Donaldson and Jesse Chavez. The boys and I walked down to the field level seats in hopes of getting a glimpse of either one but no such luck, even though Doodlebug did find a penny.

It was a warm one, and we bought nearly every cold/frozen treat they had. The Lime isn't a huge breakfast eater so he was feeling the heat/lack of food harder than everyone else. A cold slushee seemed to fix everything, as well as lemonade, cold water, and frequent trips to the shade.

They had a little playground above our section, where the boys had a chance to play and get out their wiggles.

The game seemed to go on forever and the kids were getting restless. Some climbed on Papa, others tried throwing popcorn into the mouths of others. Thankfully, Doodlebug got a good nap in and before we knew it, the Blue Jays won and we were on our way to dinner.

LaVor's family grew up going to the Spaghetti Factory in San Jose and thought it would be more than fitting to celebrate our first dinner together at the one in Denver. The kids got their own table and so did the adults. It was so fun to catch up with one another and stuff our faces silly with bread, salad, pasta, and ice cream.

We all met back at LaVor's sister's house where we played a cute little game. Everyone anonymously wrote down a Disney character and we had to guess who wrote what. I ended up winning with "Meeko" which nobody knew who he was :)

The night wouldn't have been complete without Doodlebug wrestling someone. Papa was his unfortunate victim.

Thursday was a low-key day. Some people went up to the ranch to play with horses, others went shopping, and a few went to breakfast. I stayed home with Doodlebug so he could get a much needed nap. But first, he jumped off furniture with his cousins, played outside on the swing set, and loved the dogs to death.

Most everyone went swimming in the afternoon and once again, we all gathered at LaVor's sister's house for dinner. LaVor and I were in charge that night and made steak tacos and fajitas. There were only scraps left over which was a sure sign that everyone enjoyed it.

As the sun went down, the s'mores came out. Everyone grabbed a stick and began roasting.

After treats were consumed, the kids were put to bed and the adults chatted outside until the fire died down.

Friday morning seemed the most promising for clear skies so we ventured out to take family pictures. I brought our tripod and nervously shot photo after photo in hopes of getting some that were flattering of 25 people. I think I got a few.

Not one that we'll be sending out in Christmas cards but it's always fun to get silly

We separated for lunch and enjoyed burgers and custard at Culver's. It was the perfect cold treat to a warm and hectic morning.

Everyone went swimming that afternoon and I stayed with Doodlebug so he could nap. That night, the kids stayed home and the adults went to dinner at Saltgrass Steak House. Our waitress was from Amarillo, Texas and did a great job making sure we were well taken care of.

Saturday morning was a cold and drizzly one. We had plans to head to Colorado Springs with a pit stop at the ranch on our way. LaVor was in heaven with the endless amounts of open space. He imagined our boys running free, playing with the animals, riding the horses, and being boys. I told him there wasn't a Target close enough :)

As we continued on our drive, the rain cleared up and we arrived at the Garden of the Gods to a jam packed parking lot. We roamed through the Visitor Center and learned about this majestic area, as well as the poop of the local animals.

We drove through the park and ended up at Balanced Rock. The kids, minus Doodlebug, had a blast jumping from rock to rock and exploring their little hearts out. The Lime was in heaven and could have stayed there the rest of the day.

Uncle Rob is a treat to be around and showed The Lime some cool little hideouts. He also scared the snot out of his girls when he jumped from one rock to another.

We all worked up a big appetite and stopped by Rudy's for lunch. We ordered a little bit of everything and ate our weight in barbecue. We came to the conclusion that LaVor's is still our favorite.

I really wanted to take The Lime to the Air Force Academy so on our way back, we made an hour long pit stop to check things out. He picked out a slap bracelet as his souvenir, we roamed through the Visitor Center, hiked to the chapel (where a wedding was taking place), admired the Liberator statue, went potty, and made our way back to LaVor and a sleeping Doodlebug in the parking lot.

When we got back, LaVor went shooting with his brothers and brother-in-law while the rest of the group went swimming (minus Doodlebug and I). When we were done, we went back to LaVor's sister's house for sandwiches and games.

Before we knew it, it was Sunday morning and time for us to head back home. You know it's a good trip when everyone cries at the airport.

We are grateful to be back in our own beds but definitely miss our family. We just hope it's not another seven years before we get together again.

Busy Bees

I feel like we've been going non-stop for the last week.  Which is good, because I hate hearing that someone is bored.  But, boy are we tired!

LaVor's brother and his family arrived in California last Saturday and we met up with them and LaVor's grandparents for dinner.  I asked our nephew what he was most looking forward to in the states and he said, "In N' Out!"  His wish was granted right away!

We saw Julie a few months ago when she came to visit but it's been two years since we've seen the rest of the family. And everyone is HUGE! But we all picked up right where we left off and it was so fun to see the cousins play together.

My parents drove into town on Monday and we all went to visit my sister on Tuesday. She's been in her new place for almost a year and this was our first time visiting. Yikes! We'll need to go back again, soon. Especially since my camera's battery died right when we reached Downtown and I missed out on so many cute things! But at least I was able to capture these cuties.

Wednesdays are dubbed our "Field Trip Day" which means we get to go out and do something fun. The Lime randomly picked miniature golf as this week's activity and my parents tagged along (but I didn't take any pictures...it was hard enough holding an umbrella to protect us from the sun and try to help Doodlebug).

That night, LaVor's brother and family drove up to our place and ate dinner with us before we headed to a baseball game. It was Jason's birthday and The Lime made a cute birthday sign for him which he hung on the door so he'd see it as soon as he arrived. The entire day was a scorcher and so we bought tickets in the shade and it couldn't have been more perfect! Everyone had fun and we ended on a high note with the 3rd base coach/manager getting kicked out of the game and throwing 2nd base in protest. Unfortunately, the local team lost but The Lime was happy the Tacoma Rainer's won (Mariners minor league team). We got home after 10:00 but still had to sing Happy Birthday and eat some pie. Everyone was in bed after 11:00 and slept great!

We see you, Doodlebug!

My parents invited us to hang out with them on Thursday but we opted to stay home. It was a brilliant idea because Doodlebug slept for over three hours and I had to finally wake The Lime up at 6:00. It was just what our bodies needed.

We're resting up this weekend in preparation for another busy and fun week ahead.

Father's Day

Poor LaVor wasn't feeling too hot this morning so he opted to stay home while the boys and I attended church (three hours of quiet sounds like the perfect gift, eh?).

The Primary gifted the fathers a cupcake with a decoration that said "Dad, You take the cake!" Everything turned out super cute and there were enough leftover cupcakes for us to enjoy at home (in addition to the one The Lime gave LaVor). Doodlebug's cute teacher made a candy wrapper for a package of Reese's Pieces that said "Dad, I love you to pieces!" Doodlebug wanted to open them for himself the second he got them but was excited to give them to LaVor once we got home.

If LaVor were to pick spaghetti or homemade macaroni and cheese for Father's Day dinner, I'd be on top of it. Unfortunately, he wanted steak and so instead of butchering (ah ah ah!) the meal, he made it. I did, though, make the best batch of mashed potatoes to accompany the steaks.

The boys made a game for LaVor called "Pop Your Present!" I wrote down a gift on five pieces of paper and we stuffed the paper into a balloon. LaVor then popped each balloon to find out what he got.

One of the gifts was a hug.

Another one was a couple new t-shirts.

I think the reaction LaVor gets when he comes home every night is a good indication of how much we love and appreciate him. The Lime's note on the bottom of the game said it best:

The people on the left are all of us with our arms around each other

"You're the best daddy in the world!"

Pop

I've thought about what I wanted to write throughout the entire week and each time my mind went in that direction, I started to cry (sorta like what I'm doing right now). Nothing makes you realize how much you love someone until there's the possibility of that person not being around anymore. I've always really loved my dad, obviously, but with his health concerns these last 6+ months, it really sank in what a great job he's done at being my Pop and how much I really love him.

In my 32 years of life, I can only remember him yelling on two occasions. One of which was when I forgot to tighten the base onto our blender and my milkshake went e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e! He has a calm, easy-going demeanor that makes him easy to be around. Hence why he's able to make friends wherever he goes.

He can strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. He's a great listener and can always find something to talk about. I have great memories of driving to Good Guys Car Shows in Pleasanton with him and speaking German with one another the entire way.

Speaking of German, he was my substitute teacher in my German class one time. And my math class. While it was embarrassing, especially being in high school, he never let anything stop him from trying to support his family. His mom always told him to get a degree so he wouldn't have to dig ditches. He has a degree and still dug ditches, which is where I learned how to dig ditches. I'm also a great firewood stacker, PVC pipe gluer, table & dish washer, and vacuumer.

He gives the best back rubs and never asks for one in return. My siblings have passed on the tradition to our kids and now they ask for back rubs, even from Grandpop. We used to call him Magic Fingers because nobody can rub your back like Pop can.

He loves his family and takes every opportunity he can to make memories with them. He loves his grandkids, possibly more than his actual children, and nibbles on them just like he did us. He always made time for us and took us to the park or played Bucking Bronco with us. We danced in the living room to the Beach Boys and turned Abba up loud on the computer. He let us drive around the block and took us to wherever the cops and fire trucks were headed. He took us to work on Take Your Child to Work Day. He'd encourage us to go to school if we weren't feeling well and call home if things didn't improve throughout the day (I called him the second I got to school, once). He killed spiders for us before we felt safe enough to climb into bed. He drove fast but I never felt unsafe. He leads music with his finger. He's great at giving praise and thanks.

I get my long fingers and stride from him, a love of taking pictures, a big forehead, easily tanned skin, a love for mashed potatoes and old cars, and we both cry easily.

It's a treat to be able to watch my brothers take on the calling of a father and excel at it. They have a great teacher and I couldn't have picked a better person for them to follow than my dad.

I can only assume that Pop turned out to be so great because he had a good example to follow. I know which attributes he got from his mom but I can also tell which ones most likely came from his dad. And even though I'm a mom, I hope I can pass those same attributes on to my kids.

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 25

-Has started galloping around instead of walking.
-Has to have his blanket, Paw Patrol book, water bottle, stuffed dog and stuffed puppy when he goes to bed and when he gets out of bed.
-Says baby, bottle, stuck, bubbles, and car.
-Is obsessed with the cat at my grandma's house. I wouldn't have a problem with the infatuation if the cat wasn't so temperamental.
-Wishes he could go to Nursery the second we get to church.
-Has been awesome in the car on recent day trips!  He hasn't needed the iPad to be entertained, which is a miracle.
-Loves riding on my back when we go to The Lime's room to say family prayer.
-Wants the camera to only be on him when we Skype with someone.
-Has no clue what sleeping in is and always wakes up during the 6 o'clock hour.
-Says "ahhhhhhhh!" when I put coconut oil on his irritated bum.
-Is one of the funniest, goofiest, silliest little boys I've ever met and I love him!

The Lime & Joe

I was certain I've posted about Joe before but I'm not having any luck finding anything.

When we lived in Livermore, LaVor worked with the young men and would take The Lime with him to class, since I was doing music in Primary. Both LaVor and The Lime bonded with one boy in particular, Joe. Joe and The Lime were best buds and even though we were thrilled when he decided to go on a mission, we were really going to miss him. He came home for a couple months due to some health issues but went right back out when he recovered. We moved during that time and missed his homecoming several months ago.

LaVor had a dentist appointment on Saturday and text messaged me last week saying our old ward's BBQ was the same night we'd be in the Bay Area. He also mentioned that Joe would be there which meant we had to go.

On the way down, we asked The Lime if he remembered Joe. I don't think he did but he said yes. When we arrived at the BBQ, Joe's dad was the first one to greet us with open arms and not far behind him was Joe.

It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about what an awesome kid he is (although now he's a man). He could have definitely made some different choices in his life but the happiness that exudes from him clearly says that he made the right choices. He's awesome and is going to continue to do amazing things.

He could only stick around for a little while before he had to leave and as soon as he left, The Lime came up to me with tears in his eyes and whispered, "I wish I could see Joe again." I promised him that we'd print out the pictures we took and he could write Joe a note. That made him feel a lot better.

I love that The Lime was able to rekindle that friendship in such a short period of time. And hope that he continues to look up to Joe (figuratively and literally).