Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts

Saturday, March 24, 2012

White Sands, New Mexico


We just got back from Spring Break. We were so excited to go explore New Mexico. Our first was Roswell, to eat at the McDonald's that looks like a SPACE SHIP, the kids LOVED it. Roswell had ALIENS at ever business, painted or a statue, the kids got a kick out of seeing them everywhere. The street lights were even white heads with BIG ALIEN eyes.
We headed to Carlsbad RV park, to park the camper. It was fun little RV park with a park and a CLOSED down indoor pool, YES, the kids were ticked. The next morning we headed out to WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO. It is 20 minutes from the WHITE SANDS MISSILE range. There is a big sign as you drive into town that says, "White Sands will be closed when were are launching missiles." 
The drive was AMAZING. We had to drive through the mountains. We drove through the sweetest little towns. The first one was the city of HOPE, it was fun. Little old cabins and old stores. The next town was Mayhill, this was a cute little quaint town, this one actually had an elementary school. The last town was called Cloudcroft, this one was a little bigger, it actually had a small ski resort, in the middle of now where. The lift was right by the road. As you leave Cloudcroft, in the break of the mountain you could see a plain of WHITE...of course being from, Utah it looks like snow. BUT, it is sand. It was an amazing sight.
When you get closer you drive into the park and as you drive about 8 miles, the road ends and you are driving on the sand. It was so fun and breathe taking. 
We were told by someone to take some cardboard down and use that to slide down the hills..that soooooo does not work. So, I jumped in the car and went to the gift shop were you could buy/rent sleds. Those were AWESOME.  I also bought some wax to put on the bottom. Rylee loved that, she waxed hers every run and would fly down the sand. We realized it was just has fun to run down the hill, we had a blast doing that. 
It was a PERFECT day, the upper 70's. The BEST thing was the sun would get HOT, but the sand was cool, the further you stuck your feet in, the colder it got. We had a very fun filled FAMILY day!!!




 On the drive I taught the kids something that will take them far in life....the PRINGLE duck bill. They got a kick out of that..... The upper right picture is Luke's new signature move..you will see it in ALOT of pictures throughout the pictures.


Driving into the White Sand park...




This picture had to be posted by itself..Luke had the first CRASH of the day. I was so excited to get it the PERFECT picture of it :0) After he crashed he sat up and spit out the sand and wiped off his face, and said, "let's do it again".....He is a trooper. He walked up and down the hill, more than anyone. He was in HEAVEN!!!



This was a WORKING trip for Boomer, so sadly he was on his computer most the time, but he had fun too....


THE BEST PICTURE EVER..Boomer and I booking it down the hill. We started with our hands held, but I realized fast, if I didn't let go, it was going to be him PULLING  me down the hill. This might have to be our Christmas card :0)
The Lower left picture is of Rylee hitting the bottom of the HILL hard, she felt it in the morning, she was a little sore. She was laughing so hard, I don't think she realized how hard she actually hit.


So, things to remember next time. DO NOT WEAR anything with pockets, we had SAND EVERYWHERE. The sand came off our body with baby powder very easily. But, we all had a THICK paste on the bottom of our feet. It took us about 30 min to get it all off, baby powder didn't work and water made a hard paste. So, we had to scrape and dig that stuff off. It is actually not sand it's stuff called gypsum. If you want to learn more about it, click HERE.

Stay tuned for more pictures of SPRING BREAK 2012!!!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Driving Home from Utah!!

We were heading home from Utah, as we were going into Moab, there is a huge sandy hill. The kids were ready for a break out of the car, so I pulled over and told them to hike. They looked at me like I was kidding. HEHEHE. They got out and headed up the hill, they did pretty good and their energy was zapped!! YEA!!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Fun With Family

We had such a fun night with Boomer's family. We were able to go to Midway, where Boomer's brother, Ramsey had a camping site. We meet at a park for dinner, then headed up for the site. It was so fun. 

We played in the park for a little bit and did sparklers.


Hanging out at the Camp fire....Mo and Mollie were singing to us, 
while Boomer and Ramsey started the fire!!



This is our tired little bug


COUSINS (all but, Brian, he was in bed already)


Look, the fire had an "A" in it...SO COOL!!!



This was my favorite shot of the night. 
Ramsey with his little girl, Brooke. 
So, so sweet!!!


It was so fun relaxing by a fire, eating SMORES and being with family..
We have such an awesome family!!!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Day 2 of Birthday Celebrations!!!

On Saturday we had a fun day of just FAMILY. My Mom rented a Bouncer, OH MY GOODNESS, the kids were ecstatic. The bouncer came after lunch. Then at 4 we had a Photographer come and take Family pictures. This is the FIRST time in a long time we had EVERYONE all together. We were able to get every GRANDMA'S dream picture with ALL the kids in the same place. There are many pictures taken, when you are taking family pictures with a CRAZY FUN bunch of people you get some GREAT shots. I had to add all the pictures that were taken till we FINALLY would get the perfect best shot.

The first thing we did to start off the party was have a rocket flying contest. Each family made a rocket out of 2 liter bottles, 1 golf ball and lots of Duct tape. It was really fun. 


Everyone loved the BOUNCER, I think the adults
 had as much as the kids.


The most comical part was watching people fly down the slide.


My sister Britt, compiled a book of memories about Dad, from family and friends. It turned out AMAZING!! He LOVED it.


Here is the family pictures:
 My oldest brother, Mike and his family trying to get a picture on the slide, YUP, no luck, they fell every time, really funny!!! The standing one worked out better!!


My other brother, Fred and his family



My oldest sister, Michelle and her husband Chuy


Our family... ( I don't know where Morgan disappeared, 
I didn't get a single shoe of her)


My little sister, Brittney and her family



All the kids and their spouses


All the siblings..Michelle does YOGA, look at that stretch :)


SISTERS, I think this story went that Britt was getting an eyelash off Michelle's cheek and ACCIDENTALLY pinched her cheek REALLY hard!! We got it together for a beautiful shot.


The Boys...Syd was fixing Grandpa's hair..PERFECTION!! 


The GIRL, grand kids with Grandma



The BOY grand kids with Grandpa


ALL the GRAND KIDS...18!! AWESOME!!!



The AUNTS with the TWINKIES


These are the TWINKIES....lots of CREME filling.


AND the 2 that are responsibly for ALL of us!!!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!!


Our entertainment, the best there is, Chuy.
To hear more of his bands incredible music, click HERE.
(just a little plug)


MOMENTS.....


Seriously, the chicken...it was a juggling chicken for Chuy which became the parties mascot. It was late, we were partying ALL DAY and this chicken became the funniest thing ( we had lost it)..yes, you had to be there, just look how happy Julia looks with the chicken. Oh, Mr. Chicken how we miss thee....

Joslyn in the bottom picture is happily petting a DEAD dragonfly, she was in heaven. We buried it after!!!


Chuy's juggling act....


This is what happens when Twinkies are around, 
you get creamed.


Boomer and Luke


I thought this was a cool picture. We had a YUMMY dutch oven dinner. The briquettes made PERFECT Mellow roasters. This is Julia feeling the love. YUMMY, smores!!



Stay tuned for more fun days......





SURPRISE!!!!!


We threw a SURPRISE party for my Dad's 70th Birthday. AND we pulled it off, YEA!!!! We had 2 days of FUN PARTIES planned... the only reason we pulled of his SURPRISE party, is we did it one on Friday night. Dad suspected something, because myself and my sister Michelle came in to town, but he just figured it was on Saturday (which we had one planned then too). Through out the week anytime my Dad left for work, we grabbed all the stuff and started planning and creating for the party. Then when we saw him pull in, we would start shoving and hiding any evidence. It was quite a show. When you are trying to run in the house with 24 balloons, before your Dad drives in the driveway, my sister and I were laughing so hard. Good times!!
We had planned on dinner for the family, so everyone started showing up for that, which was not unusual for my family to get together. It started getting closer for the SURPRISE party to start and the guest to start coming. After dinner we started bringing out chairs and decorating. My Brother, Mike set up a DJ station and my Brother Fred started the Cobbler for the evenings dessert for the guest.
We kept trying to get my Dad to change his clothes, he was pretty casual for the evening. At one point he looked outside and saw us all busy decorating, he turned to my Mom and said something to the effect of, "OK, WHAT IS GOING ON." My Mom simple replied, "GO, GET DRESSED". Right as my Dad walked out to the backyard, his first guest walked in and the evening went on with family and friends coming. It was so fun. Sisters, Aunts and Cousins of my Dad that he hadn't seen for awhile came. It was an AMAZING night to celebrate an INCREDIBLE, Father, Grandpa and FRIEND!!! 

Here are pictures of the night......







More to come of the FAMILY party.....