More CA, UT Pics

A few more pictures from our trip:

We stayed at the Marriott right beside Thanksgiving Point, so Avie and I went over to the petting zoo one day. She developed an affinity for a certain black goat while we were there, until she decided they were smelly and we moved on.

Thanksgiving Point also had an incredible blown glass art exhibit, and the kids were able to make their own blown-glass flowers!

I didn't get there in time with the camera to get some shots of Danielle, but I made it to see our nephew Ben take his turn, pretty cool, if it wasn't so pricey I would of done it to.

Danielle and cousin Atticus at the Thanksgiving Point Deli, Atticus got the ice cream cone known as "The Tower"...I wonder why? PS. He almost polished off the whole thing!

Rayce and cousin Claira

Driving on the beach at Oceano State Park in Cali, it's the only beach in Cali to allow motorized vehicles. Rayce felt the need to remind Dan to not drive into the ocean, repeatedly!



Stopping in Kanab on the way home for a bite to eat and to indulge the kids in a bit of old west culture.

I have no words for this

Rayce thought himself pretty tough posing with his toothpick!

I'm ashamed to admit I didn't get any pictures of our time with our friends the Christensen's in California OR of our nephew Ricky graduating high school! Hopefully they'll forgive me and know we love them and thank them for letting us stay at their home and Ricky...We love you and are so proud, congratulations!!!

13 Days, 2579 Miles

Now that our time in Arizona is drawing to a close, we keep getting asked where we are going to live? Well, the short answer is "wherever the Air Force sends us." Dan will owe them three years of active duty service when he graduates, but after that we have to figure out where we want to live and set up a dental practice. We had heard some pretty great things about a place in California called San Luis Opisbo (AKA SLO). It's in the heart of wine country right smack between LA and San Fransisco, ten miles or so in from the coast. Because Dan had a couple of weeks off from the clinic we decided to road trip up to SLO and then head to Utah to see our nephew graduate high school. (Never mind that it meant 30+ hrs in the car with a pre-schooler and a toddler and never mind that it costs us around 75 buck a roos to fill up our vehicle!)

One of the many cool vineyards along the way.

We didn't stay in SLO, we stayed on the coast at Pismo Beach about 10 miles away, our hotel had great beach access.

The kids wanted to go as soon as we got in town.

The stairs down were so steep! There was a sign that said "The view isn't going anywhere, watch your step!"

It was a tad bit cool, nevertheless,the kids did a little posing..

...a little frolicking in the ocean...

...and a little sand castle construction.

The next day it was time to go check out San Luis Opisbo and see if it was a place we could see ourselves living.
The verdict was unanimous, we all decided it is definitely a place we could call home. The mild winters and proximity to the ocean don't hurt...just saying.

This is the old mission in the center of town, Danielle thought it felt like a haunted mansion.

The chapel inside the mission.

This place is definitely the antithesis of AZ.



A few other adventures we had along the way:

Rayce loved the ocean, here he is after getting rocked by a giant wave at Morro Bay. Avie spent the rest of the night repeating "Raycey rolled in the ocean".


Here he is the next day after getting sand in his eyes! I know what you're thinking "what kind of mother reaches for her camera instead of comforting her son?", ummm, yep I'm that mother.

Morro Bay, a small but very cool place. That's Morro rock in the back ground.

Avila Beach, an even smaller and even cooler place.

Danielle couldn't get enough!

It feels so odd to be thinking about these life altering decisions, I'm not sure we're mature enough to make these choices! Even if we don't end up in California it was a cool experience and in a weird way it put my mind at ease to know I could like a place as much as we like Sugarhouse. Dan was quick to remind me that we'll be happy wherever we go, 'cause we'll be together...I agree!

Cookie Dough and a Limo

A couple of times a year, Danielle's school holds various fundraiser's. Well, we usually do not participate (I don't like asking people to buy cookie dough or magazine subscriptions!). Danielle was extremely motivated by this last one because of the incentives of prizes, namely, a limo to take you and a friend to Peter Piper Pizza for lunch. I told her she was on her own on this one, but I did buy a couple of magazine subscriptions to help get the ball rolling. Enter Dan's dental clinic. Dan took the catalog to his dental clinic to see if anyone was interested and oh my! Who knew all these dental students would buy the place out of cookie dough!? Well, long story short Danielle ended up being one of the student's that won a ride in a limo to Peter Piper Pizza for lunch! I reluctantly let her take my camera to capture the event:

Danielle invited her friend Jayda

I think they had a good time!

Sis

Can't tell me that's not ADORABLE!

The Easter Festivities

Our family has had a really restful, fun Easter weekend. Aside from a small hiccup that came in the form of a slight fever, (notice Rayce's face is not a happy one in most of the pictures) everything was perfect!
Here's the rundown...

Dan's school holds an Easter egg hunt that is pretty stinking cool, it's a shame we were ten minutes late because we missed the whole thing! Good thing there was enough candy to go around and then some.

Avie didn't make a peep the rest of the time!

By the time this picture was taken the Tylenol was starting to wear off along with Rayce's patience, although he still had enough strength to muster a photo op with the Easter Bunny!

Just an exciting side note: on the way home from the first Easter egg hunt we stopped for lunch where Avie Jo was able to sample her first pizza ever thanks to Picazzo's non-dairy mozzarella! I'll let you judge by the pictures as to whether or not she enjoyed it.

I never thought my soul would be so happy watching one of my children enjoy pizza.

There might have been a part of Danielle secretly elated about Rayce's fever, because he came home and crashed and that left all the Easter egg dyeing responsibilities in her hands.

I love brightly colored Easter eggs

Second hunt, is it faux pas to hunt for eggs in a diaper?

Poor kid, still wasn't feeling too great, but wasn't going to miss the big event.

Danielle spent a good majority of the day questioning me as to whether the Easter bunny is real or not. Man, she's getting big (insert sigh).

Happy Easter!

So Funny

Some things are just too cute not to share...
So Rayce, Avie and I are walking yesterday to pick up Danielle when Rayce asks me: "Mom, when it gets really hot, do dogs' paws burn when they walk?"
I replied, "I'm not sure Rayce, but that's a good question."
He thought about my answer for a second then said:
"Well, if we get a dog, I'll let him wear my shoes."
So, so funny! He also said a bit later that he wants to be a cowboy when he grows up so he won't have to get married!

That's my boy!

Something's Missing

Hmmm, this is a new one for me. Three kids and Avie is our first that is flat refusing to keep her diaper on. She's taken it off countless times at home and now two times at the gym. Do you think she's trying to tell us something?

Well, until she's potty trained I need to go and get some duct tape!