The Grand Finale.

Another 527 miles and a 3 week stay in Colorado closed our tremendous summer vacation.

It consisted of the final Harry Potter Movie.

Lot's of nights around the fire pit, with smores and sparklers.

Lot's of fun with all our CO cousins...

at a lot of fun, interesting, cool, entertaining places.

My beautiful Ainsley girl getting baptized with her cousin Tristan Jr. She looked so sweet in her baptism dress, that I recently found out at one point or another all of my sisters wore (I was baptized in it) as well as all of my 3 girls being baptized in it. And she looked absolutely gorgeous in the tiered ruffle dress her grammy made for her special day.

My summer was made perfect by friends and family, and what can be said about my wonderful sister in law who allowed me to invade her life, house, and mind for 3 weeks.  I think there is rarely a time when you feel comfortable staying at some ones home for that long, but I can honestly say that I did. My sister in law Tamzen is one of the most fun and giving people I know. My kids love her to pieces and I love her more. She is a great friend and sister. I was so lucky to marry her brother so I could have her in my life. She makes all the trouble and heart ache worth it. : )

621 miles later...

After a few days in California, we took off early one Sunday morning, like 3am early, with one extra kid in tow. My niece Kelli decided to hop on the gypsy wagon and spend a week with us at my Dad's house in Utah.

We enjoyed a week exploring Utah and spending time with Grandma and Grandpa.

The best thing about my Dad's is his gorgeous green back yard, where we hung out for hours on end.

While in Utah, we were also able to visit my cousin that I hadn't seen in years, and Thomas' younger sister Tatum in Salt Lake who has 3 cute boys, Rainier LOVED the boy time he got with them and hit it off right away and wrestled the night away.

Coast to Coast

We made after 2 weeks in Arizona I put my driving gloves on again and headed about 5 hours and 300 miles to Sunny Southern California, where I grew up, and where most of my family still lives. My sister Sheri allowed me to stake claim on her house for a few days. I hadn't stayed with her for such a long time and it was so nice to settle back into the good old days and enjoy her home and her great family.

Rainier ate up all the attention he could from his Uncle Shawn and Aunt Sheri. He "cheesed" them up as much as he possibly could. The girls were so scared that their cousin Connor who recently had turned 14 would be "too cool" for them but he was the best, staying up late with them playing xbox, truth and dare, and letting them tease him endlessly about girlfriends.

 

Rainier was awe struck with Connor and would follow him around everywhere especially outside when Connor was on his skateboard. He was in heaven, beautiful weather and a cool cousin with neat toys to follow around.

My brother Mike lives close by and we enjoyed a day there swimming in their pool, playing with all their animals, and awesome toys.

Nothing like my 5 year old nephew giving my 2 year old son a spin around on the lawn mower.  I tell you my kids did not want to leave, that is a house of fun! They had a sled attached to the back of this mower and were being dragged all over the place.

I figure with my drive to NYC in May and my stop at Newport Beach in California I had the right to say I've driven coast to coast....do I? I don't care what you think....I'm saying it. I drove coast to coast with 4 kids all by myself...that's right! Are you jealous, amazed or just think I'm absolutely crazy? Oh the latter, me too.

Anyhow I had to make sure we made a stop at the beach. I LOVE the beach. I thought it would be no big deal to take my kids and two nephews to the beach alone, but being that I'm not the best swimmer, as the kids all ran right into the ocean, I have to admit anxiety set in and I was wondering what I had gotten myself into.

Luckily no one drowned, Rainier not only enjoyed the water, he enjoyed rubbing his head in the sand, over and over again. What a weird kid and to top it all off when we were ready to go I took him into the water to rinse him down, set him on a towel to grab our things and by the time I had turned around he had rolled himself completely in the sand, he was covered with a nice layer of sand from head to butt crack to toe. Thomas is hoping this is showing signs that he has ambitions to become a Navy Seal, we shall see, I'm thinking he was just trying to drive me nuts.

 

I couldn't have asked for a better stay in California, are you getting sick of how perfect my trips were going? Don't every thing is always better 20/20. Anyhow I thoroughly enjoyed seeing my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, walking to get frozen yogurt with my sister each night and being able to realize how alike she and I still are. I'm so lucky to have such a great family.