Spring Break: Around the World in 7 Days

***This is a really long post. I won't be offended in the least if you just look at pictures because there are a heck of a lot and they're good ones, too. :)***
Last Friday we headed out, bright and early, bound for Joshua Tree, California. I was in desperate need of a vacation, and I found that preparing for a week long vacation was actually super stressful because I was also finishing the yearbook for Bekah's school and trying to make the cake layers for Emilee's wedding cake, and then Rus decided to leave a day early and [whine, whine, whine]. I don't think I breathed (or said anything nice to Rus) for the first three hours of our drive. We took a break at Amy's house in Flagstaff. She fed us peanut butter bars, homemade pretzels, and meatball mini subs. Anyone who gets the chance to stop by her house around mealtime should really make the effort. Yum. That was when my vacation really began.
Hours and hours later we found ourselves at the end of a long dark two lane road where everyone left their brights on for me, no matter how often I flashed them. We were in Joshua Tree. Hooray! We slept wonderfully [except for Rus and what ever child got him up three times that night], and headed out for a Joshua tree-filled day. Have you ever seen a Joshua tree? They are very Dr. Seuss-esque and totally awesome.

We hiked a bunch, got sunburned (in 68 degree weather), had a picnic, and took a billion pictures. The hike weaved around a boulder-playground for kids and they took full advantage of it.

They loved the lizards, the caves that were formed by boulders, and getting as high as possible without getting stuck. Usually. We fueled their little legs with red licorice, and Beau proved to be a pretty darn good hiker - at least for half a mile - which was more than Rus - his ride - could have hoped for. I love these next two pictures because it totally looks like Beau is going to eat that plant. But really is just saying, "Coming!" because Rus or Bekah called his name.

The next day, Sunday, we returned to the park for one more hike. Again there were hills of boulders for the kids to play on and forests of Joshua trees. After lunch we loaded up the kids and told them that...
WE WERE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!
With Grandma and Grandpa! And Tyler and Gina! And Amanda, Eric, Amy, Mike, Jared, Jennifer, and all of their kids!
They were a little excited.
We arrived at our hotel in Anaheim and had a wonderful time greeting everyone else when they got there. The kids swam and the adults laughed and talked and planned for the next day at the Happiest Place on Earth.
Monday, also known as March 14th, my Mom's birthday, came early and by 7am we were all walking down to the park. We followed Amy's itinerary despite Eric's protests, and made Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion before anyone could even breathe. Space mountain totally freaked Jacob out and almost ruined him for roller coasters for the rest of the trip. He came out of there bawling. It was Bekah's favorite ride. We were also able to meet up with Tyler and Gina for the teacups, arguably Tyler's favorite ride. I got dizzy just watching.

Beau LOVED it. He was laughing and holding on for dear life while Rus spinned him.

Bekah got to meet Goofy. Beau also met and hugged him and then got mad when his turn was over and he realized everyone else had a paper and pencil for Goofy to write on. And that's when I left Toon town with a screaming child and bought some popcorn.

Aren't Tyler and Gina CUTE?!

The rest of the day was a blur of lines and tired feet and by four pm we realized that we had passed the kids' threshold about three hours before. I was wiped out. Jacob had to sit and speak in soft, soothing tones to me while Rus explored Tom Sawyer's island with the other kids. A lady passing by thought we were cute and took our picture for us.
We headed back to the hotel, rested, and then met up with everyone for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (Mom's choice), for dinner. Can I just say I have the most wonderful family? Here's what we laughed about over dinner:
1. Beau running up to my dad the first moment he saw him at the hotel, expecting Grandpa to scoop him up, only to have my dad jump over him so that Beau wound up falling and sliding 10 feet on the pavement. I saw it happen. It was completely comical and my dad felt awful. I laughed really, really hard while holding a crying Beau and patting his back.
2. Eric waiting for Amanda outside Roger Rabbit's ride and eating popcorn out of a stranger's stroller - because he thought it was my stroller and my popcorn. AAH!
The next day, Tuesday, we again headed to Disneyland - the Most Exhausting Place on Earth - and again found ourselves in lots of lines and plenty of traffic. But the kids had fun and we left before they melted down. All of us met up later for family pictures. Here we are only missing one of our siblings - James - who I could never picture in Disneyland for the life of me.

All of the grandkids! FOURTEEN! (With one more to be added soon, hooray!) No Jacob is not picking his nose...I hope.


Of course we had to take a Girl picture


My mom with her cute face paint and Bekah. Did I tell you this trip was made possible for all of us kids by my parents? They were making up for never taking us as kids - and I'm sure they regretted putting it off because there are a lot more of us now.

After a fun morning at DL we went back to the hotel, swam in the pool with Amy and her kids, had a wonderful microwave dinner of tacos and cheese crisps, and went back to California Adventureland for A Bug's Life Show, the World of Color show (awesome, but don't sit on the boardwalk, you will get wet, just like they said), and Soarin' Over CA. I asked my parents to take this picture in the Bug's Life show because I had a matching one from years ago when Rus and I were there together. It was dark and my camera proved too technologically advanced for them and I was in tears before they - with Amy's help - finally took the picture. I am not in pain in this picture - I am laughing so hard I'm crying. And now that I see the picture, I find the background is equally entertaining.

Rus took this awesome picture while we were waiting for the World of Color show to start.

When Wednesday came we happily said goodbye to DL, sadly said goodbye to family, and headed to the beach because Amy said we couldn't leave without seeing it. This is the part of our trip where we welcomed sand into our van. We are all running for our lives in this picture, as you can obviously tell by the terrified expression on my face...
And then we drove six hours to Chandler, AZ. We met up with Rus's family at Fuddruckers and teased Emilee and Chip about having cold feet about their wedding taking place the next day. Rus and his brother Jacob told Chip he had that night to run away, after that if he tried they would kill him. Quite the welcome, huh.
Emilee's St. Patrick Day wedding was perfect - the temple grounds were so, SO beautiful and so was the bride with her bright red hair and peacock feathers. I love going to sealings in the Mesa temple because they always remind me of my own. I love winking at Rus and knowing that he's remember the joy and jitters of our own wedding.


That night we had a BBQ at Rus's cousin Tom's house, where I ate entirely too much queso and enjoyed the rare company of DeAnn, Jacob, Katie, Tom, his dad Clay, and others. It was a fun night.
Friday morning I left Rus early and went flying. In a little VW-with-wings kind of airplane (although this one had leather seats). Tom's brother John flys and had volunteered to take me up. I did with a little trepidation - I was terrified of getting sick at 5000ft. But I didn't and the views were amazing and I had a great time. I even took some pictures...


After flying I went shopping for Tom. He had given me free reign to buy stuff for the top of his cabinets in his house. I spent $150 and only had to return one thing - a statue of an eagle's head that we deemed too creepy to perch on his piano.
We headed for home that night, not able to make it to Globe for the reception because of an accident that closed the road. But trust me, our home was a very, very welcome sight after a long drive home...and though you could argue that we didn't actually travel all the way around the world - it sure felt like it!