Vacation Time ! ! !

We just returned from our latest adventure. I feel like all we have done the last little while is travel, but it has been fabulous. Before Tory and I became parents, we traveled all the time and tried to take one really big vacation every year, but we calmed down and put down roots when we got our little miracle from heaven. We only have one little problem, we still love to get out, so this last couple of weeks has been so awesome.

We were able to spend some time vacationing with my oldest sister and her family in Central Oregon. (Side note, I really didn't take as many pictures I usually do, you know like only about a 100 or so, I was too busy relaxing and enjoying myself.)

Here is one of the few pictures of our whole family together, it was at this awesome museum about everything from Native Americans who originally lived in the area to the pioneers and Basque culture that came and settled. The exhibits outside were live reenactments of life in the 1890s, but we were there on a special weekend that they had a Civil War exhibit (not that the Civil War took place in Central Oregon, but still cool.)

Here is one of evening activities, pick up game of softball. I of course sat out and just cheered, but it totally killed me since softball is my all time favorite sport.

Here Michelle sits with me, you can see the disappointment in her face too that we can't join the game. Maybe next year.

One afternoon the girls were exhausted and Ella loved sitting with Michelle, well I happened turn and find Ella sitting on Michelle's lap. The best part is that Michelle thought it was the funniest thing ever, what cute cousins.

Here is Ella doing her favorite thing of the trip, pushing Michelle around in her stroller. The funniest thing was when we were in the parking lot a car started coming so we warned Ella to be careful, so what does she do, abandons Michelle in the stroller and runs back to her mom. Good thing Michelle has no fear and is well trained in defending herself.

The Civil War heroes. The war is over and they are waiting to return to their families back home.

I couldn't resist taking this picture. It is a symbol of why I was born in this era. I truly am thankful for flushing indoor toilets, if you don't believe ask Tory about our first camping trip together, now there is funny story.

This garden from the 1890s was amazing. It makes me feel awful that our garden is so weed infested, maybe after I get done posting this I will go brave the insane heat outside and weed.

My older sister was totally awesome. Most mornings and after afternoon naps she would come get Michelle so that I could get some some sleep if I wanted. I usually just felt guilty and would just get up and go find them. One morning I heard a bunch squeals coming from, my younger sister, Christines's room. Michelle and Ella were having a sleepover with Tino.

Also most mornings while Tory and I were getting ready for the day my sisters would volunteer to watch Michelle, which also meant by the time I got out they had her bathed, dressed, and were doing her hair. Well this morning they turned my beautiful little girl into Super Rock Chick Michelle. She was all ready for the role after watching us all play Guitar Hero all weekend.



This last picture is actually just a funny story. If you can't tell what that black thing is on my sister's back, it is completely squished-to-death spider. We were watching the boys play Guitar Hero when my sister felt a tickle on her arm and started trying to get off the hair she supposed it was. I turned and realized it was actually a spider trying to attack her and grabbed the magazine that sitting on the coffee table and started beating her until the spider stopped twitching. She wondered what kind of maniac sister I was, I was just trying to save her life. Then we realized the magazine I had grabbed was the Ensign and the Conference Edition none the less. I felt awful using such sacred doctrine to commit murder, but at least I saved my sister's life.

I really wish I would have taken more pictures (I will just have to steal some from Tino and Shellie because I know they took a lot), but it honestly felt so good to just relax. The one night I truly wish I would have taken more pictures was our last night of vacation, our Luau night. Shellie decorated the deck with a bunch of Hawaiian decor and then had flower leis for each one us. They barbecued pinapple and had VIRGIN pina coladas, oh how yummy. Oh Vacation Time, why does it ever have to end.