California–Randomness

So here are the last few pictures that I found from our trip.  Stuff I wanted to remember. 

First off: 
Charger’s Pre-season game

Papa Derek got all of us tickets to a pre-season game of the Chargers in San Diego.  So on Thursday, we headed south and realized how much we hate California freeway traffic.  It was HORRIBLE.  We left 3 hours early and didn’t get there until after the 1st quarter was over.  Did not plan that well at all. 

We get to the stadium and realize what a parking nightmare it was, and of course took some wrong turns.  Finally got in the stadium, and Alicia realized that her boys were dressed for summer weather.  Not summer night weather.  They were freezing by halftime.  At least the hot dogs distracted them a little bit.  It was neat going to a pro football game.  Unfortunately, the Charger’s didn’t come to the game (figuratively), and it was a little painful to watch.  We got the boys to hold out until after the 4th quarter started, then it wasn’t worth it anymore. 

Although, I find it funny that as much as they complained and seemed very unappreciative, if you ask them what they thought about the game, they loved it.  Connor thinks it’s neat to say that he has been to an NFL game.  Go figure. 

Next: The costume box

I know this is a bad picture, but it was the funniest looking costume.  They had amazing costume boxes for both boys and girls.  So all the girls were running around dressed like princesses and Connor comes out with this futuristic police costume which was super skinny and super tight.  It totally emphasized that the child is just skin and bones…and he wore it almost all week. 

The House:

The boys room had a pirate ship bed and a castle bunk bed.  They boys literally played pirates and soldiers all week.  Oh, and the boy’s room also had the creepy pirate captain statue, that Grandma Rita threw a sheet over at night so they could fall asleep.  They were less afraid of a ghost then that pirate. (The girl’s room had a pink castle bunk bed way cute)

The pool and yard:

There was a huge pool in the backyard that we may have swam in almost every day.  In fact we were kind of bad and used the pool as a big bathtub after the beach.  It was easier to remove the sand off the kids by going swimming in the pool than to use the hose.  The kids thought it was awesome to walk in the door from the beach straight out to the pool.

This was the BBQ area and lawn on one side of the pool.  They boys discovered the orange and lemon trees and decided to help harvest them.  Connor also decided to do an experiment with the glasses on the BBQ.  He filled one with pool water and one with tap water and put them in the sun to see which would evaporate first.

This was the back porch.  AMAZING.  The sofa sets were behind the game room and the 10 place dining table was behind the family room.  There was so much space for us to eat and play.  I want a  patio set like this and am already planning how I’m going to redo my deck.  Behind the camera was a playhouse that had split door and a light so it could be used at night.  The house was amazing.  There was plenty of room for the 25 of us, and the location was great.  Dan and I left thinking maybe it wouldn’t be too bad living in Anaheim.  (which is saying a lot because Dan loves Utah and I don’t want to pay California prices). 

THANK YOU SO MUCH GRANDMA RITA & PAPA DEREK!!!  It was an amazing trip and we loved every minute of it!  The boys have been writing about this trip for all their writing assignments at school and are so excited to tell everyone about what they did.  WE LOVE YOU!!!