Beach Bums

We are official Beach Bums.

We headed to VA Beach last week to join up with the Andersons and Bloomers for a couple of days of surf and sand...oh yeah, and RAIN!

I say BOO to rain.

Garth and the kids didn't mind at all. But then again, they like to spend most of their time in the ocean so I don't even think they realized it was raining. I on the other hand, prefer the beach...in the sun!

And lucky me, we did get one day of sun. Then one day of clouds, and one day of rain.

Not to worry, I built an awesome tent.

Highlights from our trip:

1. The Free Breakfast Buffet every morning. If only Ashton would have eaten SOMETHING they were serving. Luckily, I had brought a box of Honey Nut Cheerios for our little prince.

2. Relenting and letting Ethan buy his beloved hermit crab. He played with it on the beach all day and in the hotel room. He loved that crab. The day after we returned, it was found leg less and dead. Ethan was devastated. The funeral and burial took place today. In lieu of flowers you can send him another crab...

3. Friends for all. Garth and I loved having our friends. The kids loved all of their friends. The beach was a perfect playground for all.

4. Timeshare presentations. Love these! I am never afraid to say no. And always happy to accept free gifts. After their lovely 90 minute attempt at getting the very POOR Porter family to purchase a VA Beach timeshare (yeah right!), we walked away with a $75 gas card, $40 lunch and a 2 night stay free for next year!

5. The freedom of kids getting older. The three older kids spent their days roaming the hotel and surrounding areas. Garth, Sommer and I were able to go to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in peace. I went to bed BEFORE everyone else (remember those days of putting little ones to sleep in a cramped hotel room to then have to whisper softly or watch TV on mute hoping not to wake the sleeping beauties). We could actually relax around the water. Everyone could walk. And most of the kids could CARRY items!

6. I didn't hear anyone snore! Thank goodness for a hotel suite and 4 out of 7 of our family members non-snorers (for those that haven't heard, I am a horrible sleeper with any breathing, snoring, moving, blah blah blah...those things that keep people alive when they are asleep).

7. After a 2.5 hour drive from VA Beach to Williamsburg (this should take MAYBE 40 minutes), we were thrilled to use our season passes to Busch Gardens for a much needed break. No real lines...and it wasn't raining (it was pouring down in VA Beach).

8. The super long tunnel that takes travelers under the Chesapeake Bay, is a perfect place to have a "no breathing" contest. Ashton won by miraculously holding his breath while talking!

9. Racing three families in the Scurries (the 6 seater bikes). And almost causing some teenage girls to tip over at top speeds. Thrills all around.

10. Kids (and Garth) sleeping while I drove home (so cute seeing everyone sleeping...but did hear a fair share of snoring)...but absolutely NO TRAFFIC for the remaining 2.5 hour drive.

Kylie and Sommer...Striking a pose
The best beach toy ever...and it was given to us by a stranger.

Always looking for "Shark's teeth" or "crabs."

Garth and Jim waiting for the BIG WAVE!

Morgan and I keeping dry. Is that a great tent?!

Doing what I do best...lounging around and talking....thanks Cherilyn.

Sommer giving the evil eye to...someone...

Not sure what is going on here...but I think it was done while "roaming" without parent supervision.

Neptune, Kylie and Sommer

Ashton and Will. They had a blast playing together.

Better Shots

This is what a real camera and someone (Michelle) who knows how to use it can capture:

Turnigan Arm
Byron's Glacier

Glacier

The final rock climbing section to peak of Flattop...see...it's FLAT!

A better shot of Mr. Moose.

A Quick Peek at Alaska Trip 2009

I am back from a whirlwind trip to Alaska!

As expected, I had a wonderful time! Man, I love this place.

I have been super busy but I at least wanted to get some of the awful pictures (would have been better with a decent camera and decent photographer) blogged!

My wonderful friend, Michelle came with me. We were able to see some beautiful sights, visit with my parents and hang with my bro Matt and his wife Tiffanie (and their kids). I had a blast at my 20 year reunion too!

Let me start with my nature shots:

There is a moose in this picture...can you find it?
One of our many gorgeous views of Anchorage from Flattop mountain.

Another view of some of the trails we had just ascended...

Here is Michelle climbing up a rather steep part.

A view from the bluff off my neighborhood...turnigan arm is in the distance.

The other view from the bluff. Many, many a day were spent playing in these woods. Behind them now are huge neighborhoods.

We took the tram up Alyeska Ski Resort to the top of the mountain. I so DID NOT enjoy the 42 temps and very windy conditions. But the views were spectacular!

Looking down the mountain. You can see Turnigan Arm. By the way, we were lucky enough to see a very disappointing Bore tide (they only occur every so often...this is when the tide is rolling out and the new tide is rolling in...it was supposed to be a huge 8 foot wave)...where along with hundreds of people saw nothing.

Our tram view from the top. Matt did a race here last year where the goal was to see how many times one could run up this trail in 9 hours. Really? Is that fun?!

A glacier (on Michelle's camera it looked much prettier and blue).

My daddy-O

The best shot from like 6 attempts of me taking a picture of us...

My nephew, Josh making an attempt at the Skinny Raven shop pull-up record. He did 22 getting his name on the board!

My Brother Matt, making the same attempt. He got 18. Just enough for the free t-shirt. Boys...

I could do one (girls have to do 9)...barely.

Was it windy on our hike you ask?!!

Yes. It was windy. Very.

20 Year High School Reunion! Totally fun.

Some of my high school gal pals. Kristen (on left) had a little get together before the reunion. People asked me how I got so tall...heels baby...high uncomfortable ones.

Matt eating Thai food. So good...ha ha ha (he was speaking with a thai accent saying, "so good, ha ha ha....")...had to be there.

We have entitled this picture, "Summer in Alaska." We were freezing but no, we didn't wear my mother's furs out in public.

My darling mother! It was so great to see her.

Michelle, Tally and I freezing...where were the fur coats here!?

Flowers, flowers everywhere. Alaska is one flowered up place! Had to take a picture with these HUGE blossoms.

Eating lunch with Tiffanie, Liz and Tally. We did a lot of eating.

Feeding Tally honey for lunch. Look at the angelic light shining down...

One of the bears we saw...

The other bear...

Picture by glacier waters and large glacier (the name of the blasted thing escapes me).

The other "hot" bear we saw...you would have kissed him too...look at his six pack abs!

We were too "hot" girls in a very "cold" environment but we still had the best time ever!

I can't wait to go back!

Trip to DC...the 8 mm film way!

We took a trip to Washington DC last week. We were lucky to have friend extraordinaire, Vicente with us on our journey. He is amazing at documenting our adventures through film. This time was no exception. But instead of his awesome top of the line camera, he only had his old fashion kind...remember those? They used a canister of film (that if left in the car might make pictures look faded) and one had to actually manually forward the film for each shot!

Well, I am amazed at the "coolness" of these pictures. Vintage all of the way baby!

Here we are entering the metro.
and here Sommer is after a day of DC, relaxing in the dusk of the day with Joey.

Ashton searching for treasures in this bead infested toy I got for .25 cents at a garage sale.

This shot was taken outside the museum as the kids tortured pigeons.

As we left the metro, we saw this nice gentleman selling candy. Perfect! The only problem is the amount of time it took for my kids to select one treat.

Although we did have much complaining, a bit of teasing, one really good tantrum (which I will post), tired feet, we had a ball checking out the Natural History and American History museums along with the thousands of tourists.

Making and Saving Money!

My latest and greatest find in the neighborhood trash search was a Britax Car Seat. I washed the denim cover and sold in on Craigslist for $50. I also sold my old Washer (with disclosure about its liking of socks) for a $100.

I love taking a glance at the neighbors recycling bins too on my Monday morning runs (I know I could just have the Sunday newspaper delivered each week but then I would feel guilty about my lack of recycling desires). I can usually come up with two or three Saturday coupons bags. I have been known to rummage if I absolutely have too. I think would make a super good Hobo. I think the neighbors already think I am...

But with those coupons I can save a mint. In the past 6 months I have cut our grocery bill by at least 60%.

Here's to more valuable trash and more triple coupons!

Don't Call Us...We'll Call You

We have been LAZY this summer. Maybe its the fact we are all staying up too late. It could be early morning swimming and afternoon swimming. The heat could play a part or the constant playing. But here is what we have become: SLEEPER INNERS.

If you need to call us and you are NOT from Alaska (since they too will be sleeping), we probably won't be up until 8 at the earliest and actually prefer 9.

We Do Have A Camera!

We have a camera!

Happy Day! And even better news...It is Garth's and he can really take great pictures!

Now enjoy a few random candid shots compliments of GARTH!

Here is Sommer at Girl's Camp. Garth was able to go down yesterday and hike with the girls.
Our Ward Young Women!

Our Sommer is the cutest thing ever! I love how all of the girls braid their hair at girls camp each year.

This is one darling swimmer. Her is warming up after his backstroke. He got 2nd place in the 6 and unders. He loves his ribbons so much! You can find him playing with them often on the floor. It is the cutest things ever. His biggest joy is when Ethan gave him a HEAT Winner ribbon and one of his first place ribbons!

Ethan swimming the butterfly. His best stroke is the breast stroke though where he is ranked 31st in the whole county (out of hundreds of kids).

One of Sommer's best friends, Lexi!

Garth asking me to strike a pose (nothing to it...vogue)as he tries out his new camera!

Joey also asked to strike a pose. We love his shaved hair! No more sweeping up wig amounts of fur each day.

Sandwich shot. Cheese only please (he ate this kind of sandwich each day at school).


More and more pictures to come!