August 18, 2006

• While the teether sleeps I will take the opportunity to update on the past week. 

  
  

  We left Las Vegas on Friday the 11th (mid-morning) and spent the majority of the day traveling northward.  The girls traveled well.  Serra broke her DVD player a few months ago and so mom and dad have to tell stories the whole way.  It gets a little old for us.  We arrived at the cabin in the early evening just in time for dinner.  There was already quite a houseful and by Saturday the cabin was packed.  Grandma Gee, Mom Anderson, and Aunt Caroline made sure noone went hungary.  In fact, it got a little painful by the end of the day to sqeeze another mouthful in.  They definitely over prepared which is much better than under preparing. 

  
  

  Who was there:

  
  

  Grandpa and Grandma Gee

  
  

  Robisons: Steve and Caroline, Elise and 4 kids, Caleb and Joan and 1 kid, Danny and Monica and 2 kids. (+ 1 dog)

  
  

  Andersons :  Mom and Dad, Eric and Tracey and 4 kids, Us 4, Holly, Adriane and Vito, Amy Jo and Tucker.  (+4 dogs) 

  
  

  Gees: Joe, Joanna and Leah, Miristi, Gabes (+ 2 dogs)

  
  

  Friends:  Mason and Bonnie Haycock and 2 kids.

  
  

  That in total is 42 people plus 7 dogs.  It was fun chaos.  Dwaine rented 2  4-wheelers and when one was free we took a few rides.  That was good times.  It was a little tricky finding one free especially with Caleb around.  He usually had one out.  But Brian and I were able to take 2 rides and he took Serra out two time as well. 

  
  

  Sleeping accomodations seemed to go remarkably smooth.  I think everyone had either a couch bed, blowup mattress, or tent, and in our case a real bed.  I’m not quite sure how that always happens.  Maybe it’s the fear of another broken couch bed.  he he….whoops.

  
  

  Sunday morning we packed up and everyone trickled out.  I headed out seperating from Brian who headed back to Las Vegas, only to realize that he had no key to get into our house.  Adriane and Vito rendezvoused with me  in Salt Lake to pick it up for him.  I had arranged a few days prior with an old friend (Heather Hadlock) to meet at Temple Square at 11:00.  We waited for an hour with no sign of her.  I thought maybe we misunderstood times or place or something, but as it turns out she just dogged me.  She didn’t answer her cell phone and then left me a message late that night that she forgot.  I find it a little wierd that one would forget one was meeting a friend they hadn’t seen in 4 years or so.  (Are you reading this Heather?)  I guess she is too preoccupied with the drama in her life right now. 

  
  

  The girls and I headed to Logan and spent and few hours visiting with Serra and Rich.  Then off to Bear Lake.  Grandma Arnell looks good.  She always says she has slowed down alot.  I don’t really see it.  She seems pretty spry to me.  We made tuna fish sandwiches and watched a movie.  Then Sophia who has cut two teeth at this time and is still working on 4 cried and cried and cried for about 1 and 1/2 hours.  I was super tired by this time (past midnight) and collapsed when she would finally stay down.  Serra cried herself to sleep as well because I was too preoccupied with the baby to read her a bed time story.  I promised her it wouldn’t happen again.  Brian and I usaully pair off with the kids at night and he reads Serra her story.  I wasn’t quite prepared I guess to do it alone at this point. 

  
  

  Julie showed up at around 9am the next morning and we spent the day with her and her girls and grandma.  It was a pretty relaxing day and Serra and Olivia were getting along remarkably well.  Usually they fight constantly.  Grandma declares she no longer cooks and so took us to the local drive in for burgers, hot dogs, onion rings, and fries.  We made malts back at her house and then we needed to head back to Logan before it got dark.  The girls mercifully all slept the whole way.  Logan Canyon is a mess.  They are overhauling a great deal of it. We waited a few times. 

  
  

  We stayed with Julie and Jared in Logan Monday and Tuesday night.  We saw a bit of Serra and Rich both nights.  Tuesday – Julie had doc appointments and some errands to run so I took off with my girls for a few hours.  We went to Willow Park Zoo and park and played for a few hours.  Got a cone for McD’s and then went and fed the ducks at first dam.  It was a little to sunny for Rosie so we didn’t stay long.  Back at Julies we broke out the kiddie pool and washable paints and let the kids get naked and make a major mess.  Serra had blue in her hair even.  The breakdown of getting along was well underway at this time.  For the rest of the trip the girls played and fought, laughed and cried.  Yet Serra declared I could go back to Vegas without her.  She wanted to stay where there was someone to play with.

  
  

  Serra~W~ and I headed to USU to redeem my icecream tokens.  We brought back a plethera of half-pint icecreams that we all shared. 

  
  

  Wer stayed up late in the night chatting together.  We were off by 9am Vegas time the next morning.  Thanks Julie and Jared for letting us add just a tad more chaos into your lives for a few days. 

  
  

  Traveling with a 9 month and 4 year old by ones self is an adventure.  It took us a full hour to go to the bathroom and eat a simple lunch in Nephi.  We decided to take another break in Cedar City and how lucky that there are more cousins to play with there.  We hung out and had dinner with the crew there  and then reluctantly got back on the road.  That is just when it got fun.  I kept thinking that she would fall asleep at any moment….no Sophia wailed the great majority of the way…kicked a sleeping Serra in the head in her rage and started her weeping bitter injured tears.  We were glad to be home around 8pm.  Brian jumped right in and helped us get unloaded and kids bathed and to bed.  We are not meant to do this job alone.  I will post many pictures later but here is a teaser.

  • 3:51 pm
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