Our California Beach Vacation of Total Fun!

I know it has been a couple of months since we took our trip to the ocean but...better late than never!

Kefford and I decided this year that it would be fun to rent an RV and drive it down to California to go camping at the beach with my family. The more we planned for it and the closer it got the more excited we all were to try this new adventure. So Sunday after church Kefford got the RV and brought it home so we could hurry and load. I had everything ready and waiting out in the Family Room so that we could just get it all in and hit the road. Which is basically what we did. I figured that I would be able to get it all organized once we hit the road because what else am I going to do on this long trip. Well it was a good idea and could have been a great plan but I did not anticipate how bumpy the ride was going to be. I don't know why I thought it would be a smooth ride but it was anything but. You could feel every little bump in the road in this giant monstrosity we were driving and I was thrown around a lot. Oh well I did the best I could.

I have to say it was not a bad drive down. The kids were a little all over the place and we could not get the TV to work for the first half of the trip...torture...but being able to pull out the beds and have the kids go to sleep while we still drove was so great. I stayed up and kept Kefford company until we hit Bishop CA and then we found a grocery store parking lot to park in and we both went to bed...not too shabby!

Once it was morning we woke up to what I thought were jet planes flying into our RV but was actually a street cleaner that was going back and forth in the parking lot. Loud and oh so obnoxious! But it got us up and on the road. Finally after about 13-14 hours of driving we made it to the ocean. I love the ocean oh so much. I love the sounds I love the smells I love it all so I was definitely a very happy girl at this point. My family had not yet arrived so we got our RV situated, we got changed and then we headed down to the beach for a couple of hours. We all were in our happy place. Well maybe not so much Kefford he was in his it's ok place but the rest of us were definitely in heaven! ;O) After a while we came back up to our campsite and waited anxiously for my family to get there. This year the only ones who could make it were my family, Mom, Erin, Heather, Joshua, Ashleigh, and Molly! Despite not all of our family being able to be there we had so much fun, I think one of our best trips yet. Next year though will be more fun because we will make sure that everyone gets to come!

I was a lot more relaxed about the kids getting dirty. I tried not to let them walk around barefoot because that is just dangerous but it happened often. All of my kids minus Kenedy for the most part were little pig pens. Especially Rylee, this little girl and dirt were magnets to each other!

My friend Janie Pope is from California also and when she heard we were going to the beach she told the kids to hunt some sand crabs for her. We tried and tried to find the crabs but they were hidden very well. Until Rylee found the biggest sand crab I have ever seen.

She was quite proud!

Turing into sand Mermaids is always a fun sport.

These next three pictures got out of order but here are more examples of our little dirt magnet!

More mermaid fun!

Joshua and Andrew thought it would be fun to put seaweed handcuffs on Kenedy.

Another little dirt magnet..Oh Avynlea!

The waves at South Carlsbad beach were crazy this year. The tide was out of control high and the waves were a little rough but I managed to get into the water for a little bit to have fun with my girls. I tried going out on the boogie board with Kefford but the waves kept tying to pull my bathing suit down so I quit before I could give anyone a peep show.

Erin spent the most time wave jumping with Rylee and Avynlea. They had so much fun and made some fantastic memories with their Aunt Erin!

Me and my Bestie!

So here is a crazy story. One of the days Kefford and the two older kids went down to the beach before the rest of us. We got down about 15-20 minutes later. I could see as I was walking across the sand to where they weer that they had all of their towels spread out so as to save room for everyone. Their shirts and shoes were on topof the towels. Right as I got to where they were a huge wave came rushing up and seriously crashed over all of the stuff. Everything got soaked but luckily nothing got pulled into the ocean. Well Kenedy and Kefford took their towels and shirts and spread them out on the rocks behind us so that they could dry. But not Ryker. No Ryker did not appreciate the sand that got all over his stuff and so he took his towel and shirt to the oceans edge so as to rinse them out. He left his towel on the sand and ventured out a little further to rinse his shirt. Of course another wave rolled in , swooped over his towel and sucked it out to sea. It happened in the blink of an eye and that towel was gone! We searched and searched all up and down the coastline for a little ways hoping that the sea spit it out somewhere up the coast. But nope that towel is on the bottom of the ocean never to be seen again. Ryker was extremely sad about losing that towel becasue it was his favorite Batman towel. I hope that he learned a lesson about taking better care of his things and hopefully thinking a little before acting.

I think everyone will agree that the favorite was Molly. My kids absolutely adore Molly and could not get enough of her. Molly got held, walked, petted, fed, chased, played with and loved on by my kids every second they could get away with it. Luckily she has learned to be a patient dog!

The day that we left was a sad day but we got a picture of everyone who was there...minus Kefford who took the picture.

We really had a great trip and though our trips to the beach have been inconsistent..some years we go most though we haven't been able to for whatever reason...I am making it a priority that we go every year here on out. I love it there, my kids Love it there and we love the time spent with family. I want my kids to grow up with as many as the same traditions I had growing up, where it is possible, and this is one I have. I have so many great memories of camping at the beach every summer with my family and I will give my kids the same opportunity to grow up with amazing beach memories!

Here are a couple random pictures that got out of order and I have no idea how to get them back where they belong...enjoy!

Twin Falls Temple Trip

With the Boise Temple out of commission the next closest Temple for us to go to is the Twin Falls Temple, about 2-2 1/2 hours away. No that close but could be worse. With the start of the school year and my now super busy schedule I don't have a whole lot of time to be making this 5 hour drive. But there was a gap between the kids starting school and me teaching dance where I had a day to get to the Temple. My friend and neighbor Elaine wanted to go with me  which made it a more fun not boring drive...she is a talker :O)

So I got all the older kids off to school made arrangements for Rylee, dropped her off at pre-school and around 9:00 we headed out. I drove because Elaine's car does not had air conditioning and I did not want to have that kind of a trip. No thank you. So I drove, she talked and it was not too bad of a drive. I didn't kill us if anyone was wondering. I did not have time to do a session because I needed to be back before the kids got out of school so we did inititories, Five names each and we were out of there. It seems so weird to drive for 5 hours for a half hour time slot but together we did ten names whereas if we did a session we would have only done two names so that's all good...right? I think so and my opinion is the one that matters. Before we left I had Elaine take my picture on front of the Twin Falls Temple since it was my first time there. It is another really beautiful Temple and I loved experiencing it for the first time!

Boise Temple Before

. After over a year of hearing rumors and people speculating we finally got the official word that the Temple was being closed for remodeling on Monday July 11th. The day before after church I had everyone keep their dress clothes on so that we could go over to the Temple and see it for the last time in its before state. I have been wanting to take the kids to walk around the Temple grounds for quite a while and so I am glad that I finally got it done, even if it was under a little Temple closing the next day pressure. I also needed to take Rykers 8 year old baptism pictures. So we were a little late getting around to that , BUT, he was still 8 and it was not the day before his 9th birthday so we are good. 

The pictures got a little out of order but no worries its still all good!

When we first got to the Temple Ryker was a little bit cranky and was not very cooperative but like any true professional he got over it and we got down to some serious picture taking. 

These next pictures were taken in order, basically, it was only the family pictures (above) that got mixed up. We took those as we were getting ready to leave.

This picture looks like a sweet moment between Father and Son but it was actually Kefford giving Ryker the "you better change your attitude" lecture. Turned out pretty cute though!

This kid is going to be a heart breaker someday. Seriously how adorable is my little boy?!

Our friend from our ward, Chuck Leasure, worked security at the Temple and he was on the job when we got there. He was so sweet to come out and talk with the kids about the Temple. He was the one that took our family shots above. Brother Leasure knows a lot about what is being done to the inside of the Temple but all he would tell us was that it will be completely different but that it will knock your socks off!

After we were done I brought out the cupcakes I packed for everyone to eat. Because who doesn't like to eat cupcakes after going to the Temple?

 I am so glad that we took the opportunity to visit the Boise Temple one last time before it closed. I heard the week before its closing they had record numbers coming to the Temple to get one last session in. As a Relief Society I organized a Baptism trip the Saturday before it was closed. I have not done Baptisms for the dead since I was a youth and it was such a special feeling to get in there and perform the work. I absolutely loved the Spirit I felt and being there with my Sisters in the gospel was extra amazing. I cannot wait till we have the Boise Temple and the new Meridian Temple to go to. I am super excited to have a Temple that will be minutes away and when Kenedy turns 12 Kefford and I can take her to do Baptisms with hopefully some family names and that thought makes me all giddy inside.

I am really happy that within the next couple years there will be two Temple open houses that I can take my kids to. I went with my family as a kid before the Las Vegas Temple was dedicated and walking through that Temple with my forever family was such a special feeling. My Dad always talked about hanging back and watching his wife and kids walk into the Celestial Room and how that made him feel. I cannot wait to do the same with my Husband and kids. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the gospel and for the Temples we have here on earth to seal families together. I miss my Dad so much but knowing we will see each other again brings me such peace. I can only imagine how amazing it will be after the Resurrection to all be together again. Joy!