A cheap morning.....

So...in my never-ending quest to entertain my children this summer, I found a fun, cheap morning. We headed down to the Gateway Mall (I totally neglect downtown these days because of construction, but I need to get over it. I love downtown) and set out with a coupon. I got a 30% coupon off  Old Navy, Gap, etc. so I HAD to use it. We stocked up on some uniform stuff for school and the kids love talking to the Old Navy mannequins (don't ask). They were unusually quiet as I checked out, only to discover they were posing as mannequins in the window. That's a great game....they were silent and still!

After a run-through of the Gap, we headed over to the planetarium to check out "Newton's Dream" (the cool ball machine). Quinn was mesmerized for quite awhile. 

Then off to other exhibits at the planetarium....I didn't feel the need to do an IMAX or star show. The kids didn't care.

Of course, the best part are the Olympic fountains. Emi was a little nervous, but then became the bravest fountain girl of all, getting wetter than anyone. Quinn wanted nothing of it, but happily sat in the stroller with me in the shade. 

 So....we had fun and it was totally free. Except the $100  I dropped in Old Navy and Gap for school clothes (but...I saved about $40 with coupon, and I had to validate parking, right?) What are your favorite free activities in the summer?

Does it get any more glamorous than this?

Grace, dignity, and class are seeping out of me like crazy. I am too bloated in this heat to wear my wedding ring for the next 2 months of pregnancy, I put on PJ bottoms at 6:00 p.m. because I can't stand the tight waist of maternity shorts around my big belly,  my suntan is blotchy, I waddle because of my aching sciatics, my eyes are puffy from my continual need to well up in tears at any given moment, I can't reach my feet to take care of them,  and the kicker...I got puked on in sacrament meeting by Quinn. Had he done it 10 minutes earlier, we would have been home instead of in front of 200 pair of eyes. Bill had a work emergency and wasn't there to rescue me. It was like a volcano of orange juice and pancakes. Quinn was quite quiet about it, but Parker was making comments like "ewwww gross" the whole time. And baby wipes don't clean up throw up very well. Thanks to Karen, Katie, and Holly who came to my rescue. Bill did make it back to church on time to really disinfect the bench, lest you are in my ward and don't want to sit in the "pukie bench". Honestly.....could I be any more glamorous right now? 

Here he is sleeping on the couch when we got home. Poor things got a fever, too. He's such a cute sickie. I hope he feels better soon and I hope no one who was sitting around us gets it. SORRY! I had no idea.

The 12 Days of California...

Just know that this will be the longest post in history...but it's my journal. I've got to document!

June 30th-Day 1: We left after work and cruised to Mesquite. Bill and I finally came up with a name for the baby, but I will leave you in suspense until another post. Nice to have 5 uninterrupted minutes so that we could discuss it. Got to Mesquite late, and I forgot to request a port-o-crib. Kids sleep sideways, but it works.

July 1-Day 2: Drive rest of way to Coronado, making a stop at the Outlets in Primm and In-n-Out in Barstow. I grow weary of stuffed animal dance parties. Happy to be in our condo at the beach!

July 2-Day 3: Go to Sea World! First time for the kids...and Bill and I haven't been since high school. No photos of Shamu (but it was our favorite). We were too busy getting soaked. Loved it...but I couldn't ride anything, even the stupid kiddie rides. We get home just in time for a surprise firework show at the Del that we could see from our condo deck. 

July 3-Day4: Ahhhh, the beach. My favorite place on earth. I feel like I grew up on this beach. Quinn takes to the sand like a champ. Kids love dribbly castles, Emi excels at boogie boarding, and Parker loves to jump waves and then lie flat on the warm sand.  That night, thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Newman babysitting, we go to our favorite restaurant. It's the Sheerwater and the view is unreal. 

July 4-Day 5: Happy 4th of July! We enjoy the local hometown parade. My 2 favorite parts are the "Geriatric Surf Club" who march in formation and of course, all the military. It is a naval base island, so 4th of July is fun in Coronado. Bill, Parker, and my dad head off to see the Dodger/Padres game and me, my mom, Emi, and Quinn head to beach. That night, amazing fireworks that over the bay! 

July 5th- Day 6: Took break from beach and headed to Seaport Village. Love to bum around there, watch pigeons, and eat fudge. Headed to San Diego Temple (it was sunday).

We then drove up to Pointe Loma to check out old lighthouse. Tight fit for the pregnant lady. Learn of a sprinkler flooding Emi's room at home. Thanks Anne and the Lewis's for cleaning up. You are SAINTS!

(I got yelled at by the park ranger who took this pic for being off the trail.)

July 6-Day 7:  COUSINS! Mark's family came from New York and are finally at the beach. Our kids LOVE their kids. 

Grandpa Newman made countless roads for Quinn.

July 7- Day 8: Another great beach day. Parker discovers he loves to boogie board, too.  I attempt photo shoot of kids that night.

July 8- Day 9: Last day on beach...I ALWAYS cry on the last day. Hate to leave my second home.

July 9-Day 10:  Drive up to Bakersfield/Tehachapi area to visit Bill's family. Emi throws up in Irvine (she does this a lot). Thank heaven for beach buckets. Stop at Lori's new house to see all her renovations. So cute! Have a great time swimming at their house. Then we head to Tehachapi to see Grandma and Grandpa S.'s new digs. 

July 10-Day 11: Visit a wind farm. Tehachapi is in the mountains and windy. The have hundred of windmills all over the mountain. Took a fun tour of them, but I will not do anymore off-roading during this pregnancy.

We then head to Leslie's for the pool party of the year, equipped with a blow-up slide and snow-cone machine. Sorry, no pics....we were having too much fun. Plus I didn't dare pull my camera out during the water fight. 

(Parker and cousin Caleb)

July 11-Day 12: Toured around Tehachapi, saw where Bill was born and such. Ate a great lunch at this historic Apple Shed, and then Bill took Parker and cousins rock climbing while Emi and Grandma painted birdhouses and walked dogs. Sadly, we packed the car that night.

July 12- Day 13: Well..there really was a 13th day, but I don't consider it vacation. The long drive home. We did stop in Vegas to see Bellagio Fountains, but things went way downhill right as we left Vegas. Emi got a case of the stomach flu (it's o.k. Emi, a lot of people throw up in Vegas). So needless to say, our drive home sucked. She was a trooper. 

So, there you go. Home again to enjoy the rest of the summer. Thanks for reading my LONNNNNNNNG travelogue. You should get a prize!

We're BAAAA-AAACK!

Well, we are home from our 13-day sabbatical to California. I really would rather blog about it than fold piles of laundry, clean up flooding messes, and go through an entire basket of mail, but I must. I hope to get to the blog soon. We had a super time. Kind-of sad to be back to normal, but we missed you all.