Is It Naptime Yet

Here are the pictures that go with the Family Vacation 2011- Part 2 post.

Our tired travel companions.
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Eden admiring the beauty around her. (Grand Teton NP, Lakeshore Trail near Colter Bay’s Visitor’s Center)
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This is what she was looking at. It was breath-taking.
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Capture the moment on film…I mean on a memory chip, and now a blog.
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A small field of flowers we went through on the hike.
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The obligatory picture in front of the sign.
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The second park of the day. (We spent 3 full days at Yellowstone though.)
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The view from our campsite at Bridge Bay inside of Yellowstone. That is Yellowstone Lake.
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Some pretty purple flowers by our camp site. (Picture taken by Eden)
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Give a little girl a camera and there will be at least one self portrait.

After we left Rawlin in Logan, Utah we started the long drive to Grand Teton National Park near Jackson, Wyoming. We were hoping to get a camp site for that night, but since you can’t make reservations, I was a little concerned that we’d be left sleeping in our car. (I had tried to convince Jon that we should book a hotel, but Jackson, WY is one of the most expensive towns to sleep in.)

It was overcast so I’m not sure when we finally reached Jackson on Sunday, July 10th. We drove past the mountain range and drove for what seemed liked miles and still could not find the turn out to head towards the campground Jon thought we should stay at. We decided to turn back and ask for directions at the Visitors Center, but daylight was fading, and it was getting later. I felt sure that we’d be sleeping in our car that night. We got directions and information that the camps had filled up at 8 pm the previous night. It was just a little after 7 pm, so we were pushing our luck. We got back on the road, and realized we had turned around only a few miles short of our turn off. We reached the ranger station and were given the last spot at Colter Bay Campground, it was a little before 8 pm. We set up camp with mosquitoes swarming. It was not fun, especially for this desert girl. We got things ready and settled down for the night. There were about 10 of us in the tent that night, four Blakes and at least 6 mosquitoes.

The morning was cold, but beautiful. We made pancakes for breakfast, and packed up camp to go exploring. The Colter Bay Visitors center had an interesting exhibit on some Indian artifacts that had been part of a private collection. We also took a hike on the Lakeshore trail around a bay of Jackson Lake. It was beautiful, especially as we hiked near the shore. I loved seeing the lake meet the mountains and forests on the other side, something I’d never seen in person.

After a quick lunch we started our drive towards Yellowstone. We wanted plenty of time to set up and get ready for camp that night.

We stopped for the traditional picture by the national park signs as we left Teton and as we entered Yellowstone. While taking the one at Yellowstone an Oriental couple who was leaving, from taking their own picture in front of the sign, pulled back in and offered to take a family picture so we could have everyone in it.

We had reservations for four nights at Yellowstone, July 11-15th. We were able to get an awesome site within our camp which allowed us some privacy, lots of space to explore and a view of Yellowstone lake. If there was a way to reserve a specific site, I’d stay at Bridge Bay Campground in spot F 266. Many of the sites have no shade and you’re just right next to everyone, but this area had forest, and in our case we had a creek with fallen logs to walk on and places to explore.

We set up camp and enjoyed a meal that night. After eating we cleaned everything and packed all our gear into our car. We made sure to have nothing in our tent that would attract a bear or any sort of wildlife, but especially a bear. So each night we’d get ready for bed and Jon would take our jackets and clothes to the car. Then in the morning he’d bring me my jacket and I’d get the clothes for the girls and I for the day. Fortunately, we never had a bear near our camp, which is exactly how I wanted it.

I think it was a little rainy this night so we went to bed early and prepared for the next day.

Visit Family Vacation 2011 Pictures- Part 2 to see the pictures that go with this post.

To read the long entry that goes along with these pictures visit this post.

You can click on all the pictures to see a larger version.
Many of the beautiful landscapes were just to beautiful to keep at the smaller image size that I usually post.

What we saw at the end of our little hike.
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The girls and I at the end of the hike.
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Our official picture by the sign for Zion National Park.
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Sunset on a mountain of Zion.
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Ice cream is meant to be worn as well as eaten.
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The classic cars at our hotel in Cedar.
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My Great Aunt Margaret’s grave. My mother was named after her, my grandmother’s sister.
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Lilah being silly.
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Apparently she gets it from her mom.
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The girls drawing pictures of Lake Utah, which was right by our hotel in Orem. They were also rolling down this hill a little earlier, don’t let their cute smiles fool you into thinking they’re always this sweet and demur.
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DeEtte’s youngest daughter, Drea. (Pronounced Dray-uh.) There’s just something about messy faces.
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Jonathan, Rawlin, Eden and Lilah.

Our trip began a little late on Friday, July 9th. Jon really wanted to see Zion National Park on our way through Utah, and we did, but with packing so much stuff, for a two week trip that had 6 days of camping within the first 8, it was hard to leave as early as we would have liked.

The day was humid as we got to Springdale, Utah and parked. We rode the city shuttle to Zion and then walked around a bit and finally decided to hike a short archaeological trail that was somewhere by the visitor’s center, we just couldn’t find it till a ranger kindly pointed us in the right direction. We did get a nice tour of the river and camping sites. After the trail we rode the shuttle around the park. It was an easy ride with a couple stops. Mostly we planned what might be fun to do on a longer trip to Zion, somewhere in the future. The girls seemed to enjoy sitting and looking around. It was an easy start to our long trip.

We drove to Cedar City, Utah that night and rested. There was some classic car club staying at our hotel the same night and Eden thought we should add classic cars to our slug bug game. Jon and I are are the only ones who actually “slug” each other, we mostly play for points, that we easily loose track of. Little did we know how many classic cars we would see on the trip.

On Saturday, July 10th, we headed to Monroe, Utah to attend a family reunion for my mother’s family. We got there a little late, and forgot to bring a side dish, but hey we were there. Monroe is where my mother’s parents lived when first married, so we drove around the town with my Uncle Bud as he told us about the different houses. One had been turned into a motel and was up for sale. (The owner had turned it into a bed and breakfast, just without the breakfast and for a lot more than what most would pay to stay in a small town like Monroe.) My cousin Harmony had started to talk with a care taker when she was taking some pictures of it, so we actually went on a tour of the house, which was greatly changed with the hotel renovations. We then visited the cemetery, which had some family buried in it, including the aunt my mother was named after. Eventually we said goodbye to what family was left and headed off into the sunset to Orem Utah, where we would stay that night.

Sunday, July 10th, we left bright and early, though not quite early enough. (I’m seeing a trend here, are you?) We decided to cram in a couple visits on our way to Wyoming, and so we visited Jon’s cousin DeEtte, and her family. They had called while we were out of town for Memorial Day, and Jon really wanted to see them. It was a very short visit, just an hour long, but it was so nice to see her and her family. The last time we saw them, we each had only one little girl. Now we have two and they have four! Sadly we only got a picture of the youngest, and it was because she was so dang cute with Nutella on her face from her delicious crepe.

We left DeEtte to go visit Rawlin and Shauntae in Logan, Utah. Sadly, Shauntae was sick, so we only saw Rawlin, but surprisingly, one of Jon’s cousins was there with his family visiting Rawlin when we showed up. Sean and his wife Shauna with 3 or 4 kids. (I don’t remember how many they have.) They left shortly after we got there and we visited for about an hour more. After our visit we hit the road yet again. This time our destination would be close to Jackson, Wyoming.

It was so exciting to be on the road visiting these new places and seeing our wonderful national parks. Seeing family along the way was just the beginning to our wonderful trip. The visits were far to short, so we discussed ways we might be able to see more of our extended family, since reunions no longer take place for Jonathan’s side of the family.

My heart ached to leave each love one after such a short visit so I hope to see them again soon.

To see the pictures that go with this blog post click on Family Vacation Pictures 2011- Part 1.

15 days, that’s how long our vacation was. The time flew and we did some amazing things, all of which I will blog about later, but I wanted to note 15 things I learned on our vacation to 4 national parks, with a national monument thrown in to mix it up.

1. I do not like “wild caves.” I knew I wouldn’t like squeezing into tight spaces, so I skipped the first one, but going into the dark abyss of the second cave was too much for me. I shed a few tears as I emerged to the surface alone, and my family continued on their journey into the unknown.

2. Wading through a stream in Montana, made from melting snowfall, is seriously cold and pebbles hurt your feet. Trying to make an eight year old go faster while crossing the fast current of a stream that leads to a lake just 20 feet away, makes your feet even colder.

3. Sleeping with the rain fly off so you can see the stars is fun.

4. Mosquitoes love people from the desert and little girl’s heads and faces.

5. Starting a fire is harder than you think.

6. Eight year olds are attracted to mud, or mud is attracted to eight year olds, not sure which.

7. Taking a hike and having it start to rain, then hail, is a great adventure for an eight year old. The girls especially liked getting hot chocolate afterwards.

8. Nearly six year olds love drawing pictures of lakes, and will say, “that’s so beautiful,” about nearly everything they see.

9. Husbands are great for setting up and taking down tents.

10. Eight year olds are great at fetching water.

11. Nearly six year olds are great at helping to rinse dishes.

12. If you give a little girl a camera, there will be at least one self portrait.

13. Oatmeal really is the easiest camping breakfast.

14. Ice cream cones are really expensive at national parks.

15. I am able to camp for 5 nights in a row and take only one shower and survive. It may not be pretty and a hat may be involved for most of the time.

This year Lilah turned eight. I’m still in denial about her being that old, I’m pretty sure she was just a toddler yesterday, but I guess the calendar doesn’t lie.

It was her turn for a low key party or gathering this year. We decided to do some swimming with her friend Britta, have a picnic lunch with some cake, then head home to get ready for the opening night of the play.

Sam’s neighbors are living away from their house, so they asked them if they would watch the pool for them and keep it full and in exchange, they could use it. (They still have a pool person coming by.) They said we could come over and swim, so we did! We also had the picnic lunch in Sam’s backyard. It was a fun a little gathering. Lilah chose bagels with strawberry cream cheese, watermelon, chips and lemonade, since everyone loves lemonade on a hot summer day.

I didn’t get many pictures of us at the pool, or of the day in general, so this is what I have.

A very long Eden on her daddy. (I’m also in denial about her getting so big.)

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Matilda, she was just coming back from stealing more grapes.

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Lilah was there, and she swam with noodles and stayed closed to the edge of the pool. (Sadly our swim teacher was doing lessons while the play was going, so we missed them this year.)

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Britta and Lilah like to stay close to one another.

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Like I said before, they stay close to one another.

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Cake! We sang to Lilah in the play house, because it was too windy in the yard.

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Due to time we came home to open presents.

We also too a quick trip to Pine Valley for Lilah’s birthday. I didn’t take any pictures though. Really, it was the only 24 hours we could get away, and Lilah said she wanted to enjoy the fresh air for her birthday, so we did.

Just this past weekend my brother-in-law Rawlin moved up to Logan, Utah. It was a whirl-wind decision, but one that I think will be for the better. He’ll be in a group home where young, cute, nurses can take care of him, Rawlin and Jon’s description not mine, close to his daughter and only grandchildren, and it now allows my mother-in-law to focus on my father-in-law and her two down syndrome children, who she hasn’t been able to see as regularly due to helping Rawlin.

In a short time his house went up for sale, he had an angioplasty, pack up some of his belongings, but left many behind, and left Las Vegas, which has been his home for much of his life, to live in an assisted living home due to the affect Parkinson’s has had on his health.

Amazingly his realtor is Tim McKenna, whom my sister Carolyn works for. Rawlin’s lawyer works with Tim and recommended him. Rawlin said he recognized Carolyn and her name immediately. She told me she asked Rawlin if he had a brother named Jonathan, because how many Rawlin Blake’s can their be? I was really happy to hear Rawlin had chosen Tim, of course I found it funny that I saw Carolyn the same day as her appointment with Rawlin, but she hadn’t told me, because she wasn’t sure if she was allowed to. Rawlin’s decision to sell the house is sad, he first bought it with his brother Kumen 32 years ago, only to buy it from him later, and has called it home for over 20 years now.

Over Mother’s Day weekend Rawlin was hospitalized for heart problems. The Monday after Mother’s day they cleared his blocked artery and discharged him on Tuesday. Since everything went well his doctor gave him the OK to move, and so the plans continued on his move. Kumen stayed with Rawlin till the Monday after his surgery and I picked Shauntae up at the airport that evening. Packing and organizing ensued once she arrived because before that it was, “Shauntae will take care of it.” The week was full of figuring out what to take and what to leave. I wasn’t there to help much, but I gave my assistance on Thursday and then drove them to the airport on Friday.

Friday was the day Rawlin left. I arrived at noon with a cranky Lilah. I thought she was just tired, but I soon discovered she was running a low fever. She didn’t have much choice to but to take a nap and tag a long for the ride. We got the last of the things loaded into the truck and Rawlin said his goodbyes to his good friend Kristi and his son Glenn. We then headed over to his parents house to drop of the U-haul, to see Dad Blake, and say the final goodbyes to his parents. It could very well be the last time Rawlin and his Dad see one another, due to neither of them being able to travel well.

It was odd driving Rawlin and Shauntae to the airport, but I’m so happy I could give that service. (I’d become the designated airport shuttle service for Shauntae, which I highly enjoyed.) Once we pulled up to the passenger drop-off the airline attendants helped Rawlin into a wheel chair and nearly whisked him off before I could say goodbye. I gave Shauntae a quick hug then found Rawlin for my final hug and goodbye.

Jon drove the U-haul up to Logan on Saturday, visited briefly with his brother and came back Sunday afternoon.

Over the past 7 or so years I’ve watched as Parkinson’s has deteriorated Rawlin’s health. I’ve helped when asked over the years, though it seems like it was never enough. It’s hard having a young family and it seems like there is never enough time. I’ve been over and have seen Rawlin more in the last year and especially the last few months, and I’m sad to see him move. I am happy because I think this means we should, and will hopefully, take more trips to Logan, even if only once a year, so I’ll be able to Shauntae and her family more, though I’ve seen her regularly over the past couple years when she’s come to visit Rawlin.

I hope he’s well cared for and enjoys being the spring chicken at the group home. He’s by far the youngest resident.

Rawlin and the girls
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Mom Blake, Rawlin, and Dad Blake
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Rawlin’s new room. This one is only temporary, it’s for two people, but it’s all they have at the time. Nick, his SIL is trying out the chair that stands you up for you.

Wednesday is my day off, that was until I registered Eden into a dance class and until I had to go shopping for costume stuff, but before that it was my day off from running errands and going places. It was the day the girls and I stayed home and did things around the house, the day we might actually get some school work done and the day I didn’t have to shower or leave my house.

Today I realized I really like having Wednesdays off.

I was going to go to the park today, but the rain kept me home. I was suppose to take Eden to her dance class, but I forgot until I looked at the clock at 11:26 and realized it had started 11 minutes earlier, because I had been so preoccupied that morning trying to find a 2′ x 3′ magnetic white erase board that didn’t cost tons of money, and would ship in 1-2 days, rather than 1-2 months.

So instead of being busy outside of the house, we were busy inside the house.

The girls did some school stuff while I did some searching on the internet.
I did the dishes and actually started the dishwasher.
I read the girls books and Lilah wrote two really long stories in her creative writing book.
I baked some frozen cookie dough for a treat, and Eden reminded me this was “no treats” week.
We played math Bingo.
We got rid of some old art projects and hung up some new ones.
Lilah vacuumed the floor for me.

Now we’re relaxing for just a moment before I have to go help my MIL get her car from the shop. Then hopefully I can get home early enough to cook a home-made meal and we can enjoy some corn on the cob with our dinner.

I really like my day off. I’ve got to make sure I get one of these days at least once a week. It helps me feel accomplished and ready to do more, rather than be stressed about the mess or all the chaos that is life.

There’s a blog I read where she does a month ends post about fun things her girls and husband did during the month. I thought it would be a fun idea so I’ve tried to take notes of cute things from this past month.

Lilah:
Being so excited for April Fool’s Day. You switched our cereal around so the Raisin Bran was in the Life cereal box and the Life was in the Raisin Bran box. It was an oatmeal day, but we had mixed up cereal instead.

Losing your tooth while daddy was away. I finally pulled it out for you, but boy was it an ordeal, now I know why I let you pull the first 6.

You were reading “Where the Red Fern Grows” and told me how the little boy fell on an ax and ended up dying. You acted it out with your eyes and body going limp.

Mommy ruined it. (Talking to Eden after I told you no to playing with our lanterns all day.)

Letting me lie next to you on the couch while you read a magazine. I was trying to give you some cuddle time, but I think it became more of a nap time for me.

You were so excited to check the mail and have the only piece of mail in the box. It was a collections letter of some overdue books. (The smile was worth the overdue book fee I had to pay.)

The way you walk with curly hair. You make sure it bounces.

Cleaning your room naked because you got ready for your bath too soon. (Sigh.)

Eden:
While making a “Welcome Home” card for Daddy you looked out our window and then promptly hid the card under the table because you saw Daddy’s car. I had to remind you he left his car here and we would be picking him up from the airport that night.

You were playing with a calculator and asked Lilah, “Lilah do you know what 5+29 is?” Lilah thought then answered 34. You then asked, “How’d you know that?”

While at Lilah’s dance class I wanted some cuddles, but you weren’t having it. I teased you I wouldn’t give you cuddles later that evening when you’d want some, since we always seem to want to cuddle at opposite times. You settled down for just a few minutes and let me hold you, then later that night you reminded me that I needed to cuddle with you. (Really, when I want to cuddle you don’t and when you do, it seems to be when I can’t.)

Humming me Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to help me fall asleep, but you ended up falling asleep first. You laughed about it afterwards and when I told you that you had slept for an hour and a half, you were like, “I must have been really tired.”

Easter morning you came in to talk to me, as you sat there, you looked out the back door and said, “I wonder where the Easter Bunny hid all the eggs?”

I was cleaning my closet and making room for my shoes. I mentioned to you that I had lost a brown flip-flop and you got a mischievous smile on your face. I figured out you had taken it and hidden it. I asked you to only hid the shoes I’m wearing. (Example: You like to hide my flip-flops when I take them off to have my feet on the couch.)

Jon:
While you sat doing taxes, “I’m doing taxes and you get to do your bloggy, bloggy stuff.” You’re weren’t very happy that I wasn’t looking over your shoulder and double checking what you were entering.

Thanking me for helping life run more smoothly at home while you’re stressed with work and school stuff. Even if I feel like I’m doing a terrible job, I’m happy that you’re not stressed with it right now.

I was singing, but you had a headache, As you left I teased, “You don’t like my singing?” and as you walked down the hall you said, “You could be the greatest singer and it would still be too loud.” then you popped your head back in the room and said, “And you are a great singer.” With your cute smile.

Going to see “Singing in the Rain” with me, and doing a 10 pm Del Taco stop. You teased that I wasn’t pregnant, so why’d I need Del Taco?

Helping me find a solution so I can sing at my recital, which is now the same night as the family night for co-op.(Sigh) You won’t be there, which still makes me sad, but Sam will tape it for us, then I’ll jet over to the family night in time to see the girl’s stuff.

Easter was a little odd for us this year. As I look at the pictures I took, I think of all the pictures I didn’t take. Like the eggs we dyed, or the girl’s baskets, the girls as they looked through their baskets, wait I wasn’t awake for that, or even one of the girls after the egg hunt. Yeah, it was an odd year for us, but I had a sinus infection and Lilah was sick, so I’ll use those as my excuses for why it was so off.

Saturday we went to my parents house to dye eggs. This year Glenn had his daughters so we were able to dye eggs with most of the cousins. (Minus Zarina and new baby Poppy.) Ajay is eleven, I think, and Kaycee is 8, but just barely. She gets her height from both parents, and is super tall for her age. She’s about the same height as Howie, who is 10 1/2, and if you look in the pictures and see how tall Howie is compared Lilah and Eden, you’ll get an idea of how tall Kaycee is, and she’s only 2 months older than Lilah, though Lilah gets her height from her short parents. (We’re both the shortest of our families.)

Eden waiting to dye some eggs, and those eggs in the cartoon have not been dyed. We were given some green eggs from Jon’s boss, and decided to try dying them. They turned out pretty cool. If only I had taken a picture…..

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Sorry it’s dark, but that’s just the lighting. (Howie, Lilah, Adrienne, and then Kaitlyn.)

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Kaycee, AJay, Eden and half of Howie.

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Kaycee and AJay.

It was a fun little afternoon and I wish we had arrived earlier, or stayed later, but only because we weren’t able to be there on Sunday, but we wouldn’t know that till Sunday afternoon rolled around.

So on Saturday I was not feeling well. I was getting a sinus infection, and both girls were suffering from allergies. I slept on the couch that night because my head hurt, and wanted to be propped up. Lilah woke me up twice in the night, complaining of her stuffy nose and needing to use the bathroom. (I had a weird dream where I yelled at Lilah because she had gotten up like 4 times and I wasn’t getting any rest.) Some time in the early morning Jon came out and I moved to the bedroom.

So Easter morning both girls wondered out and checked out their baskets, I guess, because I wasn’t there! I was a little upset about this, but Jon wanted me to get my rest since I was feeling terrible. I’m thinking I’m going to make an Easter curtain, so they have to wait for me next year.

The girls were both suffering allergy like symptoms that morning and Lilah was not feeling well, so we had oatmeal for breakfast instead of cinnamon rolls. Jon went on a hike, and I had to teach a class, so the girls went to church that day. Lilah was not feeling well, but I thought it was just allergies, so after some convincing, she went to her primary class. I checked in on Lilah after that hour and she looked terrible and she was then running a low fever, so she was experiencing something more than allergies, and we all went home.

Once home we had the egg hunt right away, then lunch. Lilah got sick after eating an egg and since I wasn’t feeling well with my sinus infection, we decided to stay home rather than go to my parent’s for dinner and another egg hunt. We watched Tangled, which the girls got in their baskets, for the second time that day, and Lilah and I took naps on the couch, so really Jon and Eden watched Tangled. Cereal was our grand Easter dinner. Jon ate lots of candy, while the rest of us ate very little.

Eden poses for the camera.

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Lilah charges out.

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Ignore the dead bush and tall weeds. Just look at the cute girls.
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Like I said, it was a very odd Easter.

(Monday I went to the doctor and got a z-pack, so my sinus infection is clearing up nicely. It was bad and tonight I might finely sleep in my own bed. Lilah felt better by Monday, though both girls had terrible runny noses and coughs that continued till Tuesday. Today we were finally able to join the land of the living and venture out, though we still have some stuffiness.)