SLO-town and the Magic Kingdom

Sam wouldn't have cared if I had been from California or Catmandu; but he'd say the gods have smiled down upon him because his one true love is from San Luis Obispo! What can I say, It's not only the coolest town to grow up in, it's also an awsome place to go on vacation to. My parents suprised everyone last Christmas by announcing that they were going to take all us kids and grandkids to Disneyland after the 4th, and we were fortunate to spend a little time in SLO before-hand! Isn't it a funny thing how you can grow up in a place for 20 years and never have quite realized how good you had it until you had to move away to where it snows about 7 months straight!!! Nothing against Rexburg, ID of course- but when you're shoveling snow infront of your apartment in April, you can't deny the madness!!!

Back to the good stuff! So we venture off into the horizon (thanks to Delta Airlines) and made it to SLO-town safe and sound (lets hear it for Avis rent-a-car). The folks were all hugs and kisses and told us they had barely made it since seeing us last Christmas... Well, at least they said they were happy to see us. So the next day was the 4th and we were all reved up to go to Cayucus to watch the fireworks- however one too many people told us it was fogged in so we decided to make do and play with sparklers at my sister Mckay's arena at their ranch! Between putting on gymnastic shows, holding Aunt Devanie hostage on the trampoline and waiting for their sparklers to finally light in the wind- the kids had a blast! We later heard that Cayucus wasn't foggy at all- but I don't want to talk about that! We hung out downtown and went to Shell Beach the next day- and that at least satisfied my craving for the Pacific Ocean.

We played with nieces and nephews at Dinosaur caves and I even met up with one of my very best friends, Erin, for a long over-due reunion! Sam made a wonderous discovery at the Famously Flamboyant Madonna Inn... yes ladies and gentlemen- it's a waterfall urinal! He also made sure the coast was clear so I could take this award worthy photo of it. By the time Sunday rolled around, we were pumped for the Wonderful World of Disney!

When it comes to magic and wonderment, Disney is KING, but when it comes to getting soaked on Splash Mountain- Disney is EMPEROR!!! Sam and I were in the very front of the boat, and lets just say not a stitch of us remained dry! This was Sam's very first time at Disneyland- so we didn't waste any time. Even though we had 3 days there, I made sure we walked around the park for 12 hours- with a slight break to buy new flip-flops for a much needed blister footed Dev. If you've never been to Disneyland since they added the new California Adventures park- we HIGHLY recommend it! We couldn't get enough of the Maliboomer, the Hollywood Tower of Terror, Screamin', or Soarin' over California rides. The lines weren't too bad, but we're sure grateful for those fast-passes!

We only had one little mis-hap on the Hollywood Tower of Terror... Incase you don't know the story behind the ride, it's based on a true event in 1939. A Hollywood couple, a little girl and her nanny and a bell-boy were riding in the elevator on a late stormy night when a bolt of lightning struck the elevator shaft and sent the passengers plummeting down 13 stories to their death. I know- doesn't sound like a traditional Disney happy-ending, but it makes for a great ride! Anyway, my niece Courtney wanted to go on ride with the big kids. We told her we were going on the Tower of Terror and she seemed excited... at first! Then we get in line- and it takes you through a series of rooms that explain the story and really set the mood for the terrifying ride. Almost before we're about to step onto the elevator (the ride is in an elevator) she freaks out and absolutely doesn't want to go. Well, all of us big kids did want to go, and I swear I'm a good aunt, but we made her go anyway because we told her before that if you want to roll with the big kids, you gotta roll with the big kids. Anyway, I comforted her and told her it would be way fun, and I even held her hand at the beginning of the ride. Yes, just the beginning, because the rest of the ride she was screaming and balling so loud that I leaned over the rest of the time with my arms completely around her trying desperatly to console her... lesson learned; when a kid doesn't want to go on a ride- they REALLY don't want to go on a ride! Oh well, we love her anyway!

And what would Disney be without the Sword in the Stone Carousel and the Main Street Electrical Parade? Well, in my brother Brigham and sister Haylee's case- it's enough to bring sheer joy and utter exhaustion! As for the R-oberts, you ask? We think we'll go back and hang-out again!

S'more Golf Please!

There really is nothing quite like going falling asleep with a belly full of s'mores, then rolling out of your tent in the morning to find yourself smack dab in the middle of a golf course! But let me tell you; when you're campin' with the Roberts, that's just the sort of treat you're in for! We went to our first Roberts Family camp-out together as Mr. & Mrs. Roberts this last June at a golf-course in Ashton, ID. Sam's sister Julie picked out this fun little spot where we all had plenty of things to choose from to keep it real! Bing & Diane brought enough Bluegrass instruments to make the Quaking Aspens sing in the breeze! Besides fishing with enough kids to make the fish swim back upstream, playing Baseball on a golf course or listening to Dan practice his dramatic role as an original Patriot- there's just one story that we can't keep to ourselves...

So, Ellie and Reagan are cousins- they're pretty much the same age and when they're together they're inseperable! Bless her heart, Reagan ran out of clean undies for the same reason that most potty-training 3 year olds do. Having to wear diapers at this point was completely devastating to her, to the point of unfailing, sobbing tears! Like many similar 3 year-old instances, this lead to a time out in a folding chair around the campfire with Mom and the Aunties... Relating to the great dispair this sort of moment can bring to a fellow 3 year old, sweet little Ellie had a plan of her own. Julie, Amy and I were just talking around the camp-fire when a tiny, tip-toeing, toe-headed blonde heads up the trail with the bottom of her shirt wadded up into a ball in her hands. Her heads pointed down to her feet, but she knows exactly where those little feet are headed- straight to the folding chair that is holding her favorite cousin captive! Of course us adults don't think much about it until a great big grin spreads across both Reagan and Ellie's faces and a ball of pretty princess underwear comes falling out from the bottom of Ellie's shirt onto Reagan's little lap... talk about a girl with a mission! Unfortunately, it wasn't a good idea for Reagan to wear her cousin's allegedly clean panties- however, it was probably the funniest little scheme I've seen in a while!