Oh Canadia!!!! (Eh)

We made it.

Our day started at 5:30AM.

Jade & Elle met us at our house and we headed to John Wayne. (I woke Lando up and hugged him and kissed him since we will not see him for SIX AND A HALF WEEKS while he is in Alaska!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - he was heading up a few days early to Seattle for a short visit with friends. I already got a text saying "Mom. I. Am. Moving. To. Seattle."... UGH!!!!!!!!!)

We flew to Vancouver via San Francisco.

The Vancouver airport was lovely.

Customs was effortless for us (not for Todd, when he arrived several hours later and got pulled out for extra interrogation - after already having a delayed flight and missing his connection in Chicago!! - Poor Guy! :(

We were met by Grammie & Drew at the airport and they already had the rental car all handled. We went back to G&G's hotel and said "hi" to President Grampie, the MDRT Rock Star who was just hanging out it the Royal Suite with a spectacular terrace with breathtaking view!

Can you see the GRASS on the whole roof of the building behind us?

And you can tell, but this is all RIGHT on the water

Twins?

We went to our hotel, a couple blocks away, and checked in. Then we FINALLY got lunch (at 4:00). Grammie, Jade, and Elle took off to get Todd at the airport (and wait for his cavity search to finish - haha).
They finally got back to the suite.
Then dinner with the whole clan!!!!! (We missed you, 2 Saras!)
It was almost 10:00PM by the time we headed back to the hotel and it wasn't even completely dark yet... sunset is at like 9:30 or something.

Can't wait to see the city tomorrow!

Night Night!

More Closet Continuation

Wow! The closet has made progress.

You saw Lando & D working to close in the HUGE window in what was once Maddie's room.

You saw the room begin to get framed in.

You saw the door get punched through,

Since that time, D put up all the the drywall, hung the door, textured, and painted,
He rewired the electricity, moved the light switch and added a new overhead light (a little bit of a retro feel :)

We finally decided that we could get what we wanted for a price we could live with at Ikea. We are not huge fans of Ikea over all, but their "Pax" closet system fit the bill well enough for what we were doing. We were quite happy with our choices & design.

The night the cabinets finally arrived, Jade & Sara came over and Jade worked with his dad for 4 hours, sweating and being manly... They put together all the big "boxes" (frames) for the closet. They put them together in out bedroom, then slid them out into the main room and the hall, then had to bring them all back in, one x one and bring them into the tiny closet and stand them up and put them in where our design placed them.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T GET ANY PICTURES!!!

But here is a photos of their handy work, the next morning:

The next morning, Deevs got home from spending the night at his friend's house and jumped in to work (trying to earn money to put toward a "fixie" bike) to assemble and install drawers and shelving and hanging rods, and baskets.

Lando's Alaska Prep

Lando got some of his waterproof gear for fish gutting in Alaska.

Sexy!

He leaves in 2 weeks.

Random Daughter

These are just 2 photos Miss M took of herself.

Silly.

Babes In Arms

Miss M's 8th grade Theater Production class did "Babes In Arms" this year. She was very disappointed to get such a small roll and we were sad for her. She did GREAT with her 7 lines though and - as you can see from her facial expressions - she mad the most of her time on stage.

This was the end to 2 years and 4 productions in Theater. She doesn't think she will do theater in High School, so this is the end of an era.

Miss M as Nancy

Taking a bow

A Very Lovely Story

One day,

long, long ago...

there lived a wonderful woman who

did not whine or

nag or

complain.

But that was a long time ago,

- and -

it was just that one day.

THE END.

22 Years~

Twenty two years ago D and I said "I do" to each other.

We said we would (in sickness and in health).

We said we would (in richer and poorer).

We said we would (for better or for worse).

We said we would (as long as we both lived).

When you are young and in love, this seems like it would be an effortless task.

As in:

The Pastor asks - "Will you take D for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, in richer and poorer, as long as you both shall live?"

To which I answer "DUH!" or "No problem" or something equally blithe.

But 22 years gives you both a ton of large doses of reality and a LOT of perspective.

Sickness, poorer, and worse - for life is a long and hard proposition... Sooooooooooooo much longer and harder than you could EVER help a young engaged couple to understand.

And yet...

And yet.

The health, better, and richer parts... a lot deeper and fuller than you could EVER help a young engaged couple to understand.

SO worth it.

And you only get those if you hang in there through the sickness, poorer, and worse parts.

But would you choose it all, if you knew the whole picture in advance???

HAHA.

I think maybe that's part of the reason God doesn't let us know much in advance?...

Would you have kids if you knew all the possible fear, heartache, tears, and pain (even with the promise of joy, passionate adoration, giggles, and love)?

Would you have friends if you knew all the possible losses, hurts, betrayals, moves, abandonments, fights?

Would you drive a car if you knew you could crash?

I don't know why the answer is yes, but it seems to be.

For most of humanity, most of the time, the answer is a resounding yes.

I think it is (at least partly) because we were built - created - to HOPE. We were designed by God for connection and LIFE (full and abundant) and to want the best, long for the best, believe the best, hope for the best... even though sometimes it makes no sense.

And to love and to be loved... is there really anything better to take a risk for? (Although I think, in the end, I am GLAD I didn't know in advance all that I was choosing... but I wouldn't UNchoose it :)

Let me cease waxing philosophical and say that in celebration of these 22 years of sickness, health, richer, poorer, better and worse, D & I spent a few nights in the Desert - just the 2 of us (thanks Jesses!).

We went to Palm Springs for the day on Sunday... It was (strangely) gray & rainy.

We hiked out Tahquitz Canyon to the waterfall.

We brought a little picnic and enjoyed it in the sunshine on a rock with a perfect view of the crashing falls. It could NOT have been any prettier!

For those that ever want to go:

It is in Palm Springs. (Exit the 10 and head into town. Get over onto Palm Canyon Dr. - the "main drag" - When it bends, keep going straight. Turn right on Mesquite. The visitor's center is up ahead and you park in their lot.)

You HAVE to pay their admission price of $12.50 for adults and $6.00 for kids for a wrist band (or you are trespassing).

It is a 2 mile hike that they consider "moderate" - we saw people with toddlers & kids on the hike and we saw a couple grandmothers.

It is a loop (if done correctly - although many just hiked the same trail up & back).

The waterfall is seasonal so, do not wait too long in the summer to go out there (it will depend on how much rain there has been that winter).

In the summer, it sounds like the are closed Monday - Thursday.

Hiking toward falls, by streeam

At the falls (cell phone camera)

At the falls (cell phone camera)

After the hike, we drove to 3 mid-century modern Inns/hotels in town.

We got out of the car and looked around all 3 and they even took us in and showed us a room or two - AWESOME!

Orbit In

Del Marcos

Movie Colony Hotel

Then after that, we drove through one of the MANY mid century modern neighborhoods just to appreciate the architecture.

We ate at a crappy mexican restaurant on the strip (Maracas - avoid it. Yes, I already wrote my Yelp review) then headed back to Rancho Mirage and saw "Robin Hood" at The River.

The next day was POOL day all day then dinner at the Yard House.

Tuesday was pool for a few hours before driving home (with 1/2 hour stopover at Cabazon outlets) to sad, sick and mopey kids :(

It was a relaxing - if too short - weekend. (THANKS Grammie & Grampie for watching the kids.)