Palm Desert 2014

I wouldn't want to live in the desert... but it's a very nice place to spend a week when you're sick of the snow, cold, and the Wasatch Front inversion.

Justin's mom and step-dad love Palm Desert (along with Dave's family) and go there often.  This was our second family vacation there (I have been one other time -right after Justin and I got engaged) and it was a wonderful place to spend with each other.

We're not really good road trippers.  I know that flying with kids is a pain -but it's a pain that lasts a couple hours at best.  A road trip to California was a bit longer!  We decided to stop in Las Vegas on the way there, so we let Hyrum go to school on Friday (March 7th) and we all picked him up in a very full van (one of the few upsides to traveling by your own car, is you have the space to bring plenty of stuff) and headed off.

I wish I could say that our trip down south was uneventful.  And, for the most part it was.  We stopped once  for dinner and were all very ready to get out of the car when we were about 15 minutes from our hotel.  Then... it got a little eventful.

Kate, who had been complaining that her tummy hurt, finally fell asleep.  Only to wake up 10 minutes alter and throw up.  A lot.  Like, a LOT.  For such a little body I was impressed with how much was on her seat and elsewhere.  I quick roadside clean up -if you can call it that and we were luckily at our place for the night.  A very nice 2 room plus kitchen and living room area Marriott hotel with a pool and a washing machine.  Guess which one I was more grateful for?

After a few loads of laundry, a very sporadic sleeping schedule from Milo, and a quick swim for Justin and the big kids we were on our way again.

This drive was less eventful but still seemed just as long.  Turns out Milo doesn't like road trips either.  And he is VERY vocal about that fact.  When we finally arrived it was just as beautiful as I remembered it.  The vacation homes vary in size, ours was a one bedroom with a pull out coach with a nice big kitchen and an awesome shower in the master bedroom.  Very nice and clean and the pools are just as nice!

I always mean to take a few pictures of just the place we stay, but I don't ever get any good ones.

 Inside the living room/kitchen

 The kids playing on the grass in between homes after dinner.  It was my kids favorite part of the day.

 View from our outdoor table.

 A few tennis games.

On the way to the pool

A couple of 'stolen' pictures from their website of a few of the pools 

We went to the street fair/farmers market on Sunday.  I didn't get any good pictures there, but we did get the kids some sunglasses and a bunch of fruit to eat for the week.

Monday we went to The Living Desert Zoo.  We did this last year, where Hyrum and Justin fed the giraffes.  We had plans to do that again... only a few of the adults couldn't follow directions and right as it was our turn the giraffes were scared off, and we didn't get to feed them.  Maybe next time!

We did get to ride on a camel -something that they didn't have the last time we were there.

 They also had this cool bird exhibit where you walk in and get a stick full of food that the birds will eat.  They ended up getting really friendly.

On one of the days that we didn't have something planned with everyone we decided to check out a children's museum in the area.  A friend of mine went the weekend before, and the pictures looked fun.  The kids loved it.  

 Kate and Hyrum could have spent all morning 'making' pizza's and serving them up for us.

We also decided to take a day of the week and drive over to San Diego.  It's about two hours away, and the first half is over some mountains, and was a really pretty drive.  We weren't super excited for the drive, but it wasn't too bad, and to be that close to the beach and not go... we didn't want to do that again,

We loved our experience of going to the Coronado Island beach from the Naval base, so we did that again. You can't beat parking right on the beach and having showers and other amenities available right there.  And, it's never crowded!  This time we got to watch the F14's and helicopters fly around and a group or two of sailors running on the beach.  

We also got a dinner out while Mimi and Papa watched the kids for a bit, which was nice.  We ended up going the same place we went two years ago, a sushi/hibachi grill place nearby.  Maybe it'll also become a tradition.

Shondel found a fun hike to go on this year too.  It was about a 2 mile round trip up to a little waterfall, and I was impressed with how well the little kids did.  Most of them wanted to be carried a bit at the end, but we all made it.

 Kate and her Laila -her favorite.

Milo, Kate, Laila, Nolan, Hryum & Konner (plus one big kid)

Hyrum taking one of his many breaks to read the map.  

 I may need to do a quick history lesson with this one.  I promise he isn't aware of what he's doing with that stance.

Standing in front of the waterfall.  Even though you can't see the waterfall.

View from a look-out point on the way back from San Diego back into the Coachella valley.

Thanks again, Mimi and Papa!