Spring Break

This will be long and hopefully I don’t miss anything really good. But here is our trip to California during the 2011 Spring Break.  Pictures will be added later.


We headed out about 5pm on Friday. We started late because we thought our water tank had a leak so we took it in. Turns out we just didn’t know you had to shut off some valves that they open to help winterize the RV. So we got stuck in traffic. Took 1 hr. 40mins to get to Springville which usually takes 1 hr. Anyhow. Our first night we slept at a rest stop. The next day was very hot. WE have no AC what so ever. And the toilet air was cycling through the RV. I felt pretty sick. Let’s just say, I felt pretty sick most of the time.

We got to Anaheim by evening. Made dinner and I took the kids swimming to cool off. Well, Lexy messed her pants and we had to get out of the pool after only being in for a few minutes. The kids kept asking why and throwing a fit and I didn’t want to announce to everyone that Lexy was in the pool with nasty pants. What a mess to clean up.

The resort was great. We were right next to the bathrooms, playground, arcade and a putting green. So the kids just ran wild. We had a great view of the fireworks every night. It was really fun. Jackson was amazed.

Sunday we spent the day seeing were Craig grew up. He knocked on doors and we went inside and took pictures and videos. We visited some parks and then his little brother’s grave site. Well, we were there for 4 ½ hrs. No one knew exactly where it was and the main offices were closed because it was a Sunday that they couldn’t tell us where to find it. We searched for hours. The kids were miserable. I got Sunburn, but in the end we found it, cleaned it up, bought some flowers and took pictures. Later that night we walked to Disney to make sure we knew the way. The way there we took was long because we accidentally went around the park. So we found the better way on the way home. The kids were so excited to walk near downtown Disney and they even got a “My first Visit” button they could wear. It really got them excited.

Monday we got up and walked to Disneyland. First ride we tried to get on (Peter Pan) Jackson threw a huge fit. So we stood in line as he kicked people and threw things. Once on the ride he sat quietly, but once it stopped he started up again. He did this for at least 45mins. Once we rode Dumbo he perked up. Jaden spent most of his time complaining about wanting us to buy him a hat. We got right on to Space Mountain because Craig was so tall they wanted to make sure that he would fit, so we got to use the handicap line. He didn’t fit, but we still got to go on. Lexy and Jackson cried a little bit, but in the end they all loved it. Lexy did a lot of walking. She really was our best traveler. She just wanted to go go go everywhere on this trip. We left the park and had dinner at I-Hop. What a great way to save money. They had kids eat free after 4pm, so we got 2 kids meals free. We tried to catch some shows but couldn’t see so we didn’t end up watching any. It was cloudy and cold and sometimes sprinkled while there. By the time we walked back to the campsite and got in bed it was 10:30 and we were so worn out. Lexy and Jackson had both slept some while at Disney. Jackson kept calling Mickey Mouse, “Mickley Mouse”. It was hilarious. So we have been saying it all week.

Tuesday we got up and did some cleaning, laundry and then off to Huntington Beach. It turned out to be nice weather. We played at the beach for 3 or 4 hours. The kids played in the water, ran from waves, Craig buried their legs in the sand and Jackson ate tons of sand with some goldfish crackers. Jaden did get some burns. After we cleaned up (this was quite the scene. Me holding the kids down under the outside showers) we got some ice cream, had our oil checked and headed to San Francisco. We slept at another rest stop on the way.

We stayed in Pacific by San Francisco. We were right on the coast. It was cold, windy, and rainy. So we didn’t spend too much time out of the camper which was a bummer. Our Radiator fluid all drained out when we got there. The roads had been so bumpy that the hose came loose. So we got that fix, and then the next morning took it in to be replaced, (the hose). So not too expensive. On our way to taking it in Jackson had really bad Diarrhea so we had a mess to clean up and that set us back. So we got the camper in later, making us late to our Alcatraz Boat. Luckily they were able to get us on the next boat. It was a great tour. They had audio sets you listened to. Jaden listened the whole time and was interested. Lexy listened for a while, and Jackson was fussy and all over the place. But we learned some cool stuff. It was interesting to listen to the old guards, inmates and children that lived on the island. As we waited in line to get back in the boat Jackson threw another big fit, and getting on the boat and while on the boat. Very embarrassing. But finally he went to sleep, Lexy slept too. We had lunch, walked all over the place looking at the sights. We saw the steepest road, and I think most Crooked, We walked up insane hills, which the children ran up with no problem. Saw an old Arcade from as far back as I think World War 1. Jaden wanted to go back to the camper, but Lexy just wanted to keep seeing things. She really wanted to ride a trolley but they were way too expensive. As we waited for our cab to pick us up, we waited for almost an hour, he was lost, Lexy said, “Hurray up taxi, you’re wasting our time!!” The kids enjoyed running at the Sea Gulls and making them fly away.

The next morning we woke up and headed for Golden Gate Bridge and Muir woods to see the read woods. The place was so packed we didn’t stay. WE would have to park 4-5 miles away and then walk to the park. The roads were horrible for the RV. Parts of the road were missing. Steep cliffs. It was awful. Once sign said “Rough Road ahead” We laughed because it was a one way road that you had to take turns on because the road leading up had broken away. We said, more like “No Road ahead” or “Missing road ahead” would have been more appropriate. So that was a wasted 1 ½ hrs. I forgot to take pictures of that. We took I-80 East all the way home. We hit a horrible hail and rain storm up in the California Mountains. Really a lot more colder weather than we had planned on. So we got a motel the last night just so the kids could be out of the camper for a while. WE had been stuck in it for days and it’s not very big. I know I have forgotten some cute stuff the kids said and did, but this is taking forever to write and I’m sure read.