We are alive unlike our computer....
>> Sunday, September 20, 2009
The adventures have slowed to a crawl due to school, post labor day flight schedule cuts, and other various adventure stalling excuses. I guess it doesn't matter much though since blogging about them is extremely difficult now that our computer has switched to paper weight mode. HP if your reading this... Please send a replacement product of equal or greater value. Free of charge of course. I really love my new iPhone and would hate to see a mac take over your spot on my desk. Did I mention my new iPhone is great and provides endless entertainment with over 65,000 apps from the app store? I can even blog from this thing even though my one finger typing is slow. I can even order chipotle from this thing and it will be ready by the time I get there.
Anyway...the adventures will continue so stay tuned.
After getting off the plane we were famished and found this great little place that promised to get you in and out since the kids were in a hurry to get to the beach.
The food was really good too! After eating we drove to Huntington Beach where the local surfers hang out. We followed a couple of them to see where the great surfing spots are located and the best place to catch a wave or two. 
Once we got to the beach the waves were calling...
and so were the authorities...
apparently California law prohibits camouflage sun bathing...
Darth Maul ran away like a screaming little girl....
...Heidi finally graduated and got to wear this (in May):
She passed! Or as it should be properly stated....She passed with flying colors! Even though she couldn't remember 5%?
After checking in, we continued our way to Dalene’s house to participate in the fireworks show. Since Arizona is too hot and dry in the summer time, fireworks are illegal but in Idaho, anything goes. The kids lined up along the porch and were soon in harmony, “oooh, aaaaah, oooh, aaaah, as they watched the fireworks display. After all the good ones were lit and sent skywards, the kids enjoyed shooting roman candles and twirling sparklers. After the backyard fireworks display, we headed back to our room ready to hit the hay. 
After a good nights sleep, we journeyed our way down to 14th street to watch the Idaho Falls parade. The kids properly stretched and warmed up in order to gather as much candy as they possible could. In previous years, the candy would rain down from nearly every float. Not this year. You know the economy is bad when the candy count is down. However the parade still provided great entertainment. 
After the parade, we had lunch back at Dalene’s and enjoyed a great feast. At 2:00 the annual softball game started. As I stood there lined up waiting to bat, I had flashbacks of my youth baseball games, where I hit home run after home run, often winning the game! I remembered all of the diving catches in the out field, and the 90 mph fastballs I hurled over the plate. Strike one, strike two, steeeeriiiiiike three, as the umpire yelled, you’re out! The smell of hot dogs permeating the air and the sound of the crowd cheering, Wynn, Wynn, Wynn…..watch out…crack! Apparently while waiting to bat I had dozed off in my fantasy baseball dream and was hit in the head with a foul ball. Ok not really but it sure makes a better story than just getting up to bat and hitting a fly ball, making it to first, and then getting thrown out at second on the next play.
After the softball game ended, we jumped in the car and drove over to Aunt Linda and Uncle John. They happen to live about 2 miles away from Aunt Dalene’s house. Upon arriving, we found ourselves mingling with 2 giant pans of chocolate brownies and rice crispy treats. The kids ran outside and played on the airplane teeter totter with cousins they’re not quite familiar with. This didn’t stop them from playing together and they had a great time.
Around 8:30 we all decided it was time to go down to the river and wait around for the fireworks to begin. The fireworks display was terrific. We sat on the grass next to the hotel with surround sound blasting patriotic music and fireworks exploding over our heads showering down bright colors of spark. Fireworks are one of the few things in life that can be enjoyed no matter the time of year. 
After the fireworks ended we walked back to the cars and proceeded to wait in traffic before making our way back to Dalenes’ house. After the fireworks, Jena and Lance decided to put their kids in the car and make the 3 hour trip back home. Weston and I decided to drive back with them in an effort to catch a plane back to Arizona early in the morning. Lance’s lead foot got us to the airport a little earlier than even I like to be there. It was 3:00 am. Now if you have ever wondered what the airport looks like at 3:00 am let me tell you. It’s nearly empty with only the zamboni like machine driving around washing the floors with its built in squeegee. At 3:00 am, not even the security entrance was open. Weston was dead asleep and so I proceeded to find a comfortable place to lie down. Whoever designed the airport chairs apparently never intended to sleep in them, as the permanent arm rest prevents any such horizontal activity from occurring.
Since Heidi and Alea specialize in arial acrobatics, they were asked to do a few flips in the air. Now don't think for a second, that these were just any ordinary flips. They were going to be shot out of a cannon and do a few flips in the air, clear across the arena.
The cheers from the crowd were amazing!
After we convinced Alea to get out of the water we headed to Sea Port Village to get fudge. Traditions often start without any prior thought, and fortunately for Heidi’s sweet tooth, we stumbled upon a tradition of consuming Sea Port Village Fudge. I couldn’t even tell you the name of the shop, but I can get anyone there that asks for directions. After all, I am the part time San Diego tour guide. By this time, it was almost 5:00 pm which signaled it was time to head back to the airport to catch our 6:40 flight. We put 1.5 gallons of $3.09 a gallon of gas into the lunchbox thermos and returned the lunchbox back to Alamo, hopped into the shuttle and were dropped of at the terminal. After heading through security and before getting to the gate, we had to stop to use the bathrooms. Some of us really had to go! 
