Girl's Roadtrip: Ventura and Cayucas

(Just a side note: We had a very enjoyable time listening to Anne of Green Gables narrated by Rachel McAdams and Skink, and The Night The Lights Went Out on this trip.  Hooray for audiobooks). We arrived in Ventura at Christian and Shandra's around lunchtime.  It was so fun to see these guys.  After lunch Christian had to work and the kids rode bikes over to a park, where Clara nearly got killed by riding out in front of a truck that had to slam its brakes to not kill her.  Anyway, the kids played and then we headed home and Clara and Tristan took the new kid jeep for a spin in the cul de sac.  After a tasty taco dinner, the kids safely tucked away in the trunk, we went to the beach for sunset.  Back home, Shandra made us cookies.  Hastings always come through. 

 Clara and I headed out after lunch.  We drove up to Cayucas where our friends from Santa Fe had a beach house.  We had a fun evening heading up the beach to the pier where we got Fish and Chips and watched surfers.  It was a fun visit.  These guys are a great family. In the morning Iz and Clara boogie boarded while J. surfed and N. and I watched from the beach. 

Clara and I took off after lunch to head for Reno.  We got stuck in the most awful traffic on a backroad.  A car accident made it so we went 2 miles in 2 hours.  Ugh.  

Girl's Roadtrip: Phoenix, Oceanside

The boys had to stay behind in Santa Fe for a Scout Fundraiser, and Lucy's flight was out of LAX, so we left the boys behind and headed to California, via Phoenix.  Kind of weird roadtripping with just half the fam.  I was worried about leaving the boys on their own.  Rob was on call all day the day we left.  I shouldn't have worried.  They boys made a hang board for climbing conditioning.  No TV all day, just productive creativity.  They are pretty cool.  Anyway, we arrived in Phoenix in time to head to the Cornish Pasty Company in Scottsdale, do some night swimming, and play a round of Exploding Kittens.  

 In the morning we headed to Oceanside.  Whit had a yummy dinner ready for us and Ever was very very pleased to have Clara around.  Clara gets ver stressed out if she stays up too late.  No really panic sets in if she thinks she won't have enough sleep (with good reason, a tired Clara is really quite scary).  So Ever wanted Clara to sleep in her room.  But Ever was excited and chatty which got Clara worked up into a panic, because when it is time to sleep it is time to sleep.  Anyway, in the end they did sleep and it all worked out.  Pretty funny.  The next day after a Target we headed to the beach.  At one point Ever had to find a bathroom so Whit and Ever went in search of one.  Meanwhile the tide came up and I wasn't quick enough to get Tyna out of the way.  Oh well, she didn't mind.  We picked up Hawaiian/Japanese for dinner and then it was time to take Lubert to LAX. 

 Dropping this girl off at LAX to fly half way across the world by herself was STRESSFUL and HARD for me.  Traffic at the airport was a nightmare and I kept thinking of flights vanishing into thin air, and pervy old men grabbing thighs on long flights and getting lost and getting passports stolen, and on and on. But she did just fine.  Her flight took off at midnight and I had to wait until 3:00 the next day when she landed in Hong Kong to get word that she was just fine.  She'd met up with other kids from her program in Hong Kong, where they flew on to Chaing Mai together.  She was more than just fine.  

 On Tuesday we had a park day and Clara and Ever brought their bikes.  

 The next morning before Clara and I left, Ever, Clara, Wren, and I rode bikes up to the neighborhood rope swing.  

Part 1 of our trip was a success.  

Oh and here is the finger board the boys built:

Camp Elliot Barker

Clara had an awesome time at camp.  She loved every second and is going back for more in July.  Anyway, I dropped her off and got to take a quick tour of the camp.  It was lovely.  And then I left her!  Yikes!  She spent the week with the horses learning how to take care of them, saddle the, ride them.  They told me she was the shortest but was a bold learner and by the end was saddling and unsaddling all on her own.  The girl is probably as big as a saddle.  She made wonderful memories.  We heart girl scout camp!!! (FYI I just did about 10 posts in one day, so scroll on for more).

Cave Creek Falls And Roberto's Birthday

We did a family hike and dinner out to celebrate Rob's birthday before Clara went off to camp.  On his actual birthday we ate delicious ice cream cake.  I hope Rob doesn't mind, but it wasn't the most exciting of birthday's but we love him and are glad he was born.  And the hike was lovely.  We went to Cave Creek Falls up in Pecos. 

I think Tucker may have thought this lupine leaf was something else. 

The kids made him an amazing birthday crown.