Our Vacation

I'll just give a brief run-down here of our trip. I call it a vacation. It's the only one we've had since our honeymoon over four years ago and boy was it nice to not have to worry about dinner, house-cleaning (sort-of) bills, being unemployed, etc...

Later, I'll go back and discuss some fo the interesting things I learned and observed while we were "out west." I'll also post pictures later.

Day One: Travel day. I got very little sleep Friday night. I went to sleep around 11, woke up at 2:30 AM and we left the house at 4 AM to drive all the way to Raleigh.

Eddie did well in the car and on the plane. He liked looking out the window and several other passengers commented that they did not even know there was a baby on board. Yeah, I'm a little bit proud of my boy. :)

We arrived in San Diego around 10:30 AM PST -- three hours behind my standard time. We spent that day visiting with Ed's mom and Grandma.

Ed loves Mexican food -- especially the mexican food in CA. That night we had carne asade burritos. Now let me just tell you that this burrito is not for the weak. It's about 9-10 inches long and a good 5-6 inches in diameter. IT'S HUGE!!! and it only costs a few bucks.

The burrito only has seasoned beef strips (think fajita meat) and guacamole. Salsa is optional. No lettuce, tomato or cheese. Just beef. I had never had one before and while the flavor was good, that was just too much meat for me.

Day Two: Sunday. Church day. We went to Skyline Church -- Ed's mom's church. It's very very contemporary and very different from our little country church. They have a coffee cart set up outside where members can buy coffee before service. Think Starbuck's. They also have a "cry room" complete with closed-circuit television. Oh, what I wouldn't give for my small country church to have just a cry room with a speaker in it!

After church we ate at Bonny's Cafe. That was Ed's grandpa's favorite place to eat. The last time we visited there (about 5-6 years ago) we ate there with the fam. So being there again, this time without Ed's grandpa was kind of sad. It was even sadder when Ed's grandma, who is 92 or 93, started talking to one of the waitresses who has been there forever about how Grandpa died.

We went home and enjoyed an afternoon siesta and then spent the evening at Sea Port Village.

For dinner we went to the same Mexican restaurant so Ed could have ANOTHER carne asade burrito. This time I tried the bean and cheese burrito. Same problem - too much of a good thing.

Day Three: Labor Day. We went to the place where Ed's grandpa is buried; FT. Rosecrans National Cemetary. Needless to say, it was an emotional morning.

Ed's grandparents had been married for like 65 years when Grandpa passed away 3 years ago. I can't imagine losing Ed and we've only been married for four years.

We went "home" and relaxed some more. Dinner was the BEST pizza I'd ever had.

Day Four: We were supposed to leave San Diego this day, but Ed was kinda under the weather, so we decided to stay an extra day. No biggie, since we are both unemployed bums, right?

Ed's mom had to work so we spent the day with Grandma. We watched about 3 episodes of Bonanza and one or two episodes of Little House; Grandma's favorite shows.

We decided Grandma needed to get out more so we went to get lunch. Grandma and I shared a quesadilla that was about as big as my abdomen and Ed had yet another carne asada. Then we took Grandma out for a Slurpee. She had never had one.

That night, Eddie fell out of the bed at like 1 AM and was not at all happy. We got up at 4 AM the next morning to leave for Salt Lake City.

Day Five: Travel Day. This day was pure HELL. Sorry. There is no other word. We left around 5 AM and arrived in SLC around 10 PM.

Eddie did NOT like being in the carseat for so long. He was cutting TWO more teeth and didn't sleep well the night before.

The traffic was hellacious through CA -- even at 5 AM -- until we got to the Mojave. Then, while gas prices are dropping everywhere else, in Barstow, CA they are apparently rising. We paid $3.33 per gallon.

Day Six: Ed's dad had to work so we spent the day with Ed's step-mom and the three poodles. Basically we rested from our travels.

Dinner was Mexican food.

Day seven: Ed's dad got off work early so we went to see the Mormon Hub. I don't mean that offensively. It's more than just the temple, so... I have to write on that alone later. Absolutely amazing.

While we were walking around the grounds there Eddie simply fell asleep with no fighting or screaming or anything. He has NEVER EVER done that.

Day Eight: We were going to leave this day, but wanted more time with Ed's dad.

Ed was going to rent a small plane and take his dad up, but the prices were too high. Ed's dad wanted me, a good southern girl, to get my share of grits so they took us to Cracker Barrel.

Then we spent time at the Air Force Museum at Hill AFB near Ogden.

I did note that Ed and his dad -- Ed II -- are soooooo similar that it's scary. More on that later.

Day Nine: Travel Day. I found another place I want to live; Coalville, UT. Breathtaking.

Ed showed me around Green River, WY and Rock Springs, WY -- where he grew up. These places also deserve a post of their own.

Then we mosied on over to Cheyenne -- there is nothing inbetween Rock Springs and Cheyenne. I'm not exaggerating at all. Seriously.

From Cheyenne we drove to Sidney, Nebraska and stopped for the night. Interesting town; all twelve people there. :)

Day Ten: That morning we got up bright and early and spent most of the day driving through NE. There's nothing but corn there.

And we foudn it funny that the welcome to NE sign said "Home of Arbor Day." There were no trees there at all.

We stopped in Gothenberg, NE to see one of the original Pony Express Offices. That town was founded by Swedes and is home to a silo (?) that holds the corn that goes to Frito Lay for making their corn chips.

We stopped for the night in Columbia, Missouri where we had the best restaurant service ever.

Day Eleven: We left Columbia around 7 AM and drove and drove and drove and drove. We got home around 1:30 AM last night.

We only stopped to tinkle and to eat. I only got drive by shots of the Arch.

Eddie did great though.

I'm glad to be home, but sad too. Reality is too rough. I don't want to deal with things right now.