On the Road with Ma and Pa

So, it took us two days to get almost to LA. We celebrated Carissa's ninth birthday with the Bradfords (including Pam)

We spent a day at Joshua Tree NP. Lots of big boulders and Joshua Trees (named by early Mormon settlers)

On to Yuma where we spent two days with Aunt Glee Sage. Here we are at the Hell Hole of The West - the old Arizona Territorial Prison. Movie makers lowered this doorway to make their leading men look tall in numerous films shot on site.

On to Mesa for the Cactus League baseball games. We went to seven games in all. Like everything else the stadiums are cut right out of the desert landscape.

We did other stuff too - like visit a ghost town from the gold rush of 1893 just outside of Apache Junction.

Our wonderful RV park - Mesa Spirit - was just three miles from the Mesa Temple and surprise...a regional Family History Center. The temple is beautiful inside and out. Bonus of the trip was Shanna finding seven generations of Carl's Fickle line. He was stoked.

Don't laugh - The Snowbirds are very organized. They even had a parade to celebrate their season in the sun. Note the Canadian flag. The park was about half Canadians, followed by Americans from all of those cold northern tier states.

Okay - on to the games. We were not the only celebs in attendance. Costas got to see the Giants beat the hated Dodgers in an extra inning walk-off victory. So what if doesn't count for anything - a victory is a victory.

Not all of the action was on the field. Bobbi and I dominated Mom and Carl in some spirited miniature golf games. Okay, we won some of the time.

Our seats were so close that we could see and hear everybody. Here is Pablo Sandoval who hit like crazy and fielded like an all-star. He is lighter this year - down to 250!

Nothing like a foot-long hot dog at the old ballpark. We rated the dogs at various parks and found them all to be pretty good.

We left Arizona on 3/19 and made great time to Palm Springs. Then we zoomed all the way to Paso Robles for Kerry's birthday on the 20th. Guess who we found at the beach? We spent an afternoon with Suze, Tyler and Caleb before getting ready for our run up to Santa Cruz.

Carrie's Shower

Carrie's baby shower was on Saturday and it was wonderful! The Beatty girls really know how to throw a shower - the food, the cake, the treats - it was all amazing!

Check out this spread.  I'm glad I came hungry because this food was delicious.  Sooo tasty.  Everything tasted so fresh and so yummy.

The chocolate on chocolate cake that Allison made was SO good.  The polka dots were adorable too!

Cute little baby boy clothes on the line...

Carrie is looking good, isn't she?  I can't believe she has less than four weeks - FOUR WEEKS!

Kirk even got his own present at the shower.  Yes, it's a murse (man-purse) but the cool thing is that Carrie's sister Mary had it screen printed with "Them Crooked Vultures" (Kirk's fave band).  Pretty cool, eh?

Carrie opens the present from the Steed girls - what a surprise - an Ergo Baby Carrier! (She knew it was coming, but played it off well...)

I wish everyone could have come and enjoyed the shower - it was a lovely day!  I can't wait for little Albert Magnus Franklin Walter Steed to make his appearance!

Satan's Cesspool

Summer 1998 - High Water

This is the picture that comes after the one Susie posted.  We were both laughing hysterically, or overjoyed by the fact that it wasn't us who took a dip!

Mrs Bailey, It's your Birthday!

It's your birthday sis! Thismorning, I started going through my old pictures (and letters...) and I realized that even as much as we clashed (nice word for fought) growing up, there is and always was an irreplaceable bond - a closeness and an understanding that resulted, simply, by being so close in age, sharing a room, sharing friends, and sharing experiences (and spending LOTS of time sitting on the hearth "working out our differences"). You were always a few steps ahead of me - 8th grade to my 6th, Varsity to my JV, top bunk to my bottom bunk, driver seat to my passenger seat. I wailed like a professional mourner when your hamster Twinkle died, and you stood sentinel at my parakeet's funeral in the front yard. Maybe we could have been closer or nicer to eachother - I could have chosen NOT to cut your purple 8th birthday dress with scissors in a fit of jealousy, and maybe you could have chosen NOT to write mean things on the slats of our bunk bed where I would see them every night... but then what would we have to laugh about? Ultimately, I think that is what we've carried forward - the things that were and are so dang funny, and the moments of shared childhood glee and freedom. I'm so glad that those moments were ours, and so grateful for you as my sister.

You & me a long time ago.

At the WTC on our trip to New York in 1996, just us. Remember what mom told us about walking around in the Bronx? "Cover up your blonde hair! It's a Coooooooooooooold wind that blows down Fordham Road...." Yeah, yeah, ok mom...

At the Met on the same trip, right before Sara abandoned us to go to crew practice.

You and your blue nail polish

Hangin out with Amy at Foster's Freeze

Enduring I mean Enjoying another caroling party... (looks like our fellow carolers are having as much fun as us).

Remember when we took the 10' NRS down the SoFo at 9,000 cfs, and they made that obnoxious kid come with us? We weren't really experienced..and a little scared as I remember, but I totally trusted you. Definitely a lot more than the moron who was with us who guided us into the trees above Barking Dog. I guess he got it back when I accidentally pushed him out at Satan's (photo evidence above). oops.

Ali & Paigey girl

In the subway tunnel beneath downtown L.A., when you guys visited me at work! Ben is in utero.

Ali & brand new Ben (I guess he does look a bit larval)

A winning team!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!