Vacation Awesomeness

Yeah, we met Spongebob. Jumpin' Jupiter is right!

Our latest travels

We got back Sunday night from our 9-day trip to North Carolina and Virginia. We spent five nights with Don's mom. We played lots of Killer Bunnies with Malorie and went with her to an amusement park called Carowinds (Maggie can officially add South Carolina to the list of states she's been to).

We rented a car and drove up to Charlottesville, where Maggie had a conference. On the way we stopped in a town called Valdese, North Carolina, where Don's great-great grandfather and his family immigrated from Italy. We came at the wrong day and time, everything was closed, but we did take pictures. Don's great=great grandfather helped build the town's big Presbyterian church:
Charlottesville involved Maggie sitting in meetings all day while Don got to play and have fun! We got to hang out with Don's friends the Joneses and his cousin Nick and Nick's wife Amanda and their new baby.

Magic Mountain

We needed a Weekend Away From Utah, so we drove down to Six Flags in Southern California and rode roller coasters until our heads were spinning (which happened by coaster #3, but we kept on riding). We went on all the major rides except one which wasn't running. Don insisted on riding in the front all the time. It was pretty intense! One coaster the seats extend off the side of the track and actually rotate while you're going through the curves and loops. You don't know what to expect. Another one you actually ride suspended on your stomach so it's like you are flying.

It wouldn't have been a real California trip without Don inhaling In-N-Out every day, or stopping at the store in Vegas to get his own In-N-Out beach towel. Now we just need to take a beach trip.


This picture is from one of the few quiet moments of our day. We went on a water ride and got pretty soaked -- so we rode the carousel to dry off.

Our weekend

This weekend was pretty busy. Friday, we went to dinner with my brother Doug and my grandparents and aunt and uncle who were down from Boise for the weekend. Saturday we ran errands in the rain (and snow), in particular for Wyatt's birthday present. We took him his present that evening and then went home and rooted for the Sharks, who came back for an overtime win. We probably woke up some neighbors screaming around midnight or whenever the game ended. We'll be yelling like crazy tonight too, once the game finally comes on!

Yesterday was Don's dad's birthday party, with the regular Don-and-Wyatt mayhem! Here's them actually sitting still for a change. Wyatt hasn't been brainwashed or anything!

Freedom, and my mean husband

Last night was Don's final night working graveyard shift. We're confident he'll find a new job soon; he just applied for a job at BYU which will be great for letting him take the pre-requisite classes he needs to get into grad school.

So last night he got in around 2:30 AM, having only needed to work half a shift. This is basically what happened when he walked in.

Don: Maggie, get up, it's time for you to go to work!
Maggie (groggy and too blind to see the clock without my glasses or contacts): Groan. I'm so tired!
Don: Get up, you have to be at work!
Maggie: Give me fifteen more minutes!
Don: No, you'll be late for work.
Maggie: Fifteen more minutes!
Don: Do you know what time it is?
Maggie: Fifteen more minutes!
Don: No, you'd better wake up.
(At which point I stumble out of bed scowling, grab the alarm clock and figure out what time it really is. Don starts laughing, I groan again and crawl back into bed)
Don: Aw, you have such a mean husband.
Maggie: Hmph!

I don't know why he thought it was so funny last night, although I am laughing about it this afternoon.

Another Friday night with Wyatt

This is what happens on Friday nights when we have Wyatt come over:




1. Playtime with Uncle Gonny














2. Making messes with Aunt Maggie










3. Uncle Gonny conks out for a bit (Wyatt took this picture!)

The Best Birthday Ever!

I met Don shortly after my birthday last year, so this was the first time I got to celebrate my birthday with him. And what a wonderful day he made it!

We got me a Wii Fit and it's been lots of fun playing the balance games this week. We went out to dinner the evening of my actual birthday. Don took the night off and then came to work with me on Friday to help me with my conference presentations. It was fun having him around for most of the workday! Saturday we went with Megan, Matt, and Wyatt to see "Monsters vs. Aliens" in 3-D. We had been talking about going up to Ikea to get some storage stuff and some plants and I thought we'd head up there, but Don insisted on going home and cleaning (which was on my list to do anyway, but we spent all morning watching Spongebob instead). This should have tipped me off, especially since Don was only focusing on cleaning the living room when I was thinking we'd do a bit more work on the bedrooms. Anyway, we went up to Ikea (we hit the 100,000 mile mark on the Toyota in the process). Then we came home and there was a surprise party waiting for me -- balloons, streamers, and everything! We ate pizza and cake and played Wii games. Wyatt made a new friend in my brother Doug, and we had lots of fun!

I'm not sure how I'm going to top that for Don's birthday -- we'll be in North Carolina then.