4th of July in Mt. Shasta

Blogging is getting so hard these days, not for lack of stuff to write about, but because 2 kids and school kind of sucks all the time out of the day. I don't know how those professional bloggers do it! For a week now, I keep glancing at the computer, thinking "yeah I need to blog today" and then quickly put it out of my mind. But as of right now, both kids (!!!) are napping this hot afternoon away, and as much as I would like to join in on a nap, I don't want to because I know my contacts will dry out, and I really don't want to wear glasses today. Is that just about the silliest no-nap excuse you've ever heard? Well, it's the truth.

Anyways, we had yet another amazing 4th of July in Mt. Shasta California. We try to go out every 4th, but this year, we had gone to Disneyland in March, then were planning on Mt. Shasta for Memorial Day (we cancelled that, just couldn't pull off a rebound from Disneyland that quickly) And then we are going to be heading out in August because Bryant's sister Chantel will be coming home from her mission, and then we are going out again for Christmas. We just didn't think we could go in July. But about a week before the 4th, I saw on Facebook that someone had tagged Bryant in a post about his upcoming 10 year High School reunion, and so I asked him about it. He said he wasn't planning on going, but I pretty much forced him too (he was student body president for crying out loud!). Let's just say it doesn't take much convincing to get Bryant to take a short trip to California. We made the final decision to go only about 4 days before we left (and 2 days before, we made a very last minute decision to leave a day early).

Worth it!

(Anytime he started to fuss, I'd just pass him an Oreo. Worked like a charm.)

Both kids did amazing on the trip out there, like always. My kids were pretty much made for 12 hour drives. Deagan got really fussy with an hour left, so we pulled into an RV campground and let him run around for 15 minutes while Savannah and Bryant played basketball. He was content the rest of the way. (He also got fussy an hour away from home on the ride back. We stopped at a McDonalds just to let him play on the playground inside. Then he was happy as a clam.)

Our first day, my in-laws took us out on their new boat at McCloud Lake. Both Savannah and Deagan got to ride in the tube (don't worry, we went extra EXTRA slow with them!)

Her life jacket had a whistle on it, and she kept blowing it, then yelling "Dive! Dive! Dive!"

Savannah was trying to stand up, so I was hanging onto her hand in a vice-like grip. She tried to stand up on a roller coaster recently too. The kid's a daredevil. She didn't like the water spraying her in her eyes, and I got water sprayed in my left eye that ended up under my contact. Next time, we wear goggles.

 

Bryant tried wake surfing, but the boat overheated and died. We had to paddle ourselves to shore. We had a picnic on the beach, hoping it would re-start after time to cool off, but it didn't so we got towed back to the dock. Ed called us the other day and said the problem was all fixed! So I'm really looking forward to August!

I spy a lizard...

 

The next day was Independence Day. Every year, the town has a huge 5 mile run, and 2 mile walk. My in-laws house is the 1st water station, so we got up early to go fill cups. My goals next year are to run the 5 mile, and sell at the booths.

 

Ed and Bryant went golfing, as is their tradition, and Robyn and I walked to downtown to shop and wait for the parade.

 

We found a nice shady spot to watch the parade outside of an art gallery. They were offering to paint faces and you could paint for a half hour for a couple of bucks. Savannah was getting hot and tired fast, so I took her to do that while Robyn tried to get Deagan to take a nap.

 

The minute the parade started, the kids were done. Both started to cry and Savannah turned around in the stroller and wouldn't even look at the parade, so I gave up and decided it was time to walk back. As soon as we crossed the street, both kids were out like a light. We'll try again next year :-)

That night, we went to Lake Siskiyou to watch the fireworks. We usually sit at the golf course, but there are rumors that they might not shoot the fireworks off the lake anymore because the trees have gotten so tall, that the people at the golf course don't even see half the show. So just in case this was the last year of fireworks at the lake (I hope not!!!) we decided to watch them on the south shore. It was PERFECT. We found a nice, big, gently sloping boulder that could fit all of us on it to watch them from, the weather was perfect, the bugs were tolerable, kids were well behaved, perfect.

Savannah spent the majority of the waiting time throwing rock, after rock, after rock into the lake.

 

It was beautiful to see all the lights from the boats, kayaks, paddle boarders, and canoes out on the lake. And the fireworks were amazing! Because we were surrounded by mountains, after every firework boomed, the echo sounded like really deep, loud thunder. It was kind of spooky, and really cool.

Both kids really enjoyed them, and Savannah fell asleep on Ed during the last 5 minutes (she falls asleep during the last few minutes every year.)

The next day, we spent the morning back downtown at the booths and shopped, and stopped at Say Cheese Pizza for some lunch.

 

We cooled off in the afternoon by splashing in the kiddie pool and squirting grandpa with water guns.

That night was Bryant's High School Reunion. It was really fun. Bryant's graduating class was only something like 75 kids, but they had a really good turn out! I even knew some of the people there, so I didn't feel too awkward or anything. They had the reunion at a Mexican restaurant called Lalo's (If you ever find yourself there, try to meet Lalo, he was a really nice guy!). We had dinner, listened to music from the mid 2000's (guys, that music is getting old! Which means I'm getting old!) and then a few people got up and told a few stories from high school. 

After dinner, everyone hung around for a couple of hours mingling and chatting. I even talked with a couple of people I had never met before without needing Bryant to introduce me or lead the conversation (way to not be a wallflower Brooke!) I've said it before and I'll say it again, the people from Mt. Shasta are abnormally nice and easy going. It's almost weird to have so many friendly strangers around you, but also extremely comfortable. About 10:00, everyone was getting thoroughly drunk and everyone was planning to head down the street to a bar. Bryant and I decided then was a good time to head home and go to bed (I know, we are party poopers ;-)

Sunday, we got up and went to church. I'm just going to say it: Mt. Shasta ward is greater than any other ward. There, I said it. I always love going to church there, and again, the people are SO NICE. Everyone there remembers who I am (can't say the same for the people in my ward that I've been in for over 20 years! Haha!) The ward is so small, that they really welcome visitors and make it a priority to make you feel welcomed. I just love it! I love everyone in that ward! Savannah was one of three kids in Nursery (and one of the others was a visitor too!) so she got to play for an hour, then they took them to Primary for the other hour. She loved it!
 

 The drive back went pretty smoothly, but the drive back to Utah always seems longer than the drive to California. I already really miss it (I seriously look at homes for sale in the area every time we are out there. I will live there someday, mark my words!)
Thankfully, we will be back out there in less than a month. We are hoping to go visit Bryant's grandma who lives near Sacramento too, and we will be visiting my Brother and Sister-in-law and their kids when we go to pick Chantel up. They are my only Niece and Nephew and I only get to see them about once a year, so I have to get all my snuggles in when I can! And I'm excited for Savannah and Jayden to sing songs from Frozen together, because I can guarantee that will happen!

Mt. Shasta Part 3

Mount Shasta Part 3: In which we celebrated Independence Day, and I walked past belly dancers, a guy playing the accordion, a Zumba group, and some guy playing the didgeridoo.

Alright! Part 3!

So Wednesday, Bryant and I left the kids with Bryant's parents while we went downtown to shop, wander around and grab some hamburgers. Would you believe it, the burger joint we went to had fry sauce?!? I thought that was a uniquely Utah thing, but maybe people are finally catching on to how amazing it is in other states.

We hit up an antique shop, and visited some other stores. It's not a very big main street, but it was busy with people setting up for the 5 mile race and all the street fair booths for the next day. 

That evening, Bryant and I took Savannah to see Monsters University. It was cute, and she really liked it. 

The next day was Independence Day. Mt. Shasta does a big 5 mile race, or people can do the 2 mile walk. Bryant's brother Tyler ran in the race, and the rout goes right in front of my in-laws house, so we got to stand out there and watch for him. Their house was also the first water station, so we helped fill up cups with the hose and hand them out to the runners. Once it slowed down, we decided to walk to town, which is the back half of the 2 mile walk. We started a little while after most of the walkers were already done, but it was fun to walk down there are see everyone having a good time. All along the rout, there were booths with performers playing music, singing, belly dancing, things like that. And then there were a lot of tables where local restaurants were passing out samples of their food. It was probably a good thing I wasn't in the race, because I would have just stopped and eaten to my hearts content, then showed up at the finish line fat and in last place. 

 ^ A view of Mt. Shasta from our walk into town^

 ^Black Butte. When we drove past this on the way to the Redwoods, Savannah yelled "Look! It's a volcano!"^

We got to the main street just as they were announcing the winners from the race. We met up with Bryant's dad and brother, and we had fun wandering around all the booths, and talking to friends. We decided not to stay for the parade because it was really hot, really crowded, and the kids were wearing down. Bryant's parents drove the kids back home, and Bryant and I decided to walk back. 

^Savannah with her Grandpa out shopping^

That afternoon, Bryant's brother, his wife and 2 kids arrived, and a little while later, his Grandma Donna arrived. It's so fun having everyone there! We wish Chantel could have been there too. We had a huge dinner out on the patio and I took a quick nap with the kids that evening.

^My little miss America^

Cousins! They are ages 3, 2, 1 and Deagan is a newborn. Your turn again Sally ;-)

Later that evening, we all drove out to the golf course to watch the fireworks. Savannah was barely able to stay awake, and kept trying to cover herself up on the blanket and sleep. Once the fireworks started, Donna was holding her, and about a minute into them, she was completely asleep, which was weird because it was still pretty early for her to be sleeping (I know it's terrible, but her bedtime is anywhere between 10pm and midnight, so 9:00 seemed too early) I guess she had just played too hard with her cousins all day!

^The girls with their Grandmas! Donna was such a trooper to have 3 crazy toddlers wrestling her before the fireworks started!^

 

^This dress drove me crazy because the sleeves kept falling down. But it was pretty darn cute.^

 ^Out like a light!^

 ^Deagan was a little fussy the whole time we were on the golf course. I think it was because it was a bit windy and that was bugging him.^

I love watching the fireworks in Mt. Shasta. Here in Utah, everyone goes out onto the lawn with their families, and thats it. In Mt. Shasta, everyone knows each other so everyone is wandering around, making conversation with everyone else. They really have a great community out there. I spent the hour or so before the fireworks talking to the Taylor family (wish you were there Emma!). They are the nicest people and I'm glad to have become their friend over the years! I guess that's the other thing I love about Mt. Shasta, I feel like I have so many friends there, and I've never even lived there!

Alright, look for part 4 soon! (Yes, there is still more! Maybe even enough for a part 5!)

Read part 1 HERE

Read part 2 HERE

Mt. Shasta Part 4: Our last day

So I'm finally getting around to finishing up my posts on our Mt. Shasta trip (you know, that was only a few weeks ago.)

 

The last day we were there, my grandparents and sister left for Washington, My brother-in-law and sister-in-law had to leave to go back to school, my other brother-in-law and his wife had to get back to Sacramento for work and Bryant's Grandma Donna had to go back home too. So it was just us, my parents and my mother and father-in-law. 

My family spent the day with Bryant's parents on a personal tour of Mt. Shasta and the surrounding towns. We started out by hiking to Edge Creek Falls. Savannah loved the waterfall!

 

 

Sorry for the dark pictures. All the trees and rocks didn't allow for good lighting.

 

My parents

Other stops on our tour: Castle Craig (I think thats what it was called), the town of Dunsmuir, and the base of Mt. Shasta itself.

I don't know how we ended up in a V-formation...

We even got to watch a rescue helicopter land! Apparently, a guy got separated from his group and lost for 10 hours. I'm not so sure he was actually lost because I heard him excitedly telling the rescue squad "I know it was just an afternoon hike, but I packed food for 3 days because I know that an average rescue takes 3 days!" Either he wasn't really lost, or he was super-prepared...

That night, we all went out to eat at a nice restaurant, where we ate out on the deck and enjoyed the summer evening. I really didn't want to leave. Mt. Shasta is so beautiful and I love Bryant's family, and I love seeing how happy he is there, and his love for his hometown and the people that are in it.

I miss you Ed, Robyn, and Mt. Shasta (and yes, even you crazy hippie people who live there as well...)

We will hopefully be back soon!