And this is how it SHOULD be...

Two women's restrooms for everyone one men's restroom.  Wouldn't you agree?  Very forward thinking, In-N-Out in Victorville!

It's Not A Vacation Without Mini Golf!

While in the Outer Banks, we went miniature golfing with some of our extended family. The mini golf places in OBX have some extreme themes. One had a dinosaur theme, but we went to this one that had an "Indiana Jones" type theme. Well maybe not that extreme, but it it was fun.

An Evening On The Beach

One night on our vacation, most of the kids went out on the beach to play, hunt for crabs, and wear glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets. (AJ made his into a belt.)

Fishing in OBX

Fishing is a popular sport (if you can really call it a sport, because the fish don't know they're playing) in the Outer Banks. People hop in boats and try their hand at it. They hope to come home with some big fish.

We took the kids to see the fish. And we waited...

And waited...

And waited...

Until the boats arrived.

Some had some large and unique fish.

Bodie Lighthouse

While in the Outer Banks, NC, we visited the Bodie (pronounced "body") Lighthouse. It was a beautiful place, and the kids really enjoyed corralling their cousins.

This Makes Me Feel All Warm and Fuzzy

When we visited the Bodie (Body) Lighthouse in the Outer Banks, there were several of these signs located along the paths and walkways. Doesn't that make you feel safe, so much so that you don't need to worry about where your children are walking?:)

Kitty Hawk Kites

Right after the show at the Fudgery, we visited Kitty Hawk Kites (in the same shopping center across from Jockey's Ridge). While the kites are amazing, the kids were drawn to the area with a variety of interesting "juggling" toys. There was a very nice man who demonstrated all these items and taught the kids to use them. It was great!

The Fudgery

Twenty-eight years ago, when I was a teenager, my father took our large family to the Fudgery while on vacation in the Outer Banks, NC, and we fell in love! Not only was the fudge delicious, but the show made what would have been a simple trip to a candy shop an unforgettable experience. Each time we visited the Outer Banks, we made sure to visit the Fudgery at least once.

For our "Outer Banks Beach Bash Extravaganza" this summer, I was looking forward to visiting the Fudgery and sharing the fun experience with my children.

My sister arranged with the Jockey's Ridge location to have a show in the evening on Tuesday, August 16, 2011. We arrived with our children in tow ready for an experience.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

To start our family reunion vacation, we went to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. It was a very interesting day. It was quite smoky at the park, because there was a wildfire at the Great Dismal Swamp (yes, that is the real name). Felt like we hadn't left California, until I noticed the humidity. It was really, really humid, and it started to pour around 3:00 pm. We were soaked through, but we had a great time.

Here are a couple of pictures.



At the arcade, David won an X-Box 360 at the same time John won an iPod Touch. I guess we were quite lucky that day, despite the smoke and rain.

My Favorite Beach Picture

John, the boys, and I accompanied Mandi, Junior, and their boys to the Bodie Lighthouse in the Outer Banks, NC. I took quite a few pictures, but this is probably my favorite of the entire vacation. I thought I'd share it.

John was kind enough to remove the digital date stamp for me in Photoshop.

Outer Banks Beach Bash Extravaganza 2011

John, the kids, and I went to my family reunion last week. My entire family rented a huge beach house (right on the beach) in Nags Head, NC. More photos to come, but here's one from our last day.

A Quick Trip to Utah

I took the boys (David, Michael, and A.J.) to Utah for a quick trip in late July. We picked up all the things David needed for school and were able to do a few fun things, including a visit to the Bingham Copper Mine. When I was young, my family used to visit the mine when we visited our grandparents in Utah. I thought I'd continue the tradition.











I took this picture when I was showing my kids how big the trucks at the mine really are.




These pictures are from the LDS Church History Museum.






David snapped this picture as we entered St. George, Utah. I love the way the Temple looks against the red rocks.