Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend we really wanted to get away and go go camping by the beach. All the campgrounds were either way expensive or you have to stay multiple nights. Finally on Friday Blake found one that wasn't as much, so as soon as he got home we jumped in our 2 cars and headed for the coast. It was such a hot day, but when we got there it had cooled off and was really windy and cold. We went to the beach anyway just to see it. It was fun for a few minutes, but super windy so I took Alissa and Parker back to the car. On our way I saw a sign that said Wind Farm Visitor Center. There were also tons of windmills out in the water. I guess that should alert us that it would be a very windy beach! Blake is good at making the best of everything though and he made it fun for the kids  to get chased by the waves. We decided to stop that game before we got wet though because I packed for the 80 degree dry weather, not 60 degree, windy wet weather.

After the beach we headed back to the "campground" and explored a little. It was more of a Las Vegas camping experience. They had a big music hall with a band and singer and girls dancing and a big game room with 2p games for the kids. It was fun, but not quite the get away from people to enjoy nature camping trip:)

The next day we woke up and rode our bikes to the play ground. We decided Blake would stay with the older kids and swim while I went back for a baptism. So I showered got ready and Parker and I headed back to our church an hour and a half away. One of the boys in our ward was getting baptized, so I got to do my first baptism as primary president. I was also this boy's teacher last year. When we got to the baptism some of our friends were there cleaning the church. They said they were headed to a beach right by where we were camping. So I told them to call Blake and maybe we would join them.

After the baptism, Parker and I jumped back in the car to head to the beach. It was a nice warm day and the car didn't like that. I had the ac on and all of a sudden when I was on the highway the car wouldn't accelerate or anything. I tried coasting to an exit, but there wasn't one, so I had to pull over on the side of the road. In England, this is scary. There isn't really a shoulder to pull on to. So I pulled over and wondered what to do. I turned off the car. Waited a minute, said a prayer and started it again. Everything worked fine and has ever since. I think I was still shaking when I got back to the campsite. It was scary, more because I didn't know what to do or who to call to help me. I'm grateful prayers are answered, sometimes even immediately!

When I got to the campsite we all piled in the van and joined some families from our ward at the beach. It was a little chilly for me to get in the water, but I enjoyed chatting with the other moms and bumping the volleyball around a bit. The kids had a blast swimming, building sand castles, burying each other and crabbing. The Hatch's dug a big hole with their shovel and Parker played in that pretty much the whole time.

Broden with a 6-pack

Blake and some other dads "enjoying" the water

All the dads and kids crabbing

Some more crabbing

After the beach we hurried home and headed to a birthday party for one of the boys in Remi's class. The birthday parties here are something else! He invited everyone in his class and siblings. When we got there they took our food orders and told us where to change and go. We got on our swimming suits and swam for an hour in the coolest pool. It is used for water aerobics and has an adjustable bottom. It can get deeper or shallower. Alissa could touch flat footed, so it was perfect for everyone. The kids had a blast and I'm pretty sure the adults did too! AFter swimming they fed us dinner then cake and Ice cream. It was pretty funny after blowing out the trick candles they put them in the garbage. After a while Blake noticed a funny smell and realized the garbage was smelling like fire. He hurried and carried it outside and it actually really caught on fire with flames and everything. The people from the kitchen brought out some water and they put out the fire, but it was kinda crazy.




That night we got home and showered and went straight to bed. Everyone was exhausted!!!