The "Grand" Finale

So, after a quick detour to dip our toes in the Pacific (which was VERY cold), we left San Diego and headed for the Grand Canyon. The plan was to leave at 9:00 and be there in the afternoon, and then drive on further before we stopped for the night. We left San Diego two and a half hours late, though, so we were driving like a bat out of hell to get to the canyon before sunset. It became clear we weren't going to make it, so we decided to stop in Williams, at the intersection of the highway and the road to the Grand Canyon, and go in the morning, hoping to be there for sunrise.

The next morning we rousted the kids at 6:15, fed them, and stuffed them in the car. We were on pace to arrive just at sunrise, but as we drove closer it started to snow. And snow. And snow. The park ranger warned us that visibility was "low," but we had gone all that way, so we paid our $25 and drove on. By this time Jon & I were pretty certain we weren't going to be able to see anything, but Sophie bounded out of the car in an enveloping fog, saying, "We're here! We're at the GRAND CANYON!"

Yes, well, you can't prove it by me. Here's what we saw:



That's right--visibility was ZERO. We trooped in the snow to the Visitors' Center, which was closed. The bathrooms were open, at least, and we took a photo before leaving scenic Grand Canyon National Park:



By that time Sophie was cold & wet and not so enthusiastic. So, there you have it-- $25 worth of fog!

He Took My SHOWER!

So this morning we're trying to get out of Albuquerque in time to get to Denver by mid-afternoon. The kids are anxious to get back to their Christmas loot, and to see Elwood, and to sleep in their own beds.

We get up, go downstairs for breakfast, and when we get back to the room Jon says, "Let's get out of here!" I say, "But I need to take a shower." Jon asks, "Why?"

I tell him I didn't take one last night after we swam, and he sighs heavily and stalks off. Fine, I think-- I'll take a shower when we get home. Let's just get out of here as quickly as we can.

So I'm packing and so forth, and he comes in and gets a plastic bag for the swimsuits that are still hanging in the bathroom. Then I hear the tub faucet start. Odd, I think-- he must be rinsing the suits. Then I hear the shower go on. And on, and on...

So I burst into the bathroom after the shower goes off, hackles up and voice raised. WHY are you taking a shower when you said I didn't have time to take one??? I was MAD.

Jon, however, looks completely bewildered (if naked and dripping). "What? You said I should take a shower!"

WHAT?!?!?!

So he apparently heard me say HE should take a shower, because HE didn't take one after we swam. Right. Because I'm in the habit of monitoring his hygiene so closely.

For the love of BOB. So he's all freshly showered and sweet-smelling, and I'm grubby and uncomfortable for the drive home. Great.

And On to San Diego

We got up on Tuesday morning and Jon spent the morning doing laundry. The kids all got showered up, and they played while we packed... Finally we got on the road a little after noon (after a delicious lunch at Alerto's). We stopped in Poway so I could visit my fellow retailer, Gena, at her store Cool Scrapbook Stuff. It was great to meet her, and to see her store, and to pick her brain a little (she's been in the scrapbook business nine years!)... but I forgot to take a photo. Nuts!

Then we headed on to downtown San Diego to see what we could see. The answer was: Very little. There was an incredible fog settled on the city; it looked like we were driving through a cloud:



We had dinner at a DELICIOUS Indian place, Royal India, and then found our way in the fog to the hotel. Wednesday morning we got up and got to Legoland. I'm sorry to say it was a bit of a letdown; the rides were a little lame, and even the kids were underwhelmed. (Well, except Sophie, who could find the silver lining in a tornado.) The things built of Lego were cool, including the tree at the entrance (note Madeline's unhappy expression; she did NOT want to be at a park filled with the little colored bricks her brother loves so much).



She warmed up a little, though, and enjoyed Miniland, with all the towns created from Lego. By early afternoon we decided to bag it early (missing the "midnight" celebration at 6 PM with the big Brick Drop), and party back at the hotel. While Baxter & Madeline built Lego creations to buy and take home, Sophie and I ventured, GPS in hand, to Encinitas to a Party City to acquire the requisite hats & blow-outs, and to a local Von's for party food (and beverages). We watched "Elf," rang in the New Year at 9 pm, and then put the hooligans to bed.

Today's plans are unclear, but Baxter's still asleep at 9:15, which is unheard of for him, so we'll see where this goes.