First, the thanks:
Poppa and Yaya used 2 of their timeshare weeks to get us the room with Jan and Jeff Bernards and family. Monya Wright and family watched Petey and Ginger for the week.
The Westin Mission Hills Villas
The
resort’s waterslide

It was a rough start. After a toooooo long drive to get to Palm Springs, we arrived. We had been slightly concerned about the weather because all along the way it was cloudy and cold (we neednt have worried, Palm Springs has been clear and sunny with highs in the high 90s). Toby had requested that the 2 rooms be next to each other and that we have early check-in (check in is a 4p and we didnt know when we or the Bernards would arrive). She had been told that neither would be a problem. The Bernards arrived about an hour and a half before we did (2:30p), but were not able to check in. When Jan asked about the early check in request, the front desker said that yes there was a request for early check in, but that it was just a request. <insert snotty voice>. When we arrived, the Bernards and we went to our rooms and found that they were not next to each other but about 8 doors apart. Toby spent some time at the front desk and the next day the Bernards moved into the room next door to us. Having the doors right next to each other makes it sooo much easier for the little ones to go between the rooms.

Once these 2 initial hiccups were straightened out, everything else was nearly perfect. Our room balcony looks out over one of the pools and the golf course. Next to our building is a big grass area with rolling hills (Max and Emily spent a bit of time rolling down the grass hills). There is a wading pool at the main family pool that was great for Lucy and Nathan (Max liked it too). There are shuttles to take us all over the resort grounds (I think the shuttle drivers have a script they follow when talking to the guests : How is everything?, Where are you from?, How long are you staying?, Is this your first visit?, etc) . Everyone is very nice.

The first night, Poppa and Yaya watched all four kids and Toby, Matt, Jan and Jeff went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. On Saturday, we drove to a local street fair and ate lots of Kettle Corn and drank lemon and orange slushies. Poppa and Yaya left later that afternoon to spend Saturday night with Burt and Sue Neinhuis.

We went to a weekend church retreat 21 – 23 April. SBCC’s annual retreat is located
at the Salvation Army Camp in
Malibu, CA. SBCC has about 700 people attend the retreat. This year, Toby was
asked (and accepted) to take on the job of running the kitchen for about 1/3 of the
attendees. She and her staff of 4 (plus a few volunteers) prepared, served and recovered
from 5 meals for about 250. They did a great job and she is considering doing the
job next year. It really helped that Lucy spent the weekend with Yaya and Poppa. Max
and Dad got to spend a lot of time together. Although most of Max’s time was spent
exploring with 2 buddies, Christopher Cassriel and Luke Callaway.

One thing that Max did, that his buddies would not, was the zip line. The camp has
a bunch of climbing / ropes stuff for kids and adults. Max surprised Mom and Dad by
climbing up the tree on little pegs in the trunk, hooking on to the zip line, and
then dropping off. What happend to my son who cried after getting 6 feet up the climbing
wall at the Avocado festival last year?

Hooking In

Ready, Set, …

Whew! Made it.

We were blessed by a neat church service (which I got to sing in the worship band for – yea), and great weather (despite all the worry of rain). The tricky part was that both kids were sort of sick – Max having a fever and chills at the outdoor service (buried under blankets and sweaters and still hot to the touch), and Lucy just screaming like a banshee after a not-long-enough car nap to Grandma Seal’s house. We’re off to the doc tomorrow – hopefully to get some answers about the screaming meemee girl.

But back to the important stuff – He is Risen!

On the first weekend in April, we got to visit with Matt’s sister Katie from MI, and her neat kids Abby-Sue and Alex. What a super fun time all the kids had together! We went to the zoo one day, and then on a train ride in Fillmore to the fish hatchery on another. God blessed us with great weather, in between very rainy days. Wonderful times. 🙂

After
some half-nekked running around the house In
the zoo’s lorakeet hall Toby
and Lucy Lucy,
turn around! Fun
on the Fillmore train Feeding
the fish
Toby and Max