Fantastic Famiy "Funcation"

Vacation plus fun = Funcation!

We had an amazing journey as a family over the last few weeks. It was more than just an average trip for us. We've been planning parts of it for over 7 years.

When the older kids were young they would beg to go to Disneyland (don't all kids?). Mark and I were determined to make it special. For me, I didn't want to go until all the kids were old enough to remember it. Plus we're way too cheap to make it a regular thing ;-) Thus when Peter was born we told the kids we would go when he was old enough to remember, or at least kindergarten age.

Last fall Peter entered first grade and we gave the kids a choice, Disneyland in fall '08 OR Washington DC in fall '08 and Disneyland the following year. Wise ones they are, they chose DC then and Disneyland later.

We planned our trip to include driving down so we could enjoy the sights along the way; namely the redwood forest. And after Disneyland, the best part of the trip...a humanitarian advendture in Mexico! (I know what you might be thinking, that we're crazy for thinking that would be a vacation! But as you'll soon see it was the best part of our trip!)

Day one the kids and I hit the road and made it to Medford, OR. Spencer dutifully set up the borrowed tent trailer (wait to see the outcome of that too!) and we snuggled in to watch Sand Lot. Mark joined us that night, flying in from Alaska.

Day two we drove to the coast highway, stopping in southern Oregon to get the world's best buffalo, elk and beef jerky...plus a "Christmas" tree. Everyone was excited to see the Ocean in Klamath, CA, even Peter who is hiding from the camera for some odd reason:


Love the rugged trees that hold on with such strength:


Then we ventured to "Trees of Mystery" where Mark had fond memories from his family trip years ago, here they all are on Paul Bunyon's foot:


Amazing:


Pausing to soak in the beauty:

Driving towards our next stop Peter kept saying, "I want to see the BIG trees". Hmmm, guess trees of mystery wasn't BIG enough. We went to the Ladybird Johnson Grove, which I hear was stunning. However, I have no pictures to prove it as I was sitting back by the bathrooms with a kid that REALLY had to go! Alas, I did not experience the fantastically BIG trees. Luckily I am content with the ones I did see.

We spent that night in Eureka, CA. Not at all like the TV show, but still not a total loss since we got to see the Carson Mansion.

Day three was just a really long drive through beautiful wine country and long stretches of I-5 to Anaheim.