Spring Break 2018

One of the major benefits of having a spouse in public education is . . . he gets a lot of breaks! And they're usually the same as breaks for the kids! This year, his spring break was the same time as spring break for the preschool, so we decided to go to California and spend time with Grandma and Grandpa Rusch, who are serving in the Fresno mission!
We had so much fun!
Chris said to me before we left that we should check conditions at the mountain pass. "Nah," I thought. "It's spring! No big deal!" Boy, was I wrong . . .
We left a day early so we could spend time in the Bay area, with my friend from college and a few other friends who live out there. But, I-80, over the mountains, closed. So, instead, we spent the day in Reno, Nevada.

These are pictures of Circus, Circus in Reno. We were sad to miss out on friends, but tried to make lemonade out of our lemons!
The next day, we had to take the back route to get to California. I was grateful that I have a husband who loves (obsesses over?) the Western States 100 race, because he knew which way to take when we got to a place that I didn't know. (Note to self: take an atlas in the future. At times, a map on the phone is not useful!)
We reached Fresno and had so much fun playing with Chris's parents! They were so happy to have kids running when they knocked on the door in the hotel room! Their ward is very friendly and it was great to be able to go to church with them. There were so many people who said how much they loved their missionaries!

Chris's parents live in backwoods, CA. They actually live in Prather, CA, which is 40 minutes away from any hotel, and a very remote location to get to. They showed us around their ward boundaries, and the area that they cover in their missionary efforts. It was so fun to see!
On Monday, we drove to Yosemite National Park. This has been on my bucket list for a long time, and it was so fun to see in person! The weather on Monday was great, so we were able to see El Capitan beautifully.

 Davis decided that he was a photographer, and took lots of pictures that are . . . maybe not the best. But, I think this one is actually pretty funny:

Chris's dad got us some great accommodations in Yosemite:

We had so much fun in the three-bedroom cabin that we stayed in! We just wish the weather would have been better for the occasion, but the company was great, so we can't complain!

Seeing El Capitan with the fog around it was pretty breathtaking though.

The trip back was basically uneventful. We stayed at Circus Circus in Reno again after making the pass over the mountains. It was cute to see Davis pulling some luggage in the hotel.

On the way back, we stopped through a place where Chris served his mission. This was a landmark for him, so we took a picture of it:

It was pretty fun to do a road trip. We were a little nervous to start, but it ended up being a ton of fun. The kids did great in the car, because we had DVDs, treats, and lots to do!

It was a fabulous trip! We learned a lot, such as:

• A road atlas would be a good idea
• Our kids are great on the road, especially if they have adequate entertainment!
• Davis was pretty much the ruler of his own little universe! He thought it was pretty cool to be able to reach the treats, toys, and everything his heart desired from his seat!
• Getting a room with two queen-sized beds actually works really well for our little family!
• There are adjustments that need to be made, but if we basically have a good time, it is a success! And we need to be very flexible!
• We love each other and are grateful for these opportunities!

Also, have you ever seen a WORSE misspelling of Chris's name?

Thanks, Arby's!