San Diego for the Injured and Easy to Please

We spent the week together as a family in San Diego to celebrate the college graduations of Jake, Lindsay, Jonathan, Malorie, Tyler and (almost) Mackenzie. What a great accomplishment for them all. They are all on to new adventures, and so this might be the last time we could get them all together at the same time. However, the long-ago planned trip was in jeopardy when Kirt broke his leg (see below). During the first weeks of his pain and crutches, he wasn't sure "vacation" is what he could handle. Undeterred, his kids convinced him he could do it and they helped along the way to make it a pleasant week, and not "Mom's time in the kitchen." Then, Jonathan ran a marathon the day before leaving (GREAT JOB! and Mal & Kenzie ran 1/2 Marathons!!!!), but had blisters so bad, they made the tough queezy, and surgeons take things into their own hands (literally). While he required a wheelchair at the airport in SLC, and he coveted my crutches the first few days, he was a trooper. He got some liquid bandages (aka rubber cement) and even went to the beach.

And yes, it was good for Kirt. I swam in the pool (once I crawled over to the edge and carefully lowered myself in like a walrus), which was a form of physical therapy.

We were so healthy the first time to Costco, and bought only cashews for snacks. When the Marathoners arrived, who we thought would be so health conscious, Malorie announced they wanted snacks like mini chocolate candy bars and peanut M&Ms. She said she just ran 13 miles and deserved to have treats. We cured our lack of foresight, and all were happy.

Lorrie and I didn't go to the Padres game because of my lack of mobility. But we did what she loves to do, and that is ride the TRAIN!! It didn't matter where we went (Old Towne San Diego), just so long as we went by rail. It was a fun ride, and we ate some great homemade tortillas upon arrival. (It cost $10 roundtrip. She is such a cheap date.)

All in all, it was a relaxing and enjoyable trip. I am grateful for our kids who all (6) did their part to cook, clean and organize, so all could have fun. Reese was a jewel and loves her Grandpa Naylor.

Re-Roosting

Jake, Lindsay and REESE (the Grand, Granddaughter) have returned to the homestead. Jake finished his first year in law school, and has an internship in Boise with a district judge. Shortly, Malorie and Jonathan will move in while they await the big move to Portland to start dental school. So, while we have been empty nesters, we joyfully and willingly give up that title for a time while we enjoy adult slave laborers and spoiling our Reese. Seriously, we enjoy our kids and we'll have a blast. Mackenzie is off to NYC for an internship with Martha Stewart Living! and Tyler will be in Buffalo to work again with ADD/ADHD kids. They will be 5 hours apart for a couple of months.

Jonathan and Tyler graduated from BYU, and we are very proud of them.

Malorie confessed on her blog about her unintended exposure to the world of Star Trek and Star Wars. However, I believe she truly accepted the allegorical learning and parables presented by those scientific genres. As I crutch around with a "narly" brace on my leg that has a dial to control how much ROM I have, it reminds me of the Borg: part man, part machine.

Well, we're in for a great Summer.