Summer Vacation '09

Hi all:

Just a quick update....spent the last couple of days in Disney enjoying all the rides!!  Fun fun fun...Jessie and Tyler loved it.  The weather was very hot and the crowds were very reasonable.

We drove to Beaver Utah on Thursday, Bozeman Montana last night and tonight we are in Fargo ND.  We will be home tomorrow.

Love Kim

Hello all...thanks for following along.

On Friday we hung out for the day with Kevin and Henriette and we went for a massage, did some shopping and out for dinner at the mall.  Kevin and Henriette have been keeping an eye on the fire situation in the California area in hopes it stays far from their house but even though the flames are a ways away....the smoke fills their house. They are both safe and so is their house.

Saturday, Sunday and Monday we have spent at the Happiest Place on Earth...Sat we drove to Anaheim and checked into our hotel and enjoyed the sights of Disney for the evening.  A great warmup.  Sunday we spent the whole day with a hour or so reprive in the mid afternoon for a swim and cool down and then back for more fun.

Monday was California Adventure park and we are here another day and then on our way home.  We will be back in Winnipeg on Sunday September 6th and likely won't update any more blogs. Unless something really exciting happens like we meet Hannah Montana!!

Love always

Kim

1.  The sun everywhere we went

2.  Flautas

3.  Lucy

4.  Tecate on the deck with lime

5.  The buggy on the beach

6.  The orange County Fair

7.  Breakfasts at K&H's

8.  Sushi!!!!

9.  Church at the orphanage

10. The waves in the oceon

11.  Seals and Dolphins

12.  Watching Jessie make a prostethic foot

13.  Learning to make flautas

14.  The Taco stand and the candy store

15.  The fruit bar stand

16.  Dedication Day

17. Andrew, Dawn and Antonio

18.  Santiago and Julia

19.  Angelina and Family

20.  Watching Julia in the waves

21.  Watching Angela in the pool

22.  Interns

23.  Mikassa

24.  Daisy

25.  SKYPE

26.  The Hammock

27.  Chase`s music

28.  eating breakfast every day

29.  Magui and the girls in community 16 and 17

30.  Gaston`s

31.  Sand dollars

32.  Sleeping in the trailer

33.  Migrant camp with Alia

34.  Working on the roof

35.  Sand in our toes

36.  chickens, roosters, pigs, and dogs

37.  Lunch with Augustine and Alberta

38.  2 minute showers

39.  clothes on the clothes line

40.  working with incredible and inspiring teenagers

41.  meeting a 7 year old with the need of a wheelchair

42.  Trip to Ensenada with Santi and the Armandos

43.  see a need and acknowledge it

44.  Carolita at the market

45.  scarves

46.  circus!!

47.  suntan lotion

48.  balance

49.  Thai massage

50.  Pinatas

51.  6:45 am leaders meetings

52.  mexican bracelets

53.  handprints on fabric

54.  Tyler and Jessie's work ethic

55.  Shane leading the builds

56.  climbing trees

57.  Spanish language

58.  fish tacos

59.  Pedro

60.  facebook to keep connected

61.  Slumdog Millionaire

62.  smoothies and fancy coffees

63.  Angel's beach

64.  macadamia nuts

65.  Swedish Crepes

66.  Grizzley Bear Run

67.  Baja races

68.  limes in everything

69.  Avocado

70.  Giving out fruit

71.  Diego..not Dora's friend

72.  Understanding the Rehab centre

73.  Buying fresh fruit and vegetables

74.  Space Mountain

75.  the smell of suntan lotion

Today it was 106 in Glendale California....we hung out in our hotel room till 11:30 and then hit the pool from Noon till 4:30...I loved every second of it.  The pool was a welcome treat from the heat and the kids did not get out of the pool.  It was so hot even Kevin and Shane got in the pool.

We snacked on leftover sushi after our swim and went to Color Me Mine to pick up our masterpieces from our last visit there.  We had some amazing frozen yogurt and a trip to H&M where the kids left some money behind for the LA economy!

Back to the hotel for a late night swim and some more snacks...talk about a constant eat.

What a great day...lots of giggling, chatting and general visiting.  So appreciated and we are loving the time with Kevin and Henriette.

Love the Leightons

Yesterday was a tough day.  I had that pain in my heart that is tough to get rid of and we shed many tears yesterday on our drive to LA.  I am thankful Tyler wrote our blog yesterday as I would have found it difficult to express into words the feelings we are having.  We had such a great summer and it was so enjoyable as a family and we met some amazing people and did some amazing things.  Yesterday we had Kevin and Henriette on our minds as we were traveling to see them and so excited to visit again.  We feel so fortunate to have been able to spend so much quality time with them this summer.  For this we are thankful.  Kevin and Henriette today though had to make the very difficult decision to put Daisy to sleep.  Their beloved Basset who they both adore and love so much.  She was almost 15 but could no longer walk and was in considerable discomfort. A tough day for them for sure.  Since we arrived so late on Monday night we planned on getting together later in the day on Tuesday...as Kevin had some clients to shoot and Henriette had an appointment!

We slept in...Jessie and Shane only until 8:30, Tyler till 11 and me till noon.  Very exhausted we were both physically and mentally.  We then hung out all afternoon at the pool while the kids swam and Shane and I layed in the shade!  Kevin and Henriette came over to the hotel and we visited for a bit and then went out to California Pizza Kitchen.  Excellent food and then we hung out again at the hotel and visited some more.

Again Wednesday we had a sleepin, however not nearly as late as yesterday.  We met Kevin and Henriette at Ikea for lunch which was awesome...swedish meatballs and lingenberry sauce.  We had promised Tyler and Jessica that they could go into the ballpit but bad news for Tyler...he was too tall.  He was disappointed but walked around with us at IKEA while Jessie played in the ball pit. 

We hung out at the pool again in the afternoon and then visited in the hotel room again.  We went for an amazing sushi dinner.  How delicious and lovely and fun.  We laughed and giggled and had a great dinner with 2 great people...Kevin and Henriette.

We are so thankful to be here and able to visit so much this summer with Kevin and Henriette.

Love Kim, Shane, Tyler and Jessica