Palm Desert timeshare!

* (Really quick though...) I'M ALMOST 100% CAUGHT UP ON PRINTING FAMILY PHOTOS! This is the biggest deal in the history of mankind. Right before leaving for the Palm Desert timeshare, I swung through Walgreens to pick up the rest of 2014 - I KNOW, I'M FREAKING OUT, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS DAY HAS COME. So now I just have the last two albums to print up from 2015, one of which I'm still adding to: Beginning of 2015 and End of 2015. IT.IS.A.MIRACLE. Then maybe 2016 will be the start of Shutterfly books? THE OPTIONS ARE ENDLESS.

* But anyhoo, I've hooked up the computer for the day to have a broader access to the world wide internets than just my phone's screen. Eventually we'll permanently hook this big beast up, but only whenever we've found the perfect spot. I really think we are going to have an electrician come out and wire an outlet into one of the closets, then we'll set up a mini desk/office space behind closed doors. There is just no space for a computer! Of course we could just bear through the ugliness and place it in our bedroom, but I feel like I'm done with the days of forcing something ugly and trying to be okay with it. Done with it, I say! If I'm not obsessed with the way something looks in our house, it's not flying. So yes! Glad to have come to that conclusion in life! It shall save me lots of convincing of my own self in the future! Woo! But first post of the day... I just may hit up the ol' blog more than once on this glorious cold November 2nd, the Palm Desert timeshare!!

Ain't nothin' better in the world than those timeshare weeks. After learning from the Newport week of this year, we decided against enjoying the wonderfulness in the beginning of the allotted time, opting instead for Carter missing school on Friday (versus Monday. Newport timeshare screwed up our lives for a short time!). So after we picked up Kota from school at 4:15 Thursday afternoon, we took off!

 ^^^She was so excited to be with Grandpa that she stripped down and started rolling on the floor with her blankies while screaming "YES! YES! YES!" Just normal Kota stuff.

 ^^^Give them all the chocolate.

 ^^^This is how she rolls when watching TV. In fact, she's doing it right now watching Sofia the First.

 ^^^It was so fun being in the desert Halloween weekend!

 ^^^She has perfected the art of completely ignoring me whenever the words "smile for me!" come out of my mouth.

 ^^^P carving on Friday night!

 ^^^Traditional "Chad's cooking at the timeshare" picture.

 ^^^People. Since I've been printing up 40,000,000 pictures of 2006-2014, I've realized the importance of getting some good old fashioned "posed" pictures with family members. Candidness is a great thing, but telling the kids to go sit next to Grandpa and take a picture really equates to a big deal in the long run. Example: I have a few pictures of Chad's grandma and I'm so glad that those were taken! I didn't know her long enough to be particularly close with her, but those pictures are invaluable to say, Ernie! There really is value there!

Thursday night Maggie, Justin and doggy Maya came for dinner and fun. Friday OH MY GOSH. Chad and the FIL took the kids put put golfing, so I went to READ BY THE POOL. I know... After chillin' there for awhile, I decided to move my reading party to the patio of the room. Then I realized I was going on 2.5 hours of alone time and was rarin' to do something, so I briefly debated taking the Zumba class that was going to start in 15 minutes. Then rationalized myself OUT of working up a sweat by telling myself "eh, better not start working out today. You don't want to be sore for Halloween, afterall." Totally logical, if you ask me. Then the kids, Chad and FIL came back and we all headed to the big pool for family fun. Cannon balls were executed by all, so I would say it was a success. Next Maggie and Justin came back over, books were read to the kids, pumpkins were carved and all was merry! Saturday morning we packed up and headed out to our second destination: the SIL and BIL's house!

This trip was great. I just love the desert, thanks to this timeshare. Newport is fab, of course, but the desert makes me think of GREAT food, GREAT sleep and lots of pool fun. It's just so relaxing! Anyhoo, we left on Saturday morning (Halloween day!) and went to Auntie Maggie and Uncle Justin's house for H Day festivities, trick or treating and to continue the fun! It was so wonderful!!!! Fo sho doing the H Day post a little later because recordation is the best! (New favorite word: recordation.)