I will TRY to make this as short as possible, but it was a month long vacation after all.... but I promise to try
so we Left Oahu on July 9th. In the hopes of sparing you from boredom, I will also spare you most of the unimportant details. We arrived early on the 10th but my FIL (father in law) doesn't control his blood sugar well so he crashed his car while driving with low blood sugar on the way to the airport to pick us up. We were stuck at the USO for a few hours, rented a car and mostly hung out in Las Vegas until we got the cars situated and drove to Utah.
Oh what fun we are already having!
July 11th after staying overnight on an air mattress at my SIL's house, we went as a huge family (all my husbands siblings - 5 siblings, all with spouses or signif others and all have kids too- and his parents) to an amusement park in Utah. It rained most of the day there and my husband abandoned me with his parents and our kids. yay, again. Although the end of the day got better as my husband figured out how to find us, our kids realized their lives are awesome and we actually rode some of the rides (long lines and family chaos). Funny part about this day was almost no one in the family knew that hubby and I got tattoos and on this day, Ben accidentally showed his off while climbing off of a roof. My one SIL who knew he had it, screamed loudly, oh hey Benji, is that a tattoo on your chest?? OH, Look at that!
I laughed and no one was really paying attention so I don't even think his mom or dad knows yet. hehe, oh well. (Mormons think their bodies are temples and a tattoo is like graffiti on the temple walls. blablacrappidybla)
We are such sinners.
Next day was Great grandma's 90th birthday. it was at this point in the vaca that I realized my meds weren't working....like at all....I cried for no reason. We were at our first family reunion (small) and I went behind the local firestation to have a good cry. Yup, no reason, just really sad.
My husband felt bad so he took me and his sister, Emily, to go see Planet of the Apes while her husband Gary watched all the kids. (she has 2 young boys)
That made life better, at least for a lil while. It was a fantastic movie.
July 13th was a Sunday. Family pictures meant lots of quarreling and bickering, really really unfortunate wardrobe choices and pictures that were only soso. But whatever. His side of the family takes pics every year so no biggy. It was madness but that's not unusual either.
Then we all went back to a time share his parents rented for us and them to stay in overnight. Most people stayed and played games after we all ate. We stayed up way too late having fun with the few fun family members he has.
Monday morning we drove to Estes, CO for MY family reunion. YAY! People I can stand and none I can't! In fact, people I actually love!
Ok, that may sound a bit harsh but I am not a huge fan of my In-law family so forgive me.
This reunion was by far the best of all of them. We spent the next few days catching up with ppl we haven't seen in forever, and taking advantage of all the facilities at the YMCA camp in Estes, CO. It should have been a really cool place to stay for 4 days but I had two major problems with the place.
Firstly, it rained almost the whole time we were there. The only activities left were ones that were indoors, and that's not much.
The second complaint I have is the same one ALL my family had. The food sucked. There was a 'buffet' style line for each meal. There were WAY too many ppl for each meal since they only had one building for all 10000 ppl so we waited in line for crappy food. Plus it was more a line meal, not buffet, because you didn't get to go back in line to get more. Not that anyone wanted to. whatev, we survived by sparatically going into town whenever we couldn't face the thought of their food or the lines.
Other than that we had fun bc my family is pretty fun and cool. I love all my aunts. I never get to see them but my one actual aunt is awesome. I adopted her bff bc she's always around and loves our family like her own too. My uncles are all a lot alike. They're all crazy and loud and fun. Which is funny since my mom and dad are so quiet. Makes for fun times I tell ya!
My uncle Merl is the hilarious one. He is older than my dad, so around 67ish but he went to the top of a mountain with us and Glided down the zip line with the best of us. He Climbed the top of that telephone pole with ease. I was like, wow! Young at heart apparently means young of mind and will too. He went down a few times. I went up the pole and had a glorious time twice. The hike back was crazy hard. You are at the top of a mountain, climb a high pole, glide down, then got off, hike down even farther down a steep hill, try to keep grip, reach the valley floor, cross a bridge and then have to climb all the way up the steep mountain again to get to where you started.
It was doable the first time but the second time I was glad the wind from the zip line cooled my body down from the first walk up the mountain. Then I had to walk the mountain again so after that I was done. I felt like I was pregnant again, breathing heavy once at the top and having to sit down. lol
Ben of course, in shape as ever thanks to the Army, was on his third time down while I was walking up from my second so I waved and took my time with an elderly couple who were just hiking the same trail.
By the time I caught my breath fully, Ben wanted to go again but we realized we needed to get back to take our family photos.
More family photo fun. yay! actually this one was much much better than Ben's family. lol. there I go again.
Pics came out great and my dad even has a real professional video camera so he did that too. We'll see the video after he edits it. Pics are still to come too since my pro photographer sister still hasn't gone through any of the pics yet.
Anyway, that was the best day, no rain and an actual outdoors activity! The next days were all rained out and we basically spent all our time in the lobby, talking to relatives, eating or at the arts and crafts center. You know I was happy bc they had an arts and crafts center at all. I made some jewelery for Samya and I. Of course I found out it was all junk since some of it didn't even make it home before breaking. Oh well.
We made some cool tyedye clothes. We played PIP with the fam. (If you don't know what PIP is, it is like dominoes but more modern and more fun. At one point a few years back I was actually the PIP Master. Ah, those were the days!)
It was hard to say goodbye to my family but we left on Thursday.
Driving...boring....eventually we left our kids with the grandparents in Utah and drove to Las Vegas for some Mommy and Daddy alone time. What? What's that? Mommy and Daddy alone time?? I know, I haven't heard of it in such a long time either that I almost forgot what it was.
We took 4 days of relaxation. Well, it was supposed to be relaxing but really, we planned too much stuff so it was still stressful. We saw Menopause the musical, Bodies exhibit, Titanic exhibit, Le Reve, & Zarkana. We also ate a few places we certainly don't have on island: Red Robin (I missed it soo much!) SarenDippity 2, Toby Keiths I Love This Bar and Grill.
Then we picked up the kids from the In-laws and drove to California to check in at the timeshare hotel.
Next day was first of 2 at Legoland. Prices were outrageous as expected but I really liked it a lot. I never got to play much with Legos as a child bc they're expensive and we had zero money growing up. no legos for me growing up means I freakin love them now! funny how that works...
My kids adore everything Lego so they were outrageously happy, like I knew they would be. I am always amazed though at how inconsiderate people in public places can be. Ppl be running into you and not apologizing, running over your feet with strollers, standing directly in front of you when you're trying to look at something, etc. It was maddening. Block it out. Block it, ignore it - I had to keep telling myself.
yeah....
Now here is where most people would say was the best part of their vacation. Not me though.
We went to Disneyland for a 3 day park hopper. Now it was a lot of things combined for me that made is miserable. I was already irritated by the lack of public decency from Legoland and the lack of appropriately priced foods/everything, but Disney was no different. Worse in fact. There were way too many people there. We went Sun - Tues which I figured would be good days, but no. WAY TOO MANY PPL!!!! my husband and I are not crowds ppl. But Ben hung in there for me and the kids bc he knew I was frustrated and at that point I was completely off my meds bc they'd stopped working long ago. So my irritability level was running high, plus I have hyperhydrosis, which makes me sweat a bucket a day on a good day. At disney, walking around outside all day, i was sweating like a bangee... so waiting in horrendous lines with sweat dripping down my non-exsistant balls (so everywhere), not on any mood stabilizing medication, while ppl have been stepping on my feet all day, cutting me off, listening to ppl swear, arguing with my in-laws, etc = did not bode well for my mood. I was in tears by day three, literally riding what my husband said was the funnest roller coaster there (in disneyland California) with tears streaming down my face. Oh, what a fun day!
Anyway, I hated Disneyland. Won't be going back there again until I can completely forget about this miserable experience.
My husband can be such a sweetheart sometimes though, when he actually is thoughtful. He bought me for my birthday (in June) a gift card for $100 to Disney stores. I saved it for this trip but hadn't used any of it in the three days we were there since the whole time we were shaufering the kids around to keep them happy. We didn't visit the only place I wanted to go while there, which was the Nightmare Before Christmas store.
At the end of the third day I went home early bc of migraine (and crying). So I gave my husband the gift cards and told him I didn't need them.
Instead of using them on the kids or himself, he bought me stuff while I was away! He bought me a cute Muppets t-shirt with Bunsen and Beaker that said I Love Nerds, a remixed disney music CD, and a Muppet stuffed animal that I don't yet have. Somehow he found the Muppets goldmine while I was gone and he knew my love for them....so sweet. He also bought me a blue Mickey Mouse sweatshirt that probably cost waaaay too much but I'm glad he did bc I used it A LOT the next few days.
What were we doing that we needed a sweatshirt for, you ask? (especially me with my body fat and hyperhydrosis - overactive sweat glands in my face-, why would I need a sweatshirt?)
Well first I'll tell you when I didn't need it....
The Price Is Right website said they like to keep their studio cool so bring a sweatshirt. well, I wasn't in there long enough to get cold y'all! hehe My In-laws took the kids with them to Utah while Ben and I rested overnight. We woke up early in the morning to go stand in line outside the ABC studio to get on the Price Is Right. well, we didn't make the first show but since we were in line, they said if we could make the second show, they'd guarantee us a seat at that show.
My excitement increased as the day went on. My husband got a husband and some lunch while we waited for the second show. We sat around for a few hours while we waited for the taping to start. It was terribly exciting I tell ya. The interview process was sadly short. I said like 10 words. lol, told 'em I wouldn't be singing Harmony for them - since that's my legal name and the name printed on my name tag.
Well I suppose I'm not supposed to actually tell you this but I doubt anyone will care. I think they most likely don't want me telling anyone about the cool stuff that DID happen on the show before it airs. So I'll tell you what didn't happen: we didn't get on. Yeah, remember how by now I've been off my meds for a few weeks now? and I'm just depressed in general? I'd had my emotions built up all day by the hyper banter and crazy high flying emotions of the other wanna be contestants so when they told us the last contestant wasn't either me or the hubs, I cried. Yup, me in the studio audience, crying on tv. Well, not really bc you couldn't tell. I'm a pro at hiding my crying since I've been doing it my whole life. My husband hardly ever knows I'm crying unless I want him to and I'm around him more than anyone in the world (besides my kids). So, I can hide it well, which I did. I was trying to tell myself just to be excited to be in a studio audience, which I was -excited that is- and it was my first time ever doing so. No prizes necessary right?
Plus meeting (well technically didn't meet him but was within a few feet of him and talked to him) Drew Carey was terribly cool. HE is terribly cool. I really love that guy.... totally funny in person. I thought he was only funny for the show and Who's Line, but he's a true comedian. Funny anecdotes during commercial breaks, meeting ppl in the audience, telling jokes, teasing the announcer guy -who was also cute and really funny too!- it was such a cool, fun experience, and despite the tears, I am severely happy we went.
I've seen Drew make drug references on the show in the past so wasn't surprised when he told a story of a guy who came on the show after doing mushrooms. said he was a skateboarding preacher. something like that. anyway, Drew was hilarious, making fun of the guy who reminded him of the druggy. Lots of drug references made it funny when the next person he met were a group from a church. He was all, OOoooohhh, sorry for all the drug references, I really don't know anything about drugs...... and then he winked twice.
Here is where my vacation story finally takes a happier turn, but first some bank robbery!
The next day we made out early for my parents house. We stopped by a mall my in-laws had mentioned to us earlier that's in Vegas since we had to go thru there anyway. This particular theater has recliner seating with trays that cover your lap. We laid back next to each other, close enough to touch, with our popcorn and sodas in front of us as we watched. It was AWESOME!
I think all theaters should change to be this way from now on. totally worth the money this way! They also had these vibrating seats which I was told could make you sick.... no thanks!
LUCY was a great movie. Little disappointing but still great.
Then we were off again, on our way to my parents house. We were going to stay there overnight bc the next day was the first day of my FIL's side of the family's reunion. ugh
Anyway, we stopped at the movie theater bc we didn't want to get to my 'rents house before they got home from work on the Monday.
Turns out we didn't have to worry about that. We got about 2 exits away from their exit on the highway when we reached a complete stand still. Everyone was out of their cars and trucks, standing around on the highway. (this actually happened to us before on this trip! We were the first to arrive at a crash between a truck and SUV where they had to helicopter some ppl to the nearest hospital. The trucker's dead body still lay in his truck when we finally got to pass!) anyway, we found out that someone was smart enough to rob a bank in St George Utah and were fleeing the state on the highway we were stopped at. They were going the opposite direction but police had them stopped on the highway so they had to shut down both sides. We waited for a long time.... finally getting to my 'rents house in time for dinner, dessert and another fun game of PIP.
That was fun.
That was sad leaving my parents again in the morning but on we went. We drove to the RV park near the Grand canyon. My in-laws were there with their rented RV, their granddaughter and their daughter Emily and her family.
We had opted to borrow a tent my in-laws had instead of renting a cabin for the nights we were there bc we were told the cabin was far away - which would have been nice actually but it wasn't either- and we wanted to save money anyway. so, we trusted the in-laws, again. Bad idea, as usual. They said they'd bring everything. ha
well, they brought a two man tent, which only fit the blow up mattress they brought for us. I didn't want to sleep on the ground so they promised to bring a blow up. Well, the first night we used it, it deflated. Yeah.....
Our kids couldn't even sleep with us since there was NO room in the tent. They ended up sleeping with my in-laws in the RV, which wouldn't have been so bad except they already had my SIL Emily, her husband and her two boys sleeping in there, along with Jordan (the devil child).
So, 5 kids (some nights 6 with Teagan), and 4 adults in one RV. One actual bed. lol
The thing that kills me is that Emily and Gary PAID her parents to use the RV. They actually paid sort of rent to sleep there, cramped in with 5 kids and no real bed. Jordan the hell-raiser is also a nigh kicker so no one wants to sleep near her. Plus she didn't take a shower the whole time we were there so her stanky, muddy, rank feet were all over the beds blankets and everything bc her grandparents (my in-laws) refuse to control her.
She was so rank and muddy bc it rained the WHOLE time we were there. With one exception. For the hour we were at the actual grand canyon (me for my first time - scary), it miraculously stopped raining! We got pictures, got out and held on for our lives! Both the in-laws are crazy drivers and having a million ppl crammed into an RV with no seat belts....we were all feeling nauseous!
anyway, I was glad to actually see the grand canyon. One more thing crossed off my Bucket list.
The whole entire family reunion sucked. Wet. People I don't know or don't like. Some I did like and stayed near them. Played games thankfully, which was the only thing the Moody family is good at. Tried to stay away from the rest. Got mad at jordan. Then her mom showed up with her new boyfriend.
lol
stayed as far away from her as possible.
Her name is Melody. She's the crazy (like actual crazy voices in her head made her do it kinda girl) mother of Jordan, the child no one wants. She just had a second child, from who knows who the father is, but this time was forced to adopt him. So just had a baby, now has a new boyfriend, just got a load of back pay money from the state for Social Security, which she'll blow on drugs but already spent most of buying a new car she can't afford and buying her parents old RV for a house for herself.
lol...it isn't funny, its just ridiculous
anyway, she showed up, ended up sleeping in the car she bought at night since it rained and she too had trusted her parents when they told her she could borrow a tent...
well, apparently she had already spent all her back SSI money on drugs bc I heard her ask her mom for some money. Already? yeah.....she JUST got that SSI money.... She was asking for money to park at the grand canyon park. She wasn't even asking for enough since parking is 25-30 bucks...her mom told her when she asked....so Melody asked for more....then her mom said you don't have any money? No was her answer. Her mom said nothing except I don't know what to tell you Mel.
I was shocked. Her daughter just spent someone's life's saving, money she didn't even earn or deserve, now had none left and is now asking YOU for money? Do you know how far up my butt MY mom would have been if that was me? Not that that would ever be anywhere close to me but really?
No wonder she is the way she is. Melody is messed up but her parents are even more so. They're the ones who raised her and taught her all that stuff was okay to do.
Speaking of raising the devil, they aren't doing any better at all with raising their illegitimate grand-daughter Jordan. OMG I am not the only one in the family who wants to strangle her daily. Somehow my in-laws are JUST NOW realizing that we all hate her, and what a PITA she is.
The last day of the reunion we were the only ones who stuck around to help Ben's parents clean up camp. So, we were the first ones up in the morning (the only ones who actually slept outside in the rain so we were freezing and not sleeping well since we were on the ground now....just what I didn't want to be...so I slept on the ground despite specifically having asked not to but being a good sport), we took down our tent, and were technically ready to go.
We had all our stuff packed in the car and our kids were riding with the in-laws so we could have left but we decided to wait for everyone else to have their church session, cleaning up all their mess while we waited, so that we could help them clean up more and get everything done after the church thing.
Then they have the nerve to make us feel guilty for not going to their stupid church thing. UUUGGHHHHHH!!!
Anyway, they soon changed their tune when they realized ALL their other children, including Emily, Gary and family who stayed in their RV with them, had flown the coop, leaving them with everything to clean up and yet, here we were, staying to help when we didn't need to be.
We owed them basically nothing (because we paid them for everything including tickets to Disneyland even though they weren't invited, etc) and yet we went out of our way, in the rain, to help them out of the goodness of our hearts. Anyway, I was so steamed, fuming all day long, angry as a freakin Black Widow but I didn't show it to anyone by keeping my mouth quiet. I didn't say a word to anyone all day. My husband by now knows this means bad bad things are going thru my head but no one else seems to notice or know anything. So I let it be.
I did the most work out of anyone bc when I'm pissed, I do good work. I work my butt off trying to get all the hot air outta me. Working off the anger never works, in fact makes me even more pissed usually, but it made us leave quicker in the end I guess.
Once in his life, my husband knew how to fix this situation for me. On the way home, after hours of packing up all his parents crap, we stopped at a gas station and bakery. Fresh made cookies put me in a better mood. That and being away from the she devil I call me niece in law. An hour or two alone with the hubs made my feelings calm, especially when I get his one on one attention.
But we went right back to his parents house, where the she devil lives, and then proceeded to get irritated by her and her grandparents lack of discipline.
My husband is mild mannered. He is a gentle hulk....hehe, a gentle bulky man. He hardly ever yells or gets me, never mind spanks kids.
Yeah.....he spanked Jordan in the one day we spent with her, that's how bad and out of control she is. Our kids are great....she is the devil.....the two don't mix. Even my kids hate her. They were begging to leave her after the day spent with her. Poor kids spent a few days earlier on in the vacation with her while the in-laws were watching them. That was probably when they realized how awful she is. She is spoiled and thinks she can have anything, even if it's not hers.
She doesn't know how to share, she yells, grabs and is rude RUDE RUDE!
I wanna spank her....often!
at one point during the last day there, the in-laws got home with Jordan earlier than we did so Jordan was riding her bike in the driveway. (even our kids didn't want to ride in the car with her by this point)
Ben was getting out of the car, opened her door and accidentally hit her/she ran into the door and fell over.
She was fine. She played up getting hurt bc by now she didn't like Uncle Ben bc he's the only one whose ever spanked her, so she must play up getting hurt by him!
Again, she wasn't hurt at all but she wailed like a banshee. Grandma and grandpa were all worried for a minute and in that minute, they asked ben to tell her he was sorry. He said No, I'm not sorry. It's her fault. She should have been watching where she was going. Who rides a bike in a driveway right next to ppl exiting a car?
His parents were taken back bc no one's ever refused to say sorry to her, but they did see his point and agreed. Still told her not to worry about Uncle Ben though. I was like really? they're so stupid sometimes!!
anyway, the whole thing was stupid. She, just seconds before, had driven her bike right next to my car door right as I was opening my door. I almost did the same thing. I instantly felt like saying sorry but then was like, oh you idiot, watch out Jordan! Of course I said all this in my head, not out loud. So none of this was known by anyone but me (bc neither do her grandparents pay attention to me OR her) and yet, the very thing I avoided happened regardless, 3 seconds later.
anyway, we were terribly happy to get home and get away from his parents and her.
The flight home was miserable. They say Hawaiian Airlines is one of the best, but we disagree. Don't bother with them. There was NO room at all. I couldn't lean forward or backward to fall asleep. Of course, half the time I was holding Teagan as he slept too, but my butt hurt sssoooo bad. Plus I also always get a migraine when flying. It's the huge hum of the engines. I couldn't sleep at all. My neck hurt even with a neck pillow.
Anyway, doesn't matter bc the next day, despite getting back to the island at 5am, the kids went to school that day. Ben luckily had the day off so all 3 of us slept all day.
lol
then we cleaned the rest of the week. We left the house messy in the rush of packing and getting it ready for a whole month of no electricity, etc.
All things after that week will have to come in a later entry to catch you up til now. I swear, I DID try to keep it short.....hehe
Sorry
Anyway, if you're still reading this, I'm so grateful to have devoted friends and fans (or random stranger readers) - whichever you may be.
And if you're not still reading this, I'm glad I could assist in putting you to sleep. Goodnight!
Love y'alls! More later in a normal, (still lengthy, as always) entry. :) -me
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