Desert Tripping

We are wrapping up a MUCH needed vacation to Palm Desert to visit my aunt and uncle. Mike and I have both been working like crazy, so our annual Fourth of July trip to the desert was perfectly timed. I stayed off the grid (as much as possible, because I still had deadlines), and ate, drank, played, and slept my way through the last five days.

This was our third year spending the Fourth with my Aunt Terry and Uncle John. The kids have been looking forward to it for MONTHS. Just like the last two years, my cousins Leah and Ted and their little guy, Liam, also joined us. This year, we brought along someone new:

Schuyler likes all of us but she hates the desert. I suppose 110-degree heat isn’t fun when you’re covered in fur. She doesn’t care that it’s a dry heat.

Since the “coolest” it ever got during daylight hours was about 95-degrees, we spent a lot of time indoors. We ate a LOT.

We also played Scrabble, and we let Annie play. She spelled the words, and we’d help her with placement. She wants everyone to know that she creamed us (MY LETTERS WERE CRAPPY OKAY).

The kids had a total blast when we went bowling. Even Liam had the chance to bowl a few frames!

Mike and I both bowled strikes at the same time, so of course we had to document it with a cheesy picture:

We traveled around mostly by golf cart, which absolutely delighted the kids:

Schuyler got to meet my aunt and uncle’s cat, Stanley. Stanley weighs 23 pounds. Schuyler tried to act tough but if Stanley even looked in her direction, she’d jump backward.

On this trip, we discovered that James shares my cat allergy.

I really hope he outgrows it.

We had so much great family time, and I’m so thankful that my aunt and uncle invite us down every year to spend the days with them.

But all good things must come to an end, and today it’s back to life. I think Schuyler was the only one who was happy to say goodbye to the desert!