3 pieces of toast later

We arrived in California a little worse for wear. The girls both woke up as soon as the van stopped and the lights overhead popped on. We have since then discovered how to turn the lights off above their seats. They both went to bed relatively easily...Zoe took a little effort with nursing and cuddling but to her credit-no crying.

Aubrey wanted to watch a video. We let her because Jessica and Scott were still unloading the van while I was with Zoe. Luckily when they were done, she wandered into the bedroom where her pack and play was set up and willingly sat in Scott's lap for a bedtime story that she lost interest in after a few minutes. Scott asked her if she wanted to go to bed and she said "uh huh". Not a peep was heard after the lights were out.

We both had a beer and I think Jessica had a drink but I am not sure. I was at that point of sleepiness where the lights are too bright and my head was spinning. Needless to say we all slept very well.



Around 4 am some bird was sitting in a nearby palm tree screeching to his heart's content. I put a pillow over my head and tried to sleep, especially since Zoe seemed undisturbed. The morning passed quickly. We ate breakfast, drank liquid sustenance, I mean caffeine, and Aubrey played in the dirt.

Jessica made herself a piece of garlic parmesan toast. She set on a plate on her living room table and left to help Aubrey get something. Returned to the toast to find Cricket finishing up the crumbs. Jessica made a second piece of toast. While she was eating it she felt two little brown eyes burning holes into her head. Aubrey was standing by quietly and nodded the affirmative when Jessica asked her if she wanted a bite. Aubrey proceeded to finish said piece of toast. Mind you, this was after Aubrey had breakfast. Jessica finally got to finish the third piece of toast.

We drove to Joshua Tree National Park which is less than 2 miles from Jessica's house. The boulder formations are amazing...especially Skull Rock.



The magical powers of the place made Aubrey's hair grow inches!!!



She kinda looks like one of those baby beauty contestants...a little disturbing on some level. The Joshua trees are...well, why try to describe it:





We had an incredible late lunch at a tiny place called Crossroads Cafe where you bus your own table when you are done. On the way home we noticed smoke coming from near Jessica's house, in the general vicinity of the park. We had to wait until the 10 o'clock news to find out that there was a 100 acre fire in the park and something like 12 hikers had to be helicoptered out. Jessica had asked us at one point during the drive if we wanted to hike that particular trail and Zoe saved us by being asleep so we passed on it. It's scary how little decisions can be so HUGE in hindsight.

It was an early evening for all, although we did watch Bride Wars. Kinda cutesy. Mindless entertainment at it's best. The next day we drove to Palm Springs and visited The Living Desert. There is tons of shade, quiet sitting areas and of course animals.




Aubrey did her first somersault over a split rail fence. She also asked for kleenex for her nose when crying after said somersault. And then promptly tried for a repeat attempt.

Of course every girl deserves a little bling, especially after being so cooperative in the car.




No, I didn't REALLY buy her anything. Yet. She was intrigued with the rainbow reflections she found in there though. She also ran around in there stating, "OOOHH, pretty!" Apple doesn't fall far from that tree, now does it???



We drove back to Jessica's and Aubrey kept running up to the swamp cooler, stopping right in front of the frosty blast and saying "feels good"! Where was Zoe all this time? Sleeping.



We decided to try for an earlier departure. Aubrey stayed awake the ENTIRE time. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep an active 2 year old's brain engaged??? We sang Elm's song (it's SO short) and happy birthday 10 million times. I'm not exaggerating, it WAS that many times. How do I know? Aubrey was keeping track. Zoe decided to finally join the land of the awake and as result we had to stop twice. Once in the boondocks and the other in Blythe. We put Zoe in her jammies to help soothe her to sleep for the night and would have done the same for Aubrey but her jammies were dirty from dirt playing. Again. We learned a valuable lesson. Why pack toys when you got dirt?