Lake Arrowhead 2011

Since it's been nearly two weeks since we've been back, I wanted to post on our trip to Lake Arrowhead with a percentage of the Valantine clan. All my mother's family were represented, her parents, her two brothers, her sisters children, her eldest brothers children and spouse, and us. A total of 12 people stayed in 2 cabins at the beautiful Lake Arrowhead Chalets. It was a wonderful trip, despite the few bumps and bruises we learned that Morgan does not like sleeping not at home.

We decided to take our trip there over 2 days as it's about an 11 hour drive and the longest car ride Morgan has gone on before that was about 2 hours. We drove to Mesquite our first day and made excellent time. We had packed plenty of road snacks and energy drinks and of course music. I think every road trip Tracie and I have gone one we've listened to the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat soundtrack and Phantom of the Opera. Making excellent time to Mesquite, we had time to go to dinner and unpack our overnight things in our room before the sun set. It was a relaxing evening, we had calzones the size of footballs and watched some tv in our hotel bed.

Unfortunately, that's when things took a turn for the worse. We had bought a cot for Morgan to sleep on, and were skeptical he'd like this. Our skepticism proved wise. He and Tracie were up all night, I didn't sleep well but I did sleep since I was the designated driver (you know my family and their drinking).

Our next day started all right until I realized we were 20 miles out of Mesquite and nearly out of gas, so I turned back and got gas, which probably affected the rest of our trip. Once we got in Vegas it was stop and go traffic nearly all the way to the state line, and then we were stuck in fruit inspection hell. It ended up making our drive nearly 3 hours longer and all three of us significantly grouchier. One of the pros was we had excellent air conditioning to combat the 120° + temperatures outside.We finally arrived in Arrowhead to loving family members lovingly telling us how foolish we were to drive to California through Las Vegas on a Sunday Afternoon, not realizing perhaps I have NEVER driven to California through Las Vegas on a Sunday afternoon, but then, never would again either.

Most of the trip can be summed up as sleeping in, playing games with family like Michigan Rummy, Shanghai, Shoot the Moon, Pinochle, Super Mario Brothers Wii, Rainbow Six, Age of Empires, Acquire, that's all I can think of, and going to Lake Arrowhead village to shop and browse. Though every night was a struggle to get Morgan to sleep, it was possible and one of the best vacations ever. This was the first family vacation we've gone on with Morgan, and probably the last one at least until he gets a little older. It was such a treat to visit and just be with family, not to rub it in to those that didn't go, but a treat nonetheless. (Maybe rub it in a little.)

Thank you thank you to my dear grandparents for making this possible and basically paying for everything for us, we love you. It was such a treat to be with loving family in the distant mountains and not have to worry about a thing. Good times.

And now back to work.