Coates Family: June 2008

Well, it was a big weekend for us. We went to Loa for the Brian Reunion. For those of you who don't know, Loa is in Utah. We left on Friday and went to my Grandma Coates' house in Gunnison. She had yet to enjoy the viewing pleasure of Averi. I left work at 3 o'clock so we could make it to Gunnison at a descent hour. Good thing I left early because we rolled out of Toquerville at 7:03 sharp. Strong start to the weekend.

On the way to Gunnison we were privileged to stop in every town turning a 2:45 hour drive into a strong four hour drive. Did I mention our air conditioner went out in Cedar City. I am picturing the jealous looks from the people wishing they could have changed places with us. We're almost to the best part of the trip. When we get to Beaver near the north interchange Jaxon all of the sudden gets a really concerned look on his face and yells from the back seat that he needs to go to the bathroom. (Why didn't he go in Cedar, can he hold it just 2 more hours). Said he needed to go #2 so we pulled right over. First gas station we get to is closed but he prairie dogged it all the way to the door before we figured it out. We drove rapidly across the street where he jumps out of the van and waddles to the bathroom. I go with (strangers in gas station bathrooms freak Kellee out). He gets into the stall and a few seconds later I hear him moving around. I ask if he is still going. No lie this is what he said to me "It is amazing. I just needed to pee and fart." I ask if he is for sure because we are not stopping. Jaxon says "I tried. I couldn't even push out a teensy, weensy piece." This last little story was probably TMI but I nearly didn't make it back to the van because of laughter.

We finally get to Gunnison at almost 10:30 and as a consolation prize we get to wake Rylan up. We got everyone ready for bed and I went to bed at 12:30. Rylan was still taking laps around the play pen and throwing blankets out onto Averi. My fun tank runneth over.

The next morning because of my incredible scheduling and grandmas chickens we left late and made it to the skeet shoot and hour late. Luckily my great scheduling is genetic and I was only 10 minutes late. We shot for a couple hours where I am happy to say I took an iffy second overall and won the big money in the Annie Oakley game.

Kellee and I left Wayne County and traveled to Sandy to have dinner with friends. Kellee's friend Jen watched Averi. When we were finished with dinner we went back to Lehi and talked with Dave and Jen. We ended up staying at there way-to-nice-for-a-28-yr-olds house. (Seriously way to nice. Had the second level all to ourselves.)

We were supposed to meet my parents in Aurora to pick up the other three kids (they are the greatest for watching the little devils while we went to Sandy). My parents were behind schedule (are you seeing a trend) so Kellee and I went to Richfield to pick up some mister fan bottles for the trip. By this time we have now offered to pick my mom up in Delta from the farm and bring her back to St. George. Walmart didn't have the bottles and neither did Dollartree. We bought just spray bottles and two fans from Dollartree. We went to Kmart and they had the mister fan water bottles. Eight dollars a piece and we picked up two plus batteries.

As we leave the store dad calls and now we are the ones behind schedule. We stop at the gas station where we got gas, soda, water, and a bag of crushed ice. The ice alternated between Kellee and my laps. Old school air conditioning. When we got to Aurora dad had went ahead in the pickup but we lucked out because he left the motorhome for us to drive to Delta. Mom took the van because she claimed to not mind the heat. This seems like a good time to tell all that motorhomes are big and not very aerodynamic. We drove to Scipio and enjoyed the novelty of the motorhome (digging the not so subtle sway). When got on the freeway at Scipio the gods of pleasure thought we hadn't had enough yet so they sent a couple dirt devils our way. (Did I mention motorhomes are big?) We were whipped across the freeway like rag dolls. I sneak a look at Kellee and she looks like she is crying and this is before the canopy comes loose. It sounds like a condor has landed on us and is beat us with its wings. We stop on the freeway and have to unroll a broken canopy and reroll said canopy. (Involved not a so aerodynamic Courtney climbing on top on the motorhome in a hurricane no fewer than three times.) Then we’re back on the road again.

We make it to Delta (our first time there, it was everything everyone has told us) and eat lunch. We leave about 6:30 after all the water bottles are filled. By the time we get 5 miles out of town the kids are soaked and grandma is trying to protect Averi from the onslaught. Not a single kid complained about the heat. They did get bored and we played there game called "Correct Again". I will have to tell about the rules to that game later.

Only had to stop one time between Delta and Toquerville; it was in Minersville at there "park". It was fun for the kids but don't make it a destination. My swing set growing up had more activities than the Minersville Park.

When we got home every went right to bed. And thanks to the afore mentioned gods of pleasure I slept like a big ol' slightly chubby rock. No one died and we didn't wreck so it was another successful reunion weekend.