The drive from Colfax to San Mateo wasn’t that long, but it was kind of rough. We stopped for lunch at Taco Bell in Stockton, waking Corin up from a car nap. Glenn likes Taco Bell, but the kids were disappointed on missing out on their staple of chicken nuggets and french fries. Then we had to stop in Dublin because Jaelyn and Caelan had thrown up all over themselves. We parked at a McDonald’s, where I washed out their clothes. It was really gross. I must have spent forty-five minutes cleaning up. I had to wait until we reached San Mateo before I could hose off Caelan's car seat.
Because my parents' house is about 1,200 square feet, Dad got us a room at the Best Western by Coyote Point. Glenn and I slept there with Caelan and Corin while Deven slept on the bottom bunk bed in the house (with James on the top) and the girls slept in my old room. Sara didn’t want to share a bed with Jaelyn, so she slept in a sleeping bag on the floor.
Tuesday Glenn and I took the kids to Happy Hollow in San Jose, where Glenn has deep, fond memories. It has been totally redone. We saw all the animals and went on the rides and on the playgrounds. It’s ideal for kids ages 3-8. There was a junior roller coaster that I went on with Deven and Sara. It was really fun. It was pretty warm there, but it was shady and not obscenely hot. I got a little headache but was fine before long. I forgot to bring my camera.
At dinner I ate something that did not agree with me or gave me food poisoning. I ended up throwing up all night. My main consolation was that I didn't also have a headache. I got incredibly thirsty but couldn' t keep water down. Thursday I had to rest all day at home (with Corin) while Mom went with Glenn and the kids to the Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose.
Friday was kind of a mellow day. I went with Mom and the kids to Coyote Point (maybe half a mile from home) while Glenn stayed home and watched anime on the Internet. We went through the museum, which had a tinkering exhibit that fascinated Caelan. We saw the animals there and then went over to the “beach.” The kids had been anxious to see the beach ever since we left Utah. It’s not exactly the ocean but is close enough, and they didn’t know the difference.
Deven and Jaelyn got really excited by the waves and, just like tourists, totally immersed themselves in the Bay water (with swimsuits). Sara found it too cold. Caelan was only interested in burying a Micro Machine Batmobile in the sand, digging it up, and repeating. After being there for a while, we went over to the playground, which is totally new. I was nostalgic for the old playground. We let them play there for nearly an hour. It was amazing the temperature difference between the beach area and twenty feet away.
Saturday the 10th was pretty dull for me. We slept in longer than we meant to. We discovered that the power went out in the neighborhood around midnight and hadn’t come back yet. The hotel at least had power. Glenn took Deven and Caelan and visited his old friend Jake in the East Bay. He got home around 3. Mom was out for the morning, too. I read and entertained the girls and Corin.
The power came back at 2 for about fifteen minutes and then went out again. It looks like a neighbor’s tree fell on some power lines. I was hoping to go to San Francisco and see the Academy of Sciences or any number of things, but there wasn’t enough time. In the afternoon Mom, Glenn, and James went with the four older kids to see “Toy Story 3” at the theater. I stayed with Corin at the hotel, where there was power. I watched TV and wrote in my journal. The power came back on during the movie. We all went back to the house for dinner and enjoyed electricity again.
Sunday morning we had to get up early for church at 9. Jaelyn was sick, so Glenn stayed home with her. There were a few people at church I knew, but most people I didn’t know. Jaelyn was sick all day. In the evening she asked for a blessing, which Glenn gave her with James’s help. Sunday night Sara slept at the motel with us because she wanted to see it. Monday was when we left for Cedarville.
Caelan and Mom sleeping
Deven and Jaelyn in the Bay
view of San Francisco from Coyote Point
with some parasailers
Sara at the big Coyote Point playground
Sara and Jaelyn
Corin with Grandma Thatcher
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