Duncandoings: cousin time

After a VERY long drive to California, (THANKS DAD, FOR DRIVING THE WHOOOOLLLE TIME!!!), made even longer by what we thought would be a quick detour down the strip in Vegas!—we got to San Diego that evening, meeting up with all of the other Mildenhall’s at the hotel Gpa graciously provided for us (and which we all thought later we should buy as one big commune to live in!). Grandpa then for Christmas, took us all to the San Diego zoo the next day, where, besides the animals of course, the greatest attractions were almost the sky trams and bus! I loved seeing all the bears (that I still missed from Yellowstone this summer!), and they did have a great and huge variety of everything! It is a HUGE zoo, and even w/ clouds, it was a beautiful place! Super Aunt Kristen rallied all of the children old enough to speak into completing the zoo scavanger hunt, finding answers all over the place, and winning 2 animal postcards at the end (the children thought the prizes might be a bit more grand after all that work!). We were all EXHAUSTED after that day, and enjoyed an authentic In-N-Out dinner on our way home (even if UT does have a few of its own now!).

Sunday we all went to Laurie’s ward, and were then invited to their lovely home for lunch. The kids sure loved having Primary with so many cousins! (and Nick and Laurie were even helping in Nursery w/ Anne and Rosie!)

Monday was Dad’s birthday, so he chose for an activity, a trip over to Torrey Pines Park, which has many hiking trails right along the coast. The weather was again, perfect—not too hot or cold, and we enjoyed great views of the ocean along our hike, and then watched all the crazy kids play in the freezing waves until they were all soaked and could watch their crazy Grandpa do a headstand for his birthday! That night was a Wedding Dinner at the Marriott for all of the family, and Gene & Andrea had arrived by then w/ Grandma Priday, so it was fun to be together and stop being nervous about how to “toast” Nick & Laurie. As Brian said, if nothing else, we were glad that since they chose to be married in December, that San Diego was the place!

All the cousins after a hike through Torrey Pines:
(Rebekah w/) Jack, Sadie, Caden Maddie, Camdyn, Rosie, Spencer, Anne, (Bree w/) Cohen, Emily, Gpa, (Briant w/) Natalina, Margot, Katya, and Brent (w/ TJ in front??)

Cousins enjoying one of many meals in Staybride Suites dining area: Anne, Sadie, Maddie, Emily, Katya, Rosie, Brent, Caden, Jack, & Spencer

Shirley Temple, I mean Anne---in our hotel room

At the zoo: Caden, Katya, Sadie, Anne, Brian, Maddie, Brent, Emily, Spencer

Kristen and the girls in the skytram

There's Grandma in the next skytram!

Part of the view from the sky

standing in line for the sky ride

On the top level of the tour bus: Anne, Caden, Brent, Sadie, Maddie

Maddie (still atop bus) in front of Rhinos

Waiting for the seal show to begin (glad we saw this one before SeaWorld!)
Brent, Emily, Maddie, Anne, Spencer, & Sadie; They were so excited to sit in the soak zone, and felt really gypped not to get wet!