bakersfield vacation

we just got back on saturday from a great few days with our friends the streets. they live in bakersfield. it is about a 2 1/2 hr. drive from our house to theirs. i picked jesse up from work on wednesday and we took off. me and the kids slept the whole way there.

on the first day, we just stayed in. the kids had snow cones for dessert while they played outside. they were filthy! after the kids went to bed for the night, the adults finally got to catch up and talk. it was nice. i dont think we went to bed until almost midnight. that is not the normal for us...well maybe during the summer, but still, we were tired!

second day, we took the kids to see ice age 2 at the movies. it was a summer $1 movie. they also had $1 popcorn and hotdogs. the kids loved it!!!!! we came back for naps and then they played outside some more. we also got to go swimming for a little bit in rebecca's brother's pool. it was a nice break from the heat. for dinner, the streets made us bbq chicken and broccoli salad. i have never tasted such a yummy salad in my life. it was amazing!!! i got the recipe too. that night, the kids had ice cream outside. then jj wanted to show off his new found skill of bike riding. he is getting much better at turning and being more comfortable on his bike.

third day, we took the kids to murray farms. it is a u-pick farm on the outskirts of bakersfield. it was awesome. i loved watching the kids pick their fruit from the trees and bushes. it was hot outside, so after the first stop, the kids were tired, hot and cranky. the good thing was that they let us eat any fruit we wanted off the tree or bushes. that was fun. it was a taste and pick adventure. we ended up getting blueberries, pluots, some apricots, some nectarines, and blackberries. they took us down to the picking area on a hayride. afterward the kids got to pet some goats and see llamas, peacocks, ducks, a pig and some chickens. we had loads of fun, but were pooped on the way home. after naps, we went out to eat for rebecca's bday and then bought fireworks for nighttime. jj and ellie had never done fireworks like that before. they loved them.

the next morning we left. i had to get home and start baking two birthday cakes for the following day. i started a book on the way there and finished it on the way back. the kids had tons of fun playing with their friends, jackson and brooklyn. the adults had a great time catching up with great friends. thanks, street family for such a great couple of days!

brooklyn hiding from the camera in the background.

the kids picking blueberries

i didnt get any good ones of jj holding the sparklers. he was moving too fast!