California

I can't believe that it has been over a week since we got back from California and I still haven't blogged about our trip. It is a good thing we have Sunday afternoons to catch up on life.

We went out to California to visit my grandparents. It has always been the highlight of the summer to go out and visit them. It was quite the shock going from the 70 and 80 degree weather to the high 90s. I guess we brought the heat back with us. While we there we spent most of the time visiting with family. My family is so great. I love getting the chance to visit with my aunt and uncle, grandparents, cousins, and extended Upton family. They are so much fun!!!

Devin had fun succoring the grapes in the vineyard with my grandpa and aunt. Seeing I am "great with child" I was not allowed to go out and help with the succoring. I would sit at the top of the vineyard and listen to them having tons of fun. I was also there to monitor that they would stop every once and a while for a water break. One day when they were out there working Devin yells up to me, "Julie bring the camera quick!" This could only mean one thing, rattlesnake. I got down close to where they were and Devin asked for me to bring the camera to him. I told him if there was a rattlesnake he'd have to come get the camera because I wasn't going to go near it. I didn't even want to see it before it was dead as a doornail. He came and got the camera from me and got a few great pictures. Then my grandpa killed it and stuffed it down a hole. It was surprising because the snake was actually up in the vine. He was just there hanging out. I was squirmy the rest of the day. The snake sighting made me feel not so bad that I wasn't helping succor the grapes.

The rest of the trip was pretty mellow. I went to Quilt Guild with my grandma. My mom worked on scanning pictures for family history. We visited and ate TONS of really great food. We also went down to one of the new county buildings. They have put up lots of photos from the community. Some are old pictures of the mines and logging trucks. Others are just to represent current local stuff. Long story short, of all of the farmers in the county my grandpa's picture got picked to put up on the wall. We told him he should sign it. But he just smiled. It is a great picture of him on his tractor. Way to go Grandpa!

We had a great time. It always goes by too quickly. I guess that means we'll just have to go again. The shocking truth was the thought as we were getting on the plane that the next time we go out to California, we will have a little baby with us. Won't that make life a little bit different. :) I can't wait. I hope she will love California as much as we do.