Update from Palm Springs

Hi there! Maddie checking in here with an update from Palm Springs. No pictures....yet.

We have been having a great time on our vacation. Here are some of the highlights:

Thursday, October 30:

Daddy arrives in Sacramento from Oakland where he was working, while Mommy and I flew in from Portland. We had to rearrange our schedule at the very last minute when we found out our friend Chrystee, who we planned to stay with (along with Brent, Trent and Drew) got the chicken pox! Mommy's GREAT(!!!!!!!!) friend Megan (more Megan) allowed us to stay at her house for 3 nights! She gave up her bed for the 3 of us. She is a saint!

Friday, October 31:

Daddy and Brent played golf during the day while I took the Megan's shopping. Mommy, Daddy and I went to dinner with Megan and her boyfriend Phill and I got to wear my duck costume for Halloween (the pictures are really cute). After dinner we went to a "Trunk and Treat" at Brent and Chrystee's school, but I slept through it. Daddy stayed the night at Brent's house and they went out and played poker. Daddy won over $300 playing....so I guess I will get new diapers!

Saturday, November 1:

Daddy and Brent went to the UO-Cal football game and sat through a torential downpour for 4 hours...and Daddy had NO rain gear. He was miserable and that was before the Ducks lost. He made it home later and we hung out at Megan's before going to bed. Mommy, Megan and I went shopping...again.

Sunday, November 2:

We flew to Ontario and we had a surprise when we got on the plane. Grammy Pat was on the same plan as they had a layover from Portland and we used the same plane. It was a nice surprise!! We then flew into Ontario and met up with Great Gram Connie and Aunt Kris who surprised us at the airport. We then went to a HUGE outlet mall and did even MORE shopping. Mommy may have gotten a little spoiled for her birthday. Afterwards we drove the rest of the way to Palm Springs, had dinner, played cards, and then went to bed.

Monday, November 3:

We hung out around the condo most of the day with Great Gram and Aunt Kris. We played some more cards, had a nice breakfast, caught up, etc. Daddy BBQ'd chicken that night and we had a really nice dinner before Great Gram and Aunt Kris had to take off. After they left we just played some cards and went to bed early. Our dinner and HUGE desserts had filled us up for too much more activity.

Tuesday, November 4:

We played tennis in the morning. Grammy Pat even made it out on the court and she did great despite her bad knee. I really liked watching M&D play tennis. I even showed off a new talent....I pulled myself up onto my feet using the bench Grammy was sitting on. M&D are a little freaked out right now! I managed to do the same thing a little later in the day and actually sidestepped about 3 steps to where daddy was sitting! After tennis we went to M&D's favorite restaurant down here - Thai Smile - and they ate while I slept. After lunch we went back to downtown and walked around a little. Mommy and Grammy bought a couple nice pendants and Mommy finally found a handbag she liked and Daddy got it for one of her birthday presents.

After all our activities we went home and spent the rest of the night having dinner and watching election results. We were all excited (well, I slept through it) when Barack Obama was announced President-Elect. No matter your affiliation, we hope this is the start of something better for all of us. M&D were particularly happy about what this means for me as I grow up.

Wednesday, November 5:

We went on a 20 mile bike ride through the Indian Canyons. It was really beautiful scenery and it was a great day. I rode in a little buggy behind daddy's bike and I slept through about half of the ride. The ride was on an old road that wove between big rock walls and then wound up near a vineyard. Grammy made 95% of the trip with us before her knee gave her trouble. She has been quite the trooper!

After the bike ride we went home and M&D got ready for a night out on their own. Grammy and I stayed home and I went to bed right away. Daddy took Mommy out for a birthday dinner and they ate at a nice restaurant with outdoor seating. They enjoyed their adult time and conversation, though if you asked them I bet they would say that they missed me. After dinner they went to the casino to play some poker, but unfortunately they were not able to reproduce the same results Daddy had in Sacramento.

Thursday, November 6:

We woke up this morning and went hiking in the Indian Canyons. Grammy did as much as she could....and then some. M&D took turns packing me and we went a little further than Grammy did on some of the hikes. They were really pretty and our views alternated between rocky hills and surrounding oasises (oasii??). We had a really good time despite the heat.

Tonight for Mommy's 30th birthday, we are all going to dinner at a restaurant called Patrice's....go figure. We figure they need to name it Tres Patrice since there will be 3 Patrice's at dinner tonight. Daddy is going to feel a little left out I think.

Sadly we head home tomorrow. We have had a great time and like most vacations it has gone too fast. M&D have a Ducks' game Saturday and I will be hanging out with Grammy while that is going on. Then Sunday reallity will set in for all of us.

We will post pics and video as soon as possible. We have to edit a bunch of them and sift through hundreds of pictures to pick out the best ones.

Our love to you all!