from June 10th

Saturday We woke up & were out of the house by 9.30. We drove over to the office to pick up the van. Then we made our way to the airport to pick up Elise & Rhys from Las Vegas. But not before we had to stop on the side of the freeway for Jamieson to have a chuck!! The kids arrived at 11.00. YEAH!!!! We all jumped into the van & trotted back home to Elk Grove. We sat down & relaxed for a while, then I took the kids out for a drive to show them around. We stopped at Old Navy for a quick look around. 2 hours later we arrived home with Lunch OOPPSS!! We had lunch around 3.00, yummy fresh warm chicken sandwiches, then we headed down to the pool so the kids could sit in the sun. Millie, Misty & Nikki were there chatting, so we sat around the table for a while, while the kids & Jamieson swam etc. We got back to the apartment around 5.30 to get ready to go out. We decided to take them to Folsom Outlet Mall for a look around. We got there and the boys went off in one direction & the girls in another. It was weird shopping with someone else. I'm used to doing it by myself. Elise bought a couple of things & we got back in the van around 8.45 to find In & Out burgers for some dinner. The food there is absolutely the best. The menu is very limited but YUM!!!! We finished and got into the van (after pics) and headed to the office to get the old van for Bruce to drive for the week. Then we made our way home. It was around 10.30 when we got home so the kids went to bed & we stayed up till about 11.30 talking with the kids, catching up. It was around midnight when we got to bed but it was a good day. Sunday We woke up around 7.00 & Elise & I went out walking for an hour then off to the gym for a work out. We got ready & jumped in the van to go to "The Old Sacramento", city centre etc. We arrived at Old Sac around 11.00 parked the car & started to make our way around. It was a beautiful day and we walked around looking at all the shops. We had Salt water taffy, saw wolves in a cage, steam boats, and lots of shops. After a couple of hours we'd all had enough. So we headed into the Plaza so Elise could go to Forever 21 shop to do some shopping. She had a good time and bought a couple of tops so she was happy. We met the boys at Johnny Rockets then made our way to the van to go to our last stop the Govenors House. (Mini White House) Pics to folllow. We got back around mid afternoon & went down to the pool for an hour or so. We got back, the kids called home & we had dinner. The NBA Finals Game 1 started was on. The kids were in bed around 8.00 & we sat down & settled in for some TV. Rhys wasn't feeling very well, I went off to bed around 10.30 (early for me) and the others stayed up for a while longer. Monday I got up around 7.00, Bruce had already left for his meeting. I dragged Jamieson out of bed around 7.30. I woke Elise & Rhys up at 7.30 as the Socceroos were playing on the TV. They won 3-1. So Yeah!!! We got to school, Rhys was still not well, Jetlag so he stayed & slept & Elise & I went out for a walk & workout. We got back around 10.00. Bruce got home not long after, his meeting was cancelled so he went to Starbucks to work instead. I did the usual tidying, washing etc & we went & got Jamieson from School. We had some lunch & the kids & I went to do groceries. We got back & went to the pool, it wasn't really the warm day today. Hopefully it will improve for the kids over the next few days. We have a couple of things planned but more so for the end of the week. We got back from the pool around 4.00 sat around the apartment & I started organising dinner. The boys all went out around 5.30 to kick the footy & I cooked dinner. We had dinner & the kids & I went out to a couple of places to do a little shopping. We got a few things, came home & were all in bed by 11.00. Tuesday We woke up & did the usual, Elise & I worked out. The weather was not the great. Really overcast so not a great day to do anything. The kids went off to school, Bruce went off to work again for more meetings. Rhys slept on the couch for most of the day. Elise & I just bummed around at the business centre & the apartment etc. Jamieson got home from school & we didn't really do anyhting exciting at all. Elise was dissapointed about the weather. The rest of the day was pretty much the same, Bruce got home from work & Conner from school, we had some dinner & watched a bit of TV & went off too bed. A pretty boring day even by our standards. Wednesday --- BIG DAY!! (Jelly Belly Factory Tour) We all woke up & did the usual morning things. Got the kids off to school, but Bruce forgot to give Conner the note for leaving early so I had to go back and get the note & take it back. Then I ran into another mother from the complex Shelby. By the time I finshed talking to her, I wasn't really in the mood for a workout so I just headed back to the apartment, where I had let the kids sleep. They woke up around 10.00, so that was good for them. Rhys was still not well & Elise needed the sleep. Went to the business centre etc & by the time all that was done it was time to pick up Jamieson. We organised for him to go to a friends place (Grant) for a play tomorrow so he was pretty excited. The kids were sitting by the pool soaking up the rays. Jamieson joined them, I sat down for a few minutes then it was time to go back & get Conner from school. We came home had some lunch & spent a little time by the pool before we had to go. We headed off for the Jelly Belly factory at 1.45. We got onto the freeway (1st time by myself) I got all the right turnoffs (Yeay for me!!) we drove past the Vacaville Outlet mall. Then about 10 minutes after that there it was the JELLY BELLY FACTORY!! We were just in time for the next tour, 3.oo. We put on our jelly belly hats, not so cute. Then we headed off into the factory, about 5 minutes in of course Jamieson needs to go to the bathroom. (GOD PLEASE HELP ME) then the tour got more interesting and he didn't need go anymore, fancy that. The tour was a good one, there was not much going on in the way of production but they had video screen & the guide was really nice. We got some free samples & headed down to the shop. We had to get Cameron Tudor some. We picked a couple of things out, got a bag of them & straws & pencils for the kids. Then about 4.30 we headed off back down the freeway. On the way we saw COSTCO, so we parked and went into show the kids what we are talking about all the time. Campbells on steroids is probably hard to imagine when they had not idea what Campbells was. So in we went. Jamieson was in the trolley so we could have a less stressful visit. We walked around, Elise got some Chewy (12 pkts) we got Nicola her hershey's chocolate sauce & a few other things. We were going to have some pizza for dinner, but then the boys started doing their thing, & after 5 minutes of going around in circles I'd had enough and they got nothing. We got back into the car & went to Vacaville Outlet mall, so Rhys could have a look around for some stuff. He found Ralph Lauren tops so that was good. By the time we got home it was around 6.30 so we had some dinner & the kids went to bed. The kids & I headed off down to have a spa, which was really nice. We got back & headed off to bed. So it was a good day, we did something new & I think the kids had a good time. Thursday Elise & I got up took the kids to school, Bruce went off to work & we worked out. Came back, tidyed up & I went out to do some errands & the kids went to sit by the pool. The day was going to be a warm one, so I told Elise to stay by the pool and bake. I took off & did some stuff & got back around lunch, sat with the kids by the pool, then headed off to get Jameison from Grants place. He was at the Community pool, wich was really nice. It is a community centre for the people who live in lakeshore community. We got back and Jamieson joined the kids at the pool. Conner got home and came down to the pool. I had to go and change & go to school to scoop ice cream for the Ice cream Social tomorrow night. Bruce was at the office then he picked Ross up from the airport and they got back home around 3.00. I got back from school around 4.30 & Elise was still at the pool. The boys had gone back to the apartment. We all headed back & I started on dinner. This is being posted Sunday night and we still have to add a few days. We just got back from San Francisco - awesome day. More news soon! Hope you are all well Love from US!