California in October

Taylor had the chance to interview at Touro University in Vallejo (he is now on the waiting list to get it) so we took a rare but exciting trip home. Taylor hadn't been home in 2 years and loved every second of Lodi! Taylor had to fly home to go back to work and then the kids and I stayed to welcome Chad home from his two year mission in Italy!!

Dante's with Erica and Riley and the kids.  Just as good as I remembered it.  We were the only ones in the whole restaurant to have kids with us, but they really were great!

Brothers and Pizza, could life get better?

Wake up call from four lovely Broughton ladies, lucky Tay!

Erica and Riley made us a yummy breakfast before Stake conference, where somehow we sat in the third row with 5 kids, yikes!

Enjoying some BBQ and beautiful Lodi weather with the Broughtons!

Meeting our newest nephew Timmy for the first time!

Cousins and cupcakes!

Grandma and papa

Jammies and books! 

After Lodi we headed over to the bay area where we picked up grandma, papa, and chad at the bart station with a Welcome home elder mcaffee sign!  I dont know where that pic is at the moment.  Papa made the kids mutli colored waffles, and even let them help, they loved it!

Riding the motorcycle! Yippee!

Chad working on the funnest uncle status!

I woke up to drive back to Ca. by myself with the kids and found that the pass was closed and would be all week due to snow, so I decided to detour through las vegas and was lucky enough to get to stay with my friend Dynelle last minute.  She was so great to let us stay! Thanks Dynelle and kirk!   The second day drive felt like one of those nightmares were you were trying to run, but you just couldn't.  We got on the road pretty early in the morning when the check engine light came on, after getting it checked we thought the van would be fine making it home, so two hours later than scheduled we left. A hour down the road Dane throws up everywhere.  Spent 45 minutes trying to clean him and the car up.  Another hour down and stop at walmart to get cleaning supplies because I cant handle the pukey smell any more.  Another hour lost, and we are only 120 miles in.  Drive for 5 more minutes and Brynne has to go to the bathroom...awhile later more throw up from Dane....etc. etc.  But it was still and great trip and we were so happy to be out of the car and with our dad again when we got home!!