New Year's 2012

This year for New Year's we went on a 8 day road trip to San Fran and then on to Lake Tahoe. It turned out to be the R&R we desperately needed. There's really nothing the city and some good clean mountain air can't do. We visited (almost) all of Tucker's favorite San Fran spots*, drove across the Golden Gate to walk around the Muir Woods, snowboarded on the hardiest manmade snow at Heavenly and Northstar, put a few bucks in the Wheel of Fortune slot, and then booked it home to the poor cats who had been fending for themselves all the while.

*Special thanks to Cole for letting us crash in his apartment while we were there and he was away.

Loose Cannons in San Diego

Last year Jackson Hole, Wyoming this year San Diego, California. I love the Cannon Clans commitment to spending every summer together on one all-family trip. There were 15 of us this year because Cole could make it and Griff brought his chick-a-dee, Ally (she's a brave soul). We had so much fun adventuring around San Diego and spending quality time with a nice, respectable game of Catch Phrase (NOT, it got crazy) and campfire hotdogs and smores.

*Please, pretty please, excuse the excessive pictures all used with the fancy Super Pop Cam App on my iphone. Some little birdie forgot the camera on our way out of town.

Excursion 1: Sea World

It was a mad rush to catch the boat that delivers patrons to the secret back door entrance of Sea World. 13 Cannons walking at a brisk pace and a screaming grandma and blonde grandchild running down the dock surely stopped the boat. Once aboard the day turned out lovely.

-These are pictures of the ducks we fed outside of our hotel room. I love the way they talk, I tried to talk like them, I don't think they understood a word I said.

Excursion 2: USS Midway

When you have a Navy expert like Garrett who needs a guided tour?

We really only saw a small part of the massive aircraft carrier while we were there. We did see the sleeping quarters, the anchor room, the deck, and the captain's command/control room (I'm saying that wrong for sure).

Excursion 3: Paddle Boarding

Dayna and Garrett had a great idea to rent paddle boards for everyone to use and the friendly neighbor at the hotel let us borrow a couple of theirs. Some things we learned include: Cannon is such a good help when launching off the shore, Roman is a natural adventurist, don't try to do your paddle board dance-off move with your sunglasses on, Griff and Ally love each other so much that they couldn't even risk being separated long enough to use separate paddle boards, and paddle boards are so much fun that I can't wait to buy some.

Thank you, again, Mom (and Dad) Cannon for planning such a wonderful vacation that we could all enjoy. We are so grateful for you and the family bond that you have created.

Staycation at The Wild Animal Park

At the beginning of September Tuck and I took a fun day trip to San Diego Wild Animal Park. We were very hesitant because we have a soft spot that makes us want to cry when we see caged animals. Who doesn't? But, we sucked it up and went to the Wild Animal Park because it was initially not created as a zoo but as a breeding and healing sanctuary for endangered and hunted animals in the wild. The exhibits and enclosures are very large, some are acres rather than crowed and relatively roomy. Next time we venture to Escondido we are going to pack a lunch (Pirates Booty was the only G-free food item) and maybe think about going when the temperature is under 90.

9 days & 48 hours in the car

We got back last week from the one summer vacation we planned. The Cannons (Snows included), 13 of us in total, locked and loaded in four cars headed for the great wide open. Well, it was desert until we reached St. George.

There were many car changes, driver changes, DVDs, CDs, people napping, pit stops, and laughter on our way to SLC. The boys rested their heads for a night with us at Nels and Shirin's house before they hit the road for their boys canoe trip down the Snake River. The canoe trip will be a separate post by Tucker.

When the boys left for Wyoming the girls (luckily for us sometimes with the newphews) got to play. We partied down at Grandma Slagle's birthday party, shopped, ate Wendy's Frosties, shopped some more, got mani/pedis, had an all girls dinner at Ruth's in Immigration Canyon (Bo was the ladies man), napped, relaxed, and then packed it up to head to Jackson Hole to meet the boys.

Another long car ride through some of the most beautiful land I've ever seen and we were there. Us girls missed our men so much we drove up and down the banks of the Snake River to suprise them. Well, we found their truck and a Bald Eagle, no boys on canoes. Our condo at Snow King was so beautiful, with views of the Tetons.
After the boys returned from their trip of a lifetime, tired and sunburned, the Cannons hit the ground running for the next four days.

We went to the rodeo.





The girls went white water rafting down part of the Snake.

The boys arn't the only ones who ride the white water.
Click links for the photos:
Big Kahuna

We rode down the Alpine Slide.

Had a knee slap'n time at Bar-J Chuckwagon.

We took a trip to Yellowstone National Park.

Never having been there before we quickly realized that the park was a lot larger then expected. So, we ventured to no more than a fourth of the place.

We ended our last day in Jackson Hole with a good ol' cowboy shoot out in the town square.

If you look closely you can see Cannon running away from the cowboy gun fire like the rest of the kids and then you'll see Roman staring admiringly at the cowboy with a top hat.

When we got home from our trip I found Tucker on the computer. When I asked him what he was doing he said he was trying to find a way to move to Jackson Hole.

Thanks mom and dad Cannon. We had a blast and would never have been able to have as much fun with out the whole family there.

PS- Cole, we missed you more than you know!