!!! First off, it is important to mention that when we go out of town, not only for our cats, but also for the safety of our home, we have people house-sitting and checking in all the time.
So it might only be the end of winter, but yes, we are thinking and planning for the summer that is coming. As you all know, we are planning that trip to New Zealand and we have to plan this year to make that work next year. Tim has to watch his vacation days this summer so there are enough for the three weeks of that future trip. Our summer here is going to be consisting of just weekend trips.
A few trips planned so far...
***This spring, this month to be specific, I (Jaime) and actually going to take a trip myself (so Tim doesn't have to take the time off). I am going to drive down to a little town most people never heard of called Coarsegold, to visit one of my oldest best friends. Crystal and I have been friends since we were in third grade. I still remember the day when we met. Stephanie (my very oldest best friend) and I were playing out at lunch recess on the jungle-gym and Crystal joined us to play. Our friendship hasn't faltered since.
I am going to spend a good part of a week hanging out down at her house with her hubby and three adorable kiddos. Crystal married her Jr High - High School sweetheart not too long after graduating and started a family soon after. We have not seen each other in three and a half years when her oldest baby was close almost a year old. Before that we still hadn't seen much of each other post graduation. Life for her got busy being married, while I was busy doing school and running at the JC in Saratoga.
I very much look forward to getting the solid time to reconnect. Not sure what all we plan to do, but it will be a good time none the less. I do know though that if the roads are clear, Crystal and I (with the kids) will try to plan a drive up into Yosemite since they are an hour and a half away.
***Later, in May [another trip without Tim (we love each other very much and will miss one another)] I will be going on a road trip just Grandpa Hoyt and I, out to Iowa. We will take a good few days to drive and make stops. My aunt and uncle's house in Eagle Mountain, Capital Reef, Canyonlands and Arches National Parks (all in Utah). Colorado National Monument, Rocky Mountains National Park, Estes Park, Boulder, and Loveland. A stop in Nebraska, we don't know where yet. Massena (near where grandpa grew up) and Norwalk Iowa (our final destination). I then get to spend another few days there hanging out with my cousins and get ready for Preston and Lyz's wedding. At the end of the trip I will fly home.
***Tim's cousin Kendall is getting married in June, down in Santa Cruz (she and I actually grew up in the same town). Our trips down to SC have become very few in recent years. It will be nice to go again.
***Some wonderful friends of ours (Brian and McKenzie Helvick) are big Giants fans like we are and have decided to make a trip together to catch a game and explore SF. We are also hoping to make Santa Cruz a part of this trip too. If the beach house in Aptos is open, we plan to stay there and extend our trip by a day.
***We are also planning a trip sometime this summer (not sure what date we will get) to hike Half Dome in Yosemite. Tim has done it twice, but I have never done it before, so I am very excited to get this opportunity finally.
***My family has a reunion get together in Santa Rosa .
***The Peters' family reunion in Mt. Shasta at Lake Siskiyou.
***Tim and I will do a backpacking trip at Lassen NP's Cinder Cone.
***And in September, Tim's cousin Laura will be getting married in Colorado. This will be the first time Tim and I have ever flown in a plane together... I am SUPER excited about this! Did I mention before that flying is my favorite way to travel? It is! This will actually be the first time I have ever to fly with a significant other of mine (Tim gets the honors). My trip through Colorado in May will be my first time (not including when I was 2) in that state. I am excited to to make my second trip so soon after, only 4 months later.
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Because of Tim's work we actually aren't sure when we will be going to NZ. We have three different times we could go, but still have to talk more about it. We were originally talking about going Feb. 2014, then we talked about the following April, then making it sooner as in late fall 2013. But the date might be none of those. We will keep you posted on that.
