San Simeon Camping - Spring Break 2018

This year we met up with May and Grandpa and Erick, Megan and Fam for a Spring Break trip to the San Simeon State Campground.  We bought a used tent trailer a few week before the trip and hurried to get it registered, outfitted with new tires and a hitch on the van so I could take it camping. We didn't get everything on it working - like the propane and battery, so we treated it like a tent on wheels - a nice place to sleep off of the ground. I knew I could use my parents's fifth wheel to cook and get warm if we needed to (and we did!). 

We got three campsites all together, up on a hill with a view of the ocean. We could hear the waves at night and it was very peaceful! I was impressed with the other campers too - no one was loud or rowdy at night, everyone stayed quiet and it was very pleasant. 

We went to this same campsite when we were kids - but a different part of the campground. I taught my brother Kenny to ride a bike here, which was a pretty cool memory to be reminded of (thanks Mom!). 

The kids wanted to go to the beach as soon as possible, but did enjoy climbing the trees and riding their scooters while the adults set up camp. What is it with boys and playing with sticks? Miles was like instantly finding these huge sticks to swing around. I found out later, he actually broke one of the tree branches while climbing up, and fell down several feet. Luckily, no injuries. Though then that would really remind me of my childhood Spring Break trips, which seemed to always start with my dad butterflying some wound or a trip to the ER for one of my brothers on our way out of town.

Penelope in this hat was just too cute - I kept taking her picture in it all day. She had her hair cut just a few days ago - chopped it off again into a cute bob. The hair was cut with a side part, that of course kept changing all day to create a weird long piece of hair on one side... she still looked cute.

The basic shell of this teepee was on the beach when we got there, but they built it up quite a bit and it was a nice wind break on the beach.

Henry fell into the waves and was cold and upset - we hung out in the car after that. Why does he look so huge in this picture?

Playing the "game" at the little (and I mean tiny) aquarium at the San Simeon Pier. 

Monkey walking with Megan

Hearst Castle Visitor Center

 Making food out of succulents, rocks and sand - oh and some gummy sharks!

Ward Easter Party

Disneyland Trip!

Catching up on the last few months - I am WAY behind! But I will do my best to sum up the highlights. Which of course included Disneyland! We had a very large group this time - but we got to go in January, which is our favorite time to go! The weather and crowds are so much better.

This time, Matt's Aunt Ce and two of her grandchildren came, along with Nick's girlfriend Jen and her two kids. Plus Betty, Phil, Jonelle's fam, Leah and our family, we had 18 people on the trip - all wearing our Hillers 2018 t-shirts that I had made as a very late Christmas present. I loved how they turned out and in the future, I would have made them without the 2018 so we could wear them next time... though the kids will probably need new sizes by next year. It made it so easy to find each other. The Disney cast members would say - "oh, are you part of the red group?" as we boarded rides. Yep, we are all together!

We saw some very cool Star Wars characters on this trip - I got a special Disney credit card that Becky had told me about that gets you in to see Darth Vader and then you can see other characters in the same area. Boba Fett was super funny - they all have prerecorded messages but they say them at the best possible times. We also saw Chewbacca, who Henry wanted to see all day and then was afraid of once we met him.

Kid Quotes

I asked Penelope how she felt being the only blue-eyed kid in our family. She said, "They're INDIGO!"

Henry is the first kid to want Matt to put him to bed instead of me - it's equal parts wonderful and insulting. He also wants Matt to give him his bottle at night. He asks for "Daddy Milk" - and it definitely sounds like a proper noun when he says it. It makes me laugh every time he says it!

Henry usually owns up to things that he does, but recently when something broke he told Phil, "Vroom vroom did it!" He blamed it on his truck!

Penelope chose a bath bomb as her one souvenir from our recent trip to Placerville. We went into a little lotion and soap shop that has been there since I was in high school and she found this sparkly pink bath bomb. Miles asked her, "What does this do, does it just explode?" Penelope said, "NO! First it explodes, THEN it MOISTURIZES!"

Henry is pretty obsessed with Yoda lately, especially after we had Yoda and Darth Vader blow up yard decorations. He wanted to see them all the time and left the front door open, or went outside alone to see them, so we moved them into the loft. He played with them nonstop, turning them off and on so much that he broke the cords. Anyway, he was watching Daniel Tiger on PBS over at Betty's house and Daniel Tiger asks, "Who do you like to play with?" Henry answers, "Yoda!"

18 in 2018

Instead of the typical resolutions that are broad, sweeping goals, I am doing a list of 18 things I want to accomplish this year. This has been inspired by one of my favorite authors on creating good habits, Gretchen Rubin. She is doing this type of list this year, and keeping it in a visible place will help get them crossed off the list. It can be a mix of simple things you just want to get done, and stretch goals.

So, here's my list of 18 for 2018, in no particular order 

1. Organize and back up my digital photos
2. Take piano lessons 
3. Learn a song on the ukulele 
4. Make a budget
5. Stick to the budget
6. Read/listen to one book per month
7. Get my eyebrows micro bladed
8. Wear a tennis skirt
9. Learn to use InDesign
10. Make an appointment with a dermatologist
11. Create a better way to organize my jewelry
12. Plan a Johnson family reunion
13. Learn to cut boys' hair
14. Use my camera on manual at least once a month
15. Make one new friend
16. Get new curtains for my bedroom 
17. Organize my arts and crafts supplies
18. Read the Book of Mormon cover to cover 

I turned it into a flyer so I can print it out an put it in my office and on my bathroom mirror so I am reminded of these items. Plus I love crossing things off lists, so this type of goal setting is exciting to me. Here's to learning new things in 2018! 

Hike at Sly Park Lake

Main Street, Placerville

We have to visit Main Street at least once. We went in a few shops but didn't last too long. The Old Hangtown Ice Cream Saloon was a fun stop, especially since it's owned by our friends the Taylors. I love taking the kids' photos by the old Placerville Inn  - this wall reminds me of working down on Main Street in high school, at a bakery by the bell tower.