2015 Joshua Tree!!!

Happy New Year y’all!!!!  We rang in the new year in one of my favorite places on earth – Joshua Tree!!!

Previous to being trapped in Canada due to immigration, spending New Years in Joshua Tree had been a tradition of mine for 9 years in a row!  After being released to cross the border, you KNOW I made a beeline for the desert for the holidays!!!  What made it even more special was the addition of our family who flew in from Vancouver + our dear Canuck expat friends who now reside in California!  We rented the most perfect house through VRBO (vacation rental by owner) + could not have been happier with our accommodations.

We did a post Xmas celebration for the kidlets.  Langdon is dying to open up his prezzies!!!

Wrapping paper attaaaaack!!!!!  The aftermath.  Lil’ Lang Lang pooped out + having a bottle in the bottom right hand corner.  Snarf. 

The first day was overcast + chilly!  We rambled around Jumbo Rocks, since it’s family friendly, a little touristy but easy + fun!  We bundled up Langdon + Jeff wore him in the baby carrier + snuggled him inside his down jacket.

Here’s little Keiko in contrast to the huge rock formations!

I’ve always been a desert girl – I am having a hard time adjusting to the wet, dark Pacific Northwest!  I feel like I’m on another planet (Tatooine?) when I’m in the desert!

I really don’t know how Jeff climbed up + down the rocks while wearing Langdon.  My out of shape a** was struggling.  Aaaah, not the sprightly lass I once was.  Sigh.

But I will not give up!  I will work at it!!!  The ladies + I went on a run every morning!  The second day we woke up to snow!!!  Here we are making our way down from the house for our daily jaunt.  Gorgeous!

Langdon was always the first one up in the house.  The girls always woke up next with their sweet little bed heads!

Cousin Tobin is crrrraaaayzaaay about the baby!  The kids loved putting this hat on Langdon + called him, “Sergeant Lang Lang”!

After a slow morning of hanging out + playing we all got our multiple layers on + headed out.  It was mind blowingly cold with biting wind stabbing prickly cold on our faces!  Langdon looked like a little fat gingerbread man made out of polar fleece + down.

A quick trip to Pioneertown in Yucca Valley.  Once a film set for many television + film productions, now a tourist attraction with a couple of shops set up for local artists.

Langdon was really content to be thrown in jail!  Hooligan!

‘Merica!!!!  Stars + stripes lil Yankee!!!

On New Year’s day we wandered around Barker Dam loop.  Hana-chan ran almost the entire hike because she wanted to run through all the snow patches!

The most beautiful blue sky!!!!!!

Abandoned homestead.  As beautiful as Joshua Tree is, I can’t imagine the challenge of fighting desolation + a lack of resources in the early days.

The kids loved discovering the historical artifacts!

The ladies.

We walked, explored + the kids did some bouldering amongst the rocks.  My nephew Matt all tiny + high up on the rocks.

The late afternoon sun was setting fast.

Silhouettes at the windmill.  Taking a bit of a breather.

If you are wondering where all the New Year’s Eve photos are, I don’t blame you!  There are none!  Why???!!!  Because this lady went to bed every night around 9pm!  And that’s no joke!!!  Love ya 2015, but not enough to ring you in!!!!  Baby makes this mommy plum tuckered out!

On the last day together after packing up the house in a mad flurry, the kids got together for a family photo!  Cuties!

On the drive home we stopped by Hadley Fruit Orchards.  “YUM!” says Lang Lang.

Dried fruits, nuts, snacks, num nums.  It is a must to stop here for their famous date shakes!  We also grabbed some lunch which – note to self – is nothing to write home about.  Jeff took this family shot of us with his long Inspector Gadget arm.  When I got home + looked on the camera, I noticed a girl posing in the background!!!!

HAR HAR HAR!!!!  Well played, unsuspecting, sassy looking stranger, well played!!!!  I am so psyched about that photo bomb!

Sorry that my New Year post wasn’t about people waking up with Sharpie doodles all over their faces or of stories of mayhem + wreckage!  It was a beautiful time spent with family in a place that has always been very special to me!  Happy New Year everyone!  I hope your New Year was filled with merriment + laughter!!!!