Quickest trip to Sonora on record!

My family planned a combined birthday party for 4 people since all their birthdays are in March. Dustin, Travis, Spencer, and Kate (my niece). We weren't sure if we'd be able to come out, but luckily we figured out plans and made it work!

We left Thursday afternoon at about 4p.m. Our plan was to drive to Lovelock and stay the night there. My dad owns a mine out there and is currently living in Lovelock. A town where you can "lock your love". We got there around 10:30p.m. and were pretty tired. My dad put us up for the night at Sturgeons Casion, hotel, and restaurant. It is a cool little place and probably the place that makes the most money for Lovelock.

Sturgeons sign WAY up high

We got REALLY good at playing WOLF RUN

jk

My poppy at his workplace. We drove his truck (freightliner) from Lovelock to Nevada, then picked up a rental car in Reno. Lots of exchanging of luggage but it was an adventure! My dad's mine is slowly but surely coming along. Antimony anyone?

The beautiful Sierra Nevadas! Still so much snow :)

We arrived in Sonora at 5p.m. and were so excited to be there! My dad tends to drive a little fast so I think Spencer was glad we made it safely ;) I'm used to it, but it was his first experience haha.

That night my mom came over and I watched Gilmore Girls and ran on the treadmill. Have to keep up the training! We played with the girls and outside on the swing. We ate pizza and after the kids went to bed me, Travis, Katie, Dustin, and Laura all talked for about an hour. It was the first time all of us married couples got together since we've been married.

The kids are so adventurous and so much fun to play with. I love their energy it's so exciting to be around! Here are a few pics of the kids at night getting ready for bed time :)

Bryan, Kate, Lily, and Lainey: a.k.a best nieces and nephew in the world!

Dustin and the girls put together a song to share with the family the next day at the party

The next morning we awoke early to take a drive down memory lane. Spencer and I drove down Old Ward's Ferry road before we were married. He used to drive down this road as a missionary when he would go and teach investigators in Groveland. This road is seriously steep, but has a very beautiful view. Travis and Katie came along with us and we had a blast!

At the bottom of the mountain lies an infamous bridge. Old Ward's Ferry Bridge a.k.a. grafitti central! This bridge has grafitti ALL OVER it. But it actually looks kind of cool!




And of course, under every bridge there is water. Look how BEAUTIFUL CALIFORNIA IS!!!!




Love this place! Travis and Katie got married just 4 months before we did. I love hanging out with them!

And of course, if I see a rocky mountain, I get an incredible urge to climb it. I was only going to go this far, but I ended up climbing up to the very top. Travis got very nervous that I was going to fall and slip. Spencer knew I could do it though. No nerves there!



Travis being a silly face



Later that afternoon Lily and Bryan and I went birthday shopping for my brothers. We went to the dollar store and they helped me pick out a barbie for Kate, and candy bars for the brothers. We also got cool tattoos and some chocolate from Nelson's Chocolate Factory. The best chocolate in Sonora!!!

That morning I got busy weed wacking their lawn. I must say it is a fun new hobby of mine. Although my jeans were DESTROYED and my shoes all turned green. Dustin has a lot of work to do on that house, but it makes it kind of fun when you get so much accomplished. Laura made some really good Jalapeno bacon bites and some other very good home made food. She really is a domestic beast and very talented! Oh! I know what she made. HOME MADE ECLAIRS! They were to die for! I think Spencer and I ate half off them ;)

The PART-AY started around 2p.m. My poor mother got sick that day so she wasn't able to make it up for the event. I was so bummed! However, my grandma and grandpa Brown made it, as well as my Aunt Sandy, Uncle Floyd, and Aunt Natalie.

Some of the people who made it, including Dustin's lifelong friend MAC. They've known each other since elementary school.



Me and my cool sis-in-law Katie. We took some very funny pictures, but she would be very upset if I posted these on here!




Spencer and Lainey. They really do love him. And I think he loves them even more. Spencer got a brand new fishing pole from my brother Dustin. What a nice gift!

The brothers. It was so hard to get this picture. They have a hard time actually smiling at once and looking at the camera :)



The birthday cake, that was VERY much enjoyed by Lainey!!!

My dad ChIlLaXiNg with Bryan and Katsie. Love that California sun!!

Later that night Laura, my awesome sis-in-law and I went for a 6-mile run. Let me tell you something. It felt SO GOOD running outside for a change. I've been running on a treadmill the past few months and although it's O.K., running outside with the fresh air, beautiful scenery of Sonora, and some REAL hills was quite refreshing! It felt so good to be done. Laura is a great runner and still kicks my trash up those hills! I have a long way to go!

Some of the men at work. I don't really know what they were doing, but I got a pic of it anyway because it looked KoOl



Sadly, our quick trip was about over. We left early the next morning at 8:30 a.m. and made our long journey back home. We stopped in Reno and picked up the Freightliner. We also stopped and ate some really good New York food at the ATLANTIS.



My dad showed us how to play WHEEL OF FORTUNE. It looked really fun. Casinos are interesting. They really know how to hook you in! Luckily we don't gamble and have to worry about casinos in Utah, right?