On The Road To Mammoth - A Quest for the Perfect Campsite

Ok. Holy crap!! It has been so long since I have been to my blog. Ok well that isn't true…I come and look at it all the time and think to myself, “wow…I haven’t updated since August 8th, I am a loser!” I promise you I am not a loser I have just had a ton going on. With going on vacation and then coming home from vacation only to have to leave again for an unexpected trip to Oregon in order to attend my grandpa’s funeral, it really takes a lot out of a girl. Not to mention I have some other stuff going on but you will just have to wait to hear more about that.

Anyways, I am finally getting back into a schedule so I decided I would come back and take care of my good old blog. Ok, where did we last leave off…? Oh that is right, I was headed to Mammoth for a camping trip with Danny, the kids (our dogs) and our good friends Tom and Sheila. I think this might be other multiple posting trip, I haven’t decided yet, I guess we will all just have to wait and see!! Hold your breath.

I have delayed long enough so lets just get started with the story already!! Danny told Tom and Sheila to be to our house at 4am, yep you heard me right, that is 4 in the morning!! Danny even forewarned Tom that pretty much the only way to upset me on a camping trip is to be late hitting the road. The reason you ask? I will OBSESS the entire time that we aren’t going to get the perfect spot because we didn’t leave right on time!! I know me obsess…crazy!! So needless to say Tom and Sheila pulled up just a minute or two after 4am.

Don't they look so happy to be there at four in the morning??

I must admit that Danny and I were still loading up a few things in the car when they got there. BUT in all fairness we, being the experience campers, had a ton of stuff to bring and we were on the road by 4:15am! Mammoth here we come!

The drive there was actually a pretty nice drive. We stopped a couple times to use the rest room and we even stopped in the glamorous town of Lone Pine for some breakfast. It was a nice break because we had a sit down meal.



Our cute camping friends!!


The only thing that was not perfect about this little restaurant was the temperature! It was FREEZING!! I thought we were in the snow covered mountain of Mammoth not in a town that usually has temperatures over 100!!

Now for those of you that know me you know that this would normally NOT fit into my schedule for finding the most perfect camping spot ever... but the breakfast was so good that I forgot about that (and lucky for Tom we still found an AWESOME spot).

I got eggs, bacon, a big ass thing of hash browns (yummy MY FAVORITE), a diet coke and to top it all off a side of biscuits and gravy!! DELICIOUS!!


Here is the aftermath of breakfast!


Tummies full it was back on the road for us. A Mad-Lib or two later (yes we played Mad-libs, and over walkie talkies at that), a quick nap and a final bathroom stop, we were in Mammoth!! It really didn’t take us too much time at all; I think we arrived somewhere around 10:00am.

We decided after arriving it was best to divide and conquer!! I thought it was our best shot at getting a good camping spot. We radioed Tom and Sheila the sites that they should head to and we headed to our favorite campsite, fingers crossed that we would luck out and get a good spot. Well the Camping God’s must have been smiling down on us, because although we didn’t get our spot we had last time we got a NICE spot in our FAVORITE campsite, Minaret Falls. We radioed Tom and Sheila and told them to abandon their search we found the Great Mammoth 2008 spot!!

Of course to document the occasion I had to get a picture of our campsite before we settled in.



Plus stating that I am the official trip photographer is always a good excuse to get out of helping unload and set up. I am one smart camper!! I do come from Oregon you know. Hehehehehehe.

After setting up our home we were all a little hungry so we sat down to relax a little and have a quick bite to eat (Aspen already looks pooped).


Our bellies full again it was time to get to the business of fishing; I mean that is what we were there for.

Danny gave everyone lessons on how to tie their line; as usual I kind of paid attention thinking to myself that I could just have Danny tie my line. Hehehehe. Hey I may be from Oregon but I am still a girl!!


Pole lessons (no not that kind of pole lessons SICKO) down it was time to hit the stream. We didn’t have to go too far as the stream was RIGHT behind our campsite. This was nice for the atmosphere and convenience but as any good fisher girl knows, streams right behind the campsite are never that good for fishing. We still gave it a shot and had a good time trying. It was a good warm up for Tom who hadn’t been fishing since he was eight!!

Here is Danny helping Tom get untangled, I think this was the fist of many times.


And Danny helping Sheila.


Of course I had to get a shot of the couple first fishing experience together, an important occasion to remember!! Hehehehe.


Oh and how could I almost forget that the dogs were in on the action too!!

Aspen is always trying to get rid of the pesky water.


Gracie loves the water and would live in it if we let her! Do they sell dog scuba gear? She is either always lying in the water (sleeping and water, her two favorite things) or gets her self all wet and selects a nice sun spot!!


Yes, I just decided, this is for sure a two posting trip. This one is just too long as it is. So I know you are hanging on the edge of your seat waiting to see how the rest of the trip went but you will just have to wait longer!!! Come back soon!!

Jason and Cary…off to San Francisco!!

I call Jason and Cary our little nomad friends. They are constantly on the move and I am surprised they stayed in Orange County this long. Since I have known them they have lived in Laguna, then Arizona, back to Laguna, then off to Asia for a couple months, I think that was followed with a trip to Europe that lasted several months, then back to Orange County and now they are off to San Francisco! Jason said they are going to stay in San Fran for a year or so, and then they will either go to Asia or Australia before they come back to Orange County. Truly an on the go couple.

Of course what would a move be with out a send off party!? We went to Thai This in Dana Point last Saturday where the food was super yummy and the friends were even better (hahahaha totally cheesy but true)!!

Since Jason and Cary are new to the blog let me introduce you.

This is Jason, truly one of the funniest guys I know!!

And this is his wife Cary. Totally gorgeous (tall and thin), smart and a saint for putting up with Jason (hehehehe).


Of course Danny was there…and of course he was on the phone.


I, as usual, had to take a picture of myself in the bathroom at Thai This because for some reason I find that so fun!! Plus generally if I don’t take my own picture, I don’t get to be on my own blog. Who am I kidding; I really just like taking my own picture.


It was great having so many friends there because Danny and I never get pictures together. I really like this one.


I am not sure if you are aware of this but in our circle of friends we like to let the kids get in on the party action too!


Hehehehe. Just kidding, it was empty, I promise. This little one is Cole. He is so adorable…such a little surfer kid, so tan, wears flip flops and has natural highlights in his hair. I loved him. I kept trying to take his picture but every time I got close he would just run from me. BUT when I stopped trying he would come up to me and smile…I knew he really wanted me to take his picture.

I think this was my favorite picture of the night! We made Jason scrunch down because he is so freaking tall. I just like how all the guys are laughing and so casual.


We did let Jason stand up...eventually and see I told you he was tall!


Before saying goodbye to Thai This, there of course had to be a goodbye shot!! I opted out…I just wasn’t feeling it and I had a good excuse that I needed to be the official photographer. Hehehehe. I think I chose wisely because if I recall Danny said the shot tasted like gasoline!!


After hanging out of Thai This, having a few drinks, me eating about a 100 fried wontons and Danny eating 200 shrimp we headed over across the way to The Fish Bucket.

I really love Dana Point; it is such a cute town. Totally different from Newport or Huntington, but I think I like it better.

Here is the group at The Fish Bucket.


Since we moved locations it was time for another bathroom mirror shot…duh!!


Jason and Danny always have such a great time together, they have the funniest stories. They have known each other for years and Jason even set Danny up with his current job…which he loves. I am glad he gets to work with such an awesome friend, it makes work nice.

It must have been my lucky night because I got another picture of me and Danny!! Aren’t we cute?!?!


All in all it was a great night (I took a ton of pics so if you want to see the rest visit my picture page http://hmwilson8.smugmug.com/)!! We always have such a great time when we hang out with this group!! My little nomad friends are so much fun and I will totally miss them, but good thing for us they always seem to end up back in good old Orange County!! Plus now I have an excuse to go up to San Francisco!!

Good luck Jason and Cary!! Oh and San Francisco get ready...Jason and Cary are on their way!!

BBQ at Dan S.'s and Horse Balls

A couple of weekends ago (yes a couple of weekends...I am over making excuses for being behind and empty promises for catching up, hehehe) we headed out to the LBC for a BBQ at our friend Dan’s house, lets call him Dan S. so that you don’t get him confused with my Dan. Since it was so long ago I can’t remember all the details of the event so this blog will be more of a picture blog…a slide show of sorts of our BBQ at Dan S.’s with a few comments here and there.

I think the most important thing that came out of this BBQ is that I need to take notes of events so I can remember things to put in the blog (to which Danny said I am a nerd…coming from the guy that plays WOW), ESPECIALLY when our friend Demery is around, she says the most random and INSANELY funny things!! My favorite part of the event was that we got to see our friends Tom and Sheila; we haven’t got to spend much time with them lately because of the craziness of our lives. Not that it wasn’t nice to see everyone… but I just love me some Tom and Sheila!! Unfortunately Tommy had an upset stomach from some mad Sushi (meant to put bad but I am going to stick with mad…it is funnier) the night before and a wedding to go to that night, so they couldn’t stay too long.

Introducing to the blog Mr. Tom Bunten:

Also introducing to the blog Mrs. Sheila Bunten (and her guest super cute baby):

Another shot of super cute baby just because I think he looks like a little angel is this picture. Love him, but I don’t remember his name so I just call him super cute baby because it fits.

Here is the group getting something to eat. Dan S. made us such yummy things…he did an excellent job!! There were hamburgers, salad, pasta salad, corn, bread, chips and many other yummy items. The girl with the “winking” look on her face is the above mentioned insanely funny Demery.

I would have to say this shot is my favorite of the day; this is Dave, Demery’s husband. I snapped it just as he was biting into his hamburger.

Ok wait…I lied (I promise I don’t make a habit of that)!! This is my favorite, Danny getting ready to bite into one of my Oreo cupcakes, notice the cute Oreo baked into the bottom of the cupcake!! How great is that!! Plus I must admit that the holder of the cupcake is also pretty cute!!

A couple of weeks before the BBQ the group headed to Vegas for Dave’s 30th birthday party. Since we couldn’t make it I wasn’t able to get my souvenir from the event, BUT don’t worry, Demery was kind enough to bring it to the BBQ. You would never guess what that souvenir was so I thought it would be best to take a picture. Here you go:

Yep that is right; my BBQ souvenir (but really missed Vegas 30th birthday party souvenir) was a pair of underwear. HEHEHEHEHHEHHE. As I said Demery is insanely funny and also very clever; notice the XXX…one might think that has something to do with sex/nakedness BUT remember Dave turned 30 and what does XXX stand for in roman numerals? That is right, 30!! Such a clever girl.

After most left the BBQ Danny, Dan, Demery, Dave and ME (sad for me my name doesn’t start with a “D”) decided to play a game called horse balls. For those of you that are not familiar with it, which I was not, let me give you the quick rundown. There is a stand with 3 different colored (red, blue and yellow) bars going across horizontally, are you still with me? Ok, good, each player gets a set of balls which is a small rope with a ball attached at each end. The object is to toss the balls at the bars and make them land on one of the bars as opposed to landing on the ground, in the bushes or waayyyy up in a tree (Danny). Even though I came in last place it was actually a super fun lawn game, I recommend if you have a yard, going out and buying one.

Here is Dan S., our host, stretching; it is a very physically demanding lawn game, as he prepares to toss his balls:

Demery getting very excited over her horse ball toss:

Danny tossing his balls:

What kind of toss is that…it looks like a girl one to me! Hehehe.

Dave handing his balls over to Demery (hehehe poor guy):

And to close this posting I thought it fitting to end on insanely funny Demery.

She is in the hammock:

And, yep you guessed it…she is out of the hammock:

THANKS for having us Dan!!

Welcome Baby Kiya!!

My friend Melissa had her second baby on Monday January 14th. Her name is Kiya Raven, she was 7lbs 3 ounces and oh so cute!!

It was a tough day for Melissa as she had to be induced (as a result of low fluids) which involved the administering of some drug the increases the intensity of contractions. She was very nervous because my wacky friend does all natural child birth, meaning NO pain medication. I don’t’ know how she does it but more power to her!!

I got to visit Melissa at the hospital on Monday (before Kiya arrived), Tuesday and Wednesday but I must admit I had to steal pictures of her for my blog because each time I visited I forgot to take pictures.


What is my role in Kiya’s life you ask? I will be the sole provider of PINK for her! Hehehe. You see, both of her parents don’t care for the color pink, and I firmly believe that no little girl should live a life with out lots of pink!!

My favorite picture of Kiya…notice the pink outfit!!

Welcome to the world Miss Kiya Raven Bonney!!