First, the thanks:
Poppa and Yaya used 2 of their timeshare weeks to get us the room with Jan and Jeff Bernards and family. Monya Wright and family watched Petey and Ginger for the week.
The Westin Mission Hills Villas
The
resort’s waterslide
It was a rough start. After a toooooo long drive to get to Palm Springs, we arrived. We had been slightly concerned about the weather because all along the way it was cloudy and cold (we neednt have worried, Palm Springs has been clear and sunny with highs in the high 90s). Toby had requested that the 2 rooms be next to each other and that we have early check-in (check in is a 4p and we didnt know when we or the Bernards would arrive). She had been told that neither would be a problem. The Bernards arrived about an hour and a half before we did (2:30p), but were not able to check in. When Jan asked about the early check in request, the front desker said that yes there was a request for early check in, but that it was just a request. <insert snotty voice>. When we arrived, the Bernards and we went to our rooms and found that they were not next to each other but about 8 doors apart. Toby spent some time at the front desk and the next day the Bernards moved into the room next door to us. Having the doors right next to each other makes it sooo much easier for the little ones to go between the rooms.
Once these 2 initial hiccups were straightened out, everything else was nearly perfect. Our room balcony looks out over one of the pools and the golf course. Next to our building is a big grass area with rolling hills (Max and Emily spent a bit of time rolling down the grass hills). There is a wading pool at the main family pool that was great for Lucy and Nathan (Max liked it too). There are shuttles to take us all over the resort grounds (I think the shuttle drivers have a script they follow when talking to the guests : How is everything?, Where are you from?, How long are you staying?, Is this your first visit?, etc) . Everyone is very nice.
The first night, Poppa and Yaya watched all four kids and Toby, Matt, Jan and Jeff went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. On Saturday, we drove to a local street fair and ate lots of Kettle Corn and drank lemon and orange slushies. Poppa and Yaya left later that afternoon to spend Saturday night with Burt and Sue Neinhuis.