Summer Vacation 2010

Magical Days

Do you ever have days that unexpectedly turn out to be completely magical? We just started our vacation aka staycation. We decided with the new baby and expenses we just didn't want to travel far. So we thought that we would do fun stuff around San Diego and OC. Since we don't have to pay for a hotel and food we would spend our money on fun!! Plus in OC we have babysitters!! Yay!
Day 1
So we started off going to The Quail Botanical Gardens. The perfect way to start off our trip. It was so beautiful there. I am including lots of pictures. Not a cloud in the sky and warm…but not too hot. We arrived around 11:30 and just began to stroll along the gardens. It felt like we were the only people there. IT was so peaceful. Just what Jim and I needed. We started walking around the gardens…this is a blog that I think the pictures do all the talking so I am going to mostly leave it up to them to do the talking.

Charly's favorite thing was the lily pond. She loved to stick her fingers in the pond and the tiny fish would come up and nibble on her fingers. She was in heaven. We also spotted a bull frog and a turtle.

Jack's favorite thing was at the children's garden they had a little stream and plastic boats that you could sail down the stream. He had so much fun and could have spent hours doing this. I am trying to think of ways we could build one at home.

Jim loved the bamboo forest that we walked through. Especially the giant bamboo. He also really enjoyed reading the name of the plants with the kids and seeing the plants from all over the world. One in particular is the "ice cream banana plant"

I don't know that I had a favorite….I just loved being there and soaking up the ambiance It amazes me the effect of being in that environment. It made me feel happy, peaceful and tranquil. I loved sitting with Jim and watching our kids having fun in the children's garden and watching them pretend. Nothing brings me more happiness than that. Here in the gardens we were in no hurry. We just let things happen. It was wonderful.

At the end of the day we went to Encinitas's Moonlight beach. Again, so beautiful. Since it was late we didn't swim. The kids just played on the beach and we watched the sunset. So fun!!




Day 2

We exhausted ourselves yesterday…which showed today. It seems ridiculous how long it takes Jim and I to get everyone in the car to get going. Today destination "Old Town" We got going late and so we didn't make it down to Old Town until 11:30. Part of traveling with young children is that you have to let go of your expectations and surrender to what is really possible.

We spent a good hour and a half at the Mormon Battalion. We LOVED this; they have completely redone the visitor center. What a great and inspiring story of people who had prayed for the Lord's help to move them west. When the answer came …it wasn't what they were expecting and it took a lot faith to trust the Lord. The answer was for them to join the army and fight the Mexican's….The prophet Brigham Young had promised them that if they were faithful, they would never have to fight a battle. What a great promise. Everywhere they expected to fight a battle…no one was there to fight. They had many hardships…but through these hardships they learned skills that proved important in the future to building up the salt lake valley. Part of their job was to blaze the trail west…that many people took and eventually was the route of the railroad. When they arrived in San Diego…the Mexican's there had heard that an army of religious zealots were coming to fight them. When they arrived however, they were surprised to find that the Mormons helped them build up the town and that they became friends. What a great and uplifting story. I am so happy to know it.

We then went to lunch and had a yummy Mexican lunch. After lunch we tried to walk around town, but everyone was over it and tired so we went back home. Jim was really nice to let me nap while he took care of miss fuss buckets (violet). She had a very bad day and was so upset and remained so the rest of the day. Later we went to watch Jim's volleyball game. I sat in the car most of time trying to feed miss fuss buckets whom apparently does not need to eat and then Charly had bumped her lip and was so sad and tired she just couldn't get over it. After the game there was a picnic….which I tried to enjoy…it was just really cold.

Day 3

This day we decided to drive up to Orange County. Ideally we wanted to leave at 9am. Did that happen?? Any guesses?? Of course NOT!! It took a ridiculous amount of time to get everything packed and in the car! Finally around 12 we were ready. BTW… it is so much different being a parent as opposed to being a kid. This is the stressful stuff about vacations that I don't enjoy. You know what they say….sometimes you need a vacation from your vacation!! As soon as we pulled out of our garage and were just about to shut the garage door we here "pluuuhhhhblahljlj" yes, Violet had a BIG poop!! It was such classic timing. We changed her and then left. Had to get gas on the way and do a bathroom stop...so we didn't make it up to OC until around 2pm. After having lunch we went to Irvine Park. This is one of my favorite places. Another place of peace and tranquility. Charly rode the horses. She was so excited about this. She rode a horse named "Stuart" I really enjoyed watching here ride the trotting pony. IT was SO cute to see her and her blond little pony tail bounce up and down. I just adore my little angel. She really has a special place in her heart for animals. A kindness and love towards them. Then we went to a grass area and played Frisbee, kickball, zoom-O and had a great time. Charly and I spent a lot of time looking at the ducks in the pond. They have paddle boats there so we rented one for a 1/2 hour (plenty of time). I am really glad that we did, even though those things are a lot of work, it was a fun experience to give our kids. We got to leave Violet with Grandma and Grandpa. That made things a lot easier!! (Sorry Violet we love you!)

We then went home and stopped at Taco Bell on the way home for some yummy lime drink that we have a coupon for. Dropped off Charly and went to the ANGELS game. Ok, so I went to the Angels game….but if you ask Jim and Jack we went to a BLUE JAYS game. We met up with Dan & Heather. That was a lot of fun; although the Blue Jays won L I was the only one cheering for the Angels. Jack was so excited that both Jim and I were going the game. I think that made his day to have us to himself. He is so diplomatic and would not admit who he was cheering for……but later it came out that he was going for the Jays.

Day 4

We headed down to Newport Back Bay to do a little kayaking. Something we have wanted to do more of but being pregnant and having a baby have stopped me. So, my parents (wonderful people) came along and let us use their kayak. They watched the kids while Jim and I took a two hour kayaking tour out of the Back Bay, around Balboa Island and back. It was really LONG!! We had a great time, but I am out of shape since I haven't been able to work out since my surgery. Needless to say, it is the day after and we are SUPER sore! While we were gone…the kids played at the back bay….a place that I would love to go back to when they are teenagers (there are some fun water toys they have in the swim area that appeal to teens). Most the time we were here Jim and I were out kayaking. We took the kids for a little kayak ride too. That was fun. Jack was scared and wouldn't go…but we finally talked him into it. Or should I say tricked him into it! (Sorry Jack:)) We told him we were just going to take a picture in the kayak and then we started floating away…hahaha he had fun though. We enjoyed reading the names of the boats.

That night, the boys went to the game again. Angels won this time 7-1.



Day 5

We did NOTHING absolutely nothing. Much needed. It's 4pm and I am still in my jammies. A much needed day of Nothing :)!