California Trip

I really, really, really have to be more on top of this... I'm thinking I'll start blogging weekly so that I can actually do some fun blogs instead of the typical "Here's all the stuff we're doing and 100 photos of it all!" Yeah, maybe weekly would be good...

So, here's all the stuff we did in California and 100 pictures! :)

Aaron's best friend from high school lives down in Southern California, so we mostly stayed with him and his two boys. They picked us up in Burbank on Friday at 10pm and we got in bed around midnight...



Day one: Got up late and drove to Laguna Beach. It was a little overcast and cool, so Esther and I played in the sand while the boys braved the water. Isn't that the cutest little beach baby?!?



After Laguna Beach we went to Loma Linda to have a BBQ with Aaron's Brother Tony and his family. Then we played in the pool:

Day Two: Went to church with Brett and then we all took naps. Drove back out to Loma Linda where the Logans (My sister-in-law's parents) made us cedar plank salmon on the BBQ. Amazingly good! We spent the night in Loma Linda at one of Tony and Bridget's friends' homes. They let us use their entire house while they were out of town. Such a blessing.

Day Three: Went out to coffee with Bridget and her mom, Nancy. The guys went for a bike ride and then we all went to the pool. Bridget also took me out to get Boba tea. I decided against the tapioca part and just got a Taro-coconut slush. It was good at first and then, um, interesting. Sorry, Bridge. We drove back to Brett's place and then went out to dinner with some friends of mine from Bible School. It was wonderful to see them again and catch up.

Day four: Went for a hike up at Idyllwild. It was a nice change of pace and scenery. Esther loved it, but couldn't wait for her nap, so she fell asleep in Brett's arms on the way down. I carried her the rest of the way and Aaron took lots of pictures of it 'cause it was pretty cute. :)

Before the hike

Brett's boys: Trevor and Dylan

View from the trail

Essie and Daddy. :)

Sleeping baby. She was like a little sack of potatoes.

After the hike we went out to In-N-Out. It has to be done, they really do have great burgers and fries. We BBQ'd at Brett's that night and made lemon drop cocktails with lemons from Brett's yard. Yeah, he's got lemons, oranges, tangelos, kumquats, and two grapefruits. We had fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast the two mornings we were there. I'm a little jealous.

Day five: packed up and headed out to Oceanside. Got tacos for lunch, went grocery shopping and then hit the beach and pool/spa.

Esther, ready to go?

The Condos we stayed at. Pretty rough huh?

That's the pool in the center, and the beach just beyond that. Not bad for a free place to stay. :)

Melissa, Bridget and me on the pier in Oceanside. We just went out for shakes and fries at the restaurant at the end of the pier. Bridget and I also went for a run from the condos out to the end of this pier and back. It was wonderful. :)

Esther loved the Coi pond at the condos. They have a dispenser so you can feed them.

In awe of the waterfall.

You can't really tell but under the waterfall is the rec room. They have a gym, pool table, foosball, and a big screen TV. It's REALLY nice.

At the harbor for fish and chips.

My adorable niece and nephew, Reece and Malachi, looking at the seaguls and squirrels on the rocks.

Bridget with our girls. :)

The girls with me. I love how their outfits go together!

All of us at the harbor (From left to right: Nancy, Malachi, Roger, Reece, Andrew, Melissa, Tristan, Me, Esther, Aaron, Bridget, Tony, Dylan, Trevor and Brett)

The killer sandcastle we all built.

We gave up on Esther's swimsuit. She was filling it with sand.

Pickup game of volleyball with some local teens.

Esther wearing daddy's hat. :)

All in all, a very memorable trip. I'm so glad it worked out well and that everyone was able to make it happen.