Retired

I like the lollipop.

But obviously I need header help.

Know anybody?

Kid in a Candy Store

I LOVE seeing and exploring new places. We've barely made a dent but it's a start...

Lover's Point - 6/12

I think it was our first full day here.

We were driving along the 1 checking everything out.

I had heard about Lover's Point before we got here,

 but we didn't know that's where we were stopping when we did.

Just came across it by accident.

Natural Bridges State Park - 6/14

We met Chad & Cherisse's family here.

It was so pretty and so freezing.

It was our first tide-pooling experience and we were happy with any little anemone we found.

Dallin & Jocey are Owen & Drew's 2nd cousins.

6/19

Somewhere in-between Monterey and Big Sur off Highway 1 is this awesome beach.

Ripplewood Resort Cafe - 6/19

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park - 6/19

I would stay far away from this tree for along time if I were you.

It became an emergency bathroom for Owen.

A week after we were here there was a huge fire and the area was evacuated.

This is another part of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

There's a waterfall not pictured that falls right into the sand.

There was no beach access so it was just a big tease... 

show me this pretty beach but don't let me go on it.

The kids were wasted after the hike to the first waterfall,

so Justin and I took turns walking the short trail to see this one.

Oakland Temple - 6/21

Chad & Cherisse watched Owen & Drew while Justin & I took turns in the temple.

The view of San Francisco from the temple grounds.

Dennis the Menace Park - 6/17

I totally remember loving a fountain like this when I was a kid.

Downtown Farmer's Market - 6/24

The mother of all farmer's markets.

Monterey Bay Aquarium - 6/25

I was prepared to be disappointed by the aquarium after all the hype it's gotten but I so was not.

I am now an aquarium snob. This place is the best.

Only complaint - no puffer fish!

Somehow an old cannery boiler is a car to them.

7/1

Cannery Row - 6/25

Monterey is very proud of John Steinbeck and his book by the same name.

I liked having read it cause it gave me a sense of place.

(I stole that line from the area guide I read many times in the hotel)

But I wouldn't recommend the book unless you're going or have been to Monterey.

Lilly Mae's - 7/1

On Cannery Row.

I went here cause a) it looked good and b)it shared Lindsey's name.

Old Fisherman's Wharf - 6/26

Coast Guard Pier - 6/27

Justin had started work (aka school) by then so we picked him and had lunch here.

Couldn't eat too close to the stinky sea lions.

Our 4th

Pancake Breakfast at Church

Tide-pooling (that orange thing is a sea star)

Chad & Cherisse's family came down and we barbecued at a park
(Chad did the work and it was good).

Then since we didn't have a place for them to stay, Chad & Cherisse got a hotel that just happened to have private beach access. We watched the fireworks on the bay from the beach.

It was Special

6/15/08

Father's Day 2008 consisted of:

- A breakfast gone bad (forgot to buy salt for the eggs)
- A hotel
- A wife with a migraine who had to leave church early
- Lots of cookies in Priesthood meeting
- A fancy pillow

We tried.

Dear Anheuser-Busch,

6/10/08

We (as in my family) don't drink your alcohol but thanks for supporting us (as in all military families) with free admission into Sea World.

Love, Shauna

We spent a couple nights with Justin's aunt Connie in San Diego on the way to Monterey. When we visited Sea World, our big-headed moment was at the first Shamu show of the day when they had all the military (past/present) and their families stand to be recognized.

Only in California...

...will the recycling barrel be bigger than the one for trash.

That thing is tiny and gets filled up in 2 days tops.

I'm going to start recycling diapers and see how they feel about it.

I knew you were dying to see our trash cans.

PS I'm copying Brent & Errin's "Only in Mexico" idea

No Words

This is how much paper they used to pack one glass.

Apparently our glassware was packed better
than our entertainment center.

It showed up with a broken door
(and not at the hinges)
(and not the door Owen (or Drew?) broke in NC).

Also, our vacuum is mysteriously missing.

We will be compensated for our losses
but it will be a hassle and a pain in the booty.

I don't like hassles. Or pains in the booties.

But I do like my Internet!

Isn't She A Beauty?

Obviously not... But this house is all about location.

And compared to a hotel room for a month it's a mansion.

We moved in last Tuesday (waiver took FOREVER to get signed), got our stuff yesterday, and Internet TODAY.

I'm a happy girl.

101 Things to Do in a Hotel

Get ice in the bucket

Play at the playground

Watch movies (not TV cause there are no kids' channels, not even PBS!)

Fight over who gets to open the door from the inside (Owen & Drew)

Fight over who gets to open the door using the card from the outside (Owen & Drew)

Fight over who gets to do laundry (Justin & me... anything to get out of the room!)

Go to the pool (just discovered an indoor one with a kiddie area across the street)

6/23 - Sally's first swim

Take turns at the computer in the lobby (10 cents a minute is adding up!)

Walk to the mini mart

Get soda and treats from the vending machine


Wait... that's only 10 things.

We have been seeing a lot of cool stuff though so we don't go too stir crazy. And we got together w/my cousins Chad & Cherisse's family a couple times.

And the end of the hotel is in sight! The house near Justin's school SHOULD work out for us to rent (move-in date is July 3). I say SHOULD because what are the chances that the home owner is the dean of Justin's school? It's a base policy that deans can't rent to students (conflict of interest/could look as he's playing favorites) so we're in the process of getting a waiver signed to allow us to still rent his home.

Oh and we were so close to getting scammed in this whole house searching thing! We've been looking at Craig's List and I found a home that was awesome... newly remodeled, decent size, good neighborhood for less than anything else we could find and even included utilities. I was emailing the "home owner" back and forth for a few days... he was in China doing missionary work and was looking for someone to rent his home while he was away. There were so many fishy things and warning signs like he wanted me to Western Union him the deposit, THEN he'd courier the house keys to us at the hotel. He even called to ease my fears about me not meeting him or seeing the house. I wanted so bad for it to work out so I was ignoring warning signs. Luckily we drove by the house (a 2nd time with Justin... I was alone the first time) and a guy was working in the driveway. We pulled over to talk to him and found out this guy is a total scam. A few other families had driven by too and one had even sent him the money ($1500)! He's been reported to the police but they can't do anything about it cause he's in China and it's over over the Internet. SO glad we never sent the money.

Homeless

We're here!

But not really... still homeless.

There is not even a chance we might get the new military housing. It's so full and nobody has even put in a 30-day notice that they're leaving. We looked at the old military housing today and I started crying when I saw the kitchen. Seriously.

We found one house near where Justin will be going to school that we're hoping works out. But it won't even be available until July 4. So we might be living in this hotel until then. Ah!

But Monterey is cool. So much to do, see, eat, shop. I don't know where to start.

So I'm not complaining!

But if I were you I wouldn't check my blog for at least a week... I won't have our comp to download pictures until who knows when?!

Generations

Always a sucker for the generational pic.

Justin's grandpa is about to turn 93!!!

Welcome Home?

So Justin's brother Brett came home from his mission Wednesday...

It was such a happy occassion.

But then he did this to Drew at a celebration in his honor:

So I'm pretty sure he can go back to Mexico.

Him and his maracas.

Ghetto Jacuzzi

Seriously... name any random thing and my dad probably has it somewhere in the backyard.

The jacuzzi was given to him from a guy at work who was upgrading... hmmm wonder why?

The heat pump doesn't work so it's a play pool for summer.

Qui-Gon Who? Jabba the What?

The weirdest thing came out of my mouth the other day...."I think I want to watch Star Wars."

The only cool thing about me is that I haven't watched any one of the 6 Star Wars movies. They were always such a turn-off. But I can't help it, Owen's addiction is contagious! Who knows how he got hooked, Justin's not die-hard but he's seen them at least. And when I said I was ready to start watching he & my mom started debating if I should start with #4 like the rest of the world or watch them in order. I think #4 won.

Now for Owen & Drew vs. Weird Al