Shauna

Monday, July 27, 2015

SoCal

7/5

The Tate's (aunt and uncle) invited us to join their Sunday bonfire.

Roasted pink Starburst are my new favorite thing.

Errin took us to a top secret rope swing.

Rope swing spectators:

7/6

Met Brent & Errin at the drive in to see "Inside Out."

Got a free trip to Sea World's water park, Aquatica, thanks to their military appreciation.

After a few rides, Sally's upset stomach benched her.

While the boys were here:

And here:

7/7

Have I mentioned Justin had never been to a water park before we were married?

His first water slide experience is probably in his lifetime's top 10.

Next up: Arizona.

7/8

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Accommodating

All pictures 7/4-7/5

Our Carlsbad acommmodations were thanks to my friend Nicole letting us take over her house while they were on vacation.

Their backyard is a kids' dream. Okay, mine too.

All the kids loved the chickens, but Auggie REALLY loved them.

Wish I could've seen the happy dance they did after we left.

Red, White, and Beach

Karen, Rachel (+ families), and Cole were all in California for the 4th.

We got to the beach at 9am to get both good parking and beach spots.

Plan worked.

My cousin Joey was the genius behind the half-buried exercise balls. I guess that's really a thing called Fitballin. Youtube it. Anyway, it was so fun and the kids always had a random audience.

Joey also gets credit for the awesome VW Bus tent.

Watched fireworks at our old favorite spot on the golf course in Carlsbad. Monterey still doesn't do them and it's sad.

We Took a Trip

We took a trip. A 2-week trip to Southern California and Arizona.

It was so nice to get a break from my work, Justin not having work, and day-to-day life in general.

Justin drove home from his 3-week stint doing USMC Reserves time at Camp Pendleton only to turn around the next morning and drive us back to where he just came from.

By the time we got on the road we were set up to hit LA traffic at its peak. So we detoured.

In Solvang we fed emus and ostriches and ate over-priced, not that great pastries. In a cute bakery.

The detour was worth it. Traffic free the rest of the journey.

7/3

Thursday, July 02, 2015

The state parks around here are starting to look the same.
But that's not a bad thing.

Took the kids to Limekiln. Just us.

It was far (made extra slow by extra tourist traffic), but so beautiful.

Justin said I can die now that I finally crossed this place off my list.
But he doesn't realize how very long my list is.

16-year-old me would never have imagined 36-year-old me feeling this way, but nature is the best.