Vacations (okay, there was only one) we went on

(almost done with summer, for reals…like, 2 more posts, I think)

June is lame here.  The best summer break plan (that the majority of my friends follow) is to take your summer vacation as soon as the kids are out of school (which is mid-late June) and then come back the beginning of July which is when summer weather actually starts here.  That’s what we did.

We headed to California to visit Ryan’s parents and my dad and Genie.  We showed up about a few weeks before Ryan’s parents were moving, but they graciously wanted us to stay with them, anyway.  WE LOVE GRANDMA NUT’S house and pool and everyone was in a little bit of mourning knowing it would be our last time to hang out there. 

Ryan did help organize and prepare for the garage sale they were having the day after we arrived. 

We swam a ton, ate yummy home-cooked and not home-cooked food (In-n-Out, yum!) and had some good conversations.

We then moved over to Grandpa Mike and Grandma Genie’s.  We love hanging out with them and make sure we do lots of miniature golf and spend time in their pretty backyard, eating and picking fruit!

I wanted to go to a museum and a beach while I was in California and, on the advice of Paige, we headed to Natural Bridges Beach in Santa Cruz.  I really think that that day is my favorite day of the entire year so far.  It was just our little family and the sun was shining and it wasn’t crowded and we just swam and relaxed for a while.  This beach has incredible tide pools and I think we spent an hour or more exploring while the waves crashed.  It was the kind of day you picture when you picture having a family (and doesn’t actually happen all that often).  Everyone was happy to be there and learning and getting along and it was just bliss. 

The next day we headed into the city (San Francisco) went to the children’s museum there.  I was so happy that we had grandparents accompanying because keeping track of kids in that kind of place is impossible.  Everyone really enjoyed themselves and we only had one tantrum (Faith) and one lost child (oh! also Faith), so pretty good day.  Bonus:  Paige and her kids met us and we tried to have meaningful conversations while kids were dragging us to the bubble station and the smoke maker thingy.

While we were there, my awesome friend Tammy was due with her first baby so we were all waiting/hoping we’d get to meet the little guy while we there.  Unfortunately, he waited till we were on our drive home to make his entrance into the world, but we still got to eat dinner with Tammy and Elive and Abby (all high school friends).

I made sure we were in Tracy for 4th of July because I have lots of happy memories of that holiday there.  We did the early morning balloons, the church 4th of July breakfast, the parade and the carnival in the park.  After a yummy BBQ, with this awesome plum cobbler (isn’t it so pretty?), we headed to the best small town fireworks show ever.  Highlight was Grandpa Mike joining in the Cupid Shuffle.  Awesome.

We were heading out the next day but everyone had to swim one more time in Grandma’s pool and so we drove 15 minutes in the opposite direction for one last dip (and our favorite Mexican takeout).

Man, writing this sure makes me want to go back.  Next June…we’re there!