California Vacation: Weeks 2-3

Sarah poses at the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sarah and the kelp she and my brother threw on each other.

I asked my mom to take this prego picture since I rarely 

get in front of the camera.  Here I am 20 weeks.

A sweet cousins shot.  My oldest two and Scotts #1 and #3, Ethan(9) and Dillon(4)

My cousin Holly and her new husband Ryan Kegley.

   I have been so busy vacationing, I haven't updated this blog as well as I had planned to.  So here I am again with a few minutes on my hands to update you all on the last two weeks!  

    After a semi-quiet week at my parents and taking Lizzy out on here date, we headed off Friday at noon for San Jose.  My aunt let us park all of our stuff at her house where we had my "adopted aunt and uncle" watch all 5 of my kids while my parents and I headed off to my cousin's wedding.  My Aunt Sherry and Uncle Al actually introduced my parents and spoiled Scott and I rotten when we were kids.  They walked into my Aunt Shelley's house and immediately warmed the kids up to them.  I was so relieved since I haven't even seen them in 5 years!  So we left the kids and headed over the mountain to Santa Cruz where we grabbed a Starbucks before my cousin Holly "tied the knot."  It was a beautiful garden wedding but I have to admit, I was pretty excited when I saw my cousin Jeremy(her brother).  I don't think I've seen him in maybe almost 20 years!  I had fun talking with my 4th grade teacher, Janese Favret, while my brother and Sandi and my parents all hit the dance floor.  The next day we packed up the kids and returned to the Santa Cruz beach and Boardwalk.  I used to visit there when I was a kid.  It has big roller coaster and fair-like rides with all the food and vendors.  My kids were thrilled.  Now the downside of it is because I have 5 kids, they only got to ride on 3 rides each and my tickets were gone!  Daniel was nervous to ride the "Tsunami" and "Log Ride" but ended up LOVING them!  Dad and I took Leah, Jacob and Lizzy on the old carousel which still has rings you can pull and throw in the clowns mouth!!  We had Hot Dog on a Stick for lunch (which I used to eat in So. California, but my kids don't remember) and then I got them Dippin' Dots-their favorite treat from our local ballfield!  We were there with my brother, his wife and their 4 boys and babysitter, so we all headed out onto the beach for a dip in the Pacific Ocean.  It was a HOT day for Santa Cruz, but the water of the Pacific is COLD!!!!  Sarah had fun throwing kelp on "Uncle Apple Juice" (as they call my brother-long story), Leah ate the sand as she always does, Dan went in the water with his cousin Ethan and Lizzy and Jake dug in the sand and cried when the cold water got them!  It was a FABULOUS time!  I think that day registers as my favorite-if only Marc had been there. . . .

     That night I got to catch up with my Aunt Shelley, Uncle Michael and cousin Brooke (7 yrs).  On Sunday we went to Venture Church, which I grew up knowing at Los Gatos Christian Church.   I was quite impressed with their scan-code stickers for checking kids in and out of their classes and nursery!  After another lunch of In N Out my parents, the kids and I left San Jose and headed out towards San Fransisco.

    San Fransisco is my second favorite memory of our trip!  Although my camera died and I don't have pictures, I do have video of our time there!  We crossed the Golden Gate bridge and looked back at the city from the vista point.  It was amazing!  Daniel and I sang for the camera our family's favorite song by Caedmon's Call: The Ballad of San Fransisco.  We crossed back to the city and drove to Lombard Street to take the kids down this favorite road.  Well, I realized I am a true Floridian Flatlander now, because I didn't realize the backside of Lombard street is a very STEEP hill.  Here I was in slippery sandals with my foot cemented to the brake pedal for fear of rolling backwards down the hill.  I carefully slipped my shoes off while my mom reminded me to brake and gas at the same time.  Afterwards we said, "Why was I driving?"  My mom was born and raised in that crazy, steep town!!!  I loved driving DOWN Lombard street and seeing Lizzy and Dan hanging out of the windows of my dad's Explorer.  He let them unbuckle and every time he switched back on the road below us I could see the joy on their faces!  

     From there we went to Ghiradelli Square where we ate at a diner without kids menus (RIP-OFF) then over to the Ice Cream Shoppe for some decadent dessert!  Jake and Lizzy each had enormous scoops of ice cream, Sarah chose a simple brownie, Dan a Root Beer Float and Me: a "Gold Rush Sundae" with dark chocolate fudge, peanut butter sauce, and vanilla ice cream!!  I bought a large tub of chocolate-mint flicks as a taste-to-go.  It was DELICIOUS!

  Thus completed our second weekend in California and the most of our big trips.  We returned to Jackson exhausted.