Road Trip: Girls Only Day 3

This was the last leg of our journey.  The girls had been looking forward to our adventures at Hearst Castle so we started off with another dining legend in Cambria, which did not disappoint.

Lene woke up with a slight sore throat but she had tea with her breakfast and got a delicious meal in her tummy.  I had stocked up on straws, so she was able to drink, but her poor lip was swollen and still bothering her. But we headed over to the castle.

Once we had our tickets in hand she complained of her aching legs and asked if she could go to the car to lie down.  So we missed the 45 minute movie and she slept the whole time in the car.  When she awoke, she said she was ready for the tour.  I kept questioning her because she didn't look a hundred percent but she insisted.  Once up the mountain, she was like. . .I have to walk?  Yes, love you do.

She went from this. . .

To this. . .

To this.  My poor thing faded fast and when she asked if she could sit down in a museum exhibit chair, I knew I had to get her out of there fast.  Within minutes of putting us in a private room she was fast asleep.  I was texting Julia to explore without us and an hour went by that my girl got to rest. And rest she did! But then we still needed to make it down the mountain.

I was worried about my poor girl. It was at least a 4.5 hour drive home.  She would sip water but between her lip and throat, she wasn't feeling her best.

She slept the entire way home though fitfully.  On her arrival home, her temperature was 102.5. And daddy brought a smile to her face with his thoughtfulness.

I think it was a combination of dehydration and a virus because two other littles are down with fevers and sore throats as I type this.  Despite this day, our trip was amazing.  I would love to see it a tradition that the girls look forward to.  Spending one on one time with my girl, the conversation, the no fighting with siblings, the exploring new places and food. . .it was all a memory none of us will soon forget.  Our first road trip with my tween who is a teen in a year!!!!

Road Trip: Girls Only Day 2

Day two dawned nice and bright.  After breakfast at our hotel we headed to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We had to make a pit stop for some Oragel as poor Lene Bean had been hit in the mouth and it developed into quite the open wound.  It looked painful and actually swelled up a bit.

The aquarium was cool!  So much to see and a lot of hands on activities.  After about four hours we headed out to dine at a Food Network Favorite.

Poor Lene, they didn't have straws due to their effect on the sea life.  She was a mess.  It hurt to eat and drink, but she was a trooper and made the best of it.

As if all the sea life scenery wasn't enough, we adventured along the way to our hotel too.

Wild and free childhoods

Moonstone Beach

To be young again and carefree...

Always jumping in full force.  Love them!

Day two was another action packed, exploring kind of day.  These girls were up for anything!  Julia and I shared the task of driving and it was just such joy: all of it. . .except the wifi wasn't working in our room, but hey.  Can't have everything all the time!

Notable mention:  we went to Cambria for dinner.  It was a Mexican Restaurant and Lene Bean and Layla were talking in accents while we waited.  Lene decided she was going to stay in character the whole time we were there...which she did.  As we left, the table beside us (with early twenty-somethings) was already nearing their car talking about the girl, who "didn't look British at all, but was Beyond British."  She was on cloud nine.  I loved how they made it a point to talk loud enough so we could all hear and they were complimenting her not making fun of.  It meant the world to her 12-year-old heart.

Crazy Cuties

Messages in the sand

Road Trip: Girls Only Day 1

 This month we had the opportunity to go on a road trip that was EPIC  (Anjalene's word).  For the first time in her 12 years, she packed her bag and headed out on the open road with only me, her dear friend since kindergarten, and her mom.  We loaded up in the Prius at five thirty in the morning and hit the road.  Let me begin by saying, this is way out of my comfort zone.  Ernie is my trusted touring companion.  I do a great job riding shotgun and keeping him company, but this?  So not me but so glad I did it!  We had a blast!  The best part was, we had a light agenda, which meant we were open to all kind of other stops along the way.

In Solvang we had the best crepes and the girls tried on these cute Dutch outfits.  They had too much fun giggling in the dressing room trying to put on all the pieces.

Next, we stopped in Avila beach because. . .well, Avila.  We had to show off our best camping trip ever to our friends!

Then we drove into downtown San Luis Obispo to gum alley where Layla and Anjalene left their mark.

J and L were gracious enough to encourage a stop into my Aunt Katie's home where we ate lunch.  She enjoyed our visit so much.  I just love this lady.  I rarely see her, but her life has been filled with sadness: lost both her sons in a drowning at Morro Bay, and has lost two husbands to sicknesses too soon, and at eighty-nine she smiles through it.  I loved spending some time with her.

 Morro Bay was the next stop.  It was dreary there.  I think the thought of my cousins struggles in that sea made me just a little sick to be there.

But the girls, ran on the sand and dug looking for crabs.  Every beach we stopped at they got wet frolicking in the waves and laughing deep, hearty laughs filled with absolute fun and joy.  It was a most beautiful sound!

 After miles and miles of lush fields, we might have had to backtrack 15 miles for gas.  My heart was in my throat as I thought, "I should have listened to Lene when we left san Luis Obispo."  I was not really aware how the prius did on gas, apparently I thought it would be even better than it was.  Actually, I had no idea how far we had actually driven as our day was broken into so many little stops.  It was the smallest, scariest gas station you ever did see with only three pumps.  Luckily the girls were asleep so they had no idea of our little snafu.

The girls swam and went in the sauna when we reached our final destination: Monterey.  I fell asleep before showers were even completed.  It was a fabulous, fun, full day!

Spring Break Part Two

Hard to believe that Spring Break is over and done with already!  I can honestly say this was probably the best Spring Break yet!  For being a staycation, it was jam packed with a great combination of play and rest! In addition to our girl's mani/pedi day and arboretum, the big littles visited grandma and grandpa one day to watch a movie, so Nessa and I baked cookies in our time alone.

She's almost a pro.  She likes to do everything on her own.  Everything.

That same night I sneaked away for a bible making session with my book club.  Awhile back I had made a Child Training bible that everyone loved but they knew they wouldn't make their own unless we carved out some time for it, which is exactly what we did.  It was a fun, but focused night together.

Thursday morning I surprised the kids with a trip to the canyon to horse back ride.  As of yet, this is something only Anjalene enjoys, but I thought it was the perfect time for Bubba to try it out too.  He loved it!

It was a gorgeous day to be out and it was so much fun to listen to them go on and on and on the car ride home!  That day continued with a spontaneous park day with some of our book club peeps.  I think at one point there were twenty-one kids.  And in the four hours we were there, no one tattled on anyone else the entire time. Victory!

Friday was the perfect kind of adventure that could only be orchestrated with my dearest BFF in the world. She showed up with Starbucks iced teas in hand and we were off on our last day trip of the week.  We headed to San Juan Capistrano Mission.  Such a rich history.  So much more fun with our families together!

We explored, listened to audio about all the different spots and then walked downtown for lunch.  The weather was a little on the cool side but perfectly pleasant to be out and about.  Towards the end of our time there, Nessa got a little attitude and all she wanted was a carrot, which she may have repeated about fifty times! So frustrating, that girl is sometimes!  She must be four or something!

The kids were dying to go to the beach but us moms weren't dying to take them.  We were cold.  Imagine them in their swimsuits splashing around in that freezing water?  We were too close not to set foot on the beautiful sand so we proceeded to San Onofre beach--pulled right up to the water practically and the kids frolicked in the waves. . .in their clothes.  Except for miss Nessa Bessa who proceeded to climb in the car and change once her jeans were wet.  She does not like wet clothes at all!

They had such a great time! I had such a great time watching! They changed into their bathing suits for the ride home--so what if we did it all backwards?  That was all part of the fun! They didn't even complain the entire Friday drive home--which meant a lot of traffic, but I would do it again in a heartbeat because the minute we got home, Lene hugged me and said, "I had the best time! Thanks Mom!" That right there is what it's all about, stepping out of your comfort zone and making memories.  I can not wait for our beach trips this summer.  I say I'm ready for weekly!

I think the best part of this trip was watching our ten year olds together.  Lene and Lo are a day apart and have been destined to be friends like their mamas.  In the fifth grade vernacular, BFF gets thrown around rather loosely.  One week it's with this person, the next it's with that one.  And sometimes it's hurtful that friendships can seemingly change in the blink of an eye.  So it's important that we  both stress to our girls the importance of longevity and investing in years of friendship before anyone earns that title.  They see us and know it's the real deal.  Real friends really do become family. The idea that they knew each other before they were even born is something only the two of them share and it is neat to watch it develop.  As many friends as they have at school, there's just something special about that friend that you consider family.

No one could really narrow down their favorite part about this Spring Break.  Neither could I.  That's what I call successful!