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