San Diego

Here we are...all packed up and ready to go...in down, fleece, sweatshirts, and pants.  We look like we need the beach, eh?  Well then, let's do it.

Uh...discovered a petting zoo at our first gas stop.  Yes, a petting zoo that included a zebra, ostriches, and a slew of other interesting animals that we got to roam around with and touch.  In honesty, in the last five years or so, my passion for road trips has waned.  However, I will always love the endless surprises that greet you along the journey when in a car making your way across the land.

We made it!  And, we got camp all set up.  Yahoo!

There was surfing to do...

And dinner to be cooked...

And barges (well, that is what we called these ships that graced our horizon all week.) to look at.  Our kids are obsessed with Barges.  Chip grew up listening to his mom sing a song titled Barges to him, and now he sings it to our kids.  I have been forced to learn this out-of-the-ordinary children's song because it gets requested every night at our house.  So, you can imagine the excitement when we got to watch them in person every day from our campsite.

Ruby and Owen loved roaming around camp, playing with Finn and Nola, burying their toys in the dirt and sand, eating food made on the camp stove, and, of course, playing on the beach.  We don't have very many pictures of our visits to the beach.  In fact, it was difficult to capture this trip in photos as we found that sand, water, and toddlers don't mix well with cameras.  So, the cameras spent most of the trip in the car- safely stowed away.  Chris and Erika are holding a few more pictures, including the one group shot we got, hostage, so look for an update to this entry at some point.

A-dorable.

Ruby enjoying some dinner while watching the evening sunset.

Owen also enjoying the sunset.  Camping on the western coast is pretty amazing.

Roasting hotdogs over the fire.

So, there were supposed to be a bunch of other families joining us on this sun/surf/family adventure.  But, as it turned out, one by one, they all had to bail.  The Western DuRoss Clan held strong, and didn't mind a mellower trip.  It was a lot of work and our first time, so kinda nice to be able to focus on just us and not worry about other people's expectations being met or not.  However, we were SO happy that Mike Jeffries and his beautiful wife, Sarah joined us for a few days.  Ruby and Owen especially loved getting to have a dog around (and incidentally, their dog is named Kessler as well- crazy, I know).  Thanks for joining us you two!

A precious moment- Finn coloring with Ruby and Owen at our picnic table after a long day in the sun.  Finn played SO well with his younger cousins.  Ruby and Owen pretty much worship the ground he walks on.  Such an amazingly kind heart and gentle soul in that one.  Love you, Finn!

Finn and Owen joking about something....and Ruby not so entertained. :)

Oh yeah, the surfing...the initial impetus for making this venture.  I actually did not end up doing any.  I just couldn't motivate.  Holding camp and the kids together was enough of an energy expenditure that I preferred to relax, play in the sand, build castles, whatever.  Oh well, maybe next time.  Chip and Chris, on the other hand, got out every day a few times, often early in the morning, and ripped it up.  This is a picture of Chris that Chip got from camp.  Sa-weet!  

We did some fun outings, like this one to the local aquarium.  I discover all these cool things through finding things to do with the kids.  I had never been to an aquarium before Ruby and Owen came into my life.  They are really amazing places.  Incredible underwater creatures and SO peaceful.  I have always struggled to meditate for very long.  I think I should try in an aquarium.

So, after camping for four nights, we were grateful to spend two nights at my aunt and uncle's house (even though they were out of town).  It is an incredible abode in a perfect location.  We could not have asked for a better way to end our trip.  We adore their house keeper, Manuela.  It is always fun to brush up on the Spanish with her and teach the kids a few new words.

I LOVE these huge windows.  

Owen did too.  If that isn't pure delight, I don't know what is. :)

They live near Ocean Beach, my favorite beach town.  We walked out on the pier, shopped at the famer's market for avocados, persimons (which Ruby really liked), and mangos...and also mosied on down to Pacific Beach where we...

rented beach cruisers!  Oh my gosh...SO much fun.  In fact, we got home and started planning how we could recreate this fun here at home.  We have decided we are not a chariot family...but this was up our alley.  Updates to come on that.

"simply" fun bikes.

Thank you, stranger on the board walk! 

Taking pictures of these squirmy two has become progressively harder.  The backdrop here is to die for.  A photo to be framed was in my mind's eye for sure. Instead, we got this hilarious collage of our efforts.  Maybe still worth framing. ;)  This is a fun one to click on for larger observation.

One thing I don't think any of us have a picture of, but I must archive because it was an AWESOME part of the trip for me, was Bull Taco...the taco stand at the campsite.  They made the most incredible fish burritos and tacos I have ever eaten.  I am salivating just thinking about them right now.  I am not sure how many tacos and burritos we consumed before the end of the week, but it was a lot.  The shark (fish of the day) burrito eaten at the deck bar overlooking the ocean at sunset with everyone there, was a highlight for me. Mmmmm

On the trip home, we were sucked into Vegas's unrelenting pull for a final pit stop before making it to the hotel.  We used the bathrooms in Circus Circus.  Owen hugged Bozo, Ruby tried on hats in the toy store (one of her favorite pasttimes at home), and we almost got on the indoor roller coaster for a quick spin.  Ruby and Owen were just a little too short to make the cutoff.  Oh well.  Next time.

The real fun started when we GOT to the hotel.  Oh my gosh- cousins reunited after a long day in the car, delirious on pizza,  and excited to get some energy out...this one is worth the click as well.

Ruby and Owen did well for the...i don't know...at least 15 hours in the car.  Better than me.  And, both times we arrived- in San Diego and then again here in Park City, 10 minutes beforehand, they fell asleep for their afternoon nap...resulting in idling around for an hour...when we were SO ready to get out of the car!  That was how this trip was and had to be- we were all along for the ride.  It was a lot of work and driving, but overall, an awesome trip that we will talk about for years to come- without a doubt.  Thanks to SLC DuRoss for hangin in there with us and making this all happen.  We love you!

"We travel, not to escape life, but for life not to escape us." - anonymous