Alas, we are home

We just returned from an amazing trip to California! We left a blustery Minnesota for sunnier shores at 8 in the morning on the 21st of December. The kids were amazing on the plane and thrilled for our adventure. We have not all been to California together- ever! So this was a big deal.

The weather there was incredible! But, in my opinion, anything is better than 20 degrees and snow on the ground! We spent many a day on the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, soaking up the sun and thawing our frostbitten bodies. But the white runs deep and wouldn't ya believe, not a single one of us came back with a tan???

We stuck our fingers into sea anemones in the tide pools...we collected rocks and sea shells. We went to the San Diego Zoo with our Grandma Sharon, Great Grandma Carol and cousins, Erin and Brian and our second cousins, Marley and Gwenna. We had a wonderful Christmas day with lots of presents and laughs. Dinner was prime rib roast with other tasty sides. There was even a bread fight (with designated 'butter free' rolls)! The kids were instructed on "roll throwing ettiquette" and luckily no other vittles were tossed! Fun for all.

We ventured up the coast of California for three hours and landed in our old neighborhood of Ventura, California. While we were there, we went to the Ventura Pier (our favorite spot to stroll when the boys were very young) and walked out far into the ocean. We played at the play area until the sun set. It was a highlight of our trip.

Mostly we had an amazing time with our kids. It was wonderful to enjoy them without daycare kids around and the distractions of home...t.v., computer, phone, Playstation. They were surrounded by grandma and great grandma's menagerie. Two dogs, a cat, a bird, three tanks of fish plus an outdoor pond full of Coi!

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=213876044/a=48551552_48551552/t_=48551552

Check out the pictures here...but be warned, there's a lot