Lundy and Tahoe

A few weeks back we had our first vacation as a family of four! Over the past few years my parents have rented a cabin on lake Tahoe from some friends of theirs and this year we were able to join them. For many weeks prior we reminded them, "You remember we have two small children right? You know one of them doesn't sleep through the night, right? You know they are attention hogs, right?". Being the awesome Gaga and Grampy that they are though, they were excited to have us along and we were excited to get to spend the week with them!

We decided to split the nine hour drive into two days, you know, for sanity's-sake. About five hours in we stopped at Lundy lake, a spot that holds special meaning to my husband. At least six or seven of his childhood summers involved a trip to Lundy with his grandpa and uncle. It was fun to watch him remember and experience this beautiful place with our kids, even if it was for just one night.

Day two, more driving, and finally Tahoe! We were so excited and blessed to find out that our little cabin for the week had recently been upgraded with beautiful new floors. These are the things you get excited about when you have a crawling child who is an expert at finding every little crumb, so the lovely easy-to-clean laminate floors made my vacation a little easier.

Within an hour of arriving we were down by the water. Our cabin came equipped with new floors AND a private beach! Score! What a beautiful lake! The kids loved collecting rocks (or in LD's case, throwing them, but not far) and Squeaks had a blast on the nearby playground. Especially since it had a "twirly slide".

Over the next week, we enjoyed walks along the Truckee River, nature walks, good beer and food at a few local spots, live jazz on the beach, and the Truckee farmer's market. While vacationing with two small children isn't entirely a vacation, it was so fun to watch them experience new things and have so much fun they literally passed out (although Little Dude still didn't sleep through the night. Oh well.)

We had a wonderful time and look forward to making this a yearly trip.

Splitting the drive up into two days made things a lot easier. The kids both fell asleep just as we were leaving which made for an easy first hour. Squeaks got pampered with her own personal tray, movies on the iPad, and snacks. Little Dude held up about as well as you can expect a ten month old to. The drive home we did all in one day. By hour eight in the car I wanted to tuck and roll from the moving vehicle, but we did it! It was a fantastic first vacation as a family of four!

Our stop at Lundy Lake was only one night but it was well worth it to see my husband relive happy childhood memories. The spot where he and his grandpa and uncle would camp has since overgrown but the lake itself is just as beautiful and secluded as always. I tried to get a picture of all four of us together. I succeeded in a super cute photo of everyone except myself. Ha! I need longer arms. I can't bring myself to buy a selfie stick. Just the name bugs me much less the concept. So for now, I look weird and everyone else looks great. Two thumbs up.

We arrived at our Tahoe cabin mid day with plenty of time to walk down to our private beach. Squeaks loved walking with Gaga and Grampy and both kids had loads of fun sifting through the smooth piles of rocks on the lake shore. As a mom of little people I almost prefer these smooth rock beaches. No sand in diapers!...Don'tcha just hate it when sand gets in your diaper?! I know it makes me cranky. ;)

Our main event for the next day was a gorgeous walk along the Truckee River. Josh and my dad enjoyed some man time while my mom and I kept the kids and went exploring. We found literally the most perfect spot along the river with a little shallow spot for Squeaks to wade into the water. Little Dude and I relaxed on the shore...well, maybe not relaxed. He kept things interesting by occasionally attempting to go head first into the water. Most of the time though we enjoyed sitting in the grass watching groups of people rafting down the river. It was just perfect.

 There isn't an inch of this lake that isn't gorgeous. A nature walk the next day ended at the beach with our feet in the water. Little Dude fell asleep in his carrier on my back and slept the whole walk. He woke up super sweaty but happy. It was fun to watch Squeaks explore. She was very insistent that we were going to see monkeys and lions on our walk through the woods. She loved seeing the big pine cones, super tall trees, and elaborate spider webs.

The park just next to our private beach was a huge hit the entire trip. The picture on the left is proof of Squeaks first time swinging by her arms. She was very proud of herself and it gave her courage to attempt other "big-kid" obstacles on the playground (with Gaga spotting her). She felt very accomplished and grown up by the end of our stay. As she should. She played hard and slept like a rock every night. One happy kid.

 While in Tahoe we enjoyed some local breweries. Fifty/Fifty is one of Josh's and my dad's favorites. A little place in Truckee called Mellow Fellow was also very nice. Both super family friendly and relaxed. Little Dude even enjoyed a quick nap in his stroller while we sat and talked. 

Squeaks got her first purse while at the Truckee farmers market and also got to accompany a piano player on the sidewalk. His piano was covered in signatures and he let Squeaks add hers! She was very excited.

Little Dude and I got to enjoy some alone time at the beach for awhile too. He thought the small waves that the boats made were a little scary at first but soon he was splashing us both. A very sweet lady with her family offered to take our picture (bottom left). 

Our last day included a jazz concert on Kings beach. We enjoyed live music, fantastic people-watching, and a visit with our cousin Stephanie who lives in Tahoe (lucky lady). Squeaks made friends with a very sweet little girl and Little Dude sampled his first fist full of wet sand (and made multiple attempts to go back for seconds). Both kids loved the water and got plenty dirty. Fun had by all!

It was a wonderful week spent with family and we look forward to many more trips like this. Although traveling with little people can be quite challenging (packing our car with the required gear was like a game of Tetris), it's most definitely worth it. On to the next adventure!

First Family Vacation {Part 2}

{Part 1}

A beautiful view on a beautiful day.

We arrived in San Francisco on Monday afternoon and of course had to stop to take tons of pictures overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a beautiful day, super clear with a nice breeze. Squeaks was very happy to get a break from the car seat so looking at the camera was not a priority for her.

 The house we rented was just outside the city. It reminded me of that painting by M.C. Escher of all the staircases going everywhere. It had at least eight sets of stairs, two of which were spiral staircases. It had little cubby-holes everywhere, secret passageways, doors in closets with ladders to a loft, and crawl spaces that led to the roof. It was a super cool house. I was grateful Squeaks hasn't quite learned to crawl yet though. We had a great view of a beautiful beach and there were tons of skylights letting in lots of sunshine. Squeaks sat happily on the wood floors with her toys, and there were so many people in the house, she had a new playmate every few minutes.

We began our first full day in the city at Pier 39. Squeaks loved the sea lions and got her first ride on a carousel. She squealed every time we came around and she saw every one waving at her.

After lunch at Boudin's (where the service sadly wasn't so great), we walked a few blocks to Ghirardelli Square, which was fantastic. It was not easy to keep Squeaks distracted while we ate a mountain of ice cream. She really wanted some and I don't blame her!

We had to say goodbye to Josh's brother and sister-in-law at the end of the day so they could fly home to Seattle for work. It was great seeing them though, and I'm so glad they finally got to meet Squeaks.

On Wednesday we explored Chinatown. Squeaks drew attention here too. Two sweet little old Chinese ladies kept telling us in broken English how beautiful she was. It was so nice. The excitement of the week caught up with her a little though, and Squeaks took a two hour nap strapped to daddy's chest. Such a good daddy.

From Chinatown, we walked to Union Square where we briefly glanced at all the overpriced stores, and then had lunch at the Burger Bar. 

From there Josh's parent's and Grandma went back to the house while Josh, his sister, Squeaks, and I went to the Disney Family Museum in the Presidio. I never did really find out why there's a Disney museum in San Francisco. Josh thinks it's probably because a lot of the family is from there, but it was really cool! We got there a little late in the day so we couldn't go as slow as we would have liked. There was so much to see. They had great interactive displays, audio and video of early cartoons with Walt describing how they were made, and lots of great pictures and family letters. Near the end there was even a super cool miniature model of Disneyland. Squeaks slept a little in my carrier, but when she woke up she loved the old cartoons and drawings.

Did you know Walt and his wife adopted a little girl!? Apparently they went through quite a lot to grow their family (read the top left picture).

Thursday morning we made our eight hour drive home. Again, Squeaks did great up until that last hour or so when she and I did a joint "let-me-outa-here!!" dance. 

And because we're slightly crazy, the next day we spent twelve hours at Disneyland. A great end to a great vacation.

First Family Vacation {Part 1}

Last week Squeaks went on her first road trip! We took a little vacation to Santa Rosa and San Francisco to visit family. 

Squeaks did a great job on the drive. Taking a panorama shot in a moving car isn't so easy though.

We started off Friday morning for our eight hour drive to Josh's aunt and uncle's house in Santa Rosa. Yes, that's right, an eight hour drive with an eight month old! I did a little asking around about long drives with a baby so I had a plan. We left around nap time, took enough toys to switch out every twenty minutes or so, and had plans to stop a few times along the way. Squeaks did great! She got a tiny bit cranky on the last hour, but frankly, so did I. Haha!

We arrived in Santa Rosa around dinner time. Josh's aunt and uncle's home is beautiful. Surrounded by trees, a creek and swimming hole in back, putting green in front, quiet and cozy.

Heather and Dusty's house was gorgeous. Josh had fun practicing his golf swing and Squeaks enjoyed all the extra attention.

 Seeing as how we were in the middle of wine country we took a few winery tours. It's an absolutely beautiful part of California, filled with rows and rows of thick colorful grape vines, beautiful forests, and rivers. Cool fog in the morning and clear warm sky's in the afternoon. Squeaks had a perfect view of it all from my Tula carrier. 

We visited the Rodney Strong winery first. Josh's dad worked there when he was younger so it was a nice trip down memory lane for him. Squeaks drew a tiny crowd of sweet (albeit slightly schnockered) ladies in the tasting room. She smiled and giggled politely as I grinned and gently shielded her from their well meaning excitement.

We got a free tasting since Josh's dad used to work there!

We also visited Francis Ford Coppola's winery. Gorgeous! Complete with swimming pool, film "museum", and exact replica of the gazebo from the Godfather wedding scene.

A winery with a pool, does it get better? Nana Sue even got her afternoon coffee fix.

 Lastly, we toured the Korbel winery and had lunch at their deli. Again, beautiful weather, good food, great company. Squeaks slept through the tour, but woke up with the cutest bed-head ever.

Lunch with the family and a winery tour. Every baby's dream right?!

Josh, his dad, brother, and sister-in-law also got to visit a few breweries they enjoyed while Squeaks, my mother and sister-in-laws, Josh's grandma, and I did a little shopping and cupcake-face-stuffing in Healdsberg, the most idyllic looking little town ever. 

Having fun shopping with four generations of our family!

 We did a ton of driving, but everywhere we went was so beautiful!

Our last day in Santa Rosa included a drive to Bodega Bay. We drove by a few land marks from "The Birds" and then spent a little time enjoying the scenery. The birds there actually were a little strange though. Haha! 

The birds at Bodega Bay were actually kind of friendly. We got some great family pictures, including a sweet one of Squeaks holding grandpa's hand.

We had a wonderful time in Santa Rosa. I'm so glad Squeaks finally got to spend some time with her great-aunt Heather and great-uncle Dusty. We are very grateful that they let us spend a few days with them. 

On to San Francisco! Read part two of our family trip.

Stay-cation

What a wonderful week it has been. Josh got five whole days off work. Some people enjoy big fancy expensive vacations, and, while those can be fun, I seriously love stay-cations. This was one jam-packed full stay-cation! 

Woke up Thursday at 6:00am. Josh's choice, not mine. Not a morning person.  We drove to Disneyland (we have season passes) where we met our friends Andy and Stacie, two of the most enthusiastic, honest, and kind people you'll ever meet. Since it was a Thursday the parks were fairly empty. I think the longest we waited in line for a ride was maybe twenty minutes. We went on every ride we wanted to, some even twice. We went home happy and tired. Click here to see some video from our trip.

Disneyland and friends. Great combination!

Friday started early as well. Josh got up a full hour before me though and worked out. Talk about discipline and determination! I admire him. Then we got dressed up to go to Andy and Stacie's wedding vow renewal. They have been married five years and as an anniversary surprise Andy had arranged to have a small vow renewal ceremony on the same beach where they took their engagement pictures. What a guy! I'm pretty sure good men travel in packs. Josh and Andy have been friends since high school, back in Josh's garage band days.

The "bridal party".

After a beautiful ceremony we went to Fashion Island which I am sure is the mall with the nicest view in the world. Crystal clear skies and the Pacific Ocean. Yum! Had a fantastic meal with the rest of the "bridal party", the guys did some drooling at the Tesla dealership, and we enjoyed a leisurely walk on a beautiful day. After parting ways with our friends, my always-wonderfully-unpredictable husband decided it was a good day to buy me an iPad on which I am now writing this blog! I can't tell you how excited I am about this. As a nice little cherry on top, God blessed us with a summer rain on our drive home and a beautiful view of a full rainbow. Josh laughed at me cause I took at least ten pictures of it, leaning as far forward in the windshield as I could or pressing my face and phone against my passenger side window. I'm a California girl! We get excited about rainbows!

Saturday was spent mostly on the couch watching theology lectures (Josh mentioned Credo House in his post) and playing with my new iPad. Talk about leisure! We stopped off at my parent's house to pick up a book my mom got me. In true mom form she is enormously supportive of my blogging and got me a book called Creating a Spiritual Legacy. It's about encouraging others by sharing your life experiences through story telling. Looking forward to reading it and getting lots of blog post ideas. Love my mom!

Sunday started with church and Bible study with very good friends. Then Josh went and spent some guy time with a friend while I stayed home to write and relax after our busy last few days. When Josh got home we went and did our weekly grocery shopping. We always shop together, although we generally do pretty much everything together. After thirteen years he still isn't sick of me! Haha! I love being married to my best friend. While shopping, I picked up a bouquet of sunflowers just for the heck of it. Sunflowers and gerbera daisies are my favorite flowers. We had pink gerbera daisies at our wedding and I have a gerbera daisy tattoo on my left thigh. After shopping we came home and Josh did some yard work while I spent time with the puppies and made dinner.

Monday we slept in but Josh still got up before me to work out. The man in unstoppable! We spent a lovely lazy morning at home and then went over to Josh's parent's house.

Playing football in the pool.

A few years ago his parents redid their backyard and put in a pool. We spent a few hours just hanging out and talking, enjoying the cool water, warm weather, and good company. If you don't have a pool in Southern California, it sure is nice to have family members who do. It has been so nice to just go and float and swim laps. We often have family barbecues and pool parties. I'm looking forward to buying tiny swimsuits and floaties and teaching our children to swim. I see lots of birthday parties and celebrations happening in that backyard. 

Overall, an incredibly nice stay-cation. We love being home, being with friends and family, and enjoying the blessing God has given us. Waiting for our future child has created such a sense of anticipation in our family. We so look forward to enjoying life with our new little one.