San Diego Adventure!

I am in love with San Diego, Derek is not.  It is very hard for me to get him down there since our car was towed from our hotel 9 years ago.  Yep, we have not been back since then as a couple or a family.  So when the Maloof's asked us to head down to Campland USA on Mission Bay, Derek was a firm no.  Well, next year may have to be different for him because the kids LOVED Campland when we went down to have a visit with them.  The kids usually do not say they want to go somewhere so badly.....this time they did.  I will keep my fingers crossed for next year!

I loaded the kids and all our gear into the car and headed down to SD.  All layered up with sunscreen and driving through South County my back TIRE lost air!  Yep a flat while driving on the I5 in the fast lane.  Of course I was cool and collected....kids not so much.  "Call Daddy, Call Daddy!"  I made it almost to the off ramp, then slowly inched my way off the freeway and to the side of a street.  A very nice man stopped and helped the stranded mommy with 3 kids.  It was very nice of him.  A new tire was put on and my determination to get to the Maloof's was on.  Derek thought I was crazy, but I would rather be exhausted then listen to three kids scream for an entire day!

Campland is a fun RV/tent camping area.  It is not like anything I have seen before.  There are a ton of kids, I mean they are everywhere!  On bikes, in the water, on paddle boards, walking, running....everywhere!  They have a store, a concert area, a sectioned off area in the bay for swimmers, water rentals of all types, bathrooms, an arcade, and so much more.  It is just a lot of fun!  Emma even went kayaking for the first time with McKenna and Ms. Jen.  

Lilly just wanted to play in the sand:)

Baby Blakey is so dang cute!

Then off to meet up with my cousin Johanna for some yummy In & Out then off to visit Ken ( Jo's husband) at work.  I thought he was still working at Scrips, but I was wrong.  He is now at the Salk Institute.  Beautiful is what that place was.  Located by/on UCSD the view is nothing but AMAZING!  The below picture is of the sun.  Looked so awesome when I changed the filter and uploaded it to Instagram.  

It was cloudy that evening, but that is the ocean right there.

At the institute Ken works with stem cell research.  Something that gives me new found respect for Ken.  Controversial topic, yes, but important work.  Ken gave us a quick tour of his office and we even got to see some cells under a microscope.  Beautiful and insightful!  Oh and a very exhausting day for me!!!

4th of July!

After a very emotional weekend with adjustments that needed to be made once coming home from the hospital The 4th of July was a welcomed break.  Mike even came down to celebrate!

Of course....we had to go to the local pub, Kelly's!  Johnny met up with us for a few.  So nice to just sit!!

John and Gina came over too to BBQ, hang out, and of course set off some little fireworks.  It is amazing how men (and little boys) love to set things on fire.  We each purchased, last minute, the biggest set of fireworks they had....pricey, but fun.  Us girls just sat inside and watched the show.  The boys were even jumping over them as they went off....not Drew, btw.  After not being able to fit one more oz of food into our bodies we headed over to Veterans Park to watch the show.  However, we just made it to John's Uncle's house (on the same street) and watched them from there.  I was not sure how Lilly would do with the noise and flashing lights, so I thought that was best.  The firework show sounded SO DANG loud this year!  The kids had a great time and we were pooped.  Happy Birthday America!

Thank you Grandma!

My kids are totally spoiled by Derek's mom, Grandma.  They LOVELOVELOVE her.  Not because she has 'grandmaland' at her house or how she always gives them ice cream, but because they know she LOVESLOVESLOVES them too.  So when Grandma wanted to get the girls a playhouse for both of their birthdays.....I said yes.  Derek at first said no, but come on.....I never had anything like that when I was little so my answer was YES.  

So Linda ordered it and when it came in a rather small box I was surprised.  Good thing I was not the one who had to put it together!  That was the man who said NO job...aka, Daddy.  It took him 3days to put it together and he even built a platform for it.  Everything was individual...I could not believe it.  So now it is complete, the girls love it, I love it, and it is super cute.  Just the right size.  All I have to do is get some flowers for the boxes and a wood table for inside with chairs and Derek wants to put electrically in it for the girls....cute daddy.  THANK YOU GRANDMA!!!

Summer=Education

During the summer of 2013 I have tired my hardest to get the kids to a museum once a week.  I was doing pretty good, but with vacations/illness/beach days/Lilly in the hospital and the kids just wanting to "stay home" I have slacked a bit.  I hope to get a few more in during the next few weeks of summer...but ya never know.  

However,  it would not be an excursion with mommy if there was not something that goes wrong.  ALWAYS!!  I just laugh about it now!!  Here are just some of the places we have been during the summer.....

Science Center....  

On the way to LA Emma said, "this place is dirty!"  She is correct, but I just laughed to myself as I sat in traffic during this adventure.  But we did get to see this beauty!  We basically had no time to do anything else because we had to head back to OC in traffic so the girls could get to ballet.   

 

Even though we only got to see a few exhibits, it was fun and I really want to take the kids back there again to see more.  I want to go to the USC Rose garden and head to all of the other museums that are there.  I still think it is crazy that a beautiful and well know college like USC it literally surrounded by the crappiest part of LA.  

We also headed to the Skirball Ctr in LA.  We specifically went there on a Thursday because the 'Noah's Ark' exhibit is free, but once we got there the times were full.  I also did not realize it was located past the Getty....almost 2 hours to get to it!  For some reason I thought it was by LAX.   Ya....not there!!

 

I also did not realize that it was a Jewish Cultural Center.  That of course, is fine, but just a little different for the kids.

Then there was this temp exhibit but an artist, I can not remember his name, but it was a little scary.  The kids actually slept in bed with me that night.  I really could not blame them.  Kind of creepy indeed!

Oh and super fun, as always, is the La Habra Children's Museum.  We went there on a Saturday because it was free, but they changed the free day to Sunday's.  Whatever, I paid full price and we had fun for a few hours.  I love how the entire place is interactive for the kids.  I took so many cute pictures!!!

We also headed to Bowers Museum in Santa Ana with our neighbors, the Guerros, for the museums free Sunday events.  It was so much fun to go with another family!  Unfortunately, the exhibit we wanted to see was sold out again....got to laugh!  Once again, the kids got a little scared by the darkness of some of the figures....but they got over it.

 Drew was not happy at all about the above picture.  I need to start to realize he is a boy and 7!!

 

We also headed to the Orange County Museum of Art.....but it was closed for renovation!  Once again, gotta laugh!  I should really read the websites before I head places because a lot of them are not close to me at all!  haha.  The kids did get to run around outside for a minute and I laugh at the last picture because of the paint on the wall....the doggy was peeing on them!  haha

Maybe one day I will get something right....but I do hope the kids have great memories of how mommy always makes the best out of situations:)