A Trip to California

A couple weeks ago, O and I went to Northern California to visit our friends Luke and Hilary.  O was so excited to be on a plane.  He was tired of it after an hour.  Funny boy!  We drove to Santa Fe the day before our flight and stayed with Nana and Yaya.  The next day we drove to the airport and parked our car at a lot not too far from the airport.  I forgot stuff in the car, so we got to go back to the car.

He read the safety insert

Fell asleep on the second flight...after asking for sunglasses because it was so bright

Owynn and Chima were fast friends!

We stayed with our friends and their two dogs and two cats.  Owynn was SO excited to be with the animals.  We eventually made up songs about them.  "Chima is funny and furry, check, check, check. Oni is shy and three colored, check, check, check."

Hilary volunteers at the local library for toddler story hour.  We joined and it was all about how to interact with dogs!!!

And then we checked out books.  In Spanish.  About numbers!

The next day we went to the beach.  Gwynn's first visit to the ocean!  Santa Cruz is about 15 minutes away.  Off we went!  O said the sand was hot and he didn't like the seaweed.  But he was so happy running back and forth with the waves!

Getting ice cream on the boardwalk

We went to the Boardwalk (if you've seen Lost Boys, it's the very same one!) and rode some rides, as well.  Owynn even won a stuffed animal!

He didn't bust a balloon but still got a prize!

The next day we went to San Francisco to the zoo and to Pier 39, to see the sea lions (who go to Mexico during the summer to have their babies).  Owynn's favorite part of the zoo was the ostrich (which he didn't ask to see) and his junior zookeeper vest (that he wore every day for a week)

He read the map, to let us know where to go next

Dinosaurs!!

He's a good helper and wanted to push instead of ride!

He will tell you this was his favorite, and they have a gross tongue

Ghiardelli!

Going backwards down the stairs

Yeah, one sea lion

Wait, one more sea lion

Elmo and Cookie Monster with a dog!

The "Full House" homes

The next day of our adventure took us to the Redwoods, and to a Big Foot museum.  O kept looking around and asking what happened when it was our turn.  There were some women buying something from the museum.  I told him that was a good question.  I wasn't sure.  So we went for a walk and looked at some BIG, OLD trees.

On our last day, we got pedicures!  Owynn had me paint his nails a few months ago.  Purple.  Sometimes having a single mom and being a boy, means you get to do girly things.  And it's okay.  This time he wanted pink.  And there was no swaying him.  Even with green...his favorite color.

The compromise: he wears Star Wars flip flops

We had a wonderful visit with our friends and are very blessed to be loved as much as we are.  Thank you!