Mega Vacation with Russian Mom; and an update!
What a life! Since my last post on here, feels like we've done so much and the kids have grown up too fast! Pieces is 22 months old and is starting to take the ways of his brother in the social category, he just loves to say "hi" to everyone, and is acquiring quite the vocabulary. Kohen is officially 4 years old, just graduated his first year of preschool and is reading level 1 books and can write and spell most words correctly.
We've both been working lots of hours in preparation to our vacation with my Russian mom, Irina; Tony's been doing long hours at work, then working on our Primerica business; and I've been taking on extra night shifts at my work. Something mildly exciting, we sold his "baby truck" and bought a brand new RAM, so now, Tony can finally shut up about getting a truck. He now, has a TRUCK! It's a beast and wildly fun to drive. It seems like in the last year we've grown so much as people and as a family, and things were coming to a screeching halt the way we were going, just means our family was ready for a change, more about that at the end! First thing's first: our amazing vacation with my Russian mom and the kids' Russian grandma, Irina!
Three bottles of sunscreen later.
Long story short: she meant to bring her Russian grandson along with her and had bought tickets for the two of them to go on a cruise before meeting up with us in LA, but he was denied a Visa twice, she didn't want to switch all her plans, so she invited myself and the boys to come along on a cruise! It just worked out that Tony couldn't come because of work, so we bought the boys' tickets and off we went. And now, our boys have been on a cruise and out of the country before their Dad. he he
Thank goodness for a wonderful invention, called the Garmin, or GPS. The drive alone with the boys was rather pleasant, we left around 4am, they slept almost the entire time, we stopped twice to change a diaper and to eat, but found our way to the port fairly easy. All that with NO idea where I was going - later in the week, Tony and I were remembering how our parents didn't have GPS to tell them where to go, and I distinctly remember my Dad using a large city map to drive around. Oh boy! We forgot about the good ol days, I can't even imagine what I would have done! How crazy, our kids won't even know what a paper map looks like!
The best part of the whole thing was the car. We borrowed my parents' SUV and I am actually surprised that it hauled balls, cause it was so packed that we ended up with stuff on the roof and enough stuff in the front seat to turn on the airbag, AND no room for a third person in the back. Because we were going to be gone for so long, we brought our entire house, but most of the space was taken by the fire wood, camping crap, the umbrella and the microwave, along with all the non perishable groceries - all for Kohen. It was quite comical.
Oh, there were some mishaps on this trip as well!
Day 1: On board!
Going in, I wasn't expecting to have much relaxation or fun, because of the ages of our children, but the cruise actually turned out better than expected. Kohen was at a good age for cruising, safety wise, Pieces not so much. I did have to chase him around as expected and deal with his outrageous dinner behavior at times, but I think Kohen's whining and random bursts of tears weren't any better. He was so funny, in the midst of the GORGEOUS weather and the on board water park and activities, he kept asking to go back to the room. Seriously? His father's child.
On the first day we did the safety drill thing, hung out at the water park, got our first tan of the year on, ate food and went to check out a musical after dinner, which the kids actually loved! The dining room menu was stellar! The crocodile balls weren't too bad either, balls made of crocodile that is, not crocodile's balls.
This was my second time on this type of cruise, but I've forgotten how amazing it is, just to be at sea, and feel the wind, and to see the seagulls and to have so many options for food! Now, as adults, we didn't get to do much on the ship, because my Russian mom came to spend time with her grandchildren, and there wasn't really anything for Reesy to do, and my husband wasn't around - otherwise.....who knows. ha ha ha ha But spending time on the top deck was nonetheless magical, even if it was chasing Pizza around. Speaking of...
I am pretty sure the kid had his first taste of alcohol, I know - bad parenting. But no. So on the sun deck, by the pool, everyday, there are lots of sunbathers and waiters juggling alcoholic drinks, which, happen to come in very cute, colorful ocean creature shaped mugs. My Russian mom went to swim in the adult pool, which Pizza couldn't use due to wearing a swim diaper, but Kohen could. So we went to the big pool, he started throwing a fit, and while focused on that, I somehow set Reesy free. Next thing I know, he's got someone's mug, just drinking through the straw, standing right behind the guy. Yeah, we didn't say anything, I am sure baby slobber would be the least of his problems. Gross!
But that wasn't it. The next day, Reesy apparently got very hungry and jacked someone's half-eaten pizza from their lounge chair while they were away, and later on, proceeded to lick something very sticky off the main foot traffic area. How's this kid still alive?
But the cutest thing on the cruise was how everyone fell in love with Reesy. He made some friends during the safety drill, and our room steward had so much fun with him. It seemed like everywhere we went, Reesy would say "hi" and people would just light up with a huge smile! I got lots of comments on how cute the boys were. And Reesy, this huge chunky baby the size of a small 3 year old, people didn't even seem to mind him screaming, or bumping into them, or throwing his food everywhere. Guess everyone was plenty drunk and happy!
Day 2: Catalina - one of my fav's! Although small, it's the perfect place to relax or not! Love the beautiful pier, the boats in the harbor, the tiny beaches with their warm water, and the houses - ah, they kill me! They are so dreamy and I would love one of them, just as a vacation house.
It was crazy hot that day, but all the more amazing! We started the day off with the glass bottom boat tour where the boys got to feed the fish, and ooh and aah at the amazing sea life. We then, walked around and took some pictures near the beach, checked out their amazing little shops by the pier and rented a golf cart to drive around the island. Last time I was there, we pretty much stayed on the main boardwalk, so this was really fun to see more of Avalon. The trail takes you up this mountain where you get the most breathtaking view of the hill and the ocean beneath, the water color gets more beautiful towards the west side of the island, and you also drive right by these stunning houses and small little condos. As we were driving around, I saw children's toys outside some of these houses, and thought, how lucky are these people, to grow up in such a stunning place. I would guess their parents probably were the owners of small businesses and restaurants, and I am sure there are challenges with living on the island, but what a different way of life!
We went out for lunch at the Lobster Trap and the seafood was unbelievable, but then again, I am not a good food critic, because I like everything. Then we went to check out more of the island, we watched and listened to the waves breaking against the rocks, let the boys run around on their feet and then headed to the beach for the last part of our day. Grandma and Kohen went to shop for something or other, so Reesy and I made some friends along the boardwalk and played with their dogs. Suddenly, we lost Grandma and Kohen and ended up looking for them for about 20 minutes. I then, spotted the very relaxed police force (and who could blame them), and as soon as I went to ask for their help, there showed up Granny and Kohen, turns out, he had to use the bathroom, so Grandma took him all the way back to the pier.
We spent the last part of the day near the pier on the beach, the water was fantastic. This was also the boys' first time on the beach near the ocean! They weren't huge fans at first, but Reese did check out the water eventually and ran away. We made some more friends with this cute Italian couple who were just over the moon about Reese. Overall, it was a fantastic day, I will definitely be bringing Tony next time, just love Catalina!
Day 3: Mexico!
Since there weren't many excursions for the kids to choose from, we decided to take the bus to La Bufadora to see the Blow hole. It was about an hour and a half bus ride which first stopped at one of Ensenada's historic buildings. The tour would have been pretty cool actually, if I didn't have a giant 30lbs sack of wiggles to carry and to chase. I did manage one picture of the inside, the original chandelier, it's gorg in person. And can't complain about a cold glass of coke at the end. **** One thing about Mexico though - no one, and I mean, no one had ANY diet coke for sale. It was like a diet coke extinction. But, we did see a giant Costco downtown Ensenada, oh and their beach - stunning, it looked so hot and inviting from that bus window, I think if Tony and I ever head that way again, we'll taxi over to the beach.
La Bufadora itself is a pretty run down city, but the coastline and the cliffs! Oh my. Something you could stare at, all day. And, I love their flea market, even with all their coaxing you to purchase something. This time though, unusually for me, I just couldn't think of anything that I needed or wanted. I might have gone for a purse or something, but Mr. Reese was really hot, grouchy and tired, so after dropping some cash on the delicious Mexican tacos and churros for the kids, Reese and I headed for some shade where he fell asleep while Kohen and my mom shopped around. Kohen ended up with this really cool wooden crocodile that he guarded with his life, until it's head almost fell off, and my Mom got this yummy pina colada drink in a Pineapple. Oh, and we did see the Blow hole - for those who dk, it's kinda like an underwater geyser that sprays water up above every few minutes. Overall, good few hours. Still no diet coke, anywhere!
And, I was so distracted by Reese's crazy screaming that I almost forgot to purchase Tony his first Mexican souvenir, thankfully, there was last minute shopping before getting back on board, so Tony ended up with this really studly, sporty white watch that cost me 20 bucks. He loves it, money well spent.
The touristy side of Ensenada is pretty fun, but the way of life for the natives isn't so hot. Sadly, what we saw is what you would expect to see in a typical Mexican city. Poverty, graffiti, lots of small businesses, children wondering everywhere, lots of little shacks, people selling food on the side of the road. It's all beautiful to me, because I was just a passer by, but it's difficult to imagine living on next to nothing.
Day 4: At Sea!
The last day on the cruise was spent at sea, as we were on our way from Mexico. As you can see in the pictures, we didn't do much that day. The frog legs tasted fine, kinda bland and like moist chicken. But, I've crossed two new foods off my list. Reesy and Grandma spent most of the afternoon sleeping while Kohen and I played at the water park, after which he fell asleep, face in lounge chair. After grandma and Reese re-surfaced, here began the funny mishaps of the trip, first of which - my battles with the laundry! Oh, what a luxury it is to have my own washing and drying machines.
So I go to start a load of laundry, insert my 3 dollars in quarters, press start and.....about to walk away, when I realize that I just put our dirty, stained and smelly clothing in the dryer, instead of the washer, for an hour and a half. So I tried to ask a steward if he could shut it off for me, but no such luck. Then, I realize that I am going to need lots more quarters to actually wash my laundry and then to dry it all over again, so I wait like 15 minutes in the guest services line to get more quarters, in the mean time, thinking - how could I be so stupid, but then...those machines are really old and industrial, and it's honestly hard to tell between the washer and the dryer, and they weren't labeled very well. So I am just dumb.
I come back later in the day to now, wash my clothing. I put it in the washer this time, insert my quarters and press start. About to walk away when.....I realize, I didn't have any laundry detergent, and what I did bring, was all the way back in Los Angeles, inside the parking lot in the car and was too heavy to bring on the cruise because it was liquid detergent. Crap!!!!!
Another hour and a half later, come back to switch my laundry, this time with extra quarters left. I switch my washed, yet still stained clothing into the dryer, insert my coins and press start. About to walk away.....when I realize, oh hey - there's a coin operated laundry detergent dispenser hanging on the wall.
Yeah.
So we made it back to LA, me with my heavy bag, and 30lbs of Reese on the other hip, a small stroller and Kohen in tow, walking up the hill of the parking garage. It's hot, and there is a lot of rearranging and rope tying to do, when.....the car won't start. Dead battery. And, no one who could exactly help me out there. But, a few minutes later, I hired myself a parking attendant who charged me 30 bucks for 5 minutes of work, but at that point, with the kids hungry and hot and all of the luggage to put away in our over packed car - I could care less and was so thankful for the guy that I would have paid him a 100. So, 30 minutes later, we were finally on our way!
Day 1: Long Beach, CA
Aquarium of the Pacific
Right across the bay, we found this wonderful place in Rainbow Harbor, called The Pike, and this aquarium. Money well spent, even my little Peaches was interested! The boys got to pet jellyfish and watch a live sea lion/seal show, pet baby sharks and sting rays. Kohen's absolute favorite were the sharks, he was so excited, and Reese actually liked everything, I think. The place was pretty big, with cool sea creatures and fish, very expensive food, and crazy parking fees because we were too lazy and too hot to find free parking on the street, but I still give it thumbs up. I liked the jellyfish too, it's not everyday you get to pet these things!
Next, we headed over to Shoreline Village for some treats and just to check out the place. It's a pretty nice walk along the harbor, gorgeous boats and lots of restaurants. The kids got to ride the carousel and grandma treated them to some ice cream and I fed my children churros, and we had a fun afternoon.
Day 2: LA and Manhattan Beach
Travel Town Trains
LA itself is surprisingly hard city to find something for little kids to do. There are lots of museums, theaters, restaurants, bus tours, shopping, etc....but I did manage to find something interesting for the boys, it's this little park called Travel Town. It's next to LA Zoo and basically houses old trains, a train museum and takes families for a train ride around the park. It was good 2 hours, and Kohen loved being able to climb inside one of the trains.
Next, we headed over to Manhattan Beach for lunch. We were looking for a nice little place to eat that would accommodate little children without the overwhelming alcohol serving atmosphere and sports bar theme. I also had to find something that served fries because that's the only thing Kohen will eat at restaurants, besides ice cream, chips and MAYBE bread sticks. (his eating issues) But, we ended up at this Italian restaurant a block away from the beach, called Mama D's - which, funny enough - had zero American food, no chips and no desserts. They served us fairly fast, and I think had the most amazing garlic bread and oil, ever. Like, ever. But, props to them - they had honey packets for Kohen to dip his bread in (as Tony taught him to do, the only way Kohen will eat bread sticks); however, the garlic rolls were round - so Kohen wouldn't eat them. I think he ended up with one bite of bread and honey, and a little toy and some apple juice, but the rest of us had an AMAZING lunch.
Manhattan Beach is beautiful, but was SOOO busy. It was a Saturday, however. We spent maybe about and hour and a half there, the water was warm enough to swim, which I didn't get to do because Mr. Reese is a little hooligan and I spent all my time chasing him and keeping him from bothering other people. We did get to lay out for a while, while the kids utilized the beach as their personal sand box.
Our next mishap. Apparently, Manhattan beach is one of those places with what is known as "beach tar". I've been to the beach several times in my life, but have never heard of that, until we had to google it on the beach, out of necessity. Thank goodness for google! My Russian mom ended up with both of her feet COVERED with this tar and I had some on me as well. Apparently, it's a common mistake people make, because there are lots of articles about removing it. Fortunately, we found free parking right in front of Vons, up a few blocks from the beach - so we invested in a bottle of canola oil and scrubbed our feet for a good 20 minutes in the parking lot. The only thing that didn't make it were my moms shoes.
For dinner, we found this amazing chain restaurant called Islands. I think I've had the world's best Yaki Tacos. Teriyaki chicken, teriyaki sauce and mango salsa on warm tortillas, and my Mom got her Islands Margarita on!
After my Mom's shopping adventure and dinner, Tony finally flew in to LA, where we met him at the hotel near the airport, and then we spent 20 minutes re-packing the car so that one of us could sit next to the car seats. Tony ended up sitting on top of the folded seat with no seat belt, folded legs, guarded by suitcases and the microwave, while my Mom sat in the front with our other bags, and we still had her bag tied on top with the stroller. We were heading to San Diego for a few days, but first we had to make a grocery trip for all of our fire cooking the next day, as if we didn't have enough stuff in the car. We got meat, sauce, spices, vegetables, some fruit and some milk for the boys, and of course ice, to keep it all cold for the next day.
In the way of mishaps, yes, again. I am driving to San Diego, using the Garmin. Finally, past all the traffic, I'm on this 5 lane highway, it's dark and not many cars on the road. We're going about 80 or so, just doing what the Garmin says, when suddenly - a camera up top snaps our picture and almost blinds me for a sec.....and out of the corner of my eye, I see the toll road signs, as I am wheezing by in the furthest left lane. Ooops. And, as a responsible adult - I wait almost 4 days to look up online what happens if you didn't stop to pay the toll. Ah, they give you 48 hours to pay it, after which they send you a nice fine in the mail. Yeah, 4 days later. Guess, I should be looking for that in my parents mailbox, since it was their car.
I did get my hair lightened right before the trip and the sun made it almost blondy/gold color.
Day 3: La Jolla, San Diego
Well, we made it to San Diego and got up early the next day to see the seals at La Jolla Cove and to spend the entire day on the beach.
We got there just in time to see a whale!!!! It was a "whale" of a good time! It was actually the second one, we saw another one from the cruise ship, but we got a pic of this one. The beach itself is a fantastic family spot. The sand is clean, hot and the water was fairly colder there, but the day was so hot that I eventually got in with my body board.
We kept the fire the entire day, and brought our camping table to prep the food, all done with a small knife, paper plates and tin foil. On the menu? Lemon peppered salmon, grilled shrimp, meat and veggie bobs, red seasoned potatoes, steak with vegetables and chicken kabobs. All prepared from the cooler, by chef Alli. I think my Russian mom was impressed at our ingenuity, because we have this summer house in Russia, just outside the city, called the "dacha", where they prepare some food over fire as well. Tony kept up the fire all day (with the giant wood we brought all the way from Santa Clara, UT and logs), and we pretty much outdid ourselves.
The boys did not want to sit in the shade, naturally. Kohen made this Californian friend, who was a couple years older, but very much a rule follower. He was all like "littering is bad" because we threw some packaging in the fire to burn. Kohen and him had fun most of the day though, so it was nice for Kohen to have a friend. Grandma commented on the fact that Kohen spent the entire day, doing one thing - digging in the hot sand. I guess the sand box is heaven for little boys, they weren't too interested in building sand castles out of wet sand or going in the water for that matter.
It was a fantastic day on the beach, which wasn't horribly crowded. We smelled like camp fire, but thankfully burned through all that wood we'd packed and gave our pit to the next crowd of people, which was nice because we didn't have to clean it up or put the fire out. Perfect day with the family. I still marvel at how amazing it is, just to sit on the beach and enjoy the day with a gentle ocean breeze and our kids entertaining themselves.
Later that evening, it was time to do laundry. Another laundry mishap?
So I find this coin laundry blocks away from the hotel and drive over alone. It was my first time in a laundromat, actually, I know - spoiled, right? So I walk in and find the first available washer, not realizing that they have different sizes of machines. I look up at the wall, and the sign says $10.00 for five loads and I'm like - I don't really wanna pay $10.00 for this, so I ask this lady how many quarters I need to put in, in case I read the sign wrong, and she thankfully, points me to a different size washer, seeing that I don't have 5 loads worth. So I remove all my clothes out of the big washer into two smaller ones, which ended up costing me like 6 bucks anyway because they were too small and I didn't know there was a medium size washer, and then realize that I forgot my liquid Tide at the hotel. So I spend another dollar on powder detergent off the wall and press start. Then, I am cruising over to my car to return back to the hotel while the laundry washes and my keys are missing. Rather, my parent's car keys, of which, we only brought 1 on our trip, just 1. The car is locked, of course, and so is my cell phone, right in there. I'm like seriously blond. At this point, I had to laugh at myself, but I was freaking out because I could not find my keys anywhere. I thought I had left them on the floor by the washers, but they were not there. In the mean time, another lady came with 5 loads and stuck them in the first washer that I tried to use, so I thought, crap - maybe she took my keys, or maybe they fell into that washer and now her laundry still had 2 hours left. So now, I have no car keys, my cell phone is locked in the car, I am alone and stuck at a laundromat.
So I go next door to a gas station to ask if I could use their phone and this bratty cashier chick tells me there's a payphone outside. So, I had to have my first experience with a germy payphone and call Tony at the hotel, with the quarters that I had left and explain to him that my keys were lost and I was stuck at the laundromat, which he couldn't do much about anyway, because we only had one car. Now, I'm not a princess or anything, but that payphone, seriously, looked like an STD lab.
I am just not meant to do coin laundry.
So while waiting for my laundry, I am just praying that I washed my keys in the laundry. Yep, I washed the battery part and the keys in the laundry. It still worked though, and I got back safely, with clean laundry this time.
Day 4: Legoland, Carlsbad, CA
First time in Legoland, and gotta say - there are lots of rides for little kids. I am pretty sure, we did not see any children over the age of 10 there, guess it was that kind of a day. But, all the more for us. I think the longest wait was about 45 minutes, but all the rest was pretty painless. It was Reese's first time on rides - and, he didn't care, at all. Silly baby. He was just chill the entire day, and maybe said "whee" like once. He isn't even afraid of heights, or anything else for that matter. Kohen had fun as well, I think his favorite was the rocket.
The saddest moment of the day was when Kohen and I kept going on rides and he was waiting to finish his churro, and after returning from a ride, Grandma had finished it off - there were TEARS! Thankfully, there were plenty of churros to be had at Disneyland, later in the week.
Kohen got to go on his 1st big boy roller coaster, and I think after the first initial drop, he really liked it! Now he's a total roller coaster junkie!
Day 5: Old Town, San Diego
One of our favorite places, not just for the shopping and the restaurants, but for it's simple beauty and Mexican culture. I love the architecture and the amazing food! My Mom had an amazing time there as well, and we ended up with new shades. For Mother's Day, Tony searched high and low for a gift and came out with this one of a kind leather shoulder bag with an owl on it - sorta like west India meets fairytale. It's gorg.
We had lunch at Casa del Reys, super delish Mexican burritos, and then I ended up with some jewelry and this amazing wrap skirt, which I don't have any place currently to wear it to, perhaps, "running errands" kind of skirt. The weather was amazing as well and the place wasn't packed that Tuesday, so it turned out to be a great place to visit with the kids.
Gaslamp Quarters
We stopped there for my Mom to see the city more or less, it's an awesome few blocks on walking to do if you are hungry. So many restaurants. It was too early for dinner then, so I introduced her to Ghirardelli chocolate and ice cream - my fav, and I'm not a chocolate person, but they had some new flavors out, so we ended up with a bag of small chocolates to take home.
Day 6: Balboa Park, San Diego
This is such a huge, but rather charming place! The architecture is stunning, reminds me somewhat of old outskirts of Moscow. So many beautiful gardens and little streets to walk. We rented this surrey thing from Wheel Fun Rentals, which I was so excited about, until we actually had to pedal it up the hill. I didn't realize that it would be so tiring, even with two little people. We didn't keep that thing for long because we got tired and hot, but it was a little fun while it lasted and the boys liked riding in it.
One of the places we visited was the Japanese Friendship Garden, it was beautiful and serene. Of course half of it was under construction, but the part that was open was very gorgeous. Kinda reminded me of San Fran a little. he he We also visited the Rose garden and the Desert Garden at the end of our day. You can't really go wrong with this place, everything is worth seeing.
There are many museums to choose from, so we went with the San Diego Air and Space museum and it was definitely worth the price of the tickets. I was thoroughly entertained, there was so much to look at! They had a very large collection of old planes and just overall, amazing artwork from the old days. The museum houses Ripley's Believe it or Not section as well, so we got to see some very cool things like a wooden boat that looks like a car, the world's tallest man, a car covered in pennies, a two headed cow, a piece of the Berlin wall and a carriage made from some sort of green copper, very charming.
We even managed to get a photo with both boys looking and smiling, it's a miracle! Of course, we look atrocious with their lighting, ha ha ha.
Day 7: The Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland!
Because my Mom wanted to see more of San Diego this trip, we ended up with only 1 day to hit Cali Adventure and Disneyland, so with our hopper tickets, we decided to hit Cali Adventure first and take the boys to Cars Land. It was a first for us as well, although I wish we could have seen more of Cali Adventure. We knew that Reesy couldn't ride very many rides there, so we ended up running around different parts to stand in line just for one or two rides, even with my amazing organized list. However, Kohen's absolute favorite was the Radiator Springs Racers ride - score! I loved it too, definitely worth the 2 hour wait, but next time, maybe we'll come like in January....ha ha ha We saw Mater and Red - total boys' heaven, and Kohen was so good about waiting in line for the Cars ride, we made Grandma come on that one, and she loved it too!
Tony and I snuck away on the one and only adult ride by ourselves, the Tower of Terror. Oh. my. goodness. My favorite! I was seriously scared to death! We sat in the very back row, thank goodness, and I was clinging onto Tony for dear life as our butts were flying up into the air. I would totally go again if we had more time.
Kohen liked pretty much everything, Reesy totally didn't care. He was just chill on all the rides, and spent probably more time in the stroller while Kohen and I ran around to go on all the rides. Disneyland seemed more relaxed though, even with tons of people, and I prefer Disneyland for kid rides because they are more suited for Reese's height in one location, so you don't end up running around as much. We hit up Fantasyland first where we went on some character rides in the dark and little Reesy would try to climb out towards the end of the ride and do his little sign language for "all done", ha ha he was cute.
Kohen was tall enough for Space Mountain and now it's his and my absolute favorite ride! This boy is a roller coaster nut! I thought he would be scared because it's all in the dark, but the stinker had fun! We are not sure about Tony, though. We don't know if he likes any rides. Reesy LOVED Mickey Mouse the best!
We had such a great day with the boys, I think it would only be better when we no longer need the stroller or the diaper bag, ha ha - soon!
Day 8: Dana Point, CA
Another hidden treasure. The day we came, was barely anyone there. We stayed at the shopping plaza at the harbor for the entire day and had an absolute blast, seemed like, all to ourselves! And, it was also Kohen's 4th Birthday!!!!!!!!!
Can't believe we already have a 4 year old, going on 30! He is such a cutie pants. I've already mentioned he is reading level 1 books almost without help, and still has another year of pre-school left. Uh-oh, we're gonna be in trouble. We are so proud of him.
His absolute favorite thing in the entire world is his love for animals. He is a walking animal encyclopedia. We're prepping him for business ownership though, so he's been telling us that he is going to own 2 zoos and travel to Africa. I am all for it!
He's grown so much in the last year, physically, socially, intellectually. He will talk about animals from sun up to sun down, so of course, we ended up coming home from this trip with a back pack full of new plastic animals. Just when we thought his animal collection was complete, nope. He likes his friends at pre school and going to Primary, although, somehow - every Sunday, Jesus seems to only create animals, and that's it.
For his birthday he got to ride Jet skis for the first time, see dolphins and eat a giant glass of vanilla ice cream - which he didn't finish, but he tried, he tried.
Grandma even went out to the open sea on the Jet Ski! She survived and had fun. Kohen thought it was awesome, and so did I. The day could not have been more gorgeous and the smell of the open sea, ahh. We even had a sea lion swim up to us while in the harbor. I took many mental photographs, it was just unforgettable and beautiful. Our little Pieces got to ride the Jet ski too, we don't know if he liked it or what - but he looked so cute on it!
For lunch we ate at the Harbor Grill with the beautiful view of the boats, my kind of a place.
After lunch we headed out to see dolphins aboard The Pride from Dana Wharf. On our way out, we saw just how beautiful God has really made this world for us, so many sea lions, pelicans and the entire Dana Point coastline is breathtaking. The best two hours that day!
If you ever need a dose of happiness, see yourself some dolphins. I swear, they are one of the most magical creatures, especially the way they freely swim next to humans. My Mom and I could not stop smiling.
After our magical cruise, we had some time to kill before dinner, so we ended up chillin on Doheny state beach, which was pretty empty, but had nice amenities, beautiful views and calm waves.
Tony even got in the water this trip!
I loved watching the boys play in the sand with their Daddy, there's just something amazing about having an Eternal family, and someone who loves his family so much.
After the beach, we ended up at Wind n Sea restaurant. Birthday boy got his presents - who would've guessed, he got Charlotte's Web the movie, Nanny Mcphee, which he asked for, and....tun, tun, tun, 4 new plastic animals, along with this amazing photo Safari book that Grandma got for him at Old Town, where the film over the photos makes the animals look like they moving as you turn the pages, oh and vanilla ice cream. He was very, very happy.
And, I think I officially died and went to Heaven - my Mom and I ended up ordering the same thing: stuffed salmon with all my favorite things, crab meat, cream cheese, sauteed mushrooms and boursin cream sauce, with garlic mashed potatoes.
Happy Birthday, Kohen!
The next day, sadly, it was time to take Grandma to the airport. So after lunch, we dropped her off at LAX. We're so sad to see her go, she had such an amazing time, and the boys loved her so much, and she them. Even though, they may have been little hooligans. We're hoping to see her again soon before her 3 year visa expires, though, and eventually make a family trip to Russia to see all the places I knew as a child. So here's to next time! We love you!!!!!!
The rest of the evening, we chilled at the hotel, unpacked the car and did some more laundry.
Oh, don't worry, just another laundry mishap.
So our hotel had guest laundry, but only two washers and two dryers, which were occupied the first time I went in. The second time, the washer was finally open, but the water had been spraying out of the hose and had gotten all the buttons wet, and the second washer had an "out of order" sign. The person before had obviously washed their laundry in the one and only available washer, so I figured it was fine. I load my clothes, dump some Tide in there, load 3 dollars worth of quarters.....and the machine does NOTHING. Just sits there, can't even select the cycle. The coin return, of course, isn't working. Shocker.
So I ask a hotel employee to help, but we were in "only speak Spanish" land, so she had no clue, but asked another employee to come help, and after he couldn't, yet another employee came in and explained that they had put the "out of order" sign on the wrong washer. What the?????
So, I re-load my laundry, insert some more quarters into the machine, select the cycle and it appears to be working just fine. So I leave and come back about an hour later to check on it - when the lovely ladies in front of me had occupied both of the dryers which each had 2 hours left on them.
Obviously, I didn't want to leave my wet clothes marinating for 2 hours, and it was getting to be dinner time and we wanted to go out somewhere to eat, so leaving my clothes wasn't an option anyway, so the next thing we end up doing is loading all my wet clothes into the same bag, plus another load of dirty ones and dragging everything to the laundromat down the road.
And, SUCCESS! I finally completed some laundry without any further disturbances. I am now quite good at laundromats, for real.
Malibu, CA
Our last two days in California ended up being so fun, just the 4 of us. The next day we got up early to drive out to Malibu. We found this AMAZING Thai food place right off PCH, and their yellow coconut curry was to die for! Tony and I LOVE Thai and Indian food, and Pieces did too.
After lunch, we headed off to a lonely beach, which was what I wanted for Mother's Day, just to hang on the beach, listen to the waves, feel the hot sand, relax and watch our family enjoying each other. We found just the perfect place little ways north and spent the rest of the afternoon watching the most gorgeous waves crashing against the rocks. It was extremely windy there, but we didn't care. Pizza was asleep in the stroller for about 2 hours and Kohen happily played in the sand and went crab hunting. My favorite were the wave breaks though, I think they are the most beautiful ones in So Cal.
After a relaxing afternoon, we headed out for dinner at this cute restaurant called Spruzzo in Malibu. I tried the mushroom sandwich w/avocado - it was pretty delish. We ended up having an amazing time, after which I forgot our left overs in a bag inside the girls bathroom and made Tony go get it, he he he. Thankfully, some lady helped him out with that one. But, what a perfect Mother's Day!
My cute men are truly the best! It was one of those days to stop and think just how much I have, and to have such a beautiful family, and darling husband. Heavenly Father is so merciful to us and I can't wait to experience even more beauty, see more places, live with success and freedom as a couple and as a family.
Last Day in Cali: LA Zoo and Santa Monica Pier
In the morning we went to the LA zoo, it was really hot that day, but overall we had a good time. The zoo is pretty big, but wasn't horribly interesting. Although, Kohen got to see a real tapir! The highlight of his trip, and a bunch of gazelle looking things that he knows the names of, and I do not, but the tapir was pretty cool - no one knows what that is when he talks about it, so he was pretty excited to see that. I personally enjoyed the air conditioning of the gift shop, where we ended up with yet more plastic animals.
Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Park
The most amazing way to finish off our trip! Since the park wasn't very busy, and there are about 4 rides to rotate around, we got to go on them probably 8 times each, or more! No waiting in lines for anything and on a couple of rides, they would let Kohen and I go twice or even six times in the row. I love going on rides, even though these were a little lame, ha ha but it is on the pier, so....but I got my money's worth out of that park! And the view from the roller coaster was almost my favorite part of the whole trip. Ocean, the coastline.......I will miss you.
And, in case you didn't get enough details from our trip or seen enough pictures.....just kidding! The end.
Now, that was one cool vacation with the kids! I think next one is for Mommy and Daddy only!
In the way of updates:
Reese is nearly 2 years old, that's crazy. He's huge and tall, and is starting to act just like brother. He is talking lots and lots and has turned into a social butterfly. He's our "sourpatch" kid - he can be so sweet and cuddly, but if you do something he doesn't want - plug your ears and run! Lately, he's been getting into everything, and eating our house. He is also a very cautious boy, but once he's off - he has no fear. We found out, he likes heights. My favorite line from the trip was "gull....seeulata"; that's "seagull, see you later". For cute. Next up is potty training, and maybe some manners while we're at it. ha ha
And, lastly for this o-u-t-r-a-g-e-o-u-s-l-y long post.............WE'RE MOVING!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! So sad.
Just up to Salt Lake area to build our Primerica business. In the mean time, Tony will be working his same job at Intermountain - so funny, there were several applicants and he got the job. How? By applying what we have learned from our amazing Pri leaders - he asked the interviewer lots of questions about him, and pretty much let the guy talk the whole time about himself. The interviewer called back a week later and expressed how much he liked Tony; and he got the job. ha ha ha
We've been thinking about making this move for a while now, even though neither of us really wants to live up north, but we are going to do what we have to for our family and for success. We are planning on returning to build a house, possibly back in St. G when the time is right. Until then, we're thankful for all of our opportunities and thousands of blessings and all the people here in St. George who have come into our lives. We're excited to start something new and to plant our feet in this God given opportunity.
We've both been working lots of hours in preparation to our vacation with my Russian mom, Irina; Tony's been doing long hours at work, then working on our Primerica business; and I've been taking on extra night shifts at my work. Something mildly exciting, we sold his "baby truck" and bought a brand new RAM, so now, Tony can finally shut up about getting a truck. He now, has a TRUCK! It's a beast and wildly fun to drive. It seems like in the last year we've grown so much as people and as a family, and things were coming to a screeching halt the way we were going, just means our family was ready for a change, more about that at the end! First thing's first: our amazing vacation with my Russian mom and the kids' Russian grandma, Irina!
Three bottles of sunscreen later.
Long story short: she meant to bring her Russian grandson along with her and had bought tickets for the two of them to go on a cruise before meeting up with us in LA, but he was denied a Visa twice, she didn't want to switch all her plans, so she invited myself and the boys to come along on a cruise! It just worked out that Tony couldn't come because of work, so we bought the boys' tickets and off we went. And now, our boys have been on a cruise and out of the country before their Dad. he he
Thank goodness for a wonderful invention, called the Garmin, or GPS. The drive alone with the boys was rather pleasant, we left around 4am, they slept almost the entire time, we stopped twice to change a diaper and to eat, but found our way to the port fairly easy. All that with NO idea where I was going - later in the week, Tony and I were remembering how our parents didn't have GPS to tell them where to go, and I distinctly remember my Dad using a large city map to drive around. Oh boy! We forgot about the good ol days, I can't even imagine what I would have done! How crazy, our kids won't even know what a paper map looks like!
The best part of the whole thing was the car. We borrowed my parents' SUV and I am actually surprised that it hauled balls, cause it was so packed that we ended up with stuff on the roof and enough stuff in the front seat to turn on the airbag, AND no room for a third person in the back. Because we were going to be gone for so long, we brought our entire house, but most of the space was taken by the fire wood, camping crap, the umbrella and the microwave, along with all the non perishable groceries - all for Kohen. It was quite comical.
Oh, there were some mishaps on this trip as well!
Day 1: On board!
Going in, I wasn't expecting to have much relaxation or fun, because of the ages of our children, but the cruise actually turned out better than expected. Kohen was at a good age for cruising, safety wise, Pieces not so much. I did have to chase him around as expected and deal with his outrageous dinner behavior at times, but I think Kohen's whining and random bursts of tears weren't any better. He was so funny, in the midst of the GORGEOUS weather and the on board water park and activities, he kept asking to go back to the room. Seriously? His father's child.
On the first day we did the safety drill thing, hung out at the water park, got our first tan of the year on, ate food and went to check out a musical after dinner, which the kids actually loved! The dining room menu was stellar! The crocodile balls weren't too bad either, balls made of crocodile that is, not crocodile's balls.
This was my second time on this type of cruise, but I've forgotten how amazing it is, just to be at sea, and feel the wind, and to see the seagulls and to have so many options for food! Now, as adults, we didn't get to do much on the ship, because my Russian mom came to spend time with her grandchildren, and there wasn't really anything for Reesy to do, and my husband wasn't around - otherwise.....who knows. ha ha ha ha But spending time on the top deck was nonetheless magical, even if it was chasing Pizza around. Speaking of...
I am pretty sure the kid had his first taste of alcohol, I know - bad parenting. But no. So on the sun deck, by the pool, everyday, there are lots of sunbathers and waiters juggling alcoholic drinks, which, happen to come in very cute, colorful ocean creature shaped mugs. My Russian mom went to swim in the adult pool, which Pizza couldn't use due to wearing a swim diaper, but Kohen could. So we went to the big pool, he started throwing a fit, and while focused on that, I somehow set Reesy free. Next thing I know, he's got someone's mug, just drinking through the straw, standing right behind the guy. Yeah, we didn't say anything, I am sure baby slobber would be the least of his problems. Gross!
But that wasn't it. The next day, Reesy apparently got very hungry and jacked someone's half-eaten pizza from their lounge chair while they were away, and later on, proceeded to lick something very sticky off the main foot traffic area. How's this kid still alive?
But the cutest thing on the cruise was how everyone fell in love with Reesy. He made some friends during the safety drill, and our room steward had so much fun with him. It seemed like everywhere we went, Reesy would say "hi" and people would just light up with a huge smile! I got lots of comments on how cute the boys were. And Reesy, this huge chunky baby the size of a small 3 year old, people didn't even seem to mind him screaming, or bumping into them, or throwing his food everywhere. Guess everyone was plenty drunk and happy!
Day 2: Catalina - one of my fav's! Although small, it's the perfect place to relax or not! Love the beautiful pier, the boats in the harbor, the tiny beaches with their warm water, and the houses - ah, they kill me! They are so dreamy and I would love one of them, just as a vacation house.
It was crazy hot that day, but all the more amazing! We started the day off with the glass bottom boat tour where the boys got to feed the fish, and ooh and aah at the amazing sea life. We then, walked around and took some pictures near the beach, checked out their amazing little shops by the pier and rented a golf cart to drive around the island. Last time I was there, we pretty much stayed on the main boardwalk, so this was really fun to see more of Avalon. The trail takes you up this mountain where you get the most breathtaking view of the hill and the ocean beneath, the water color gets more beautiful towards the west side of the island, and you also drive right by these stunning houses and small little condos. As we were driving around, I saw children's toys outside some of these houses, and thought, how lucky are these people, to grow up in such a stunning place. I would guess their parents probably were the owners of small businesses and restaurants, and I am sure there are challenges with living on the island, but what a different way of life!
We went out for lunch at the Lobster Trap and the seafood was unbelievable, but then again, I am not a good food critic, because I like everything. Then we went to check out more of the island, we watched and listened to the waves breaking against the rocks, let the boys run around on their feet and then headed to the beach for the last part of our day. Grandma and Kohen went to shop for something or other, so Reesy and I made some friends along the boardwalk and played with their dogs. Suddenly, we lost Grandma and Kohen and ended up looking for them for about 20 minutes. I then, spotted the very relaxed police force (and who could blame them), and as soon as I went to ask for their help, there showed up Granny and Kohen, turns out, he had to use the bathroom, so Grandma took him all the way back to the pier.
We spent the last part of the day near the pier on the beach, the water was fantastic. This was also the boys' first time on the beach near the ocean! They weren't huge fans at first, but Reese did check out the water eventually and ran away. We made some more friends with this cute Italian couple who were just over the moon about Reese. Overall, it was a fantastic day, I will definitely be bringing Tony next time, just love Catalina!
Day 3: Mexico!
Since there weren't many excursions for the kids to choose from, we decided to take the bus to La Bufadora to see the Blow hole. It was about an hour and a half bus ride which first stopped at one of Ensenada's historic buildings. The tour would have been pretty cool actually, if I didn't have a giant 30lbs sack of wiggles to carry and to chase. I did manage one picture of the inside, the original chandelier, it's gorg in person. And can't complain about a cold glass of coke at the end. **** One thing about Mexico though - no one, and I mean, no one had ANY diet coke for sale. It was like a diet coke extinction. But, we did see a giant Costco downtown Ensenada, oh and their beach - stunning, it looked so hot and inviting from that bus window, I think if Tony and I ever head that way again, we'll taxi over to the beach.
La Bufadora itself is a pretty run down city, but the coastline and the cliffs! Oh my. Something you could stare at, all day. And, I love their flea market, even with all their coaxing you to purchase something. This time though, unusually for me, I just couldn't think of anything that I needed or wanted. I might have gone for a purse or something, but Mr. Reese was really hot, grouchy and tired, so after dropping some cash on the delicious Mexican tacos and churros for the kids, Reese and I headed for some shade where he fell asleep while Kohen and my mom shopped around. Kohen ended up with this really cool wooden crocodile that he guarded with his life, until it's head almost fell off, and my Mom got this yummy pina colada drink in a Pineapple. Oh, and we did see the Blow hole - for those who dk, it's kinda like an underwater geyser that sprays water up above every few minutes. Overall, good few hours. Still no diet coke, anywhere!
And, I was so distracted by Reese's crazy screaming that I almost forgot to purchase Tony his first Mexican souvenir, thankfully, there was last minute shopping before getting back on board, so Tony ended up with this really studly, sporty white watch that cost me 20 bucks. He loves it, money well spent.
The touristy side of Ensenada is pretty fun, but the way of life for the natives isn't so hot. Sadly, what we saw is what you would expect to see in a typical Mexican city. Poverty, graffiti, lots of small businesses, children wondering everywhere, lots of little shacks, people selling food on the side of the road. It's all beautiful to me, because I was just a passer by, but it's difficult to imagine living on next to nothing.
Day 4: At Sea!
The last day on the cruise was spent at sea, as we were on our way from Mexico. As you can see in the pictures, we didn't do much that day. The frog legs tasted fine, kinda bland and like moist chicken. But, I've crossed two new foods off my list. Reesy and Grandma spent most of the afternoon sleeping while Kohen and I played at the water park, after which he fell asleep, face in lounge chair. After grandma and Reese re-surfaced, here began the funny mishaps of the trip, first of which - my battles with the laundry! Oh, what a luxury it is to have my own washing and drying machines.
So I go to start a load of laundry, insert my 3 dollars in quarters, press start and.....about to walk away, when I realize that I just put our dirty, stained and smelly clothing in the dryer, instead of the washer, for an hour and a half. So I tried to ask a steward if he could shut it off for me, but no such luck. Then, I realize that I am going to need lots more quarters to actually wash my laundry and then to dry it all over again, so I wait like 15 minutes in the guest services line to get more quarters, in the mean time, thinking - how could I be so stupid, but then...those machines are really old and industrial, and it's honestly hard to tell between the washer and the dryer, and they weren't labeled very well. So I am just dumb.
I come back later in the day to now, wash my clothing. I put it in the washer this time, insert my quarters and press start. About to walk away when.....I realize, I didn't have any laundry detergent, and what I did bring, was all the way back in Los Angeles, inside the parking lot in the car and was too heavy to bring on the cruise because it was liquid detergent. Crap!!!!!
Another hour and a half later, come back to switch my laundry, this time with extra quarters left. I switch my washed, yet still stained clothing into the dryer, insert my coins and press start. About to walk away.....when I realize, oh hey - there's a coin operated laundry detergent dispenser hanging on the wall.
Yeah.
So we made it back to LA, me with my heavy bag, and 30lbs of Reese on the other hip, a small stroller and Kohen in tow, walking up the hill of the parking garage. It's hot, and there is a lot of rearranging and rope tying to do, when.....the car won't start. Dead battery. And, no one who could exactly help me out there. But, a few minutes later, I hired myself a parking attendant who charged me 30 bucks for 5 minutes of work, but at that point, with the kids hungry and hot and all of the luggage to put away in our over packed car - I could care less and was so thankful for the guy that I would have paid him a 100. So, 30 minutes later, we were finally on our way!
Day 1: Long Beach, CA
Aquarium of the Pacific
Right across the bay, we found this wonderful place in Rainbow Harbor, called The Pike, and this aquarium. Money well spent, even my little Peaches was interested! The boys got to pet jellyfish and watch a live sea lion/seal show, pet baby sharks and sting rays. Kohen's absolute favorite were the sharks, he was so excited, and Reese actually liked everything, I think. The place was pretty big, with cool sea creatures and fish, very expensive food, and crazy parking fees because we were too lazy and too hot to find free parking on the street, but I still give it thumbs up. I liked the jellyfish too, it's not everyday you get to pet these things!
Next, we headed over to Shoreline Village for some treats and just to check out the place. It's a pretty nice walk along the harbor, gorgeous boats and lots of restaurants. The kids got to ride the carousel and grandma treated them to some ice cream and I fed my children churros, and we had a fun afternoon.
Day 2: LA and Manhattan Beach
Travel Town Trains
LA itself is surprisingly hard city to find something for little kids to do. There are lots of museums, theaters, restaurants, bus tours, shopping, etc....but I did manage to find something interesting for the boys, it's this little park called Travel Town. It's next to LA Zoo and basically houses old trains, a train museum and takes families for a train ride around the park. It was good 2 hours, and Kohen loved being able to climb inside one of the trains.
Next, we headed over to Manhattan Beach for lunch. We were looking for a nice little place to eat that would accommodate little children without the overwhelming alcohol serving atmosphere and sports bar theme. I also had to find something that served fries because that's the only thing Kohen will eat at restaurants, besides ice cream, chips and MAYBE bread sticks. (his eating issues) But, we ended up at this Italian restaurant a block away from the beach, called Mama D's - which, funny enough - had zero American food, no chips and no desserts. They served us fairly fast, and I think had the most amazing garlic bread and oil, ever. Like, ever. But, props to them - they had honey packets for Kohen to dip his bread in (as Tony taught him to do, the only way Kohen will eat bread sticks); however, the garlic rolls were round - so Kohen wouldn't eat them. I think he ended up with one bite of bread and honey, and a little toy and some apple juice, but the rest of us had an AMAZING lunch.
Manhattan Beach is beautiful, but was SOOO busy. It was a Saturday, however. We spent maybe about and hour and a half there, the water was warm enough to swim, which I didn't get to do because Mr. Reese is a little hooligan and I spent all my time chasing him and keeping him from bothering other people. We did get to lay out for a while, while the kids utilized the beach as their personal sand box.
Our next mishap. Apparently, Manhattan beach is one of those places with what is known as "beach tar". I've been to the beach several times in my life, but have never heard of that, until we had to google it on the beach, out of necessity. Thank goodness for google! My Russian mom ended up with both of her feet COVERED with this tar and I had some on me as well. Apparently, it's a common mistake people make, because there are lots of articles about removing it. Fortunately, we found free parking right in front of Vons, up a few blocks from the beach - so we invested in a bottle of canola oil and scrubbed our feet for a good 20 minutes in the parking lot. The only thing that didn't make it were my moms shoes.
For dinner, we found this amazing chain restaurant called Islands. I think I've had the world's best Yaki Tacos. Teriyaki chicken, teriyaki sauce and mango salsa on warm tortillas, and my Mom got her Islands Margarita on!
After my Mom's shopping adventure and dinner, Tony finally flew in to LA, where we met him at the hotel near the airport, and then we spent 20 minutes re-packing the car so that one of us could sit next to the car seats. Tony ended up sitting on top of the folded seat with no seat belt, folded legs, guarded by suitcases and the microwave, while my Mom sat in the front with our other bags, and we still had her bag tied on top with the stroller. We were heading to San Diego for a few days, but first we had to make a grocery trip for all of our fire cooking the next day, as if we didn't have enough stuff in the car. We got meat, sauce, spices, vegetables, some fruit and some milk for the boys, and of course ice, to keep it all cold for the next day.
In the way of mishaps, yes, again. I am driving to San Diego, using the Garmin. Finally, past all the traffic, I'm on this 5 lane highway, it's dark and not many cars on the road. We're going about 80 or so, just doing what the Garmin says, when suddenly - a camera up top snaps our picture and almost blinds me for a sec.....and out of the corner of my eye, I see the toll road signs, as I am wheezing by in the furthest left lane. Ooops. And, as a responsible adult - I wait almost 4 days to look up online what happens if you didn't stop to pay the toll. Ah, they give you 48 hours to pay it, after which they send you a nice fine in the mail. Yeah, 4 days later. Guess, I should be looking for that in my parents mailbox, since it was their car.
I did get my hair lightened right before the trip and the sun made it almost blondy/gold color.
Day 3: La Jolla, San Diego
Well, we made it to San Diego and got up early the next day to see the seals at La Jolla Cove and to spend the entire day on the beach.
We got there just in time to see a whale!!!! It was a "whale" of a good time! It was actually the second one, we saw another one from the cruise ship, but we got a pic of this one. The beach itself is a fantastic family spot. The sand is clean, hot and the water was fairly colder there, but the day was so hot that I eventually got in with my body board.
We kept the fire the entire day, and brought our camping table to prep the food, all done with a small knife, paper plates and tin foil. On the menu? Lemon peppered salmon, grilled shrimp, meat and veggie bobs, red seasoned potatoes, steak with vegetables and chicken kabobs. All prepared from the cooler, by chef Alli. I think my Russian mom was impressed at our ingenuity, because we have this summer house in Russia, just outside the city, called the "dacha", where they prepare some food over fire as well. Tony kept up the fire all day (with the giant wood we brought all the way from Santa Clara, UT and logs), and we pretty much outdid ourselves.
The boys did not want to sit in the shade, naturally. Kohen made this Californian friend, who was a couple years older, but very much a rule follower. He was all like "littering is bad" because we threw some packaging in the fire to burn. Kohen and him had fun most of the day though, so it was nice for Kohen to have a friend. Grandma commented on the fact that Kohen spent the entire day, doing one thing - digging in the hot sand. I guess the sand box is heaven for little boys, they weren't too interested in building sand castles out of wet sand or going in the water for that matter.
It was a fantastic day on the beach, which wasn't horribly crowded. We smelled like camp fire, but thankfully burned through all that wood we'd packed and gave our pit to the next crowd of people, which was nice because we didn't have to clean it up or put the fire out. Perfect day with the family. I still marvel at how amazing it is, just to sit on the beach and enjoy the day with a gentle ocean breeze and our kids entertaining themselves.
Later that evening, it was time to do laundry. Another laundry mishap?
So I find this coin laundry blocks away from the hotel and drive over alone. It was my first time in a laundromat, actually, I know - spoiled, right? So I walk in and find the first available washer, not realizing that they have different sizes of machines. I look up at the wall, and the sign says $10.00 for five loads and I'm like - I don't really wanna pay $10.00 for this, so I ask this lady how many quarters I need to put in, in case I read the sign wrong, and she thankfully, points me to a different size washer, seeing that I don't have 5 loads worth. So I remove all my clothes out of the big washer into two smaller ones, which ended up costing me like 6 bucks anyway because they were too small and I didn't know there was a medium size washer, and then realize that I forgot my liquid Tide at the hotel. So I spend another dollar on powder detergent off the wall and press start. Then, I am cruising over to my car to return back to the hotel while the laundry washes and my keys are missing. Rather, my parent's car keys, of which, we only brought 1 on our trip, just 1. The car is locked, of course, and so is my cell phone, right in there. I'm like seriously blond. At this point, I had to laugh at myself, but I was freaking out because I could not find my keys anywhere. I thought I had left them on the floor by the washers, but they were not there. In the mean time, another lady came with 5 loads and stuck them in the first washer that I tried to use, so I thought, crap - maybe she took my keys, or maybe they fell into that washer and now her laundry still had 2 hours left. So now, I have no car keys, my cell phone is locked in the car, I am alone and stuck at a laundromat.
So I go next door to a gas station to ask if I could use their phone and this bratty cashier chick tells me there's a payphone outside. So, I had to have my first experience with a germy payphone and call Tony at the hotel, with the quarters that I had left and explain to him that my keys were lost and I was stuck at the laundromat, which he couldn't do much about anyway, because we only had one car. Now, I'm not a princess or anything, but that payphone, seriously, looked like an STD lab.
I am just not meant to do coin laundry.
So while waiting for my laundry, I am just praying that I washed my keys in the laundry. Yep, I washed the battery part and the keys in the laundry. It still worked though, and I got back safely, with clean laundry this time.
Day 4: Legoland, Carlsbad, CA
First time in Legoland, and gotta say - there are lots of rides for little kids. I am pretty sure, we did not see any children over the age of 10 there, guess it was that kind of a day. But, all the more for us. I think the longest wait was about 45 minutes, but all the rest was pretty painless. It was Reese's first time on rides - and, he didn't care, at all. Silly baby. He was just chill the entire day, and maybe said "whee" like once. He isn't even afraid of heights, or anything else for that matter. Kohen had fun as well, I think his favorite was the rocket.
The saddest moment of the day was when Kohen and I kept going on rides and he was waiting to finish his churro, and after returning from a ride, Grandma had finished it off - there were TEARS! Thankfully, there were plenty of churros to be had at Disneyland, later in the week.
Kohen got to go on his 1st big boy roller coaster, and I think after the first initial drop, he really liked it! Now he's a total roller coaster junkie!
Day 5: Old Town, San Diego
One of our favorite places, not just for the shopping and the restaurants, but for it's simple beauty and Mexican culture. I love the architecture and the amazing food! My Mom had an amazing time there as well, and we ended up with new shades. For Mother's Day, Tony searched high and low for a gift and came out with this one of a kind leather shoulder bag with an owl on it - sorta like west India meets fairytale. It's gorg.
We had lunch at Casa del Reys, super delish Mexican burritos, and then I ended up with some jewelry and this amazing wrap skirt, which I don't have any place currently to wear it to, perhaps, "running errands" kind of skirt. The weather was amazing as well and the place wasn't packed that Tuesday, so it turned out to be a great place to visit with the kids.
Gaslamp Quarters
We stopped there for my Mom to see the city more or less, it's an awesome few blocks on walking to do if you are hungry. So many restaurants. It was too early for dinner then, so I introduced her to Ghirardelli chocolate and ice cream - my fav, and I'm not a chocolate person, but they had some new flavors out, so we ended up with a bag of small chocolates to take home.
Seaport Village
Another one of my fav's. Actually the whole San Diego scene seemed more relaxing this time of the year, maybe because there weren't a million people and the weather was amazing. While walking around, we saw this army statue guy doing his thing, and Kohen was so freaked out! We gave him a dollar to give to the guy, and every time someone put money in his bucket, he would move - it was so funny, Kohen couldn't figure out if he was real or fake.
We ate dinner at The Pier with an unbelievable view of the ocean and Coronado Island. Mmmm. Clam chowder. Then, we tried to take yet another charming family photo. As you can see from all the pictures, our kids aren't too good at looking in the camera.
This is such a huge, but rather charming place! The architecture is stunning, reminds me somewhat of old outskirts of Moscow. So many beautiful gardens and little streets to walk. We rented this surrey thing from Wheel Fun Rentals, which I was so excited about, until we actually had to pedal it up the hill. I didn't realize that it would be so tiring, even with two little people. We didn't keep that thing for long because we got tired and hot, but it was a little fun while it lasted and the boys liked riding in it.
One of the places we visited was the Japanese Friendship Garden, it was beautiful and serene. Of course half of it was under construction, but the part that was open was very gorgeous. Kinda reminded me of San Fran a little. he he We also visited the Rose garden and the Desert Garden at the end of our day. You can't really go wrong with this place, everything is worth seeing.
There are many museums to choose from, so we went with the San Diego Air and Space museum and it was definitely worth the price of the tickets. I was thoroughly entertained, there was so much to look at! They had a very large collection of old planes and just overall, amazing artwork from the old days. The museum houses Ripley's Believe it or Not section as well, so we got to see some very cool things like a wooden boat that looks like a car, the world's tallest man, a car covered in pennies, a two headed cow, a piece of the Berlin wall and a carriage made from some sort of green copper, very charming.
We even managed to get a photo with both boys looking and smiling, it's a miracle! Of course, we look atrocious with their lighting, ha ha ha.
Day 7: The Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland!
Because my Mom wanted to see more of San Diego this trip, we ended up with only 1 day to hit Cali Adventure and Disneyland, so with our hopper tickets, we decided to hit Cali Adventure first and take the boys to Cars Land. It was a first for us as well, although I wish we could have seen more of Cali Adventure. We knew that Reesy couldn't ride very many rides there, so we ended up running around different parts to stand in line just for one or two rides, even with my amazing organized list. However, Kohen's absolute favorite was the Radiator Springs Racers ride - score! I loved it too, definitely worth the 2 hour wait, but next time, maybe we'll come like in January....ha ha ha We saw Mater and Red - total boys' heaven, and Kohen was so good about waiting in line for the Cars ride, we made Grandma come on that one, and she loved it too!
Tony and I snuck away on the one and only adult ride by ourselves, the Tower of Terror. Oh. my. goodness. My favorite! I was seriously scared to death! We sat in the very back row, thank goodness, and I was clinging onto Tony for dear life as our butts were flying up into the air. I would totally go again if we had more time.
Kohen liked pretty much everything, Reesy totally didn't care. He was just chill on all the rides, and spent probably more time in the stroller while Kohen and I ran around to go on all the rides. Disneyland seemed more relaxed though, even with tons of people, and I prefer Disneyland for kid rides because they are more suited for Reese's height in one location, so you don't end up running around as much. We hit up Fantasyland first where we went on some character rides in the dark and little Reesy would try to climb out towards the end of the ride and do his little sign language for "all done", ha ha he was cute.
Kohen was tall enough for Space Mountain and now it's his and my absolute favorite ride! This boy is a roller coaster nut! I thought he would be scared because it's all in the dark, but the stinker had fun! We are not sure about Tony, though. We don't know if he likes any rides. Reesy LOVED Mickey Mouse the best!
We had such a great day with the boys, I think it would only be better when we no longer need the stroller or the diaper bag, ha ha - soon!
Day 8: Dana Point, CA
Another hidden treasure. The day we came, was barely anyone there. We stayed at the shopping plaza at the harbor for the entire day and had an absolute blast, seemed like, all to ourselves! And, it was also Kohen's 4th Birthday!!!!!!!!!
Can't believe we already have a 4 year old, going on 30! He is such a cutie pants. I've already mentioned he is reading level 1 books almost without help, and still has another year of pre-school left. Uh-oh, we're gonna be in trouble. We are so proud of him.
His absolute favorite thing in the entire world is his love for animals. He is a walking animal encyclopedia. We're prepping him for business ownership though, so he's been telling us that he is going to own 2 zoos and travel to Africa. I am all for it!
He's grown so much in the last year, physically, socially, intellectually. He will talk about animals from sun up to sun down, so of course, we ended up coming home from this trip with a back pack full of new plastic animals. Just when we thought his animal collection was complete, nope. He likes his friends at pre school and going to Primary, although, somehow - every Sunday, Jesus seems to only create animals, and that's it.
For his birthday he got to ride Jet skis for the first time, see dolphins and eat a giant glass of vanilla ice cream - which he didn't finish, but he tried, he tried.
Grandma even went out to the open sea on the Jet Ski! She survived and had fun. Kohen thought it was awesome, and so did I. The day could not have been more gorgeous and the smell of the open sea, ahh. We even had a sea lion swim up to us while in the harbor. I took many mental photographs, it was just unforgettable and beautiful. Our little Pieces got to ride the Jet ski too, we don't know if he liked it or what - but he looked so cute on it!
For lunch we ate at the Harbor Grill with the beautiful view of the boats, my kind of a place.
After lunch we headed out to see dolphins aboard The Pride from Dana Wharf. On our way out, we saw just how beautiful God has really made this world for us, so many sea lions, pelicans and the entire Dana Point coastline is breathtaking. The best two hours that day!
If you ever need a dose of happiness, see yourself some dolphins. I swear, they are one of the most magical creatures, especially the way they freely swim next to humans. My Mom and I could not stop smiling.
After our magical cruise, we had some time to kill before dinner, so we ended up chillin on Doheny state beach, which was pretty empty, but had nice amenities, beautiful views and calm waves.
After the beach, we ended up at Wind n Sea restaurant. Birthday boy got his presents - who would've guessed, he got Charlotte's Web the movie, Nanny Mcphee, which he asked for, and....tun, tun, tun, 4 new plastic animals, along with this amazing photo Safari book that Grandma got for him at Old Town, where the film over the photos makes the animals look like they moving as you turn the pages, oh and vanilla ice cream. He was very, very happy.
And, I think I officially died and went to Heaven - my Mom and I ended up ordering the same thing: stuffed salmon with all my favorite things, crab meat, cream cheese, sauteed mushrooms and boursin cream sauce, with garlic mashed potatoes.
Happy Birthday, Kohen!
The next day, sadly, it was time to take Grandma to the airport. So after lunch, we dropped her off at LAX. We're so sad to see her go, she had such an amazing time, and the boys loved her so much, and she them. Even though, they may have been little hooligans. We're hoping to see her again soon before her 3 year visa expires, though, and eventually make a family trip to Russia to see all the places I knew as a child. So here's to next time! We love you!!!!!!
The rest of the evening, we chilled at the hotel, unpacked the car and did some more laundry.
Oh, don't worry, just another laundry mishap.
So our hotel had guest laundry, but only two washers and two dryers, which were occupied the first time I went in. The second time, the washer was finally open, but the water had been spraying out of the hose and had gotten all the buttons wet, and the second washer had an "out of order" sign. The person before had obviously washed their laundry in the one and only available washer, so I figured it was fine. I load my clothes, dump some Tide in there, load 3 dollars worth of quarters.....and the machine does NOTHING. Just sits there, can't even select the cycle. The coin return, of course, isn't working. Shocker.
So I ask a hotel employee to help, but we were in "only speak Spanish" land, so she had no clue, but asked another employee to come help, and after he couldn't, yet another employee came in and explained that they had put the "out of order" sign on the wrong washer. What the?????
So, I re-load my laundry, insert some more quarters into the machine, select the cycle and it appears to be working just fine. So I leave and come back about an hour later to check on it - when the lovely ladies in front of me had occupied both of the dryers which each had 2 hours left on them.
Obviously, I didn't want to leave my wet clothes marinating for 2 hours, and it was getting to be dinner time and we wanted to go out somewhere to eat, so leaving my clothes wasn't an option anyway, so the next thing we end up doing is loading all my wet clothes into the same bag, plus another load of dirty ones and dragging everything to the laundromat down the road.
And, SUCCESS! I finally completed some laundry without any further disturbances. I am now quite good at laundromats, for real.
Malibu, CA
Our last two days in California ended up being so fun, just the 4 of us. The next day we got up early to drive out to Malibu. We found this AMAZING Thai food place right off PCH, and their yellow coconut curry was to die for! Tony and I LOVE Thai and Indian food, and Pieces did too.
After lunch, we headed off to a lonely beach, which was what I wanted for Mother's Day, just to hang on the beach, listen to the waves, feel the hot sand, relax and watch our family enjoying each other. We found just the perfect place little ways north and spent the rest of the afternoon watching the most gorgeous waves crashing against the rocks. It was extremely windy there, but we didn't care. Pizza was asleep in the stroller for about 2 hours and Kohen happily played in the sand and went crab hunting. My favorite were the wave breaks though, I think they are the most beautiful ones in So Cal.
After a relaxing afternoon, we headed out for dinner at this cute restaurant called Spruzzo in Malibu. I tried the mushroom sandwich w/avocado - it was pretty delish. We ended up having an amazing time, after which I forgot our left overs in a bag inside the girls bathroom and made Tony go get it, he he he. Thankfully, some lady helped him out with that one. But, what a perfect Mother's Day!
My cute men are truly the best! It was one of those days to stop and think just how much I have, and to have such a beautiful family, and darling husband. Heavenly Father is so merciful to us and I can't wait to experience even more beauty, see more places, live with success and freedom as a couple and as a family.
Last Day in Cali: LA Zoo and Santa Monica Pier
In the morning we went to the LA zoo, it was really hot that day, but overall we had a good time. The zoo is pretty big, but wasn't horribly interesting. Although, Kohen got to see a real tapir! The highlight of his trip, and a bunch of gazelle looking things that he knows the names of, and I do not, but the tapir was pretty cool - no one knows what that is when he talks about it, so he was pretty excited to see that. I personally enjoyed the air conditioning of the gift shop, where we ended up with yet more plastic animals.
Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Park
The most amazing way to finish off our trip! Since the park wasn't very busy, and there are about 4 rides to rotate around, we got to go on them probably 8 times each, or more! No waiting in lines for anything and on a couple of rides, they would let Kohen and I go twice or even six times in the row. I love going on rides, even though these were a little lame, ha ha but it is on the pier, so....but I got my money's worth out of that park! And the view from the roller coaster was almost my favorite part of the whole trip. Ocean, the coastline.......I will miss you.
And, in case you didn't get enough details from our trip or seen enough pictures.....just kidding! The end.
Now, that was one cool vacation with the kids! I think next one is for Mommy and Daddy only!
In the way of updates:
Reese is nearly 2 years old, that's crazy. He's huge and tall, and is starting to act just like brother. He is talking lots and lots and has turned into a social butterfly. He's our "sourpatch" kid - he can be so sweet and cuddly, but if you do something he doesn't want - plug your ears and run! Lately, he's been getting into everything, and eating our house. He is also a very cautious boy, but once he's off - he has no fear. We found out, he likes heights. My favorite line from the trip was "gull....seeulata"; that's "seagull, see you later". For cute. Next up is potty training, and maybe some manners while we're at it. ha ha
And, lastly for this o-u-t-r-a-g-e-o-u-s-l-y long post.............WE'RE MOVING!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! So sad.
Just up to Salt Lake area to build our Primerica business. In the mean time, Tony will be working his same job at Intermountain - so funny, there were several applicants and he got the job. How? By applying what we have learned from our amazing Pri leaders - he asked the interviewer lots of questions about him, and pretty much let the guy talk the whole time about himself. The interviewer called back a week later and expressed how much he liked Tony; and he got the job. ha ha ha
We've been thinking about making this move for a while now, even though neither of us really wants to live up north, but we are going to do what we have to for our family and for success. We are planning on returning to build a house, possibly back in St. G when the time is right. Until then, we're thankful for all of our opportunities and thousands of blessings and all the people here in St. George who have come into our lives. We're excited to start something new and to plant our feet in this God given opportunity.