Look close and you can see Alan way up on the hill in one of the chairs on the hill for where you can get cell service.
![Cell phone seats on the hill](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1720/23871525972_76100ab2a0.jpg)
It's always special when the kids can find friends at the campgrounds and this was one of our first organic meetings of other fulltime families. There were 3 campers in a row and between the 3, there were 6 kids. Each kid had another that was within 1-2 years of their age, so we had 3 pairs. On top of that, we were all parked backing a common field, so it gave the kids some room to run and play.
![Jamul, CA at Pio Pico Thousand Trails](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1453/23684081300_f4e6490a89.jpg)
![Kids playing](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5790/23877730861_6f13ce89b7.jpg)
![Kids playing](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5773/23953715846_fca0614555.jpg)
For Paige's birthday, the one family made her cards.
![Birthday cards for Paige](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1505/23352810083_130e7aaf81.jpg)
The other big excitement is that Grandma Lisa and Grandpa Alan were coming out for the holidays! Even better, we picked them up on Paige's birthday. My Aunt Suzette made a steak lover out of my daughter with our visit back in August- to that end, we decided her birthday treat would be a dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Why yes I did take a 12 and 3 year old to Ruth's Chris, and it actually went pretty well.. until Logan tipped his seat backwards and crashed to the floor!
![Paige and her personalized menu](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5682/23960249415_f763014bfe.jpg)
![Personalized menu at Ruth's Chris](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1444/23351308034_5ba5f6d0dd.jpg)
![Dinner is served!](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5764/23953320106_4ca3c6c053.jpg)
![STEAK!](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5704/23351432154_387250796a.jpg)
We couldn't decide what to do about a tree. I didn't really want to buy and have to figure out storing one. Mandie didn't like the looks of the collapsible ones. Alan's idea was that it would feel real Christmassy if we went and cut down a tree. I found a "farm" about 45-60 minutes away that had them and that Saturday, we went to cut down a tree. A quick stop at Ace and we bought Christmas lights and the world's crappiest tree stand. We were set!
![Christmas tree farm; photo by Grandma Lisa](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1587/24997314759_00fd89a724.jpg)
![Christmas tree farm; photo by Grandma Lisa](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1649/24997329389_86b4f941c8.jpg)
![Christmas tree farm; photo by Grandma Lisa](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1639/25271870291_6aca172128.jpg)
![Our tree all pretty and setup](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5712/23350968514_9c8d02c3d4.jpg)
Unfortunately, the wind took its toll a few days later:
![The wind blew the canopy over and pushed it to the side](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1549/24734319584_f8f6288aa2.jpg)
![Christmas Tree Down](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1686/24997324049_13b0cfcd1d.jpg)
On Sunday, we went into San Diego to the USS Midway Museum. It's an aircraft carrier that they've turned into a museum. The size is astounding. They had vets giving presentations about launching and landing from the air craft carrier. All told, it was really informative and I highly recommend it.
![USS Midway Museum, Junior Pilot Badge](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1647/23683965950_5d644b523a.jpg)
![Briefing](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5656/23352613223_bf4ec6dab7.jpg)
![Little pilot](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5762/23953586576_b45d8c6424.jpg)
![Landing talk](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1630/23897191351_4272881413.jpg)
![Mandie and Logan on a helicopter](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1676/25338723426_4f4a206c91.jpg)
![Logan on a helicopter](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1465/25338711826_bc50d8dd8e.jpg)
![Getting their Junior Pilot wings](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5667/23611680189_769cbf158f.jpg)
Keeping with the Christmas Spirit, Mandie found a neighborhood (well, 1 block) that goes all out with their Christmas decorations. We headed up the hill to that and enjoyed the lights.
![Neighborhood Christmas Lights](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1455/23351578854_2fdc43dbda.jpg)
![Neighborhood Christmas Lights](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5683/23611971389_bd0f6a9a23.jpg)
![Neighborhood Christmas, Santa's Workshop](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1616/23331988754_97c67c763a.jpg)
For Christmas Eve, we watched the tide charts and went to the tide pools at Cabrillo National Monument. This was a pretty spectacular visit. Basically, at low tide- the water recedes and left behind are tide pools that are brimming with sea life. We saw plenty of hermit crabs, lots of sea urchins, crabs, anemones, and Mandie & I are pretty positive we saw an octopus scurry away.
It was chilly, but we still prepared to get wet. It was really nice to be able to walk through the water and really get close to these things. Plus, the area was downright gorgeous.
![Us at Cabrillo National Monument](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5779/23351927373_ac24e4812e.jpg)
![He's so crabby](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1442/23871255822_283045975a.jpg)
![The boy and I](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5730/23979205965_28c65da4ac.jpg)
![Grandpa and Logan](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5665/23351477814_76993606fb.jpg)
![Looking](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5814/23683066140_e5ab3f8852.jpg)
![Paige](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1554/23683057910_f3d6662013.jpg)
![Tidepool sea life guide](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1486/23934152136_cae3e1a33c.jpg)
Up at visitor's center, the kids did the Junior Ranger programs and we took in the various exhibits.
![Logan wearing armor](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1635/23871331512_04e91ccbf5.jpg)
![Junior Rangers](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1584/23897160831_1f998172a2.jpg)
For Christmas, Mandie cooked cookies. Don't anyone tell you that you can't bake in a camper- the trick is to put a pizza stone in the bottom of the oven to disperse the heat.
![Peanut Butter Kisses!](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1551/23330104974_2b5c401ec8.jpg)
![Chocolate chip cookies](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5678/23852188032_0ef838b09c.jpg)
![Mom's Snow People](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5660/23897188711_be5f149a7a.jpg)
![Christmas Decorations](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1482/25599858940_bb3dc01eb7.jpg)
Santa came and left the kids a ton of gifts (way too much with our small house!).
![Ready for Santa](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1544/25599859210_cb02191ce1.jpg)
![Christmas gifts](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1621/25779642862_792337872a.jpg)
We upheld our Christmas morning tradition of ooey gooey cinnamon rolls.
![Christmas morning tradition - cinnamon rolls!](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1645/25805444851_c8c849393f.jpg)
And, we even packaged a plate of goodies for the 2 neighbor families.
![Plates for new friends](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1463/25874501946_883c89c75e.jpg)
Dinner was cooked as a team effort. Our other Christmas dinner secret- we bought an inexpensive roasting pan from Walmart that we donated after Christmas.
![Christmas dinner!](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1603/25271663973_d354ab8528.jpg)
![Christmas dinner!](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1514/25805430381_4902bfa012.jpg)
Last year (2014), we spent Christmas in Key West and were able to go kayaking and swimming on Christmas day. This year (2015), we talked about Paige going surfing on Christmas day. Unfortunately, it would have intruded on the day too much with gifts, friends, and dinner- so we decided to take her the day after Christmas. It was a chilly day and the Pacific is sooooo cold. But she did it and says she loved it. The rest of us enjoyed the show!
![Getting a wet suit on](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1532/25267649384_cf56f852ae.jpg)
![On land instruction](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1536/25874459346_3f95425958.jpg)
![It was impossible to take pictures](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1588/25805646881_894c14f5e7.jpg)
![Yes, it was cold](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1614/25805645361_6211f4cbed.jpg)
![My little surfer!](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1554/25267824074_753572545c.jpg)
After surfing, we made our way up to La Jolla where we heard that sea lions hang out. They were pretty neat to see. I drove through one of the tighter garages that I've taken the truck in and kissed a wall. And then we did dinner at a Mexican restaurant with some decently yummy margaritas!
![La Jolla](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1607/25267833804_f01e3f3119.jpg)
![Sea lions](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1518/25271780423_0d05fc1227.jpg)
![La Jolla](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1518/25267776404_dc159deafd.jpg)
![Margerita!](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1489/25874604406_a3631db455.jpg)
![My kiss and reminder to listen to my wife](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1718/25805534891_1a66897e76.jpg)
Before we knew it, our visit with Grandma and Grandpa came to an end and we had one last night of snuggles.
![Last night of snuggles](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1575/25779706152_513fabafb6.jpg)
![Last night of snuggles](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1492/25779709962_832d013dd0.jpg)
A blink after that, and we had the month of January planned out to drive 2,500 miles to get us to Florida.
![January's travel plan, CA to FL](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1655/25900428935_c69ce10732.jpg)
We said goodbye (well, until next time) to our new friends and we shoved off. Our first stop was going to be near Yuma, AZ for New Years.
![Paige and Chey, quick friends](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1703/25271750653_a05e0c1120.jpg)
![The puzzle that the girls did](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1648/25271746433_3f9dddeeeb.jpg)
![Logan and R](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1616/25900451675_b1e90b588c.jpg)
As usual, this isn't all of the photos. You absolutely need to go check out Flickr for more pictures from the USS Midway and the Cabrillo tide pools. Both were amazing! Check out more photos on Flickr.
No comments:
Post a Comment