USS Midway and Coronado Island

So instead of going to the beach like we had originally planned we decided to headed to the USS Midway!  I have to say I wasn’t really excited about it but I felt like there wasn’t much else we could do with our sunburns.  The second I got on that ship and started the tour my attitude completely changed.  I was in complete awe and this was personally one of the highlights of San Diego for me.  I know that Brian really enjoyed it and that Tyson thought it really fun and neat to be on a big ship and see all the “areplanes” :)

 

I guess Tyson and I were misbehavin’!  ;)

Inside the airplane!

This picture with Tyson and the life saver made me think of the ferry ride we took to San Francisco almost 3 years ago.

When we were headed on our way out I realized that we had missed an entire floor of the ship.  I was really bummed but we were already tired and getting hungry.  I would love to go back there with out the kids to really be able to listen to the tour and see everything.

 

We then took a ferry ride to Coronado Island where we walked around and ate pizza and ice cream.  It was very beautiful, laid back and fun.  I told Brian when we are rich we’ll come back to Coronado Island and stay in that hotel.  People were riding bikes along the island and playing on the sand and water.  Looked really fun.  Tyson enjoyed the ferry ride.  We weren’t expecting it to get chilly later in the evening so we weren’t prepared for that.   It was a really nice way to wrap up San Diego.

On the ferry on the way to Coronado Island.

Waiting for our pizza! 

On the Island

This is what Andrew did on Coronado Island.  He sure enjoyed the breeze and being outside.

Waiting for the ferry to get to the island.

On the ferry on the way home

Sea World

PART IIII

We went to Sea World on Monday.  We didn’t have tickets before hand so we hand to stand in line at the booths.  The booth we picked was taking forever and I was getting irritated with what was taking so long.  We got to the front, finally, and the cashier asked if we had any discounts or coupons.  We didn’t.  So she pulled a coupon out and saved us $60!!  I felt pretty bad with getting so mad at the lady before.  Turns out we were standing in the best line after all.

Our family in the Elmo Kid Zone.  Tyson thought these rides were so fun!  It was really cute.  He was excited to get in the Elmo dog.  I am so glad we got in it.  He would have flipped out if he didn’t get that one :/

Shamu show!

Waiting for the Sea Lion show.  Super funny!

Me and Andrew at the shark reef.

My personal favorite show was the dolphin show.  Must be everyone else’s too. The show would be full 20 minutes ahead of time and we had to go back several times.  By the 3rd try we were able to get in. 

 

We had a wonderfully exhausting day at Sea World!

We only had 1 more day left in San Diego and we had been planning on spending the entire day at the beach.  Well that idea went out the window when Brian and I got sunburned at Sea World.  I was so involved in keeping the kids from getting sunburned that I didn’t take care of Brian and I.  Doing an all day amusement park like this was really fun but completely draining.  I honestly had no idea how much work went in to it.  I texted my mother that evening and thanked her for the times her and my dad took my brother and I to amusement parks. 

The beach in San Diego

PART III

I have about a million pictures of all of our ventures in San Diego so bare with me.

We arrived in San Diego on Sunday late afternoon.  We planned to go visit my cousin Laura and her family that evening.  We were so excited to see the beach that it was the very first thing we did.  We didn’t have much time so we just walked around in the sand and walked to the pier. 

(Driving past the San Diego temple)  I know this picture isn’t very good but I think that temple is absolutely stunning!  I would love to visit it one day!)

Okay, so beach pics…

Oh you know, just strollin’ along the beach

and then a wave hits and you are wet the rest of the evening :)

 

The pier!

We went and visited my cousin that evening.  I have no idea why  I didn’t get a picture.  It was nice to chat and catch up.  I hadn’t seen her in 6 years.  This was also where Andrew rolled off of the couch for the first time.  It was sad and I was embarrassed.  Oh well, it happens to the best of us.

We didn’t realize that this would be the only time we went to the beach.  That was TOTALLY a bummer.

Redwoods—Big Basin National Park

California Trip Part II

We left my grandparents house on Saturday in early afternoon to head to San Diego.  We planned a stop at the Big Basin National Park so we could see the redwood trees.  I’ve never seen them in real life and we thought Tyson would like the really big trees.  It took a lot longer than we thought to get there and we couldn’t find any parking.  We had to make it to Bakersfield to stay the night and we were looking at 8 or 9 pm already.  So we stayed at the national park for about 20 minutes.  We took the shortest '”hike” we could find and walked pretty fast.  It was wonderful to get out of the car and stretch our legs.  It was very enjoyable for me to see the trees and I know Tyson loved it too.  He kept asking if he could sit on the big trees again.

   

We got a bit bored on the drive to Bakersfield :)

California Vacation

PART I

Mid July we left for our first ever family vacation.  All 4 of us!  We had such a blast.  Prepare to be over loaded with pictures and stories!

We drove the whole first day to California.  We stopped at the salt water flats since I’d never seen it.  That place is pretty neat for pictures I think!

            

We weren’t sure if we were going to make it all the way to California but the kids were doing so great in the car that we pushed ahead and made it to my grandparents house that evening around 9pm.  My grandma usually goes to bed around 8 but she stayed up to say hello to us and give the kids hugs and kisses.  Grandpa, Brian and I stayed up for a few hours talking.  Tyson didn’t have a wonderful night.  Apparently I let Tyson have 1 too many licorice in the car ride and that led to some stomach issues.  Lesson learned.  (I may want to eat junk food in the car but kids really should.) The next morning Tyson learned about the putting green in their back yard.  That became his favorite spot of the house.  He would just play out there for hours trying to hit the ball into the holes. 

We did some fun things with Grandma and Grandpa.  We went to the Jelly Belly Factory.  Poor Grandpa has probably been there more times than he would like.  He’s a good sport.  Tyson loved it and was so excited for the free bag of jelly beans at the end of the tour!  Andrew slept pretty much the whole time.  Grandpa was shocked that he didn’t even make a peep during the whole tour.  That’s my Andrew! ;)

The next day we went to the Western Railway Museum in Solano County, CA.  We got the flyer for this museum at the Jelly Belly Factory and Brian and I figured Tyson would love this.  And we were right.  He did.  Here are some pictures.  At one point while walking through the engines I asked him if he was having fun and he said, “Yes.  I love all of these engines!”  Thanks Grandma for taking us. 

 

All of the old electric trains were lined up in rows and you walked down the aisle to look at them.  Everyone went once but Tyson wanted to go again so me and Andrew went back through with Tyson.

A few trains we were able to climb in and see!

 

Here’s Ty and Grandma Murray on the Electric train car wait for the ride.  It was a pretty jerky and bumpy ride but it was really fun.  I personally enjoyed myself and I know everyone else did as well.

This is what Andrew did the whole train ride…

 

Tyson and the “conductor”!  I love this picture :)

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for letting us come and visit.  We had so much fun.  Thank you for the delicious meals and all the chatting time.  We love you very much and can’t wait to come back and visit.  Tyson was really upset that we left your house.  He didn’t understand that we weren’t going back.   I didn’t get a picture of Grandpa holding Andrew but I should have.  Apparently he isn’t too fond of holding babies.  I learned that he has never once changed a baby’s diaper.  I made him hold Andrew because Tyson had to go to the bathroom.  I just shoved the baby to Grandpa and took off.  I actually didn’t really realize how he doesn’t really like to do that.  I came back though and Grandpa was holding him and laughing and smiling at Andrew.  I have the image in my mind but I wish I could share that with all of you.  My Grandma sure loves kids.  She held Andrew as often as she could and was always there to listen to Tyson talk about his puppy, trains and whatever else comes out of that kid’s mouth. 

Part 2 coming up tomorrow…