The best part about our three day excursion was going with my Aunt Candy (my mom's sister)and Beau and Jessica (my cousins). Mom and I shopped for food and Aunt Candy cooked. My Aunt is an awesome cook, too. The pictures are out of order, but it really doesn't matter because it was just three days of sun, beach, and eating that all ran together. Basically, we'd get up each day to: eat breakfast, pack a lunch, stay at the beach all day, return to shower, eat dinner, and hang out around the campfire.
Except one night my cousin Beau took off on his bike and after sunset he didn't return. My cousin is handicapped, but he usually finds his way around quickly so this scared my Aunt. At one point we had to call the Park Rangers. One Ranger drove up and down the beach with a spot light. Another Ranger drove through camp with a loud speaker. Another drove through the nearby neighborhood. Mom and Aunt Candy took off in separate directions and I stayed put with the kids. About 15 minutes before the Rangers called in a Search and Rescue team some campers brought him to one Rangers and explained that they had just seen him ride by, stopped and questioned him. We were so relieved! The next day he was very popular! We heard, "Hi Beau!" all day long :-) He's always had an odd way of making friends.
Enjoy the rest of our trip:
The first morning. The kids were excited to have hot chocolate. Aunt Candy doing her thing....cooking and the campfire.
Trouble and Beau climbing. Trouble later got hurt sliding down on his belly!
Backpack was only crawling at this point, so it was hard to keep him clean. I don't really think he cared...do you?
Two out of the three mornings were overcast, but it was nice to play without the blazing heat. Trouble is directing the building of a sand castle.
Aunt Candy and Backpack
Enjoying the beach!
Our future diver!
Beau dozing on the beach. We did do a lot of that:
Trouble and Beau climbing. Trouble later got hurt sliding down on his belly!
Backpack was only crawling at this point, so it was hard to keep him clean. I don't really think he cared...do you?
Two out of the three mornings were overcast, but it was nice to play without the blazing heat. Trouble is directing the building of a sand castle.
Aunt Candy and Backpack
Enjoying the beach!
Our future diver!
Beau dozing on the beach. We did do a lot of that:
Typical teenage, the beauty of the surf and she has to have her music. Luckily her cell phone didn't work out here, or we'd have to pry that from her hands.
Aunt Candy wake up!
Aunt Candy wake up!
Trouble contemplating the desire to enter the water:
Sleeping...that music really wore her out!
Return to the Tree of Abrasion! He's a boy, he has no fear!
One night we went to Santa Cruz so the kids could experience boardwalk life. The boardwalk is home to "The Giant Dipper" which is a giant wood roller coast that was built in 1924. It is actually quite famous in the media. It has been seen in several films like "The Lost Boys", "Dangerous Minds" and "Sudden Impact". We didn't ride it. We did walk the boardwalk, buy some souvenirs, and eat ice cream. Here is a picture of the boardwalk skyline: 
Getting ready to jump some waves:
Dynomite had to try the music for herself! Um, a glimpse into the teenage years perhaps!
Yes, all this kid does is sleep :-)
He is thinking hard about what he is holding:
Now Trouble has conked out! That is how you know it was a good day!
Back at the campsite:
Yaya decided to ride the kids around the camp.
Sleeping...that music really wore her out!
Return to the Tree of Abrasion! He's a boy, he has no fear!
One night we went to Santa Cruz so the kids could experience boardwalk life. The boardwalk is home to "The Giant Dipper" which is a giant wood roller coast that was built in 1924. It is actually quite famous in the media. It has been seen in several films like "The Lost Boys", "Dangerous Minds" and "Sudden Impact". We didn't ride it. We did walk the boardwalk, buy some souvenirs, and eat ice cream. Here is a picture of the boardwalk skyline: 
Getting ready to jump some waves:
Dynomite had to try the music for herself! Um, a glimpse into the teenage years perhaps!
Yes, all this kid does is sleep :-)
He is thinking hard about what he is holding:
Now Trouble has conked out! That is how you know it was a good day!
Back at the campsite:
Yaya decided to ride the kids around the camp.
A beautiful sunset
Trouble enjoying it from his esteemed location
The best part about camping: Burnt Marshmallows!
I'm in the process of burning mine :-)
S'more time!!
He look, he's awake....and its night....
He declared this as the "best day ever"!
Beau and Trouble:
This was that campsite after we had unloaded our vehicles. How much stuff do we need? Really, we needed it all!
He's thinking, "look at all this dirt! I'm in heaven!"
Again with the contemplating....eventually he did get in!
I'm gonna get you!
Trouble thought it would be so fun to climb up this steep cliff, fun until Yaya had to come get him!
Although he figured he could slide down...that would be Travis gene's coming out in him!
We did see some marine life. Here is a sea otter. Cute little guy was having a blast in front of us munching away on the meal he caught.
The trail to the beach
Trouble a bit exhausted and tired
So who did we find climbing not much later....monkey see, monkey do...
And he is in...and its not so bad after all!
Just a little messy!!
And we saw killer whales!!! They were migrating down the coast to warmer waters for the winter.
She snagged the good seat for her nap...smart girl!
Enjoying the ocean knowing that it will be awhile before I see the beloved Pacific Coast again.
Since it was a bit windy on our sunny day, Yaya and Aunt Candy decided to try kite flying.
Yaya and Aunt Candy grew up around LA so they LOVE the beach. Whenever we go they take a moment to relive their childhood memories of ocean swimming. This picture is to capture the bond between sisters that bond taking on a force of nature that can be so majestic and deadly at the same time.
Yaya and a bike, practically a synonym! Trouble is enjoying his ride:
Trouble enjoying it from his esteemed location
The best part about camping: Burnt Marshmallows!
I'm in the process of burning mine :-)
S'more time!!
He look, he's awake....and its night....
He declared this as the "best day ever"!
Beau and Trouble:
This was that campsite after we had unloaded our vehicles. How much stuff do we need? Really, we needed it all!
He's thinking, "look at all this dirt! I'm in heaven!"
Again with the contemplating....eventually he did get in!
I'm gonna get you!
Trouble thought it would be so fun to climb up this steep cliff, fun until Yaya had to come get him!
Although he figured he could slide down...that would be Travis gene's coming out in him!
We did see some marine life. Here is a sea otter. Cute little guy was having a blast in front of us munching away on the meal he caught.
The trail to the beach
Trouble a bit exhausted and tired
So who did we find climbing not much later....monkey see, monkey do...
And he is in...and its not so bad after all!
Just a little messy!!
And we saw killer whales!!! They were migrating down the coast to warmer waters for the winter.
She snagged the good seat for her nap...smart girl!
Enjoying the ocean knowing that it will be awhile before I see the beloved Pacific Coast again.
Since it was a bit windy on our sunny day, Yaya and Aunt Candy decided to try kite flying.
Yaya and Aunt Candy grew up around LA so they LOVE the beach. Whenever we go they take a moment to relive their childhood memories of ocean swimming. This picture is to capture the bond between sisters that bond taking on a force of nature that can be so majestic and deadly at the same time.
Yaya and a bike, practically a synonym! Trouble is enjoying his ride:
Three on one bike?!?
Dynomite getting her ride:
Another beautiful Sunset at the beach!
Last day and we are camping pros!....Although, this tired mama says it is time to go home!
Dynomite getting her ride:
Another beautiful Sunset at the beach!
Last day and we are camping pros!....Although, this tired mama says it is time to go home!
In the end it was worth it. I was ready to go home after the first day, but glad that we stayed. It was relaxing at the beach to let the kids run wild and play without all the distractions and worries of city life. Of course, the rest of the family was keeping an eye on them so I didn't have to 24/7!
Beach and camping were two things that I enjoyed growing up and hope to give to my kids. So this is one experince that has made me remember what a great childhood is made of!
3 comments:
awesome! I want to go camping on the beach!
Hey Denay, I don't know how you keep up with the blog so much! You guys have such an exciting life. I love all your pictures. I went back through the last few blogs and the one about Travis' hair cuts made me laugh; Kayin absolutely hates it too and swears it hurts (even with new clippers). I blame it on Travis. Poor Mickeys gets his hair cut every other week, so it's a good thing he doesn't mind it (and thank heavens we don't pay for it!)
Love you!
That looks like so much fun!!
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