California Vacation

I love the beach. The beach is my happy place where I go when I am stressed or feeling anxious and need to calm down. I just close my eyes, and picture the sand between my toes, the sun on my face, and the sound of waves crashing....

Well, my nephew Austin knows I love the beach. I'm pretty sure Joseph and I have made at least eight trips out there (not even counting Belize, which has BEAUTIFUL beaches) since we've been together (our first trip to the California beach was before we were even engaged). But I digress - back to Austin. Last year he asked when I was going to the beach and informed me that he would like to go. It's only a six hour drive, so we loaded him and my mom into Joseph's car and made a long weekend of it.

This year my sister Breezy asked when we were going. We needed two cars this time, to take Breezy, my other sister Kristi, my two nephews (Austin and Matt), my mom, and of course, Joseph and Deidre.

Encinitas Beach

Kristi cracked up when she saw this picture. She said it looks like Joseph is pooping in the sand.

Breezy and Deidre

She's always ready for her close-up

Seriously, get this girl an agent.

He's so handsome.

Breezy was chasing Joseph. I don't remember why, but he provoked her somehow.

Madre

This is such a cute picture.

Kristi and her boy Matt.

My family cracks me up

Boogey boards! I caught some niiiiiice waves.

Here is where Joseph, my mom, and I are coming back from our walk. I stepped on a bee and it stung me. It is making my foot hurt just thinking about it.

Here they are at a very nice park near our hotel.

Overall, it was a very nice vacation. We did a little shopping in addition to our other activities, and I'm pretty sure everyone got nice and sunburned.

One of these days I am going to figure out how to come back from the beach without a sunburn.

On the drive to California, Joseph was following the GPS, which must have been set on the "treacherous" setting, because we went up this incredibly windy mountain road. Joseph was OK with it, and Breezy was in the car with us. Come to find out that Kristi was a bit nervous on the road and it made the boys nervous. Austin told everyone to be quiet because he was saying a prayer. Then after Kristi had been on the road for a bit, he made the observation that he thought she was getting the hang of it.

In our car, we were talking about the Spanish language.
Joseph: I only know como se llama, bonita, mi casa and su casa.
Deidre: Joseph, that's a Shakira song.

Later Breezy and Joseph were teasing each other back and forth, and somehow Breezy was told Joseph that the weird plants on the side of the road were called a "trouble plant."
Joseph: A trouble plant, huh?
Breezy: Yes, that's what it's called.
Joseph: Well I've never heard of that. Let's google it (reaches for the iPhone).
Breezy (quickly): No need to google it! I can tell you everything you need to know about the trouble plant!

Can't wait for next year.