Hiking Season

Every year about this time I start to really wonder why I live where I do. There are about six months out of the year we are pretty much frozen in. The ONLY thing that makes this ok, in my book, is that we can completely escape in just 45 quick minutes. My house is tiny people. Without this escape, my kids are crazy. And crazy babies= crazy mama. What's that old saying? "When Mama ain't happy... ain't nobody happy"? Couldn't be anything more true out there.

So, we ventured off with family and friends to explore and run free and found the coolest little canyon. There were steep cliff faces and walls, shady pools of ice and sunny pools of water. And enough red mud to make any kid happy for hours.

The kids thought it was pretty awesome we had finally found a hike where they could go ice skating and rock climbing all in one.

My Mom reminded everyone that my infamous line as a teenager was "I HATE NATURE!!!!" (my way of rebelling). I reminded her that I also claimed to hate hiking boots, flannel and recycling. Don't worry, I've come full circle. I do recycle people and the nature stuff- I kind of love it. Hiking boots and flannel are still very iffy.

When I Say Run

You say RUN!

The wave caught up with her.

How to keep a baby out of ice cold water? I tell you my secret: you scare the living daylights out of them.

Shock and aw people!

And so she was drenched completely from head to toe. I am still finding sand in her ears.

I tried my best to point out the positive "Avi! YAY!! You're a surfer girl now".

Grandpa came to the rescue with a nice soft fleece, which was just the perfect thing against cold baby skin.

She even adjusted the style to make it her own.

A West Coast Holiday

We have said over the years that there has to be a better way to do Christmas. In the past the kids would get so much stuff that was used and forgotten as fast as a fruitcake. This year we decided that while we couldn't really prevent good ol' Mr. C from depositing a few goods, WE could skip out on the retail rat race and escape to the beach as a gift to us all!

Our treasured little spot La Jolla was beckoning. Sunny, peaceful, quaint shops and organic restaurants. Heaven.

A chance for the kiddies to put down the (remote/wii/Nintendo DSi/iPod/iPad) and just live the old fashioned way :)

Mama and Daddy soaked it up. See the little strip jetting out behind us? That's where we got married. Right on that bluff. Being there always takes us back to those simpler times.

Hope your Holidays were magical!! More pictures to come!