California!

On Monday, Bryan and I got back from a 5 day trip to California, which was really more like four days if you take out driving time... I feel like we came back poorer and fatter! I really need to get back on the budgeting/dieting bandwagon. Our days were packed and we had much fun! It was great to be on vacation together and I wish that our time together would have lasted longer, but we were ready to come home. Even though now I am filled with that overwhelming sense of "stuff" to do, like organize the desk which is strewn with reciepts, catch up on finances, emails, appointments, etc. Luckily, I am not working this week with the kids I nanny (they are on vacation) but I did put in nine hours at Blockbuster which was fun. Today I have been lazy (I think because I am overwhelmed) but I did make a yummy pot roast dinner and went berry picking with my friend upstairs.

But back to our vacation: We left Wednesday night at five p.m. and did not stop until we reached Redding at midnight (well, we did have a stop in Medford which I will explain later...) We awoke at 5:30 in the morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to make the final 3 hour trek. We bypassed San Ramon, where my sister and her family were staying, to go straight into downtown San Fran. We borrowed a GPS from our friends upstairs and the "Garmin Lady" took us straight to the Pier that we needed to be at for our 1:00 reservation aboard the Alcatraz Cruise line. Since we were early, we met up with Bryan's friend from work, who was also visiting family in the bay area and walked around Pier 39 and Fisherman's wharf. We had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe and spent the afternoon touring Alcatraz, which Bryan was insanely interested in and he took about 100 photos or more while on our tour. We also toured the rest of the Bay by a separate cruiseliner. The only bummer was it was foggy under the Golden Gate Bridge so Bryan could not see it and I was seriously about to blow chunks from all the waves. We also walked up to Chinatown, little Italy and Ghiradelli square. We left the city about 8:00 and made it back to San Ramon by 9 p.m. to say hi to Naomi and Alex and then get some dinner at Applebees.

On Friday, we celebrated the Fourth by attending the downtown Danville parade and then we kicked back at a backyard BBQ, poolside, at Alex's sister's house. In the evening, Bryan and I cruised upscale Walnut Creek, which was completely deserted of shoppers, and then we watched fireworks on a neighborhood hillside overlooking the town with Naomi's family and a bunch of their friends. Ava fell asleep on my lap and Lala fell asleep in her wagon...AJ was completely out before we even left! It was so sweet...

On Saturday, Bryan and I drove to Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz to catch some sweet beach action. However, Monterey Bay was foggy and cold and the line into the world- renknowned aquarium was tremendous, and by the time we got to Santa Cruz Bryan and I were both grouchy. We did walk up and down the boardwalk, I sat on the beach for all of 5 minutes, and we went through a haunted house and rode a skyglider ride over the boardwalk (Bryan is afraid of heights...and I admit, I was a little scared once we got up there but it was my idea). The beach was really crowded as well, and I think it was at this point I started to get a little homesick/tired/irritable...Bryan was as well! I was impressed though by how little he did complain, based on his lack of interest in going to new places...especially walking around big cities and beaches. We also had some comic relief at watching seals sunbathe on a boat launch...at least 10 of them laying in the sun and yelling at each other and pushing each other off into the water. I tried to upload the video but it was taking too long...

On Sunday, AJ got baptized! We attended Mass, his baptism, and then a celebration back at Alex's sisters house, where there was more food, more swimming and more lounging. It was a special day and he was so cute in his little outfit! I feel so blessed to be his Godmother, although I am not sure what to do from here on out! :-) But just being there will hopefully mean a lot to him, as it did to us and the rest of the family.

Here are some more pics:

(The picture directly above is in Santa Cruz, and the other picture of us by water is in San Fransisco...notice what shirt he is wearing? Here is a closeup:)

Now onto the not-so-fun news: In Medford, in a construction zone, about 80 mph through a construction zone to be precise, my dear husband recieved a present from the law. Ironic? Not so much, considering Bryan seems to somehow be a target for the 5-0, since roughly about the time he started driving, hence the shirt. Oh, but the good times don't end there. You would think he would have learned, or I would have perfected my backseat driving abilities, but he got stopped yet again on the way home on Monday for going about 70-75 in a 65 mph zone. Since this wasnt as detrimental, and God was on our side, he got away with a warning. How do you get stopped twice in one week though? I wonder that too... I'm glad our marriage seems to have survived this roadtrip, but we may take a break for awhile...

And Mama watch out! We reviewed the following video when we got home and discovered you have a future P.I.M.P. balla' on your hands...check out the way AJ can flirt with his Auntie! Next stop: the honnies at nursery school! Holla!