July- August San Diego!

For our summer family vacation this year, we rented a beach house in San Diego for a week (July 27th-August 3rd).  We had a great time!  It was so nice to just relax and stick our toes in the sand.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love the ocean and just sitting on the beach?  What makes it even better is when you can do it with family and good friends.  For the first part of the week our good friends, the Proctor family, joined us and then later in the week the Horsley family (Matt's cousin) joined us. Oh good times...good times:)
We arrived at the beach house on Saturday afternoon well, it was really just a condo, above a restaurant, a block away from Mission Beach. We spent some time on the beach, ate pizza, and went shopping to stock up on goodies for the rest of the week.   It was great being able to walk to the beach, barefoot in just 2 minutes and to be able to cook our own food and have a fridge full of all of our own snacks.

No streets between us and the beach:)

However, our first night there was an adventure of extreme heat, all night parties next door with STUPID California girls ("OMG listen to me!"), sirens on and off throughout the night, and even fireworks at 1AM.  We were ready to pack it up and head home, but we decided to give it another night chalking the horrific night to it being a Saturday and that the condo had been closed off all day.  Luckily that decision paid off.  It was a freaky night that was not repeated. Thank Goodness!

Sunday, aside from relaxing on the beach all day, we visited the San Diego temple. It is so beautiful.

The Proctor Family-James, Douggie, AnnMarie, Lisa, and Dave

Hanging out in the condo--yes, the boys really did bring the Gamecube

On Monday the boys headed to tour the USS Midway while us girls decided to relax and get pedicures. Later, after more time on the beach, we explored Old Town-delicious dinner, souvenirs, and, of course, the Mormon Battalion Memorial.  Again..good times:)

It was a little windy on the flight deck

Miranda in her true element:)

On Tuesday the Proctors had to head back home (much sadness!!!) and we spent the day at Sea World.  We stayed until the fireworks.  Tyler's favorite was feeding the seals, Nathan's favorite was the Manta ride (the roller coaster), Miranda agrees with Nathan.  They didn't like the fact that they chose to get wet in the splash zone and ride the river rapids too late at night to dry off before the weather got cooler.

yes, Miranda really does get that dark after two days on the beach....

Tyler's new friend

Feed me more Tyler !!!!!!

The shows were, as expected, wonderful..albeit hot

After the SPLASH zone! Matt and I were smart enough to sit quite a bit higher:)

On Wednesday the Horsleys showed up and we went to a Padres games.  I miss getting to go to MLB games!  When we lived in Phoenix we were able to go to Diamondbacks games several times a year. Anyhow, the Padres played The Reds.  We didn't really care who won so it was a pretty fun game and SO fun to be there with the Horsley family! We were especially excited to have Sherri get to come down..times it just right between her chemo and radiation--yes she's a fighter!

I love how much these two second cousins like each other...they are two peas in a pod!

Dave and Nathan

On Thursday the Horsleys took Tyler and Nathan to Legoland while Matt, Miranda, and I had a relaxing day back at the condo.  Miranda and I rented bikes and rode along the boardwalk.  It was pretty fun.

OK so I look a little freaky here, but oh well...

Friday was strictly a beach day.  Boogie boards, sunscreen (or in Miranda's case no sunscreen), ice cream cones from the boardwalk midway, turkey avocado sandwiches....ahhhh a perfect ending to a great week on the beach.

Look close, can you see Tyler's tan line from his glasses?

Can you tell which kid likes suntanning?

Nathan spent hours on the beach throwing a Frisbee-he's hooked

My favorite view

Even the "old men" took a turn with the boogie boards

and what's a visit tot he beach with out someone getting buried in the sand?

On Saturday the Horsleys caravaned with us to St. George.  Nathan loved that because he got to ride with the cousins.  We broke tradition in St George though we ate dinner at Brick Oven instead of Chuck-a-Rama.  And, of course, on Sunday we stopped at the temple before heading back to reality. It was a great summer vacation!  Hanging out on the beach for a week is definitely the trip for me:)