California...my home sweet home

So.....this will be long. Really long. Sorry. This is my journal. We've been home one week. One extremely loooong week. But I need to post while it still lives in my mind. 

The drive to Cali is pretty blah. We look forward to a few things...White Elephant in Vegas, the broken thermometer in Baker, the abandoned water park just outside of Barstow. But this is always my favorite. The knock-off of the Hotel del Coronado in Primm, Nevada. It just oozes class. 

But finally to Tehachapi where we are greeted with comfy chairs and Rusty the rat dog. 

Day 2: We traveled down to Aunt Lori's house to swim with cousins. Super fun. A little side note; Bill started a new job 2 days before we left town, so he had to work a bit. This was one of those days. Good thing I had super relatives to help.

It's always a party when Aunt Leslie is around. 

Especially when she squeezes in with Quinn.

Cute Jake is only 10 months older than Parker. I'm thinking they took all the tall genes. Thanks Lori for having us. Your kids are so wonderful! 

Day 3: Bill's dad gives tours in the Tehachapi railroad station. Have you ever heard of the Tehachapi Loop? I hadn't either, but my dad sure did. He was thrilled that the boy I was marrying was born in Tehachapi, home to a famous stretch of railroad tracks. It is pretty cool. The museum was fun and the kids loved seeing grandpa in his get-up!

I could not get kids to sit still for this pic. Too many trains to watch pass by.

Then off to the Apple Shed restaurant. My favorite. Tehachapi is also famous for apples. Emi is famous for crooked teeth and chocolate all over her face. 

Day 4: Bakersfield has a famous ice cream shop named Dewars. They also have really awesome taffy chews. This is the kids (and Bill's best friend's kids... and Bill) hugging a chew. My cute niece Chloe works there and scored me some pistachio chews. Nice. 

Beforehand, we went to dinner with friends. Apparently my kiddos got a tad bored and stole my phone.  I really love the pics/video my kids leave on my phone and laptop. They crack me up.

Day 5: We drove down through LA to Coronado. Orange Avenue....I love you.

 While we waited for our room, we headed over to the Lowes (where our time share has swim privileges) with my brother's family. 

Nice to be greeted by swans. 

 Day 6: BEACH TIME! Not the warmest day, but it does keep crowds down. Quinn was very impressed with his "dribbly castles". I was too.

 Cousin Caroline

 Macy and grandma created "Bucket Ball"

 The castles were quite elaborate this year. These guys are getting good. 

 I'm sure my dad is thrilled to be photographed in a Thomas the Tank Engine towel. 

 That night, we headed to Seaport Village (Caroline joined us). I practically have to drag my kids out of  the hat shop. I have to drag myself out of the fudge shop.

 Day 7: More of the same. That's how we roll in Coronado. Are you diggin' Bill's farmer tan? It's from his bike ride in Tehachapi. 

 My bro borrowed a beach wheelchair from the life guards. It was cool to tote my dad around the sand. And a good workout to boot. 

That night, we cruised the Del. My kids always insist they have a picture taken in this gazebo every year. If I was a good mom, I'd make a collage of all of them. 

Day 8: 4th of July! 

 It's amazing what they let into this parade. Bill had us all in stitches with his "Coronado parade committee" voice. 

 This about did me in. So very, very sad. 

 Then the kids did the beach while my dear mom treated the ladies to a massage at the Del. Lovely! Thanks mom!

We LOVE to watch fireworks over Coronado Bay. They also do several firework shows in sync in the San Diego Bay (quite close to us). So about 5 minutes before our show, the sky behind us lit up like the world was going to end. The booms were so loud, I thought a terrorist had blown up San Diego. I was truly, truly scared. Then our show happened and it was fun. Turns out, a computer virus had set off all four shows at once in San Diego and 20 minutes worth of fireworks detonated in 10 seconds. "You Tube" it. It's quite a sight.

Day 9: Off to Sea World. One little problem. There was an emergency at Bill's new job that he had to take care of, so off to Sea World I go with 4 young children. It was only for about 4 hours, but tricky when you have big kids who want to do big things, and little ones who can't.

 Elmo in a pig costume. Couldn't be more perfect for Macy. 

 I loved the new roller coaster. There is Emi and Bill in the front row. 

 It's hard to see, but the dolphins gave us a good show in the Dolphin Cove. I'll post a really cool video of it one day.

Day 10: Back to the beach. The sun decided to show up.

 Bill and I went to our favorite restaurant that night. The food was over an hour coming out, but who cares when you have this view. 

 Day 11: Last day =-(

This is just some of us. Not all of us.

 Bill was busy biking 60 miles to Point Loma, so we family photoed with 5 instead of 6. 

 "A bushy, bushy blonde hair-do.......Surfin' USA"

 Parker loves the feeling of being buried in warm sand. I'm thinking this is where I'd like to be buried as well. 

 Goodbye Coronado! See you next year!

 Day 12 consists of the painful drive home. No use blogging about it. 

Thanks for staying with me.....record long post.