San Diego (part 1)

 This weekend has been wild... You have not lived until you have traveled across the country with a 6 month old baby. So last week starting on Thursday we had an AMAZING trip to California for Callie's Auntie Mack's wedding. Callie was the flower girl. We joke that she should be a professional flower girl. This girl means business, she takes her job very seriously. This was, after all, her 7th wedding. So thanks to Callie's grandparents, they brought us out and put us up in San Diego.

The adventure started on Wednesday night. I am not good at preparing for travel. I am just not. I get all panicked that I will forget something. I am not good at deciding what to bring and I HATE packing for the kids. I know this is not a strength of mine and I have accepted it. So Wednesday night was a frenzy of packing and trying to get ready. Bed time: Midnight.


My Mom came to get us to take us to the airport at 6, we were not quite ready (shocking, I know) We hurried out of the house and made it to the airport just in time. Check in was smooth, we got through security, we got breakfast and we waited for a few minutes at the gate to get on the plane. A little too smooth and easy. The flight was a breeze. Kellen was a dream, cooing and smiling at everyone. He took a little nap, played a little. I even had time to read. Before I knew it we were there.

The Sharp's met us at the airport and it was a glorious reunion of grandparents and grand babies. We got our luggage in no time. Ty was very impressed, Callie and I DO NOT travel light. Thanks to Brien, we had it condensed into 2 suitcases. (One of the suitcases was a brand new HUGE one that even Callie could fit into)
We stepped into 70 degrees tropical green bliss! It was a lot to take in! The Airport was super close to the hotel. We were staying at the Hilton at Mission Bay. It was awesome!

We got checked into our rooms and then went to check out every one Else's room. They were all beautiful!

I cannot even tell you how spoiled I felt to be in warm and green after leaving behind cold and brown!

Later on that evening, Brien and I were able to drive up to Laguna to his aunt and uncles house in the hills. It was of course absolutely beautiful and we shared a great meal and were able to visit with the Wood/ Varela family. They even have horses!

Friday Morning, another beautiful day! In San Diego, there is a thing I think it is called the "marine layer" when it's kind of foggy, cloudy and cool and then it burns off. So we slept in a titch and then went to breakfast at this hole in wall place. I feel like portions of "Anchor Man" were filmed there. It seems like the kind of place Ron Burgundy would eat at.

After our 1970's breakfast we wanted to explore Sea World. We figured, "Hey, we don't have whales and dolphins in Denver, why not?" It was a pricey trip, but totally worth it. Callie loved everything and ran from exhibit to exhibit. Since the weather was a little cool, there were very few people there. At all of the shows we had great seats and there was a super short wait on everything we did.

Finally here!

Brien and Callie touched everything!

Touching sharks

Kellen was there too!

We saw it all, whales, dolphins, cable cars, fish, the tower, otters, sharks, birds. You name it, we saw it!

The Tower started off our day nicely!

Off to our primo seats at the Shamu show. Callie decided at the last minute to run down to the soak rows!

Playing in tide pools

I kept thinking this would be my final view if  our cable car plunged into the ocean.

Pretty, but terrifying view from the gondola

Later in the afternoon the sun came out and it got warm quick. At the dolphin show we had to invest in a hat for Kellen (not a fan) and some serious sun screen!

After the Dolphins, it was getting pretty late and hot, so we got snacks, went to the playground and said good bye to Sea World.

Kellen was over it!

So ready to go!

The monkey in her natural habitat

It was an awesome day!