The many uses of playdough

One of the (many) things Sarah does while I cook dinner...

Anyone care for a pink playdough muffin? They are especially delicious when prepared in the bottom of booster seats.

Wordless Wednesday

Vacation recap (part 2)

We went to Kn*tts Berry Farm one day... didn't take too many photos as I was juggling a double stroller and the two little ones most of the time. It was fun, but a bit crowded. We skipped D*sneyland this time... we were pretty sure it would be packed (and it was, from what I heard).

On Thursday, we went on a whale watching cruise. This was probably the highlight of the trip for me. Actually, the cruise and just sitting on the beach (with my book) were the highlights of the trip for me. ;) If you are ever in San Diego, I would definitely recommend a harbor cruise.

Sea lions on the buoy

We actually saw three different types of dolphins. We went through a pod of common dolphins. The boat captain said there were at least 500 dolphins in the pod! They loved swimming in the wake of the boat and were a lot of fun to watch.

Beautiful sail boat

It was the tail end of the whale migration, so we weren't sure if we would actually see any whales. The captain said we would probably see a grey whale, but we ended up seeing a humpback whale, which isn't as common. The captain couldn't get really close to the whale (there is a law about not impeding or crowding marine mammals, which is good).

So the pictures aren't really impressive. The humpback didn't show us its tail fluke or do any breaching, but it was still very cool. I need a better telephoto lens and should have set the camera to a rapid picture mode to get a lot of shots quickly...


This flat, lighter water (looks like a puddle) is called a footprint and you can see if for a minute or so after the whale dives in the water.

The rest of the time we just spent on the beach. Everyone loves the beach. The little kids love the sand, the big kids love the sand and boogie boarding, and mom and dad love to sit! :) It was a great family vacation.

Vacation recap (part 1)

So... I feel a little bit like I'm pulling down a screen in my living room and forcing you to watch a vacation slideshow... haha

The best thing about a hotel along the way? The pool, of course.

Our first full day at the beach was a little overcast. We took a stroll along the pier...

where we met this handsome fellow and...

read a nearby sign that offered some timely advice.

Jason walking along the pier.

We also visited the Mission San Luis Rey (founded in 1798). The missions are an important part of California history and settlement. We enjoyed the museum and walking around the grounds.

My best FIND of the trip! I found this beauty on day one!

End of slideshow... part 1

The tale of two pictures...

From this view...

To this view...

We've been "off the grid" for a week... just got back. More pictures to come!