Finishing Out the Summer with One Last Trip to California

Well folks! Once again, we went on a trip to California. We had the BEST time! Eliza did very well on the plane. My friend Alli came with us and was so helpful that the trip down went so smooth. Thanks Alli!! We went down on Saturday morning. Unfortunatly, I had a little bit of the flu so I felt like garbage, but on Sunday I was feeling better but still a tad yucky. All was gone on Monday morning when we left for Sand Diego.

ELIZA LOVES TO READ BOOKS. SHE LOOKED VERY INTO READING HER BOARD BOOK...LIKE SHE WAS READING A NOVEL OR SOMETHING. HAHA!

Alli, Eliza and I left early, early to go down to my friend Megan's house. Megan was so nice to let us stay with her so we didn't have to drive home late Monday night. When we got to Megan's, we got all of stuff together and headed to Sea World. I hadn't been since I was a kid and Alli hadn't been ever, so we were excited! It still smelled the same as I remembered it. Fishy! Eliza LOVED every minute of Sea World. All of the ocean animals were so fascinating to her. She growled and barked depending on the animal. I think the seals were her favorite because they came right next to her behind the glass. We really had the best time! I'm so glad that we decided to go there.

MEGAN, THE KIDDOS & I IN FRONT OF THE FLAMINGOS. THEY REALLY ARE PRETTY BIRDS.

ELIZA LOVED THE SEALS AND THEY REALLY LOVED HER TO. THEY CAME RIGHT UP TO HER. SO SWEET!

ME, ELIZA, MEGAN, RYAN & ALLI IN THE "SHARK ENCOUNTER" EXHIBIT

ALL OF US WAITING FOR THE DOLPHIN SHOW TO START. ELIZA THOUGHT THE DOLPHINS WERE SO FUN. WHEN SHE WASN'T GETTING INTO OUR BAGS, SHE WAS POINTING AND BARKING.

ALLI & I RIGHT BEFORE WE WENT ON THE WATER RIDE. I THINK IT WAS CALLED "JOURNEY TO ATLANTIS."

ALLI & I RIGHT AFTER "JORNEY TO ATLANTIS." UM...WE LITERALLY HAD A BUCKET OF WATER DUMPED ON US BEFORE WE WENT DOWN A HILL OF WATER AND WERE SPLASHED WITH ANOTHER LOAD OF WATER. LOVELY! IT WAS REFRESHING THOUGH. ;)

MOMMY & ELIZA WATCHING SHAMU SWIM AROUND

OH REALLY!! HOW SWEET IS THAT?!

RYAN & ELIZA IN THE POLAR BEAR CAVE

I THINK RYAN WAS MORE INTERESTED IN ELIZA'S HAIR THEN WITH THE POLAR BEAR. ELIZA COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT SHE WAS SEEING.

Later that night, Megan was so nice to watch Eliza and Alli and I went to Old Town San Diego. We went to the Whaley House which is supposedly one of the most haunted places in America. I saw no ghosts. I left somewhat relieved, but a little disappointed at the same time. After the Whaley House we went on a ghost tour around Old Town with a paranormal investigator. Again, no ghosts. We went into a cemetary though and let me tell you! I will NOT do that again. Way to creepy! The next day we went to this very cute little restaurant down by the beach called The Cottage. It was so very yummy. I got french toast with strawberries and whipped cream. DELICIOUS!! Eliza even had homemade oatmeal with brown sugar and pears. She seemed to like it. She is not a very good eater on vacation, so its hard to tell. After breakfast, we went to the beach. How relaxing! I love to just lay on the beach.

ODE TO THE BEACH!! ESPECIALLY SAN DIEGO BEACHES. AHH! THE LIFE!!

SO MUCH FUN!

On Wednesday it was my neice Megan's 13th birthday. I honestly CANNOT believe she is 13. It makes me so old. She, Alli and I went shopping for some clothes for her and then went to lunch. My sister Carrie Beth made some yummy cupcakes and we had a little bit of dinner and then headed back to Mollie's to put Eliza down. She was so tired from our excursion to San Diego. Thursday Mollie, Alli and I went to Universal Studios. I hadn't been there since my senior year in high school. I remember I went there instead of Prom. I still do not regret that decision. We had the best time! We went on all the rides. My sister was nice enough to take Eliza for the day so that the 3 of us would be free to wonder around Universal Studios. Thanks CB and kids! Alli left Thursday night to go home and go back to work. The vacation calmed down then. I was pooped! We rushed and rushed all over the place so I was excited for a relaxing next couple of days. Friday I went to lunch with my friend Tifany and then came back to Carrie Beth's and relaxed.

RED CARPET SISTERS

AFTER THE SIMPSONS' RIDE. NOT REALLY ALL THAT FUN. MADE ME SICK!

THE 3 OF US WITH ZORRO. I THOUGHT ZORRO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HOT! NOT SO MUCH THIS ONE. I WAS A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED. ;)

RIDING THE STAR WAY DOWN TO THE LOWER PART OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Saturday was my neice Megan's "friend party." Later in the afternoon Mollie, Tifany and I went to my friend Daniel's wedding reception in Lancaster while Eliza's dad took her to the San Diego Zoo. Daniel and his new wife Heather are the cutest couple! I've known Daniel since we were kids in Rancho Cucamonga. We actually went to Homecoming together, just as friends, but he was always just a very sweet guy. Heather is so sweet as well. I've only met her a couple of times but she is just an amazing girl. She has a "princess voice." She could totally be Cinderella at Disneyland.

IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHO TOOK THEIR PICTURES...IT WAS MY CUTE, TALENTED SISTER, MOLLIE! WWW.MOLLIEJANEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

I really had the best time in California but I am so glad to be home. I start school on Wednesday so I have so much to do to get everything in order. I'm taking Eliza to the aquarium tomorrow with my friend Sara and her little boy Miles to have one last really FUN day before I get busy with school. I will post pictures of that tomorrow if I have time. Hope everyone got their last "Summer Hoorahs" in! I would love to hear about them!

TAKE CARE!!