This week, we carved out a little time for a getaway to Monterey/Carmel right before the thanksgiving holiday! We had so much fun packing the kiddos up and I am so in love with how much excitement they have, it’s so contagious. We ended up Continue reading “Little Monterey getaway”
I’d forgotten how truly stunning Lake Tahoe is! I grew up coming here and have treasured both the winter and summer vacations over the years. Summer has it’s own special dreaminess to it, but winter is pure magic! Walking up to a nearly 360° panorama of snow capped mountains surrounding the nearly still, crystal clear (ice cold) lake is stunning. And no picture captures it! Trust me, we keep trying 🙂 Continue reading “Winter weekend in Lake Tahoe”
We had such a good time stealing away a few days to visit with friends in Sacramento. We put our new car to the ultimate test (hello minivan!) Continue reading “Sacramento road trip”
I’ve been a little on the brink of a cold, so I’m extremely thankful for James taking the kiddos for breakfast as I snoozed the morning away. Once we mustered our crew together, we drove up to Roaring Camp! It’s a nearby spot that takes you on a steam engine train, similar to that of a logging train from the 1800s.
We caught the two o’clock ride. It’s a jolty open air train that creeps and crawls into the Big Basin forest in Felton, surrounding you with fresh air, Redwood groves and flashes of warm sunshine when it can reach you. Continue reading “Roaring camp”
This was a sweet day last month that I hadn’t gotten around to logging, but the kids and I were looking for a easy access beach to frolic on and came across this one in Carmel, which is about a 45 minute drive from us. We had the sweetest drive around the winding ocean front road, peering at all the driveways with “race cars” lined up in them (see: fancy houses) and either singing or chatting away. Kate loved playing with the sand but locked up every time she had to walk on it, so I found myself carrying Emma in her car seat and Kate (i had my fair share of sweaty moments).
Being on the beach with the kids is so nostalgic for me. Most weekends as a child from early spring to early fall each year were spent walking the railroad tracks with my mom to play at the beach. I look back and imagine that’s where she got a good amount of her reading done. Balancing on the long railroad beams or skipping from wood step to wood step, trying not to get rocks in my sandals as we went. Setting up camp, arranging all my sand toys and then running back and forth with a bucket between the waves and my little world I’d created, adding water to my moats or baked creations.
Mostly, the kids ran around playing race cars and scooping up the fine white sands in their little hands, asking me to chase them every few minutes. We made it back to the car, poured out half the beach at our feet and moseyed home, stopping for a much needed coffee and trip to the farm stand.
This day happened awhile back now but we had the best time with the kids and so I didn’t want to neglect writing it down. We love Gilroy gardens! This was the first time Kate has been able to enjoy rides and the magic of it all. Huge mushrooms, spinning garlic cloves and apple-and-worm themed rides make this place a pretty thrilling vegetable garden, ha. Continue reading “Gilroy gardens”
Last weekend we drove up the coast to find pumpkins! We ended up getting there at a quiet moment and it was so nice not to battle the crowds. The morning had been a little past my crazy threshold so we were needing Continue reading “Rodoni farms”
Earlier this month, we spent time with friends in Central Oregon (Bend!). I was terrible at documenting this trip, which I blame on being 35/36 weeks pregnant at the time.. But it wasn’t for lack of being photogenic, Oregon is beautiful! And friendly! It’s about a nine hour drive from us with some really dramatic Continue reading “Oregon road trip!”
Over the Thanksgiving break, we wandered our way up the salty, steep, winding coast with extra layers, blankets and plenty of fruit, yogurt and peanut butter and jellies to feed a small preschool. We have always loved the peace of a long picturesque drive to think or chat while children stare, chatter and hopefully sleep. Luke was discussing with James how he’d remembered listening to the Jack Johnson song before (“I remembered that one, daddy!”) while I tried to recollect the last time I’d been to the various farms, beaches and trails flying by on either side of the highway. Continue reading “Day trip to the North Coast”
Our first family vacation to… Palm Springs! We were in search of a super warm/dry climate for Luke (so he would actually enjoy the pool with us) and we ended up falling in love with that dry desert heat. Warm weather and pools just shout vacation in our family. Continue reading “Palm Springs”
last weekend, we—along with a huge group of friends—took a double-decker tour bus through san francisco as a ‘christmas outing’ of sorts. how fun to see the city this way! it was also an easy way to be together and in the midst of a busy month, that’s pretty much the top of my priority list.
i must say that i now highly recommend taking a tourist tour of your local city! even if it’s your hometown (while sf is not, i would never think to take a tour), it’s amazing to see all the interesting historical facts that lie around every corner (we went with ‘big bus sf‘). here are a couple of my favorites!
precious..
and my favorite, the ferry building. and against that big blue sky. “wintertime” is surely one of the most beautiful (and sometimes shockingly warm) times of year in these parts!
mrscaseyann 