California! May 2013

 We decided to leave on Sunday and go into Salt Lake City a day before our flights.  It was very relaxing and allowed some time for a great dinner and a geocache!

 Rick and Carolyn suggested this brewery.  They like to road trip from micro-brewery to micro-brewery.  We think we might adopt that idea ourselves!  The food was delicious!

Our one and only geocache....so sad!

On to California.  When we arrived we rented a vehicle and after dropping Ron off at Gretchens, I was off to Kara and Val's.  On Tuesday, Joaquin and I walked Kara to work and then walked back again at lunch time.  Bonding with my newest granddog.  He and I have not spent enough time together for him to appreciate all the joys this grandma can shower on him.

Wednesday morning I was off to Mission Viejo and Grandpa and the boys and our babysitting stint! Our first adventure found us at the petting zoo.............

Panning for jewels and stones and treasures!

One MUST tend to pebbles in the sandals!

And then, of course, ice cream!  It was, however, certified organic.  Trust me on this!

 I can not say for certain who wore out whom, but I stayed home with a tired napper while Grandpa took Ethan to his swimming lessons.

      Ethan totally LOVES his lessons, wouldn't you agree?

                     Breakfast Lounging!


And of course, we enjoyed HOURS of backyard baseball.  The games would stop when all of the balls were lost in the neighbors yard.  The games would resume in the mornings when all of the balls miraculously reappeared back in the yard.  There was the one day however, when we were not ready to quit the games, so Grandpa lifted Ethan over the fence to ball retrieve! (shhhhhh)

 

                               IT'S OUTTA HERE!!!!

 MAN DOWN! Lovie to the rescue.  Lovie nipped Kara's hand when she thought Kara might be getting a little to rambunctious with the boys. 

                          It's my turn, Grandpa!

 Time for healthy power bites!  Does anyone look tired in this picture?

 No visit would be complete without a trip to the lumber store and minor home repairs.

 Attempted geocaching for "treasures" turned into a park visit.  It seems micro caches are not interesting to 2 and 4 year olds.

  "Hi, Mommy!  Don't come home yet, Grandma made cupcakes!"

 Hoping to find fresh veggies at a farmers market.  Our search was futile.

             Lunch at Val's new job!

Our time flew by.  As always happens, our "things we  want to do while here" list far exceeded our limited time.  I have a good friend who retired recently and he told me one day, "Chris, retirement is WAY  UNDERRATED!"  As I post this, we are counting down the 296 days (42 Saturdays) until we both walk away from our jobs.